Black Clinton Supporters Face Down "Uncle Tom" Smears

Politico:

African-American superdelegates said Thursday that they'll stand up against threats, intimidation and "Uncle Tom" smears rather than switch their support from Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton to Sen. Barack Obama.

"African-American superdelegates are being targeted, harassed and threatened," said Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II (D-Mo.), a superdelegate who has supported Clinton since August. Cleaver said black superdelegates are receiving "nasty letters, phone calls, threats they'll get an opponent, being called an Uncle Tom.

Read the whole story: Politico

Comments

[foreffectivegovernment]

Do you support the strong-arm tactics being used against the Black super-delegates who support Hillary Clinton or do you think they are “anything to win” and considered unfair.

“NBC's Andrea Mitchell interviewed Lewis about his decision to switch his endorsement from Clinton to Obama. Lewis told Mitchell that the decision was extremely difficult, "much tougher" than when he helped lead the famous march on Selma, Alabama in 1965.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/02/27/civil-rights-icon-lewis-o_n_88757.html

John Kerry and Ted Kennedy sold out for a “few pieces of silver” and that is considered as “Normal Politics” but does this Mafia like behavior go too far?.

Here is an example with proof that it is going on.

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri had this to say;
In an interview, Cleaver offered a glimpse of private conversations.
He said Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. of Illinois had recently asked him "if it comes down to the last day and you're the only super delegate. ... Do you want to go down in history as the one to prevent a black from winning the White House?

"I told him I'd think about it," Cleaver concluded.

Jackson, an Obama supporter, confirmed the conversation, and said the dilemma may pose a career risk for some black politicians. "Many of these guys have offered their support to Mrs. Clinton, but Obama has won their districts. So you wake up without the carpet under your feet. You might find some young primary challenger placing you in a difficult position" in the future, he added.

http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/02/16/black-superdelegates-threatened-pressured/

[foreffectivegovernment]

Instead of letting the Huffington Post stir up voters, why doesn't everyone use this wonderful Internet to investigate why the super-delegates were started in the first place and how they were intended to be used in the first place.

I suggest that everyone then come back and discuss whether you think the system should be changed.

I have done this and have reached the conclusion that both candidates are bending the intent of these super-delegates to their own interest and we should not listen to the candidates but make our own decisions.

As the system is now we, as voters, should abide by the rules and strive to change them if we, as Democrats, disagree with them.

I will tell you that, they were established in 1983 to benefit the Democratic Party because the Republicans cross over and vote in the Democratic primaries and thus are allowed to select both the Republican and Democratic candidates. The super-delegates were formed to prevent that from happening.

[SaveTheCrying]

Okay black or white, Hillary Supporters­....you need to check out your chic.

http://deepbackground.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/02/29/718285.aspx

hmmmmm....­...

[mawrm]

HuffPost's Pick

Ha ha! There is the biblical phrase that says "You reap what you sow." There is A LOT many non-Afr-Ams may not understand about what's going on so I'll try to explain.
First, we have to rewind the tape back to last year to understand WHY these black Clinton supporters are getting hit hard. For most of last year, Hillary Clinton enjoyed the majority of support from Afr-Am politicians - she enjoyed more endorsements from the Congressional Black Caucus than Barack Obama, a member of that very body. Rep. John Lewis endorsed her "without hesitation­." The general mood was "it's great Obama is making this "trial run" at the presidency but given Hillary's running, as a Clinton she has the best chance to win." Basically, the majority of elected black poliiticians viewed Barack Obama's entry into the race as a curiousity and didn't take time to evaluate him as a candidate. Worse, they were hurriedly endorsing Clinton telling their constitutents to vote Hillary Clinton and either stating outright or quietly suggesting that as a black man, Barack Obama doesn't have a chance at winning the Dem nomination in "white America". Recall that Clinton was polling as high as _80%_ among likely black voters. Here's a quote from a black Clinton supporter in Alabama, Perry County Commissioner Albert Turner "The question you have to put forth to yourself is that whether or not in this racist country a black man named Obama - when we are shooting at Osama - can win the presidency of the United States?" Comments like these were rife among black Clinton supporters, many not being widely reported in the general media. While they had different ways of saying it, the idea was simple - Since America is supposedly a "racist country" don't vote for (a black man) Obama, vote for a (white lady) Clinton. This is partially what prompted the "fear" comment by Michelle Obama that got wide play in the media.

