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Why Hillary Trumps Obama with Black Voters
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African-American Voters, African-Americans, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Democratic Party, Hillary Clinton,
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It had the earmark of an old 1960s civil rights revival and rally. But it was the 91st annual NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet in Charleston, South Carolina in September. And there was Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton with arms linked on the dais, swaying, rocking, and belting out a rendition of "We Will Overcome." Clinton then proceeded to give a rip roaring speech in which she publicly vowed to do everything from aggressively fighting hate crimes to strengthening voting rights. It was the kind of civil rights speech that top Democrats in campaigns past have sprinted from like the plague.
A couple of months before Hillary's South Carolina love fest, she uttered a word that top Democratic presidential contenders in the recent past have virtually exorcised from their vocabulary, the word: racism. During a debate at Howard University she intimated that racism drove public policy in how Americans dealt with the HIV/AIDS plague. Clinton told the mostly black audience that if young white women were dying at the rate young blacks were from AIDS there would be a national outcry. That kind of blatant point the finger at racism talk wasn't heard from Democratic presidential contenders in two failed presidential campaigns against Bush. The audience went wild at hearing that.
Clinton's real aim was to send a big, forceful message to chief Democratic presidential campaign rival Barack Obama that she, not he, is the real civil rights candidate. Judging from the polls the message has been received. During the early months after both tossed their hats in the presidential ring, Clinton and Obama ran side by side in the avowed admiration and loyalty blacks gave the pair. In a June 2007 Gallup poll, blacks by 8 to 1 margins had favorable views of both them.
When it comes to who they'll actually vote for, it's no contest. Hillary gaps Obama with black women voters, especially lower income, working class black women. Nearly three times more black women say they'll back Hillary over him. She is a woman, mother, and most importantly is regarded by many black women as a strong advocate for health care and women's interests.
But Hillary also runs neck and neck with Obama in the race to net the overall votes of blacks. It's no surprise why Hillary has outflanked Obama on the civil rights front. Start with Bill, that's hubby Bill Clinton. Despite his centrist, and at times very race neutral and hostile policies, especially his emphasis on crime, middle-class tax cuts, and his proposals to overhaul welfare without significant boosts in spending on job, education and child care, Clinton was seen as the only president with the arguable exception of Lyndon Johnson who did more for blacks than any other president.
The nostalgia and fond remembrances for Bill and the Clinton name still sends shivers up the spines of many black voters. "The name is magical in a lot of black communities," notes South Carolina Congressman James Clyburn," and some of those residual emotions are still there. Clyburn wasn't measuring Bill for his place in American history; he was eying the lift that he could give to wife Hillary, and Clyburn, as expected, was on the dais in an arm lock with Hillary at the Freedom Banquet.
Hillary hasn't rested solely on Bill's laurels and his gargantuan fund raising capacity. She has carefully parlayed a strong network among black ministers, politicians, and Democrats within and without the Congressional Black Caucus, and state black elected officials. In addition to the goodwill of blacks and the endorsement of legions of black politicians, she has a heftier campaign war chest than Obama and will spread money around to sweeten the pot to bag other potential political endorsers.
However, the warm fuzzy feel for Bill, her contacts, her money, and her civil rights pronouncements by themselves wouldn't necessarily guarantee her political one-upmanship over Obama with blacks. Polls consistently show that she's light years ahead of him on the experience and qualifications scale and that translates out to electability. That means volumes to black voters. The loath of Bush by black voters is so deep and implacable that they are desperate for a Democrat who can snatch back the White House. The hard reality for Obama is that in a head to head contest with the Republican nominee, he would need the backing of a near majority of white and Hispanic voters in several key swing states, and that includes Louisiana and Florida, to win those states and the general election. At this stage of the presidential game, that's virtually impossible for a black candidate.
They are not naïve about Hillary. They know that GOP hardliners are licking their chops at a Hillary candidacy and will load up their barrels to tar her as evil incarnate. Yet, she still seems a far better bet than Obama to beat back the assault and to be the Democrat that will raise her hand to take the oath of office in January 2009. That's no knock against Obama, but it tells why she trumps him with black voters.
Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst. His new book The Latino Challenge to Black America: Towards a Conversation between African-Americans and Hispanics (Middle Passage Press, October 2007).
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What is implicit in this article is that black voters are willing to accept a George Bush like foreign policy and questionable ethics from Hillary Clinton because she is willing to pander to them. I hope this is not true.
"Snatch back the White House"
That's an interesting way of looking at this upcoming election.
I dislike politicians that pander to ANY subgroup or special interest, and here's why:
Remember those old words, 'either we all
hang together, or we shall all hang separately'?
They still apply to day, in spades. Note, 'spade' in this context is not a racial
reference, but rather to card playing. A 'trump'
card, not to be confused with Donald Trump,
covers all other cards and takes the hand in a round of cards when played. Why so fussy and
picky about words? Because words DO matter,
Carlin said that a long time ago, words influence thought, thoughts influence action,
and so forth. So, let's talk about another word,
'american'. Which candidate says things that
are appealing/
not just white americans, hispanic americans,
black americans, native americans, all these
little pander-groups, I for one am tired
of institutionalized racism being implemented
in our political system, and that's exactly what
the pandering has come to represent, and
it should be discouraged and discontinued.
Focus on the common goals, like balancing the
budget, eliminating fraud, graft, and corruption, improving representation for ALL
americans, not just niche-grou
think that voting for this or that candidate
is going to somehow personally enrich them.
Why not a generic candidate? A candidate that's
willing to stand by their platform IN WRITING?
That'd be a shocker, these people can make promises all day long, none of it's legally
binding, it all amounts to someone on TV trying
to blow sunshine up your ass, and nothing more.
Do you also dislike those who pander to the far-left-l
Can you read SensibleAmerican? Can you see the word ANY in all caps in the preceding post? I believe that covers the "far-left-
You're right - there is just no way I could vote for Senator Clinton. And no one that I know could bring themselves to vote for her either.
The Democratic party had best wake up and realize that no one will come out to vote for the Senator from New York.
Senator Obama gets people out the door from both sides of the aisle. He is the only candidate that can lead this country forward. Mrs. Clinton is more of the same.
It's Got to be Obama '08.
SenselessA
But you have to admit those Rethuglicans know how to hangin there!
This sounds great, unfortunately, you need to join the reality-based community. If there was one "America" we wouldn't even need elections. Elections are about making political choices about what's best. When we close the curtain and make the choice, our identities and interests inform what we think is best. Someone who identifies as a evangelical Christian is likely to have a different notion of what's best than someone who identifies as a feminist. Someone who identifies as a farmer is likely to have different interests than someone who identifies as an urban professional. Folks who share a common experience with historical and current race-based discrimination are likely to consider the position that candidates take on issues of racial equality in their vote choice. How does that consideration make them less American? Elections aren't about coming together as Americans (otherwise we'd all back the same candidate). They are about competing visions of what we want our America to look like.
Hello? Knock-knock, have you seen the momentum out there for Gore? I am not committing to any Democrat for President, until Gore gets in, or swears he is out, clearly and finally. Thousands, upon thousands, of people are waiting. People are collecting 100,000's of thousands of signatures to put Gore on the ballot in several states. Imagine, a person who comes to the Presidency with the utmost of integrity. Gore’s not perfect, but no one is. Look at this great person; how many years he has committed his life publicly making a positive statement and serving people in some capacity. He shines because he has come into his own. Now look collectively at the options; who are the candidates running before us? I cannot, at this point, get behind or commit to any candidate, save Gore. I have my second choices, but for the first time in my life I may have to write-in, on the ballot, who I really want. My comment is under a blog about Obama and Hillary. It is not your time. Voting for Hill is not going to get us back Bill. You should become, and remain respectively, venerable Senators.
It’s way too early to commit my vote to any of the rest of you, unless and until Gore really, really, REALLY says no. I want NO doubt before my vote goes elsewhere. My #2 choices might be okay at some other time in my life, but I want the best we’ve got.
