Obama Ducks State of the Black Union Forum

by Taylor Marsh

Yep, Barack Obama is doing it again, this time on his own community. He's ducking the State of the Black Union forum in New Orleans, as is John McCain. Hillary Clinton will be there.

I've been a Hillary Clinton partisan since last fall. This is not one of those posts. Because contrary to everyone's belief, not everything I write has to do with Hillary Clinton. Criticism of Barack Obama can actually be just about the type of politician he is, having nothing to do with Hillary Clinton. This is one of those posts.

Today we find Barack Obama skipping out again. You know, like he did on Kyl-Lieberman, as well as the vote on MoveOn.org when they were taking fire on their General Petraeus ad. He's skipping the annual State of the Black Union forum in New Orleans so he can campaign. Besides, why should Mr. Obama feel pressured to attend a forum about his own community, especially when he believes there will be no consequences. After all, he ducked out on MoveOn.org when they needed him, but they endorsed him anyway. African Americans have helped Mr. Obama get this far to the Democratic nomination, so why should he feel compelled to actually speak to the annual State of the Black Union forum in New Orleans?

Meanwhile, Tavis Smiley is registering minor criticism of Obama for his decision, so what's happening? His family is getting besieged by Obama supporters, people who will not allow any criticism of their candidate.

But Smiley's criticism has also prompted many people to come to Obama's defense. The talk show host told The Washington Post he has been inundated with angry e-mails and even death threats.

"I have family in Indianapolis. They are harassing my momma, harassing my brother. It's getting to be crazy," Smiley told the newspaper.

He will be busy despite Obama's absence. Some of the nation's top black activists and politicians attend the State of the Black Union. ... ..

Obama takes heat for skipping State of the Black Union

The threats and hate mail comes as no surprise to me, because I've been receiving them for months and months. But Obama ducking this forum will come as a surprise to some. Not to me and I'm not alone.

Follow Taylor Marsh on Twitter: www.twitter.com/taylormarsh

Comments

[trailrunner9]

Aside from the issue here, I saw Hillary Clinton's speech at the State of the Black Union today and she did a great job. She faced an uncomfortable setting after all the tensions in the campaign and handled it extremely well with a very down to earth speech followed by a conversation with Tavis Smiley in which she spoke to a lot of the controversial issues that were on people's minds and definitely won the crowd over by the end of it.

It really is too bad she didn't go out like this all along and campaign in this style that she has adapted in recent months. She becomes more likable and a better campaigner as she interacts and puts herself out there on the campaign trail. She had a terrible campaign team, yet has handled herself very well in the face of such a tough situation. I have gained much respect for her in these last difficult months for her. She definitely held up and can hold her own with her head up. Even if she loses the campaign, she herself has nothing to be ashamed of. She was a great candidate in her own right that met another great candidate.

[mindact]

The real problem is we do not know who the real Hillary Clinton is. She displays this fangs all the time and all of a sudden tries to act all nice and sweet. She changes campaign slogans every other day. My take is that she's all she's displaying. She's very mean spirited, but can be charming at the same time. She's also willing to throw anyone under the bus if it's politically expedient. She's a narcisist in the sense that the end justifies the means for her.

[trailrunner9]

I think much of the contrived image of Hillary Clinton is just that - contrived and perpetuated in the media (that clearly doesn't like her). I disagreed with her foreign policy votes and spoke out against those quite vehemently over the past couple of years. However, she has a lifetime of tremendous work in the are of civil/human rights and social justice issues that clearly are at the base of her politics. Stop perpetuating the right wing contrived image of the Clintons. People don't realize the words they use are directly taken from talk radio of the 1990's that were trying to bring down the Clinton presidency from the get go. Hillary Clinton has a lifetime of good work to measure her against and most of it was on the right side of things. Don't hate. Just support your candidate, who will most likely win the nomination. Stop hating Hillary Clinton for simply campaigning to win. That's what they're both doing. Obama just happens to be winning.

[Silpat]

Duh, is it because now realizes that she needs black votes to win.


Some people are so easily manipulated. LOL

[Jacee]

Become more likable?

How in the hell do you do that? Aren't people supposed to be who they are? Isn't that what we are looking for, some honesty a little authenticity?

She is still working on becoming someone? Isn't she 60 plus and she is still trying to be likable?

Its like her saying that she finally found her voice. What bullshit. She has had a microphone for 35 years all that experience and it was never her freaking voice? Whose was it then.

Time to get higher standards for our leaders. Some honesty, some self respect. How about a leader that is not fake is not phony and doesn't need to figure out how to be likable.

Obama 2008

[Thorn]

Give it up. It's over.

[Vic in Chicago]

According to just-published press reports, Hillary, in her appearance, apologized for Bubba's race-baiting remarks in South Carolina.

Has it occurred to any of you that maybe one reason she went is that she's got some serious fence-mending to do with the Black community?

Meanwhile, although I'm sure the Obama campaign appreciates the input from Tavis Smiley and Taylor Marsh that he should be in New Orleans this weekend, they've moved on to Ohio and Texas. (But thanks for your input.)