Fast forward to Jan 4th and Obama has won Iowa. Folks are STUNNED and to a small degree feel duped. Slowly black support began to shift but it wasn't until the Clintons pulled their race baiting stunts in South Carolina that the majority of black voters had had enough and moved over solidly behind Obama. Soon, Obama's winning by landslides and the black constituents who first listened to these black Clinton supporters are rightly mad. It's not about simply supporting a black candidate. What incenses them is that these black Clinton supporters stick with the Clintons after the nasty race-baiting and all the sick tricks and smears that the Clinton campaign has pulled on Barack Obama. And they're also further mad because in many cases they've stuck behind these elected (and non-elected) black Clinton supporters when they've had to endure smear/negative campaigns/stories in the general media or from political rivals of the very nature that Barack Obama is dealing with from the Clinton campaign. Magic Johnson anyone? Now, it could be just any ole white politician who could be smearing Obama but the fact that it is the Clintons doing this reeks of opportunistic betrayal and makes matters exponentially worse. To use Shuster's words, black folks feel they've been pimped by the Clintons. Because at the HEIGHT of Bill Clinton's troubles in the Monica scandals and Republican smear, the African-American community unapologetically stood with him and supported him. Now that Obama's running, the Clintons are gang-banging on the brother like there's no tomorrow. And that these black Clinton supporters have had little to say about the treatment that Obama's receiving from the Clinton is what is infuriating these voters. Because they know that as soon as there is some situation where these politicians are in trouble or facing stiff competitio­n/politica­l challenge from non-black politicians, they'll come running into the 'hood asking black folks to stand behind them.
So when you put all these factors together, along with the fact that overwhelming majorities of their constituents are supporting Obama, for these black Clinton supporters to ignore the voice of their constituents is the height of ignorance and arrogance in the eyes of many Afr-Am voters. So that's why they're getting the angry phone calls. Plus, they KNOW how the Clinton's have "bought" these folks out as well, given them special jobs, pouring money into their campaigns/causes, etc. And when people know you're "bought", they have less respect for you claiming to stand by someone because of "experience", "friendship" and other weak nonsense. Rep John Lewis was smart - he realized there is a movement afoot and it's stupid to try to stand in the path of a tsunami. These folks are choosing to find out the hard way IMHO.

[ACunningham]

"What incenses them is that these black Clinton supporters stick with the Clintons after the nasty race-baiting and all the sick tricks and smears that the Clinton campaign has pulled on Barack Obama."

mawrm, This is a great analysis, thank you.

However, I would like to add that African Americans were not the only people who underestimated Obama's chances to achieve what he has so far achieved. No One predicted his rise, including this Obama supporter. I am now convinced that the reason the Clintons did not have a Plan B was simply because Obama was black and that they considered his campaign ''a fairy tale.'' How else can we explain the Clintons blowing through $60,000,00­0.00 by the time they had reached Iowa?!

.

[AnninCA]

I am old-fashioned. Record counts with me. I am appalled that Obama attacked someone on a such a solid record, and people were so quick to throw her under the bus.

I'm not appalled simply because I really support Hillary.

I'm appalled by the message.

Record and real actions don't count.

Words and BS do.

This is so dangerous. This means that the country has turned a corner, and any hawker with a good spin can take us.

I'm embarassed by the Obama campaign.

The country I grew up in and love? We rewarded records, actions, and it was something you had to work for.

This election is, in my opinion, a clear sign of what some of us have worried over.

Actions no longer really matter.

What matters? How well you spin.

I am in agreement with some of the idiotic writers on the generational issues. I understand that it's time for Baby Boomers to start handing down real responsibilities.

But I so disagree that we hand it down and not require real actions, real records and authenticity to matter.

This election, to me, is one more case where my generation refuses to stand firm.

If we think that our kids will somehow just know what we know without seeing us demand this?

We're dead wrong.

And for anyone, anyone....­..to remotely accuse the Clintons of not being supportive and active on behalf of the AA community?

That's absolutely the best example of what I'm talking about.

Obama has reduced this to skin color.

Record? Doesn't matter.

You better have brown skin or you're the enemy.

That is a race card.

And it's a nasty one at that.

I will, of course, make my peace with Hillary Clinton losing.

But I won't forget how she lost.

And this Democrat, who knows how firmly we've supported minority issues, only to see these records be dismissed as though they were absolutey nothing?

I'll not forget this campaign.

But it won't be about hope.

I'll remember it always as divisive, nasty, and low-down.

And I won't back it either for just that reason.

In the fall, I presume now, he'll be the nominee.

But I'll vote for Nader.

I don't hate Obama.

I do hate how he'll win this.

So much, that I'll make sure my own voting record doesn't support racism.

And, that's all this is........­.racism.

[AKJM]

I'm sure Blacks didn't put their asses on the line securing the right to vote just to have these young truks tell them how to vote. The arrogance, the ball, the insanity!

[SILLYME]

Shame on Black America? I just wonder if any bloggers on this site has a friend of color or ever asked a person of color if he or she is a Uncle Tom? I also wonder if any blogger ever went on a site where "Black America" speaks with one another about issue effecting "Black America", including the pressure of supporting or not supporting Senator Obama versus Senator Clinton? We all have our biases but I have said to my dearest in the majority friends its way easier living in "White America."

[pollster08]

Micheal Eric Dyson...th­e man shown in that photo with Clinton (he is a Georgetown University Professor btw)..... IS NOT a HILLARY CLINTON Supporter and NEVER HAS BEEN!