You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm NOT the only one. I don't care who wins what primary or spends however much money-I'm so done with the bs. All the money spent to convince me to choose someone is not going to be the deciding factor. I want my vote to mean something and say something. This is probably the most important Presidential election in my lifetime. If I have to write in Al Gore, I will.
First things first Mr. Hutchinson: BRILLIANT! Your assessment of Hillary's candidacy overall and the Clinton's popularity amongst black voters is extremely accurate!!
Now for the Gore commment above. Is it pathological or is it psychological that the Nader-herd always backs a lost cause?!
The same Al Gore that they help defeat in 2000 is now their messiah?! Or could it be that they really don't want to win and that protesting and screaming is thier idea of a political way of life?!
Where does this person even mention Nader? She is a Gore supporter. Who knows? Maybe she was in 2000 as well.
I assume you always back the current "winning" cause?
Um, SensibleAmerican, you really should consider a name change to something more appropriate.
Gore is occupied as the High Priest of the church of global warming.
I'll say it again. Gore will not campaign against a Clinton. Stop waiting and get involved.
It's a shame that black voters would be moved more by Hillary's (and Bill's) campaign talktalktalk, in spite of how the Clinton administration abandoned them, than by a lifetime of civil rights activism by Barack Obama.
A shame. No wonder things change so slowly in this country.
"A lifetime of civil rights activism" by Barack Hussein?! OK this is beyond a fairy tale: please explain/elaborate ...
The information -- and links -- are readily available on his Wikipedia page if you want to find it -- obviously you'd rather just stir up dissent instead.
--
"As the first black president of the Harvard Law Review, Obama had his pick of top law firms. He chose Miner's Chicago civil rights firm, where he represented community organizers, discrimination victims and black voters trying to force a redrawing of city ward boundaries.
"It's a real do-good firm," says Fay Clayton, lead counsel for the National Organization for Women in a landmark lawsuit aimed at stopping abortion clinic violence. "Barack and that firm were a perfect fit. He wasn't going to make as much money there as he would at a LaSalle Street firm or in New York, but money was never Barack's first priority anyway."
Miner introduced Obama to a number of people in politics. Obama already knew many others, having worked as an organizer in the black community before he entered law school.
Obama was part of a team of attorneys who represented the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) in a lawsuit against the state of Illinois in 1995 for failing to implement a federal law designed to make it easier for the poor and others to register as voters.
A federal court ordered the state to implement the law.
And Obama was part of a team of lawyers representing black voters and aldermen that forced Chicago to redraw ward boundaries that the City Council drew up after the 1990 census. They said the boundaries were discriminatory.
After an appeals court ruled the map violated the federal Voting Rights Act, attorneys for both sides drew up a new set of ward boundaries.
Public records at the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission — which handles ethical questions concerning the state's lawyers — indicate there were no complaints against attorney Obama."
http://www
I really wanted Obama to stand and fight, to begin baraging the country with ads and speeches that would electrify Democrats. At the second debate when Obama refrained from challenging Clinton, I thought a deal was struck for Obama to be VP. Now that seems unlikely. Hillary made a HUGE gaffe with voting AYE for Kyl/Lieberman, and still very little advantage has been made by Obama.
I absolutely refuse to support Clinton, and I am very disappointed in Obama.
Your refusal to support Clinton and your disappointment in Barack Hussein are both understandable. I think Ralph will run again ... if he can get on the ballot that is ...
This post is full of spin and not much more.
Obama has a lead in an area where pollsters do not go - the 18 - 25 year olds.
Hillary's warchest - far from being "heftier" than Obama's is almost equal at best and more importantly comes from less donors and her transfer of $10 mil puts him way ahead.
I've spoken to blacks, whites, and hispanics and Barack is going to surprise everyone.
Even you Mr. Hutchinson.
How many Blacks, Whites and Hispanics have you "spoken with"?!
Why are more black voters likely to vote for HRC?
Well I'll tell you. African American voters are just as capable of voting for someone for the wrong reasons as anyone else is.
When people vote for the presidential candidate that offers to do the most for their particular segment of society instead of the candidate that would best serve the interests of the entire country, than you often end up with a MISTAKE as your elected leader.