[Desiderata]

Michelle Obama should have been acceptable as substitute guest of the State of the Black Union forum. She often exceeds her husband's abilities to communicate to hugh audiences. And she definitely has more charm.

The forum loses when tantrums overwhelm good judgement.

[maggieb]

Desiderata, you know what, get a copy of the poem "Desiderata" and really read it. Maybe you wont be so hatefull. Just saying!!!

[veracal]

"his own community"

Those three breathtakingly stupid words make everything else this "writer" says in this vomit inducing post irrelevant.

BTW, who is part of Hillary's "own community",or McCain's, or Huckabee's or Richardson's, or Biden's, or Edwards' or...oh never mind.

Breaks the wowometer for stupidity.

[PTTY]

like TAYOR MARSH CARES ABOUT BLACK PEOPLE

[getitrighthistime]

Wow, can clinton's attack machine come up with something better than this......­..........­.

[Doofus]

Obviously, Bill Clinton was the first black
president & Hillary Clinton should be the 2nd.

What nerve for Barack Obama to interfere with destiny!

[mindact]

True comedian Dick Gregory said it best, when he apologized to Bill Clinton on behalf of black people for truly believing he was the first black president. Bill Clinton has never walked in the shoes of a black man. For him to really be delusional that he was the first black president was sad.

As Dick said, the problem is that black folks went into the pot were blackness was being dished out, took a scoop and applied to Bill and said you're now black. At the same time, they took a scoop and slammed on barack and said he wasn't black enough. Now the chicken has come home to roost.

This is indeed silly season

[Skepticat]

Ms Marsh your partisan hackery and desperation is showing once again. Ya think any candidate for a post more challenging than local dog catcher ever missed an invite because they were booked in somewhere else?

[Silpat]

Since when have white people cared about black events or black people being snubbed for that matter? This trap has Hillary/Maggie Williams written all over it. They want Obama to attend so he can be percieved as the "Black Candidate" who only care about "Black issues".

[LDW]

This is an invitation only event for the speakers. Hillary Clinton was invited. So was Barak Obama.

But Barak Obama has other fish to fry, so the State of the Black Union forum can just moveon to the back of his campaign bus.

[PTTY]

When has Hillary cared about the Black People? She used them to get Votes and then through them under the Bus because she thought the Latino Vote would get her elected.

To her Black People are nothing but 'EMPTY SUITS", EMPTY HEADED, STUPID, BOY, GAL, to be at her beck and call.

Now she needs the Black Vote so what three or four weeks later she now apologizes due to the Black Voters in Texas and Ohio.

Hillary take your fake acting temperament mood swings back to Arkansas.

You are destroying the Party. Bill did it first and now you are he are destroying the Party again. Quit.

It will take an OBAMA TO clean up the horrible mess that both the Bush and the Clinton Presidency has destroyed Worldwide.

[Budh]

Yes, very much so. Smiley had no business arranging this Black State of the Union in the middle of a most important election.

[mindact]

I've got news for you. Inasmuch as the state of the black union forum was well intentioned. The truth of the matter is that it's become a beauty contest to large extent. The problem with black america is not the lack of forums. The real problem is the unwillingness to address the fundamental issues.

Against all odds, we had folks who rose up despite slavery and Jim Crow to try to pave the way for other minority groups. Once the floodgates were open, the people became complacent. The root causes to the problems are 50% internal and 50% external. The low hanging fruit is the internal 50%, AKA "Accepting Responsibility for Self"

[messy]

The meaning of this confab is to get politicians to genuflect to the leadership of the group.

As of this point, perhaps just for the moment or forever. Barack Obama outranks everybody in the Black community and doesn't have to kowtow to anybody.

[TommyMcCarthy]

Shame on Taylor Marsh for pointing out the irony of Sen. Obama's inability to attend the N.O. forum due to legitimate "scheduling conflicts".

After all, Sen. Obama will be waaaaay over in Texas, which could require a flight of any where from 30 mins. to an hour to reach the city of New Orleans, national symbol of dashed hope, and indifference to the concerns of ordinary Americans, that he will so soon be remedying. (yes we can!)

And shame on me for noticing the eerie similarity to last years NAACP-sponsored Republican debate which failed to attract ANY of the 7 or 8 candidates then running,..­.."legitim­ate scheduling conflicts" don't you know?

Shame on me both for remembering the row of empty podiums at the debate, and wondering if Tavis Smiley will have the MOXIE to display an empty chair or podium at the New Orleans event.

Shame on Mr. Obama for his indifference!

Better put me on the hate-mailing list......­..........­..........­..........­..tm

[doschi]

I guess you've hit the nail on the head.

Barack Obama doesn't care about black people.

(snark)

[foufou]

If Obama had attended the Black Union forum, Taylor Marsh would have criticzed him forhis attendance and not transcending race. Is Taylor Marsh now concerned about issues that she believes are relevant to the black community? Will Taylor Marsh attend the Black Union forum? Hilary Clinton did not attend this forum in years past. Query: would HRC attend this conference this year if she had not damaged her stock with the AA community? It is alleged that Tavis Smiley and the Clintons have a close relationship and that he did not have "clean hands" in this matter.

