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DEL.ICIO.US‘America is readier to elect a white woman than it is a black man’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
No doubt you saw the other shoe that dropped after Hillary Clinton left town with John Lewis on Friday.
The next day, the pair went to Alabama, where the Alabama Democratic Conference — an assembly of African-Americans within the party — also endorsed Clinton in the race for the White House.
We’ve had others tell us before that, among black voters, the contest between Clinton and Barack Obama pits an African-American’s optimism against his or her sense of realism.
Joe Reed, the long-time chairman of the ADC, as much as confirmed it.
Here’s his take, as noted by the Birmingham News:
Reed… said he urged the organization to support Clinton over Obama. The ADC was founded in part to champion the election of more blacks to public office.
“We’re hungry for victory, and by we, I mean Democrats, black ones and white ones,” Reed said. “I think Hillary has the best chance at victory.”
Pressed to say why he thought a white woman had a better chance at the White House than a black man, Reed snickered.
“You just said it. She’s white. I think America is readier to elect a white woman than it is a black man.”
That was much the same reason Reed gave in 1988 when ADC endorsed Walter Mondale over the Rev. Jesse Jackson in the Democratic race for the presidential nomination.
Reed said that while Alabama and America have come a long way in race relations since that time, it hasn’t come far enough to elect Obama.
On the same topic, the New York Times had a weekend piece datelined from South Carolina, focusing specifically on black women and their role in that state’s presidential primary. It focuses specifically on the thoughts of beautician Clara Vereen:
“I’ve got enough black in me to want somebody black to be our president,” she said in her tiny beauty shop, an extension of her home, after a visit from an Obama organizer. “I would love that, but I want to be real, too.”
Part of being real, said Ms. Vereen, whom everyone calls Miss Clara, is worrying that a black president would not be safe.
“I fear that they just would kill him, that he wouldn’t even have a chance,” she said as she styled a customer’s hair with a curling iron. One way to protect him, she suggested, would be not to vote for him.
Comments
By 2 Can Play That Game©
October 15, 2007 8:52 AM | Link to this
This country will never be color-blind! And that’s not to take anything away from Hillary, though, because I do feel that she will fare well;
The Democratic Nomination will be to the Presidential election what the Western Conference finals are to the NBA finals….
By Mary Jefferson
October 15, 2007 10:04 AM | Link to this
Thats bogus! the fact that obama and Hillary are both being considered is historic. The reason she is winning and the best choice for president is experience not RACE or GENDER! those who try as usual to use race card when nothing esle works is what keeps the race problem in america.. CLINTON FOR PRESIDENT BECAUSE SHE IS THE BEST CHOICE TO GET US OUT OF THE BUSH/CHANEY MESS!
VOTE FOR CLINTIN 2008
By Mary Jefferson
October 15, 2007 10:04 AM | Link to this
Thats bogus! the fact that obama and Hillary are both being considered is historic. The reason she is winning and the best choice for president is experience not RACE or GENDER! those who try as usual to use race card when nothing esle works is what keeps the race problem in america.. CLINTON FOR PRESIDENT BECAUSE SHE IS THE BEST CHOICE TO GET US OUT OF THE BUSH/CHANEY MESS!
VOTE FOR CLINTON 2008
By Mary Jefferson
October 15, 2007 10:04 AM | Link to this
Thats bogus! the fact that obama and Hillary are both being considered is historic. The reason she is winning and the best choice for president is experience not RACE or GENDER! those who try as usual to use race card when nothing esle works is what keeps the race problem in america.. CLINTON FOR PRESIDENT BECAUSE SHE IS THE BEST CHOICE TO GET US OUT OF THE BUSH/CHANEY MESS!
VOTE FOR CLINTON 2008
By WTF
October 15, 2007 10:19 AM | Link to this
Of course race has something to do with it!!! And anyone who thinks not is in denial! Noone has to play the race card (black or white or green or pink, you get my point!), society does it for us, the government does it for us, the law enforcement agencies do it for us, the system overall does it for us!!!! And it will never change, not enough!
