Rep Clyburn, Top African American In Congress, May Endorse

New York Times:

Representative James E. Clyburn of South Carolina, the highest-ranking African-American in Congress, said he was rethinking his neutral stance in his state's presidential primary out of disappointment at comments by Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton that he saw as diminishing the historic role of civil rights activists.

President Lyndon B. Johnson Johnson meeting at the White House in 1964 with a group of civil rights leaders, from left, Roy Wilkins, James L. Farmer Jr., the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Whitney M. Young Jr.

Mr. Clyburn, a veteran of the civil rights movement and a power in state Democratic politics, put himself on the sidelines more than a year ago to help secure an early primary for South Carolina, saying he wanted to encourage all candidates to take part. But he said recent remarks by the Clintons that he saw as distorting civil rights history could change his mind.

"We have to be very, very careful about how we speak about that era in American politics," said Mr. Clyburn, who was shaped by his searing experiences as a youth in the segregated South and his own activism in those days. "It is one thing to run a campaign and be respectful of everyone's motives and actions, and it is something else to denigrate those. That bothered me a great deal."

In an interview with Fox News on Monday, Mrs. Clinton, who was locked in a running exchange with Senator Barack Obama, a rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, over the meaning of the legacies of President John F. Kennedy and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., tried to make a point about presidential leadership.

"Dr. King's dream began to be realized when President Lyndon Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964," Mrs. Clinton said in trying to make the case that her experience should mean more to voters than the uplifting words of Mr. Obama. "It took a president to get it done."

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[poopdeck]

Anyone who has listened to or read President Johnson's magnificent speech to bolster the 1964 civil rights act understands that Bill Clinton's choice of language was unfortunate but that his facts were on target. King Spoke, Kennedy fiddled, but Johnson acted. It cost the Democratic Party the South ever since. The outcry against Bill Clinton is, on this issue, contrived and historically wrong.

[wildhorse]

THE CLINTONS INVENTED POLITICAL CORRECTNESS.

NOW THEY'RE GETTING A TASTE OF THEY'RE OWN MEDICINE.

WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND!

[synonys]

Politics as usual...
When a candidate is black, the other must be racist!

[AntonBursch]

I posted a Diary on Daily Kos about John Edwards that I think most of you would like to read. It was about how Tony Snow reacted to hearing the name John Edwards on Real Time With Bill Maher last night.

Yeah, and the show briefly mentioned where people like O'Donnell are coming from with Edwards. It's not a flatering portrait.

Here's the link. It was probably the fastest Recomended diary on Daily Kos of all time. I was still doing a second run thru spellchecking right after first posting and it was already up on the list.

If you support Edwards, it's a must read. I think. If you don't. Well, give it a read, see what you think. It's short and to the point.

Thanks

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/1/12/0458/77196/809/435494

[JTR40291]

I was wondering when The Messiah Campaign would start getting the Hillary-as-racist spin going. I have no doubt that many folk will neglect to refer directly to what was said (which was, to paraphrase, that MLK, Jr. was great because his eloquent speeches were preceded and followed by real action), completely ignore the overwhelmingly good civil rights work the Clintons have done and drink this rancid kool-aid. If Barack doesn't come out publicly against this bullsh*t, then he's one step closer to losing this voter's respect.

[maxy]

I listened to Bill Clinton (about Obama) He (Bill) is not what I thought. He needs to sit down. And ask his wife to come and have a seat with him. 8 years should make one never want to do it again. Could it be boredom? If not, then tell us what they want, besides serving the people. Again?

[SeanGardner]

It should be no surprise that the Clintons are alientating blacks. Just today, I saw where an anonymous Clinton aide said in an article in THE GUARDIAN that Obama Is For People Who Want "Imaginary Hip Black Friend".

Don't believe me? Here is the link: http://tpmelectioncentral.com/2008/01/clinton_aide_obama_is_for_people_who_want_imaginary_hip_black_friend.php

The Clintons and their supporters have made a series of misteps on race and civil rights lately that call into question the depth and scope of their character.

I guess they see Obama as an even bigger threat than before, because now they know that Obama is more popular with young people, and is trouncing Hillary with young whites (and white women) 18-40. So if they can make him out to be just "a black candidate" then her campaign believes she'll sail to the nomination. Its an unfortunate strategy.

This will likely cost her votes with blacks, latinos, young whites, and many other constuencies. If all of this doesn't confirm that Clinton is polarizing, I don't know what will.

[Henry2008]

Has it occurred to anyone here that there could be republicans passing themselves of as Obama supporters in order to trash Hillary.

I refuse to believe that there is so much hate,vitriol and nastiness in the Democratic Party to attack one of their own like this.

Not even the Republicans resort to such nastiness. They reserve it for the Democratic Party.

It is like I stepped into a freeper like website.

[bar1ed]

knew this would happen -- race in the race -- why? because this country has stalled for too long on having a national dialogue on race. but who knows? this may be the first step !!!!!

[tgood]

We should change the constitution and have several presidents, one to represent each hyphenated American group. That way, we can destroy the U.S. much faster as we bury all the things that have held us together--a shared culture, shared efforts.

Let's keep up the drumbeat for diversity--which historically has destroyed the culture holding a country together. Rome didn't just vanish for no reason. Remember ? And we're so proud of it. We need more "multicultural " aspirations. In Texas, they're trying to change the textbooks to present the Revolutionary War as being basically insignificant and playing up how any war impacted black and Latino movements. Yep, let's all just have our own president and be ramp up the destruction. In Chicago, Latino students aren't being taught any American history--only the accomplishments of Latinos. Diversity and globalization aren't being addressed by any of the presidental aspirants.

All the hyphenated Americans can have a shared goal--wrecking what used to be a great nation. Without upholding the one culture that made us great--the American culture--no presidential election will make one iota of difference. Show me a person who has the courage to stand up for this country--as one country--and I'll show you a person who might give us a prayer of survival. I don't see one.

[findingthetruth]

In watching CNN---and in reference to this article---a Clinton staff just stated that Clyburn mention back in December that he wouldn't endorse anyone, and Clinton hopes he keeps his word. SO NOW THAT GAVE CLINTON LICENSE TO DISPEL THE WORKS OF BLACK LEADERS. Wow---the Blacks in South Carolina have really been SNOW-BALLED! Sad as usual. Watch what HRC is going to do to the Hispanics in Nevada.

[Henry2008]

You Obama supporters are really gullible.

Why in the world would Hillary insult MLK when she belongs to a party that depends on the African American vote?

You guys are acting like those people that like to play the anti-semitism card anytime Israel is criticized. In other words you guys love to play the victim card.

[MilesTougeaux]

So I'm curious: Who is the top White American in Congress?

Good irony when the headline questioning whether an event is racist is racist.

[sonofloud]

It's pretty sad when I have to go to Reuters to find a Hillary article that isn't negative:
"Clinton upstages Republicans with stimulus plan"
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080111/pl_nm/usa_politics_dc_104

[MRb1000]

Now we are finding our about the real Hillary Clinton. She want black votes, but will not give credit to great black cilvil right leaders. Hillary dose not have respect for Dr. King or any civil right leaders. Now, we know she is a opportunist. She will say and do what ever it take to be president of the United States. She used bigotry and lies and now she is discrediting a dead cilivil right leader who cannot defend himself or herself. She dose not understand the dream is still a live. It is called HOPE. This is what keep us going!!

Bill and Hillary Clinton are in the closet Bigots.

Truth and trust is going to win this election!!!!!!