Posted on 02/15/2008 6:04:45 AM PST by RDTF
Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., may have an added obstacle in her pursuit of the support of superdelegates the party insiders and elected officials who compose roughly 20 percent of the total Democratic delegates, and who may ultimately choose the nominee.
One prominent superdelegate who is also the highest-ranking black in Congress told ABC News that the racially tinged way in which critics say the Clintons conducted their campaign in South Carolina is driving black superdelegates into the arms of Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill..
"The surge if I may use that word occurred in direct correlation to the way that campaign had been ratcheted up," said Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., the House Majority Whip who has not endorsed a candidate. "Those of us who live in the South especially, we know the code words when we hear them and we understand the tone. People felt some of that was going on and they reacted to it in a very bitter way."
Clyburn made his remarks as his colleague, Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., switched from supporting Clinton to announcing that as a superdelegate he will vote for Obama.
"In recent days, there is a sense of movement and a sense of spirit," Lewis told The New York Times. "Something is happening in America and people are prepared and ready to make that great leap."
Lewis also said he was influenced by the fact that his home state voted heavily for Obama. Clyburn told ABC News that he had heard from many black lawmakers who thought the Clintons played the race card. Clyburn said of particular offense was former President Clinton's comparison of Obama with the Rev. Jesse Jackson.
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(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
I will repeat for the 10th time today. To vote for someone because he/she is black is just as bad as not voting for someone because he is black.
Keep saying it because it is so very true.
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I intend to. I hope I get through to someone, even though I am sort of preaching to the choir here at FR. But maybe you freepers can repeat it as well.
Obama’s also drawing out a solid section of white liberal females....I’ve been really surprised by how JFK he comes across to some of them....These are folk that I really would have expected to be in Clinton’s camp. And some of’em are Texas democrats I know from an art forum.
He didn't need anything that scientific. All he had to do was look at the primary returns for his district, then spend a moment and think about how it would look he voted for Clinton after the overwhelming majority of them voted for Obama. Politics is about personal survival. He'll vote his district. Nothing underhanded or disloyal about that. He owes the voters of his district far more than he ever owed either Clinton.
Blacks are sure colorblind about Obama.
inspiring
Black voters are awakening from the spell that the Democrat Party has held them under for so many years.
I cannot believe that Black America is turning on the wife of America’s first Black President. Shameful I tell you; shameful.
Hillary is half female so will you vote for her?
“I am not voting for hillary because she is female”
I am not voting for her because she is half female.
that picture is hilarious!
Fickle, fickle, fickle. I love it!! He’ll have to give Hillary back her money now.
the racially tinged way...
The logically tinged manner of thinking...
And there are the corrupt unions to keep the corrupt city officials in place, as well.
Its been that way since I can remember.
Pa city politics is rotten to the core, and Pennsylvania will go big to hillary.
I have no first hand experience with Ohio.
Has Obama spent any time in Philadelphia?
Very Good once Clinton is out they will shift to McCain and the plan to put McCain 2008 in the White Hous is a success!
Good Work!
It is a racism of convenience with plausible deniability prefactored in, but nobody would seriously consider that these black politicians would be making these statements or bucking the Demorat/Clinton machine if the challenger was say, Lieberman or Zell.
It doesn't hurt that the 44 members of the Black Caucus, except Obama, come from mostly black districts. They need to reflect their constituents who are overwhelmingly supporting Obama. The super-delegate vote is public so their constituents will see how they voted. This is not racism so much as it is politics.
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