Why Barack Obama is Losing Black Voters: Too Little, Too Late ... Too Boring?
If you're wondering why the Barack Obama campaign is losing traction among black voters--and make no mistake, it is, the latest Washington Post/ABC News Poll show he trails Hillary Clinton by at least 13 percent among blacks nationally--look no further than the meta-messaging presented in the New York Times interview with Adam Nagourney and Jeff Zeleny.
The senator rehashed his all-too-familiar "change" rhetoric and says "now is the time" to distinguish himself from the Democratic front runner and accused her of trying to ... obfuscate ... and avoid the big issues.
Blah, blah, blah. It's like going to the club on a Saturday night and watching another guy publicly announce that "now is the time" to put his arm around the neck of a hot babe standing nearby--or, in our case, a hot man--and ask for a kiss. Geez, just grow a pair and just do it.
After almost a decade of languishing under the "compassionate conservatism" of the George W. Bush Administration, the roll-back in civil rights by the Supreme Court, and, the horrors of Katrina, black voters are looking for strong, decisive leadership from the White House. The fact that it could come from the first ever elected black president is definitely a plus. Platitudes on awareness, strategy and messaging just won't cut it senator.
That delicate racial balancing act has consistently been Obama's strongest suit with white voters and the intelligentsia--he is non-confrontational and does not address unpleasant subjects such as institutional racism--and his Achilles heel with black voters. That triangulation on race relations is precisely the reason why Hillary Clinton (so far) polls stronger among blacks--she and Bill are too smart to take black voters for granted.
We just saw this played out to disastrous results over the weekend with the "Embrace the Change" gospel revival concerts headlined by "ex-gay" pastor and gospel singer Donnie McClurkin. Instead of Obama using the opportunity to campaign on "change" and "transformation" within the black community, the campaign allowed ex-gay Rev. Donnie McClurkin to take the microphone and sermonize his brand of "change" and "transformation." It's still unclear who was asleep at the wheel--one of Obama's top LGBT advisors is black, and, the campaign's religious affairs director is black and, like McClurkin, a Pentecostal minister--but the poor choice and Obama's non-response demonstrated a lack of sophistication on the black church. Maybe these black "advisors" actually have little input? Wouldn't be the first time.
Is Barack Obama looking for directions for the road to Des Moines? Or Damascus? If the senator wants "change" or "transformation" in his traction with black voters, it has to happen fast. And now.
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"ex-gay Rev. Donnie. WTF? If sexuality were a choice, I would ask homophobes, when did they make the decision/choice to be heterosexual?"
AmericaBlog at http://www
This disgusting display of blatant pandering was the final 'cure' as far as I'm concerned. Why didn't he just attend the "Values Voters" shindig and be done with it?
Blacks are not flocking to Obama because deep down they know this is not the right time. Blacks know he would never be elected in the present climate in America. We are not there yet.
Ok? are you feeling that? I am a member of www.confli
Talking a good game is no the same as playing a good game.
While you are running for office you do not have the ability to "just do it" as Rod's post suggests..
When have the show business proclamations of a political campaign translated to policy after an election? In 2001, was US policy "humble"? Did we get health care in 1993?
Look at the record of each candidate, then decide.
I trust the Harvard graduate who worked the neighborhoods of Chicago.
I can't help but wonder if people like Mr. Mccullom are lashing out at Obama because it looks less and less likely every day he'll receive the nomination and they'll need someone to blame. In true democrat fashion, they'll blame the candidate.
If you were Obama, how would you handle the black population with regard to the amount of attention to give them. I know several white people who afraid of voting for Obama because they fear he will focus his attention on the black community and they will be left behind. Aside from the utterly asinine irony in this belief, I have to ask them repeatedly where they are getting this? No sufficient answer has been offered.
