Obama, Celeb Supporters, Upstage 'White Lady' Hillary in Harlem

by Jason Horowitz | The New York Observer




As Barack Obama left Sylvia’s soul food restaurant on Thursday night after a meeting with Rev. Al Sharpton, he said, “It always feels good” to be back in Harlem.

The visit to Harlem was Obama’s first as a presidential candidate, and if the intention was to strike a stark contrast between the popular support he enjoys here compared to Sen. Hillary Clinton, who held a relatively tame “homecoming” rally in the neighborhood just a few weeks ago, well, the goal was achieved. Obama was all smiles as he climbed into an SUV that was about to take him to the Apollo Theater, the last in a series of events designed to serve as a public demonstration of his appeal to black voters. He had also used his time here to court Sharpton, one of the few black power players who hasn’t endorsed Clinton—or anyone else for that matter.

“Obama said he was coming to town, and that he’d like to come by the office and he did and he said let’s ride by Sylvias’s together and I said fine,” Sharpton, sitting in front of a table of soul food, said after Obama left. “I’m very happy that he’s decided to come out on the hate crimes issue. No one should be president without addressing this problem.

He added, “There has not been a priority given to issues of African Americans and the issues of racial disparity.”

A few minutes later, on the Apollo stage, Obama addressed those exact concerns.

“I’m in this race because I’m tired of reading about Jena,” said Obama. “Tired of reading about nooses. I’m tired of hearing about a justice department that doesn’t understand justice. We will have a civil rights division that actually investigates crimes; you will have a civil rights division that believes in justice and equality for all Americans.”

In an empathetic and often times confrontational speech delivered from the stage of the historic theater, Obama underlined the groundbreaking nature of his candidacy (as compared, by implication, to Hillary Clinton’s).

“I don’t want to wake up and find out four years from now that we missed this window of opportunity to finally bring about the kind of changes that all of us have been dreaming about and hoping about for so very long,” Obama said. “We cannot wait, that’s why we are doing it now.”

At the end of the speech, he brought the packed house to its feet by saying, “That’s why I need you to stand up with me New York, that’s why I can’t do this myself. I know I can lead this country. I need you to stand up with me, because change doesn’t happen from the top down, change happens from the bottom up.“

The contrast was unmistakable between the Obama event and Clinton’s homecoming in October at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem. At Clinton’s event, empty seats dotted the balcony and elected officials paying their respects to the Clintons and her strong supporter Rep. Charlie Rangel accounted for much of the audience on the floor. Before the Obama fund-raiser, a line of supporters waiting in the cold snaked around 125th street, Frederick Douglas Ave and 126th street. One guy with a sparkly earing working the metal detectors said the chaos and size of the crowd was "worse than Jay-Z."

At the church event, Clinton was introduced by Rangel, the dean of the New York Congressional delegation, and many of the state’s most influential elected officials were in attendance. Last night, Obama had state senator Bill Perkins, who was quickly able to point out the few members of the state assembly and city council in the crowd. One of those council members, at least, said the difference worked in Obama’s favor.

“No comparison whatsoever,” said the city council member, Charles Barron. “That was staged. It was propped up by the pastors and the leaders; this is propped up by the masses. That's a big difference.” He added, “Why wouldn’t black people support a black candidate who is ready to lead America?"

That was a message many of the introductory speakers seemed to be getting at.

After gospel singers sang “Amazing Grace” and “Happy Day,” a preacher prayed for Obama to maintain his good judgment and Professor Cornel West said of Obama, “There is a difference between being articulate and eloquent and he is an eloquent brother.” He then asked the audience, “How does it feel to be on the right side of history?”

A few minutes later, the comedian Chris Rock picked up on that theme. “You’d be really embarrassed if he won and you wasn’t with him,” Rock said. He altered his voice to comic affect. “‘I had that white lady. What was I thinking? What was I thinking?’”

When Obama finally took the stage, in front of an enormous American flag and dressed in a dark suit and silver tie, the crowd erupted. One cheering woman, Yvonne Lee, wore a yellow shirt that said “Who decided Hillary is the best for the black community?” Another, Farnesse France, punctuated Obama’s remarks about the sort of leader the country needed by adding approvingly that the country also stood to gain “Somebody who is good on the eyes as well.”

In his speech, Obama seemed to suggest that a vote for Clinton was a defeatist one.

“You are not willing to just settle for what the cynics are telling you you have to settle for,” he said. “But you instead are willing to reach for what is possible.”

Link: http://www.observer.com/2007/obama-celeb-supporters-upstage-white-lady-hillary-harlem

How do I do that pukey thing?

*puke*

:puke:

:puke:

:wtf:
I do not think that
it would be right to
refer to Obama as
'Black Man' either.

A rightwing paper plays the race card, and Obama supporters defend it

guy is great and can deliver a speech, good with people.

Oh, the humanity!

Free pass on ole whitey jokes, right?

cris sakes! Jeezzzzz

:rofl:

So we can all enjoy it again. ;-)

In a way they'll never love Hillary. Great article, thanks.

Rev. Lowery is a legend. He needs to campaign in South Carolina for Obama.

Thanks, BG. :toast:

:toast:

Obama is running for President. He expects to be the candidate. He expects it because of his race. No other reason whatsoever. Oprah supporting Obama because he is a black man. Chris Rock and all the other shouting get on the band wagon is asking folks to be for him not because obama is the most qualified or the most experienced. No, all they are saying is join because Obama is a black man. Obama has already said he is now the new standard bearer for the black community....Oh my my....I guess John Lewis did not get the memo on that one. John Lewis is the only one from the 60's that marched with Dr. King that can still hold his head high and is respected throughout the black and white communities. John Lewis bled in Selma, Ala. He witnessed it all and now this Obama person claims to be the new bearer of the black community?