Let’s be real………..if Bush were a black man (Democrat or Rethuglicon), causing all of this trouble, fighting a “war” that was never declared, breaking laws/rules, and generally running our country into the ground, EVERYBODY would be pushing for his impeachment. There would be all kinds of legal forces after him, but NOOOOOOOOOOOOO, since he looks more like the majority that voted for him, he’s sitting pretty, getting richer and richer, while our country gets poorer and poorer. BULLSHYT!!!!!!!!!!! Where’s a good John Hinkley when you need one?!
And I agree with Miss Clara, they would simply assassinate a black president, and noone would ever be charged!
By Jeannie Klever
October 15, 2007 11:05 AM | Link to this
I like Obama’s political views over anyone else currently running. I am a 51-year old, middleclass, white woman. I, too, fear that if elected, Obama could be assassinated. But we can not allow our fears to stop us from moving forward. Martin Luther King didn’t. Neither did JFK or RFK or Malcom X or any of the other great leaders of our time. We have to push our fears aside to keep hope and the possibility for change alive.
By Get A Grip
October 15, 2007 11:10 AM | Link to this
Hillary is not a winner. She is a coward who exploited her husband’s guilt and charm to exploit women and black people.
Who do you think is more likely to be shot, a black man driving to the gas station, or a US president?
Can you say Secret Service Protection? In spite of the way the Clintons portray them, they are professionals.
By Pointing it out
October 15, 2007 11:46 AM | Link to this
“Hillary is not a winner. She is a coward who exploited her husband’s guilt and charm to exploit women and black people.”
Spoken like someone who has nothing substantial, factual, or meaningful with which to attack Sen. Clinton. If you had something, you’d use it instead of the name calling and vague put-downs. Admit it: You have nothing.
By WTF
October 15, 2007 11:59 AM | Link to this
Right about now, we may as well have Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble on the ballot! I’d vote for them before a Rethuglicon (no matter what sex or color)!
By Sheri Crosby
October 15, 2007 12:16 PM | Link to this
America has got to wake up! I fully understand your concern for Sen. Obama’s safety. However, let’s stop fanning the flames of fear!! I am quite certain that the Senator and his family discussed this issue and THEY decided that he should run. If they are not allowing fear to hold them back, why and even better, WHO are we to withhold support simply because we want to keep him safe! That attitude is a slap in the face to someone that has literally put his life on the line for your benefit. If you want things to stay the same, vote for Hillary. If you truly want change, vote for the man with the courage and judgment to bring change. This attitude of fear has already set this country back decades. Stand up and stop the madness. If you have truly been following his campaign and not just the rhetoric of the pundits and mainstream media, you should know by now that he has the experience, judgment, drive, and he is the only candidate that can truly identify with the lower and middle class from various standpoints. He has not always been wealthy. If his true ambition were wealth alone, he already possesses the education and contacts to have increased his wealth exponentially without running for the presidency. Don’t let this opportunity pass. America, not just Black America, has been asking for a new leader and when one who can truly lead volunteers, we have the audacity to say no thank you, we don’t want you to get hurt. Aren’t we hurting enough already?
By Jim
October 15, 2007 12:22 PM | Link to this
Great the Democrats with nominate a completely uninspiring choice. Just because she is the safe choice. She will lose anyway. How about the most inspirational choice. The person who will bring about REAL change. The man who makes me proud to be black. Obama!
By Jim
October 15, 2007 12:30 PM | Link to this
By the way, I have a friend in the Secret Service. According to him, the plan if Obama is elected is to triple the number of agents assigned to him - that is triple the number of agents currently assigned to George Bush! He can’t tell me what that number is.
By WTF
October 15, 2007 12:34 PM | Link to this
I agree, don’t be scared to support him. I do believe he would be assassinated if elected, but that wouldn’t stop me from voting for him! Rock the vote!!!!
By Eph
October 15, 2007 6:27 PM | Link to this
What a shame!!Perhaps the Alabama democratic Conference would like to explain to Martin Luther King why they refuse to help Obama and their people get to the mountaintop. What has all the work been for, the dreams. Why have we educated our children and preached to them of Martin. Why have we encouraged our children to dream and preached to them that we are as good as anyone else. Now the actions of the ADC tell tell our children that it was all a lie. That America would never be ready.The ADC refuses to support Obama not because he is unqualified, not because he is unprincipled. They refuse to support him because he is black. And this coming not from white folks but from black people. It seems such a travesty.
