Posted on 06/24/2012 5:29:31 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
NEW YORK — It was his 82nd birthday, and Rep. Charles B. Rangel faced a large cake flickering with candles and a roomful of people urging him to blow them out.
Rangel drew a deep breath, leaned in close and slowly extinguished every flame, displaying the determination that has seen him through age, injuries and ethics scandals and that supporters hope will carry him through his next battle: against state Sen. Adriano Espaillat, who is as bent on ending Rangel's 42-year congressional career as Rangel is on extending it.
Rangel's backers speak of the past, saying their man, a founder of the Congressional Black Caucus, has done too much for his constituents to be turned out now. "He's been helping the community for the last 42 years," said volunteer Shaniqua Winkfield as she handed out fliers at the festival.
Rangel's power base is the African American community in Harlem, long the heart of his district until it was redrawn this year.
Espaillat backers, though, say people need to look at whether Rangel can move beyond his Harlem comfort zone and embrace the new district.
"I think that Rangel speaks for Harlem first, and then everyone else," said Judith Amaro, a women's activist who attended an Espaillat rally in early June.
When his district was Harlem-based, that made sense, she said.
"The issue now is they changed the district," Amaro said, "so they're going to need a new voice, a new person who's going to speak for the entire district."
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
He should spend the rest of his miserable life in a Federal prison.
Career politicians or Ebola? Tough choice.
Anyone else would be in jail.
NOBODY should be in a power position that long...
Rangel is a crook, but that is not his main problem in this election. Like Stephen Solarz, Rangel’s district has changed. It is majority Latino and the Latinos want one of their own. This is tribal politics, which is the result of the Balkanization of the this country along racial and ethnic lines. Sorry Charlie, but you are no longer acceptable.
“Rangel’s backers speak of the past, saying their man...has done too much for his constituents to be turned out now.”
Thomas Sowell grew up in Harlem, but that was before they had one of their own representing it. So, now, where are the success stories?
I’m far from being a Wrangle fan, but his military service was outstanding. It’s just a shame that he became such a disgrace after that.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_B._Rangel#Early_life.2C_military_service.2C_and_education
(and yes, maybe it’s embellished a bit in Wiki, but he did get the awards from the military)
Any member of the Communist Black Caucus should be thrown out of Congress.
Don’t forget, Hitler was a War Hero as well.
Feet first in a hearse is ok!
And when he finally leaves office his voters will be at the bottom of the seniority and go take a hike forever.
he inherited his base from the 1st guy he defeated....
You could say much the same about the corrupt, convicted felon Randy “Duke” Cunningham.
Welsey Clark comes to mind...
Major hand in the Waco government sanctioned mass murder and he had the nerve to run for POTUS
Power corrupts Rangel is prima fact of that axiom
Just goes to show you how idiots can be brain washed over and over again to vote for this pathetic excuse.
Sen. Espaillat needs to play this close to the vest, even if he doesn’t win in Nov., a special election is an eventuality...
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