So whether he likes it or not, some whites already believe he will be the president for the minority. If he were to focus more of his campaign toward blacks, that would be amplified into a much larger loss of white voters. He has a atomically thin line he has to walk during this campaign. His challenges are unique and new so the playbooks they have as references are trash. Cut the man some slack and stop contributing to the irresponsible MSM style reporting that does nothing but discourage voters from engaging in important nuances.
McCullom happens to be one of those rare journalists who "calls them like he sees them"...he is merely reflecting on the phenomenon that is occurring.
Obama, himself, is something of a "phenomeno
Obama, trying to be the "everyman", and instead of sticking to one position, come hell or high water, is left "pandering", here and there, trying to be the anti-Hilla
Unfortunately, he can't have it both ways, and neither can we...he is losing the little black support he may have had, in lieu of trying to hold on to the intellectuals, the liberals, Hollywood, activists, and the like...not enough to win him the election, let alone the nomination.
It isn't just black voters who think Obama is all fluff. The problem is, his supporters are so uncriticial, they are so smitten with him that they refuse to see his faults. His move with the "ex-gay" pastor was the tip of the ice berg for me, totally unbelievable, another Washington hypocrite. Wow, I'm so disillusioned (yeah, I'm being sarcastic)
Maybe the black voter is depressed by all the negitive press Obama is getting.Ho
Quite a silly post, Rod. Barack can't win. Here, you complain he's too nice and "boring". What do you expect? You want Obama to come out and pull a Howard Dean? Ranting and raving?
If he does that, the MSM calls him "emotional" and implies he is unstable. If he comes across as level-headed and considered, you call him boring.
The real issue is that Obama wants the job for the right reasons and has the skill for it. Obama is what this nation has needed for along time. He needs to be supported by voters of all ethnic backgrounds. If he is not, it is not Obama's fault. It will instead reflect that America is not ready for a black man to become President yet.
And that would be a shame.
Could be it will be politically 'wise' for
black Demos to be 'on record' (in terms of
voting statistics) in support of the person
who would win the nomination, if not the election.
Ask John Lewis. He'll know.
http://www
Nice post DHeil. My question is, why are so many black columnists going after this man in a negative way? And in the next breath mention Hillary? Strange? Barrack can win and if he loses it is not because the white community won't vote for a black man. It is more like many in the black community won't support a black man. Why can't the black leaders get behind this man? I can't seem to remember what the Clinton's did in the 90's for the Black Community that Hillary deserves this loyalty.
I didn't think that DHeil's post was so "nice".
Hell, we're damned if we do, and damned if we don't.
I'm sorry, but I ain't voting for Obama, just because of his race...the black community, despite what you've been told is not "monolithic".
He has been unable to make concrete his vision...a
On the contrary, it's a very astute post, accurately assessing the situation.
Unfortunately, "nice" is perceived as "boring".
"Compassionate and conservative", is perceived as "maniacal", so what would be your advice to GWB?
Obama, I feel, indeed, wants the job for the right reasons, and I believe he may possess the skill for it, but being able to convey that, in a tangible way, and have it resonate into votes, is something altogether
Hillary, Edwards, Biden, or Kucinich are not having to defend their ethnic or racial backgrounds, while Obama and Richardson are...what does that say about America, today?
Let us keep it real. Have you been polled Rod?
I am African American and I have not been polled. Many of my friends and associates who are black have not been polled. How many African Americans do you know that have been polled? How many reading this blog have been polled? This election
You know the game. Stop pretending that the polls are representative of American and African Americans. The polls are PR pure and simple to sway Americans to vote one way. At the end of the day, it is the actual voting that will tell the story.
Barack Obama is running a different type of campaign and be prepared to eat lots of crow when he wins the nomination.
If all African Americans were to vote for
Obama, would that get him the nomination?
(I'm white & live in a Super Blue state &
have not been polled as yet either. What's
up with that?)
By the way, being Super Blue & all, if Obama
gets nominated, he gets my vote for the big job.
I'm mixed race, I live in a red state and have never been polled either. And in this red state, we've got over 12,000 signed-up Obama suppoerters, contributors and volunteers.