Informed blacks are staying with HRC. Even Mrs Obama has laid the groun dwork on whom to blame when her husband loses the race. Yes, the black community because she has said, "maybe they will awaken and not be scared to vote" So, if the blacks throughout America vote for HRC then Mrs Obama will blame the blacks for not supporting her husband.

If the dems wanna lose again in 08 then let obama be the nominee. Any southern states the dems have in play with HRC will close shut when obama is the nominee.WHY? Becasue the racist on the right will scare the heck out of white southern people, and believe me the right can sure get down and dirty when it comes to playing racist politics. Why do you think the right is saying such good things about Obama these days. They see a victory if he is the nominee. They want Obama more so then HRC because they know they will lose running aginst her...

would vote for the alleged front runner anymore than the would vote for Barak. Hillary is a none sell in the GE in the South.Barak has more of a chance of motivating Black voters in the South but Hillary will galvanize the GOP to come out against her. Period.Our best bet for the South is still an Edwards nomination, but Obama is surely a better representative of the Black Community than Hillary will ever be.He has contributed to the Community and earned their respect.What has she ever done of significance for African Americans? Why should they support her over Barak? And as for your referring to Barak as this "Obama person" ? Who the heck is Hillary but someone's wife who got elected Senator by having virtually no opponent and riding on her hubby's coat tails? I do not even believe you can begin to dispute that Barak has more claim to legitimate Black experience than does Hillary. Sheesh.

Haven't you heard? The South is STILL racist! Where do you think the KKK resides, in Vermont?

The north is just as racist as the south. They are not as conspicuous but they are still prevalant.

There is no reason to think Obama will do better in the south than Clinton. Clinton leads Obama is almost every state in the South. Clinton is beating all of the repukes in several important southern states

because of his race and no other reason.

And BTW Mr. Expert on the Black Community, regarding your comment - "John Lewis is the only one from the 60's that marched with Dr. King that can still hold his head high", you seem to forget that the loved and respected Reverend Joseph Lowery, who happens to support Obama, ALSO marched with MLK.

Are you lumping Reverend Lowery in your 'ignorant' category because he supports Obama?

So many of your posts(including this one) are so off base that they are offensive.

You really don't know what you are talking about and really should stop.

Informed Blacks are staying with HRC? Where in the world did you get this from. You folks never cease to amaze me.

First, you have provided zero evidence when you try to speak for Obama. Second, you give zero evidence that shows Oprah is supporting Obama because he is black. Third, I have never heard anyone, besides Chris Rock, say that Obama should be supported because he is a black man; and I would know because I actually listen to almost every speech. Four, you speak of John Lewis yet you fail to mention Rev. Lowery, who walked with and was a good friend of MLK. Oh yeah, he's also a huge supporter of Barack Obama.

Five, Hillary is losing support among the black community. Guess where those informed blacks are going; yep, Obama. I guess the black community is realizing that Hillary is not Bill, and Obama can actually win.

I'll take Obama in my southern state any day over Hillary. I live in Georgia, and I've seen support from whites, blacks, and republicans for Obama. I've only seen hate and fear when it comes to a Hillary presidency. Actually, I did see one HRC bumper sticker the other day. So, I have seen one supporter.

Barack Obama decries the battles that Hillary's generation fought. Maybe you have something there.
Obama needs to bash the progressive movements of the 60's in order to win. He has to get people
away from Hillary by decrying the movements of the past so that all the attention is on him.

Chances are, Obama will fall into the Carter trap on foreign policy.

I could support Obama if he got the nomination. I'm just not sure he can win.

will Al Sharpton go away?

As long as their are still racists out there he will be around. If, by some miracle, the racists are all gone he will still be there.

I hope he stays around just because he annoys so many people.

Since those two have as much to do with each other as Obama and Sharpton do . . .

I am unaware of that happening?

:wtf:

:puke:

"Everybody Hates Chris".

Humor from a black perspective.

double standards reign supreme.

But, more than double standards, this represents the attitude that has been prevelant in our American since the neo-cons started ripping Clinton for every blink he took.

Us versus Them. Anything is OK as long as it is US: racism, sexism, lies, distortion, propaganda. As long as it favors "us" it is ok.

I remember when Clinton got reamed for playing the "gender" card. Here Obama is saying: us black folks have to stick together why vote for the old white lady--what can she do for us?

And that is an ok argument here on DU?

Shameless

Look the message is: vote for the black guy, the old white lady will do nothing for us. Is that ok?

Biden sure got in trouble for something taken out of context and perceived as racist. Obama's surrogate tells a racist joke, and you all applaud.

Just as the extreme right is making excuses for Larry Craig.
It's extremism on both sides.

So if Imus had been talking "to a white audience", using your logic, his "nappy headed hos" "joke" would've been just peachy keen and okey dokey "humor"?
:puke:

Wow

Rock has been making these kinds of jokes for years, but now because he's supporting Obama, they call him a racist. It's called comedy people.

I guess it's fine then what freepers are calling Obama on their site. Obama shouldn't take offense and his supporters should just accept it as "typical humor"?:eyes:

Matches the rightwing drivel coming out of Obama's mouth

that would have been deemed racist. Obama & Company are getting more irritating everyday.

which one is racist? Both are in my book. Once again Barack Obama panders to bigots. I can only imagine what would have happened if a gay American had stood up and protested Donnie McClurkin in that venue? :grr:

I remind people that Obama PROUDLY parades with that homophobic bigot!
I also don't like Obama's religious talk either. He sounds too much like Mike Huckabee.

While he has the knives out for Hillary.

Check out his articles http://www.observer.com/jason-horowitz