Black Leaders in a Quandary

The Wall Street Journal

Black Leaders in a Quandary
Clinton Backers Are Put In Uncomfortable Spot After Obama's Success
By VALERIE BAUERLEIN and COREY DADE
January 5, 2008; Page A5

Barack Obama's resounding victory in Iowa is creating intense pressure on black leaders who have backed Hillary Clinton, and it has exposed a generation gap between cautious older black preachers and politicians and their younger counterparts and students.

Early on, Mrs. Clinton lined up support among the established leaders of the civil-rights era, including former U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young and Rep. John Lewis of Atlanta, as well as several members of the Congressional Black Caucus. On the ground in South Carolina, her campaign said she has more than twice as many endorsements as Mr. Obama from black politicians and preachers. Mr. Obama's top black endorsers include Oprah Winfrey and the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson (though Mr. Jackson's wife, Jacqueline, backs Mrs. Clinton). Now, for many black voters, Mr. Obama's Iowa victory, in a state dominated by white voters, is muting the concern that Mr. Obama couldn't be elected nationwide. The problem facing many black supporters of Mrs. Clinton: how to oppose a black man anointed a presidential front-runner by an overwhelmingly white state.

(snip)

South Carolina's top black politician, U.S. House Majority Whip James Clyburn, who hasn't endorsed a candidate, said that "unless something untoward was to occur," Sen. Obama is "going to run away with South Carolina.".. Black supporters of Mrs. Clinton believe she will hold on to her support. "Not only have we not lost them, they are more energized than ever," said state Sen. Darrell Jackson, one of Mrs. Clinton's political consultants and the pastor of a Columbia, S.C., megachurch.

(snip)

In some black organizations and churches there are signs that Mr. Obama's surge is creating divisions between political leaders and their supporters. Lucille Whipper, a Clinton supporter and current leader of South Carolina's Woman's Baptist Educational and Missionary Convention, said she worried that it will be "difficult for me to keep the influence I have and not affect my validity in all the other areas that I work. We have to be very careful that we don't develop in the minds of others that we are not for youth, we are not for change."

(snip)


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At least black voters and leaders now have choices where they can allocate their loyalty to. It wasn't too long ago in South Carolina that the only choice for a black voter was a right-wing segregationist Republican and a right-wing segregationist Democrat.

recommended.

in this country. The Clintons have guaranteed jobs, influence, etc. to all those black leaders and that's why they're beholding to them. But when Obama wins the nomination, he won't owe them shit. They'll probably call him and start kissing his ass in a few weeks, and I were him, I'd tell them thanks, but no thanks.

Don't look for Obama to be saving American jobs. He will be helping the corporations outsource them.

I think the poor,and middle class of ALL colors would be better served by a progressive like Edwards or Kuchinch who will place them first before the corporations.

What resounding victory? Barack got 16 delegates out of 45. Hillary got 15. And Edwards got 14.

Sorry, that was a whimpering win, if that. It's the number of delegates, stupid!

They won't see it.

and 38% vs. 29% is impressive. I suppose.

Barbara Lee is in good spirits after endorsing Obama a few weeks ago.