[ICUP]

Why no mention fo Clinton skipping this conference? Will she not represent black Americans as well as whites? Marsh needs to either call them both out or call neither out.

On the topic of experience, can any Clinton supporter tell me what she accomplished as Arkansas' First Lady or as the US' First Lady?

[moevaughn]

Where do you get your information?! Hillary Clinton was the only presidential candidate to accept the invitation. Obama, Mccain, and Hucklebee all were invited. None of them attended. Only Hillary came and addressed the conference this evening. She just finished up her speech.

[gayleg]

Oh, yes, she did attend. And she got a standing O from the audience.

Obama just had more important things to do, I guess.

Very telling.

[LDW]

ICUP - Check out the third sentence of the blog. Next time, please read more than the headline before posting.

[hank48188]

If you would have read the piece you would have seen that Hillary WILL BE THERE.

[veracal]

Hillary was there!!!!! Don't post such mindless drivel, please!!!!!

[lynnn]

She wasn't there in the past now why is that?

[belikejeanvaljean]

"Because contrary to everyone's belief, not everything I write has to do with Hillary Clinton. Criticism of Barack Obama can actually be just about the type of politician he is, having nothing to do with Hillary Clinton. This is one of those posts."

Ha, ha, that's a good one Taylor! Funniest thing I have read all day.

"contrary to EVERYONE's belief" - notice that even you admit that no one believes you are being objective. I guess your previous Obama hit pieces weren't about Hillary's campaign, either. You were just randomly commenting on a politician whose name you picked out of a hat I suppose.

I wonder who you will write about in your next commentary. Anyone want to place bets it will be Barack Obama?

[LeeScho]

As if you care about the state of the black union forum. Ever attended it? Have you ever commented on it? Tell me about the Covenant.

"His own community"? Obama is not running for the presidency of the Black community - whatever that is. Clearly, you define him as a Black person with the limitations your own conditioning assigns to that status. More than 10 million other Americans chose to see him for all of the other wonderful aspects of his humanity and citizenship.

Thank God that Obama did not attend the Black Union forum. Tavis Smiley's annual vanity show is not worthy of Obama or many of the participants who chose to parade there.

What is a Tavis Smiley and is he necessary?

Hillary has to attend to control the damage her husband has done to her candidacy in the Black community. She has never attended before and she will never attend again - unless, of course, she runs for president again.

[ACunningham]

Nicely put, LeeScho. It is odd that people choose to forget the Obama is actually a CIVIL RIGHTS Lawyer!!!!

[AsaNisMasa]

""His own community"? Obama is not running for the presidency of the Black community - whatever that is. Clearly, you define him as a Black person with the limitations your own conditioning assigns to that status. More than 10 million other Americans chose to see him for all of the other wonderful aspects of his humanity and citizenship."

And this i think, is unfortunately one of the reasons he's skipping it. He doesn't want to be labeled as "the black president" rather he wants to be "the American President"

[BadChristian]

I think you're right.

I am a big fan of Tavis... But I DO wonder if Tavis would have turned down Bill Clinton, if Hillary had declined.

I think it was wrong to turn away Michelle Obama. I would have really enjoyed to hear what she would have said, and I'll bet she would have explained a lot.

[messy]

As to his own community...Barack Obama didn't actually grow up in that community. His father, who was AFRICAN and not African American, left when he was two, and his mother and her side of the family was white.

[Vic in Chicago]

Taylor -

Thanks for spelling out that you're for Hillary. Otherwise, we would never have known!

Obama is campaigning in Texas today and Ohio tomorrow. Both states vote in ten days.

He elected to stay on the campaign trail. Instead, Michelle will be attending in New Oleans.

This is a simple campaign scheduling decision - no more, no less. Nobody's "ducking" anything.

Give it a rest.

[RISEUPAMERICA]

your wrong....Michelle obama was offered by the obama campaign to speak for barack and they were told "no thank you" she(michelle obama) was not acceptable.

[StephenJK]

Yeah, because she's the one who is running for POTUS. How would you feel if you were the one being slighted like that? No, I won't go but, my wife will speak to you guys. I wouldn't hesitate to refuse the offer either. Maybe he was too busy going to another AIPAC conference to ensure his Jewish constituency how empty rhetoric can be applied to the peace in the middle east. Who knows. All I know is this guy pleases everyone. Of ALL, and I do mean ALL, walks of life on earth.

At what point does it become less reality and more dream?? I'd like to know how to make that leap. Special "Hope" Boots are probably standard issue.

[Vic in Chicago]

RiseUpAmerica -

Thank you for your update. I stand corrected.

That said, I still think Barack is doing the right thing. He is ten days out from what could be the two decisive Democratic primaries. If, in that context, Tavis Smiley or whomever gets their noses out of joint because he wants to stay on the campaign trail, then this "issue" is more about ego than anything else.

It may be a tough pill for him/them to swallow, but Obama is not running as the "black candidate for President". Rather, he is a candidate for President (of ALL the people) who happens to be black. They need to deal with it.