Clinton loses support among black Democrats
Hillary Clinton's support among black Democrats has cratered as racial politics emerged in the nomination fight, a new poll suggested today.
Clinton now trails Barack Obama 59 percent to 31 percent among African-Americans, according to the CNN/Opinion Research Poll. In October, Clinton led 57 percent to 31 percent. Since then, of course, Obama won the Iowa caucuses and he and Clinton have emerged as the front-runners for the Democratic nomination.
Clinton has been criticized over the last week by some prominent African-American political leaders for remarks they perceived as diminishing the accomplishments of Martin Luther King Jr.
Eleanor Holmes Norton, who represents Washington, D.C., in Congress, joined the chorus, warning Clinton to "watch out'' in her comments on race. "The black community is not only sensitive on race,'' Norton said in an interview on Bloomberg Television today. It is "super-sensitive on race.''
Clinton has sought to mend fences in recent days, and she and Obama called a truce during a debate on Tuesday night. The poll did not find significant gaps among black Democrats on whether Clinton or Obama better understands the problems of blacks, or whether blacks would be better off if either were president.
Clinton and Obama are both pointing toward the Jan. 26 primary in South Carolina, where half the voters are projected to be black. She called on former NBA star Magic Johnson in a new radio ad in the state today to vouch for her -- and the importance of her greater experience -- using an analogy from his own basketball career.
"My rookie year, we won our first game on a last second shot. I was so hyped," he says in the ad. "But the captain of my team said, 'Take it easy rookie, it’s a long season, it’s a long road to the championship.' He was right. Winning comes from years of hard work and preparation. Whether it’s winning championships or a president who can lead us back to greatness, I’ll always want the most prepared and experienced person leading my team."
Among all Democrats, Clinton still leads 42 percent to Obama's 33 percent, according to the CNN poll. John Edwards had 17 percent, and Dennis Kucinich 3 percent.
On the Republican side, the poll showed John McCain leading with 29 percent, Mike Huckabee had 20 percent, Mitt Romney 19 percent, Rudy Giuliani 14 percent, Fred Thompson 9 percent, and Ron Paul 6 percent.
The poll was conducted Monday through Thursday among 448 registered voters who describe themselves as Democrats and 377 registered voters who describe themselves as Democrats.
Other polls show Clinton & Obama are neck-in-neck. While Obama leads Hillary among Blacks 66 - 16, Hillary leads Obama among white voters 41 - 27. Polls change everyday. A lot of voters do not know enough about him.
Dick Morris' opinion piece today suggests the Clintons -- although not racist -- decided to play the race card 'to polarize the white vote to off-set the black vote.' Morris believes they will never come out and "say" it, but will insinuate it: "Obama is not electable."
However ... Obama "is" electable.
If Obama supporters switch their vote to another candidate it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Forget about the "electability" issue, Obama can win, but not unless you vote for him.
To those whom are undecided:
Vote your conscience. Vote for your aspirations and hopes. Vote for who moves you.
Stop you nonsense editorial spin. Hillary won Nevada, and she will win the Democratic Nomination. You lose. THE END
I like Obama for VICE President. He would work wonders to prosper America AFTER Hillary has worked her brilliance to take America back on track to fiscal responsibility, economic stability, and international respectability. Sometimes, it takes a really wise man and true leader to recognize humility and right timing so more and better things can be achieved for America not just for the moment but for the long term.
Beyond personalities - It would be more universally significant to elect the first woman president of the strongest nation in the world. Why? because gender transcends beyond race and culture.
To elect the first African-American is politically correct but not nationalistically representative. Just ponder on this -- When you say CHINA, what face do you see in your mind? When you say INDIA, what face do you see in your mind? When you say AFRICA, what face do you see in your mind? When you say AMERICA, what face do you see in your mind?
I like Obama for VICE President. He would work wonders to prosper America AFTER Hillary has worked her brilliance to take America back on track to fiscal responsibility, economic stability, and international respectability. Sometimes, it takes a really wise man and true leader to recognize humility and right timing so more and better things can be achieved for America not just for the moment but for the long term.
Beyond personalities - It would be more universally significant to elect the first woman president of the strongest nation in the world. Why? because gender transcends beyond race and culture.
To elect the first African-American is politically correct but not nationalistically representative. Just ponder on this -- When you say CHINA, what face do you see in your mind? When you say INDIA, what face do you see in your mind? When you say AFRICA, what face do you see in your mind? When you say AMERICA, what face do you see in your mind?
Obama was quick to acknowledge a black man's contribution to civil rights and totally unrecognizing of other white men's contribution and even spanned racist sentiment against Hillary for equalizing the contributions of MLK with Johnson's. Obama keeps invoking civil rights sentiment from MLK which in effect rouses racist sentiment. The US presidency is not just about MLK's dream for the black.s It will serve America better to invoke the dream for all Americans. When Obama invokes the black people to support his candidacy as a fulfillment of MLK's dream for America, he is equally provoking the non-black people to support the candidacy of another in keeping with the cultural covenant and traditional representation of America. To elect the first African-American is politically correct but not nationalistically representative. Just ponder on this -- When you say CHINA, what face do you see in your mind? When you say INDIA, what face do you see in your mind? When you say AFRICA, what face do you see in your mind? When you say AMERICA, what face do you see in your mind?
America is better than having two families in the white house for 24 years. Hillary is the most disshonest person running for the president and she will destroy the democratic party. It was in the 90tis when democtats lost the house and the senate and it will happen again if she will be the nominee.
am a white man and i see no reason why a black man can not be a president of the U.S stop hating. this is not 1960 where every white person was premitive in the way they think. i will vote for obama. i trust and believe he would be nice and better president. this is not a white my land remember our forefather came here illegally. so if you do not like obama go back to europe that is our heritage. shame on you racist out there
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