Also, I am black and it pisses me off to see 'white people' discussing and commenting on how 'black people' feel about anything. How on earth would YOU know how WE feel as a group? WE are NOT A GOD DAMNED MONOLITH! I'm sick to death of that ignorant assumption. We do not all walk, think, talk, or vote alike. We don't all come from the same backgrounds. We don't all share the same experiences. Yes, we share skin color (and even that is varied....­.lol...we come in every color skin color there is!). We are probably the most diverse group of people in this world. So please...d­o not speak for 'US'..I am black and I CAN NOT speak for every single black person....­so I surely don't know why you feel as if you can!

The black leaders have a responsibility to their constituents and I'm sure some of them feel conflict within themselves right now...espe­cially since Obama is doing so well. Many black leaders will feel conflict..­.it's natural and would occur even if there were no threats (which I don't believe anyway). There may be some who are receiving threats or being called names by a maybe one or two people. I personally think some are blowing this out of proportion and just trying to get the attention Obama is getting right now. Yes, some are just simply jealous of the man! That is a fact! I don't live in a black district/urban district..­...but if I did live in one I would expect my rep to stand with the voters in that district! and before you ask...YES, I do believe Kennedy should stand with Hillary...­.his constituents voted for Hillary and he should vote that way IF IF IF it were to come down to that. However, if some feel they just want to be with Obama....i­f they see this is the way most are going....t­hen I don't have a problem with that either.

[Semper]

Do you notice something strange. Maxine Waters (D) from Los Angeles, California is silent and supports Hillary. Her reason: she is married to Sidney Williams, who was appointed as the Ambassor to the Bahamas by Bill Clinton. Friends tell me that he needed a job. So this ladys integrity was absent in the candidate selection process. She sold out her constituency for a job given to her husband. Thats pretty sad.

[useyourbrain]

So there is no race issue anymore since BO has changed the "dynamic". Bullshit! There is racism from both sides. If you're black you have to support Obama. If you are Jewish, you have to support Lieberman. Double bullshit!

If race has been nullified in this election cycle (and if you believe that, you are really working in another dimension) then why does stuff like this happen. If one were to follow this lead then only blacks will vote for blacks and only whites will vote for whites.

To vote for someone because he/she is "like you" in race, gender or religion is dumb, stupid and immoral.

[snowcat]

I believe it's the Clinton camp stirring up trouble and making the calls if they exist. She said at the last debate, she wiull do whatever it takes to win!

[Karenina44]

The african american delegates should vote for who they prefer to lead this nation, just like the other super delegates. It is not about drawing lines behind race, or gender, or creed. Obama is trying to move the country beyond that.... I am sure he does not advocate browbeating.

[StephenS]

Could someone please post where Obama has already spoken out against his supporters who are harassing, as described in the article, Clinton's black superdelegates to vote for Obama? Thanks!

[AnninCA]

The race man.......­...has been disgusting and overt.

I'm so proud of AA Democrats sharing the truth.

THAT is courage, folks, this year.

THAT earns my respect.

[maggieb]

We as a nation are getting ready for another civil war. How can people be cowed to support someone they have basic political differences with. What has happened to dissent. If blacks are being forced to fall in line with Barack Obama now, even before he is elected, what the hell is going to happen then. There are whites who have differences in political beliefs with Sen Clinton and are supporting Obama...Ke­nnedy & Kerry, I am sure it would become a big deal if they started to report that they are being threatened to switch sides. Wake up America, this is CHANGE alright, but change for the worst.

[CommittedDem]

I'm sad to say that this is happening a lot. I'm living proof of it. I almost got attacked by some people for supporting Hillary. It's been very disappointing to see...very disappointing!

[Mekarri]

I am black and I supported Hillary Clinton and I still support Senator Clinton. I will not change it and I don't regret it. I just didn't realized until right now that men hates the thought of having a woman in power more than a black man. It really surprise me. As a black person I thought we were the ones most hated by white people but I was wrong. I found out it was women is what they are most threatened by. Either way I am screwed because I am black and and woman. I like Senator Obama and I would not have a problem voting for him when he wins the nomination. I think he is a smart man but I don't know if he is ready for what is to come. The repugs are going to do what they do best, which is go after his family, friends and make up all sort of untrue shit about him. And the stupid American people will probably do what they do best which is drink the kool aid. Unfortunately, I think Senator Obama will get to see things from Hillary Clinton point of view in reference to the media. I hope he is ready for it and ready to fight because it is going to be a long hard road. But I and my family and friends will be out there to support him and vote for him if he wins. If Obama or Clinton wins the presidency we are still winners.

[anghiari]

I never saw anybody shocked when Evangelicals demand that certain folks support their candidates? Am I seeing a double stanard here???

[loisteagulp]

I expect Evangelicals to be disgusting. They don't deny it. In fact they revel in it. " Vote as we say or you are going going to hell and so is your whole family praise Jesus." Now if Senator Obama came clean and said " I expect America to vote for me so you can prove your not racists", then he (and his minions) could use such attacks without being overly questioned for them. But when you use race baiting and intimidation as a way to get votes, then expect people to question it. Especially when you claim to be bringing "new"politics and change.

[vcthree]

Yes.