Look, I am white, male, in my prime and moderately well educated. I don't need to vote for someone based on what they promise to do for me and those that fit into a similar demographic.
Even if I were more on the disadvantaged end of the economic spectrum(I only made around 20 grand last year) I would make it a point to always vote for the most competent, trustworthy, quality human being in the field.
How does this place Hillary Clinton at the top of this particular field?
The black voters, the less educated women voters, and the Jewish voters like Hillary because she has pandered so well and so relentlessly to the leadership of the organizations that represent these groups. Not to mention the Hispanics
via the La Raza leadership and the mainstream gay rights organizations.
I hope people at some point learn how to think for themselves.
Only then can the best man/woman win an election in this country.
The question is... why is Hillary not doing something now for these folks that she proclaims to be an advocate for? Hillary is so FOS and firmly rooted in the bowels of every establishment group and lobby... that's giv'n her "The Money", that it would be antithetical for her to oppose these benefactors on behalf of "The oppressed" once in office... were that to be.
This false competition between Obama Clinton is of ESTABLISHMENT MEDIA manufacture. Notice how quickly and quietly all the corruption like HSU is swept beneath the proverbial rug.
Obama is nothing more than an offensive line, to use football parlance, on behalf of Clinton in the drive to fend off the real competitio
JOHN EDWARDS!
If the poor and disenfranchised want help, they have but one LEGITIMATE CHOICE.
This IS NOT an auction... This IS an election and The ONLY Candidate that can be TRUSTED... stands alone.
That candidate is... John Edwards. J R
You don't need to have anyone to pander to you. THE WHOLE DAMNED SYSTEM IS SET UP FOR YOU!
Last thought for any of you leaning toward Hillary (misquided though you may be)...
During the Civil Rights movement, the black churches were not happy with what MLK was doing down there, causing all that trouble, shaking things up.
And they ended up on the wrong side of history.
Barack and Michelle represent the best of us. They give us something positive to aspire to become. They might make some people envious (crab barrel anyone).
Regardless, you don't want to wake up one day, scratching your head, wondering how you ended up on the wrong side of history.
"Barack and Michelle represent the best of us"???!!! How? All fluff and no substance is your representation?! Please explain ...
Yes barackoblogger, how dare you say anything good about anyone but Hillary w/o explaining your comment to this one. It's against the rules.
Being so far to the left of Hillary and thereby often at odds - gotta still give her cred for points mentioned. BTW: Great Read! You framed the issues in a positive, momentum driven manner.
Obama's main obstacle will come from Asians and Latinos. I just don't see them lining up and voting for a black person. They haven't actually raised their heads in the presence of whites.
Resistance is futile--vote for Hillary.
(Does Hutchinson's article signal the end of the Huffington Post as we once knew it?)
Hutchinson's articles are always like this. I think he does one every week or two weeks.
"End of HP"?! Since when was this a left-fringe-looney board?!
I guess the dems will always get the black victicrat vote.
You people will never learn.
Obama challenges us to get OUT of a victim mentality. And that is threatening to a lot of people who are comfortable with the way things are right now.
The victim mentality. That must be one of them there talking points aimed at us rubes in hicksville.
Don't use that frame. Read your Lakoff.
Never learn what? How the republicans have trashed the white working class? We've learned that well enough thank you very much.
After Clinton signed NAFTA into law, your statement has no meaning.
It's rather naive to think that the only reason Blacks will vote more for Hilliary than Obama is that she is a surer bet. Nonsense..
Explain... Triangulation, The Kyle amendment, funding the war... Norman Hsu... Yep... better suited if ya'll want more of the same... I thought that we've had enough of Bush. J R
It would be interesting to hear why you think H is better suited. I personally find Obama to be likable, but lightweight. However I don't see that H has any better RELEVANT experience.
Please - anybody - tell me what she has done for the PEOPLE - not for herself.
If being first lady is adequate qualification, we could have elected Betty Ford.
I think you mean loathing.
You read the whole article, and this is the best comment you could come up with.
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