KKK Ad Runner Loses TN Primary In Landslide

Being linked to "big oil" turned into a big problem for Tennessee Republican freshman Rep. David Davis, who became the first congressman from that state to lose in a primary in more than four decades. ...

Meanwhile, in the 9th District, in Memphis, a racially charged Democratic primary ended with an incumbent congressman trouncing the opponent who ran an ad linking him to the Ku Klux Klan.

Unofficial results showed Democrat Steve Cohen with 79 percent of the vote to 19 percent for Nikki Tinker, a black corporate lawyer who was his chief opponent in the district that covers Memphis, with all precincts reporting.

Cohen is the first white congressman from Memphis in more than three decades and one of only two white congressmen representing a majority black district.

"The results are pretty clear," Cohen told cheering supporters at a victory party. "I'm here to report that Tennessee and Tennessee (District) 9 voted firmly for the post-racial politics that has carried a new generation to power."

The campaign turned ugly in its final days, when Tinker ran a television ad juxtaposing photos of Cohen, who is Jewish, and a hooded Ku Klux Klan member. Tinker's supporters argued the district, which is 60 percent black and 35 percent white, should be represented by a black candidate. Cohen, a former state senator, has a long record as a civil rights supporter.

Tinker said her ad linking Cohen to the KKK for opposing a 2005 effort to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest from a downtown park "merely states the facts. I think the nation needs to know Steve Cohen's complete record."

But the ad drew condemnation Thursday from Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. It juxtaposed pictures of a statue of Forrest, an early leader of the KKK, and a hooded Klansman in front of a burning cross while asking, "Who is the real Steve Cohen?"

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[schicklett3]

Finally, someone standing up against these racist lying political ads.
People are just sick and tired of it.
Negative is OUT!

[azcamp]

I was surprised that Ms. Tinker got the endorsement of Emily's List, an organization that was once very much admired. There was a time when Emily's List would screen out bigots.

Rep. Cohen was the better candidate for representing the women and the men of his district and he did not deserve such a nasty, personal attack funded by Emily's List.

[Querent]

I think Emily's list has lost all credibility. There was a time when their endorsement carried more benefits than their cash. No longer. They can still give candidates money, but there is no longer any progressive legitimacy conferred by their support.

[flrbase1]

What does this say about the black community? That when face with a choice of someone who have shown good works and someone who looks like them, they showed that they voted for the good works. Only if many whites were that forward thinking, we could finally get RACE out of our politics and the Republicans will cease to exists

[AzRealProgressive]

I am sorry, was this woman candidate a Repub who played this race card?

[reshas1]

NO, she was a democrat, primaries run between the same party!!!

[lisaintexas]

Excellent news. I'm so pleased she lost! Maybe she will be welcomed by the Repugs.

[uvymopkq]

"Being linked to "big oil" turned into a big problem...." I understand that Oboma has received more money from Exxon than McCain.

[Americatortures]

Trying this again....she'll fit right in the GOP with Condi,Ken Blackwell, and Clarence Thomas....NONE of whom ,by the way,were ELECTED by the Rethugs!!

[AzRealProgressive]

I see, black people who are Repubs are evil people, right? And since Rice and Thomas are appointees, somehow that says what? Is there some thing wrong with any of them?

[Liberal2]

Something wrong with them??? Yeah. They're rethugs; that's not just a label, it's a mindset. Name one good thing rethugs have ever accomplished.

[jay1975]

But she is a Democrat, so you can keep her.

[ivegotblisteronmefingers]

I should never have used the j-word.
Anywho, my point was this; I have experience with the white sheet wearin' cracker type crowd (my relatives)and I know for certain that they don't want those of the jewish faith anywhere near them or their schools or their children etc. etc...
IOW she could have easily avoided this defeat..after all she's totally hot!

[AzRealProgressive]

You used the words that fit your thoughts. And you speak so well of your family. Perhaps Jerry Springer would be happy to have you and your family on his show.

[Jeff1958]

A man named Cohen in the KKK? That's about as likely as a pope named Cohen.

[ndolomar]

While not as frequent as it was during the '50s, the presence of non-Gentiles in the KKK was quite normal. The man who killed Civil Rights activist Medgar Evers, Byron De La Beckwith, was of jewish ancestry. Only recently has the Klan adopted a neo-Nazi/Aryan philosophy.

[AzRealProgressive]

One nut who has a Jewish ancestor in his background does not make a case for anything.

[pkafin]

What does it mean to be "of Jewish ancestry"? I assume that he was Jewish, you'd have mentioned it. Having a Jew in the family tree somewhere is mostly meaningless in terms of whether one is, themselves, Jewish.

As for the Klan only recently going antisemitic, that's just absurd. The second KKK was formed in 1915, around the time that Leo Frank, an American Jew, was lynched with antisemitism as one of its stated platforms.

I'm not sure where you're getting you history from, but the KKK haven't liked Jews for a very long time.

[ebethgay]

I have to disagree. As a little kid, I can remember the old racist Klan members at family picnics spewing hate about Jews, Catholics, Mormons, and Jehovah's Witnesses, before my mom would sweep me away from them and tell me that even though they were family, they were wrong and we were all God's children.

[gwt301]

Or an American president names Obama? LOL

[Nooneyouknow]

A sound defeat for the DLC/Clinton/Emmanuel wing of the Dem party, i.e. the Repugs in Dem's clothing. Cheers me up no end!

[tel8034]

When will these tired, out of touch politicians realize that Americans want a CHANGE from the old style of smear, sleeze, lies, and distortions in ALL campaigns.................. No matter the race or creed of the candidate

Hillary Clinton learnt the hard way, Nikki Tinker got her just desserts, and John McCain will feel the wrath in November.

After the 2000 and 2008 nasty presidential campaigns, and 8 years of gutter tactics from Bush and his cronies, Americans are saying ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

Kudos to the Tennessee voters for saying " NO " by a 8:2 margin to a dirty campaign.

[CarolinaObserver]

good job memphis folks...

[Triciann]

Both are great results. Martin Luther King would have liked both I think.

[Scarllatti]

I like the fact that African-Americans looked beyond race (mainly Democrats) to vote against someone who was running a race-baiting campaign even though she is also an African-American. I hope the whole country can take a cue from this.
Here in Georgia, I learnt that the Civil Rights leader, Rev. Lowry's endorsement of Jim Martin (a White candidate and my fave) was instrumental to the defeat of Vernon Jones (an African-American) even in his DeKalb county which is mainly black.
I am loving this new revolution in America where folks vote for issues and competence rather than race.

[lady49]

SEE.....
Shows you that WE ALL LISTENED TO OBAMA'S "SPEECH ON RACE"

I play it for my class at least once a month.......

It is time to "TURN the PAGE" and that applies to all of us!!!

[Ramirez]

Take note Dems: The race card don't pay.

[JMBrodie]

Take note all of you (Dem & Rep & other): That canaine is no longer pursuing prey.

[305Rider]

The neocons should be the ones taking notes on that.

[YouDisgustMe]

your hate-filled candidates are about to learn the same this year

[AzRealProgressive]

Right, anything your opponent says is hate or hate filled, yours on the other hand is just truth. Got it.

[Skepticat]

Ah but will Republicans learn the lesson?