By Ev
October 15, 2007 7:02 PM | Link to this
What do I say to my fourth graders, 98% of whom are black at a Title I school??? That even if you do all the right things I;ve been talking about…getting a good education, playing by the rules, believing in themselves…that it still won’t be good enough for some black people. That white people will believe in their capabilities and talent, will support them, but other black people won’t. Martin Luther King would be ashamed today, very ashamed.
By Ev
October 15, 2007 7:13 PM | Link to this
As a black teacher at a Title I School my question to the ADC is: How do I explain your endorsement to my fourth graders, 98% of whom are black??? That even if you do all the right things I’ve been talking to them about…getting a good education, playing by the rules, staying iut of trouble, believing in themselves ?? That it still won’t be good enough for some black people. That white people will believe in their capabilities and talent, and will support them, but that other black people won’t. I worked for Bill Clinton’s campaign in the early days of 1992 and have seen them both campaign and have concluded that despite the fawning and hype of the pundits, “Hill ain’t Bill”. We have a chance to make a fundamental change in our politics and realize the dream that Martin Luther King fought and died for. What are we doing instead, supporting a candidate because we “liked her husband”. Martin Luther King would be ashamed today, very ashamed. I’m ashamed to face my students questions.
By JRE
October 15, 2007 9:35 PM | Link to this
This just proves that some of us still hate ourselves. But you Hillary supporters would have to be fools to believe that more than 25% of African-Americans will go to the polling booth, consider the historic context of their choice and pull the lever for HRC rather than Obama.
And I’m with Ev in that I’m concerned about the message that Reed, Miss Clara and the ADC are sending to our children which appears to be: If white people won’t support the black candidate and/or threaten the black candidate, you’d better lower your head and disown him. Clinton strikes me as a modern-day Missy Anne Waller who’s newest play thing is the ADC.
By Bitter EX democrackkk
October 16, 2007 6:59 AM | Link to this
Its amazing that blacks STILL support the ORIGINAL ‘party’ of SLAVERY…
WHY is that? Who FREED the slaves?
WHICH ‘party’ spawned the KKK?
‘Democrackkk’…spelled with 3 Ks to HONOR the democrat heritage as the ORIGINAL ‘party’ of SLAVERY, as they continue to ENSLAVE us ALL!
STRIVE to be SMARTER than a democrackkk!
By Anonymous
October 16, 2007 9:00 AM | Link to this
Bitter: Not surprising at all, given how the southern bigots all stampeded to the Republicans after the civil-rights era. That’s their home now, and you’re welcome to them.
The Democratic Party is a better, cleaner place without the racist morons’ influence. Now they’re all on talk radio.
By jgm
October 17, 2007 2:16 AM | Link to this
It’s interesting to me that nearly all of the comments that I personally hear of “I’m don’t think America’s ready for a black president” come from my black friends, while nearly all of my white friends discuss Clinton and Obama regarding their positions, character, etc. Race rarely ever comes up, even from some that I previously judged as “redneck”! I am actively working on the Obama campaign and nearly everyone I work with is white (only a handful of blacks). BTW, I’m Asian, was married previously to a black man, then a Native American man and now am with a white man. I’ve had the opportunity to see society from some interesting perspectives and I realize that minority cultures certainly see things differently, so I am respectful of that and I can understand this reluctance to believe that Obama could win. However, I wonder if an element that holds black people back is their own self image. I fervently hope that any blacks who would actually vote for Hillary just because they don’t think a black man can win will notice how many white people (and other races) are supporting him and will shake off their fear and vote for him anyway in their state’s primary or caucus. Our country truly needs him and I believe he is a great leader with vision, good instincts and good solid plans. He will be able to lead more effectively than Hillary.
By floyd
October 18, 2007 1:30 AM | Link to this
Am a black scots man living in Australia and its hard to look at my race tearing them self apart, YOU have to move on, just think, a black man, who is not a servant, working for all, in the white house? a dream? go on make it happen.
By Daniel
October 18, 2007 12:26 PM | Link to this
GO OBAMA!