"Bill and Hillary are too smart to take black voters for granted". Yeah, they are also cunning and pandering to black voters.
The title of your article plays right into the hands of the MSM. Questioning whether Obama is too "boring" for black voters, is the same crap we heard about Al Gore and John Kerry in 2000 and 2004. Look who we got instead, because the MSM tagged Gore and Kerry as boring. The answer is that Obama and the others are not "boring", but they are intellegent, articulate, and thoughtful.
I got the feeling in last night's debate (MSNBC)that Obama is simply too nice to attack Clinton frontally. John Edwards took up the slack, very well.
Being from Illinois, Obama seems to be channeling
Adlai Stevenson, who ran (twice!) against Dwight
Eisenhower, as a very nice, cerebral guy. Now HRC
is also from Illinois, but somehow escaped being quite
so nice. Go figure!
Obama gave a much more dignified attack. That is how he keeps his Politics of Hope. He will adress her political inconsistencies, but will not engage in personal attacks. I'm OK with Edwards coming off as agressive, because Obama still got some great points in, while Edwards seems to be inching towards the rabid attacks.
So disappointed in Barack. Where's the fire? You can't hit the ball if you don't take a swing at it.
America does not like to see an angry black man attacking a white woman, especially the one voted as the most admired woman in America (Oprah came in second.) Don't you think he has thought of that?
Simply said - Obama is best candidate when assessing ALL issues.
ex-gay Rev. Donnie.
WTF? If sexuality were a choice, I would ask homophobes, when did they make the decision/choice to be heterosexual?
If sexuality were a choice then they must have had sexual feelings for both sexes at one point in thier lives before they made the "choice".
If they did not have to make the "choice" then why do they believe sexuality is "choice" for others but not for themselves?
Just askin.....
Sexual preference may be genetic, but how it is practiced IS a choice. Straights with strong Christian values may choose to stay faithful to a man/woman they no longer desire; they may choose to be celibate, they may choose serial monogamy, they may choose to be single and promiscuous. Your values (religious commitments) do inform how you behave sexually. Some gay people choose not to practice because they choose not to lose their families, church, friends, job, social life, sense of self, etc. I am not saying this is right. I am saying choice is involved in all sexual behavior and it is informed by values that you grew up with.
If you are looking for someone who cares about equality of opportunity in this country and would never have let New Orleans down, it isn't Clinton, and it isn't Obama (not for lack of caring) but it's Edwards. Yes he is a white Southerner. But, Hillary is married to Bill Clinton, she isn't Bill Clinton. Looking for a "middle way" or rhetoric about coming together? Go for Hilary or Barack.
Looking for action and passion and leadership? Go Edwards.
But you have failed to say WHY Edwards would be better.
Like it or not, there is another half of this country that disagrees with the Democratic party, so if we want to get legislation passed, you need someone who is willing to work with the other side.
I always hear about Obama's inexperience, and hardly ever Edwards. Obama has held public office longer than Edwards and has passed far more meaningful and collaborative legislation than Edwards ever has. There is your action.
Obama had a very lucrative job in New York after he graduated from Columbia, but decided to leave it to work in Chicago's south side and work for those in need (and for very little money). He then became a civil rights attorney and taught contitutional law while never leaving the neighborhood he once helped. There is your passion.
While Edwards was contemplating his Senate vote on Iraq, Obama was publicly speaking against the war, and any thought this ill-advised. Obama also has a grand habit of telling audiences his plans, even if they do not fall in line with their own, instead of generalizing and pandering. There is your leadership.
I have a gut feeling that the big, and surprising, story concerning the black vote in the 08 elections will not be about Senator Obama but will instead be about Republican Mike Huckabee. If, and that is a big if, what I think is going to happen it will represent a magnitude 10 earthquake on the national political landscape.
I think you are right. In a recent NPR show, Farai Chideya, I was surprised, pleasantly, to hear the glowing references to Huckabee.
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