Black Democrats Scramble for Leadership Posts

CNSNews.com Morning Editor ^ | November 26, 2002 | By Susan Jones

[yoe]

If black Americans are such a key part of the Democrat Party's base, why aren't more black lawmakers tapped to fill Democratic leadership positions? That's what some members of the Congressional Black Caucus are starting to wonder. According to wire reports, the Congressional Black Caucus wants Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.) to replace Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) as chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. But it looks like Rep. Martin Frost (D-Tex.) may get the important fund-raising post. According to wire reports, black Democrats are grumbling. Those wire reports quote Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus) as saying, "It's time for diversity to show its head...We want to have input with the Democratic caucus of the House. We get frequently labeled as the base, but the base is rarely heard from when it comes to decisions related to the DCCC." The Congressional Black Caucus reportedly has sent a letter to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, saying that Rep. Jefferson is the right person for the DCCC chairmanship. Pelosi reportedly has not made any decision yet.

[mhking]

Black conservative ping

If you want on (or off) of my black conservative ping list, please let me know via FREEPmail. (And no, you don't have to be black to be on the list!)

Extra warning: this is a high-volume ping list.

[mhking]

That's what some members of the Congressional Black Caucus are starting to wonder.

Mmmmmmm.....That coffee sure smells good, don't it?

[mhking]

It's only fair (for the "fairness" party)

Of course, considering that the Congressional Black (Democratic) Caucus has its' own agenda that does not necessarily coincide with the DNC's (read Hillary's), and that the CB(D)C is not easily "controllable" by the cult of Bill & Hillary, as evidenced by some of the canidates this time around...

[hchutch]

The other thing to keep in mind is, exactly how much chance nationally would the Dems have if, say, Charlie Rangel were the leader of the Dems in the House?

If you think Pelosi is hard to explain to Southern Dems and swing voters...

[RooRoobird14]

Pelosi to Black Caucus: "Now, now, be good little darkies, sit down, be quiet, and let the white folks run things. We wanted your votes, not your opinion."

[demosthenes the elder]

you forgot trial lawyers and the NEA

[Nonstatist]

the CB(D)C is not easily "controllable" by the cult of Bill & Hillary, as evidenced by some of the canidates this time around...

Yes, it's a bit of a problem for the reigning fund raisers , isnt it? Much (if not most) of the rank and file have a different agenda than the Party leaders, but if this segment of the rank and file take control of the Party, the Party will implode, shedding millions of potential supporters... A delicious thought, from my perspective.

[WaveThatFlag]

He didn't appoint any blacks to truly significant positions in his cabinet (like a certain current President I could name), just used them and abused them.

Um, Jocelyn Elders anyone?

[FormerLib]

Surgeon General is not a Cabinet position. Nice try, though, Thank you for playing.

[Media Insurgent]

Are you saying that Surgeon General is a significant position? No one in America even knew who or what the SG was until Elder's predecesor Coop started wearing that wacky admiral's uniform and talking abut condoms. Didn't Clinton leave the SG post vacant after Elders was forced to leave? That post seems little more than ceremonial.

[FormerLib]

...Elder's predecesor Coop started wearing that wacky admiral's uniform...

The uniform comes with the position. It's been that way since the original appointment as the office was derived from a military position IIRC.

...and talking abut condoms.

Actually, Elders was the "Condom Queen." Coop used to remind people that they weren't always effective and offered no protection against certain types of STD's. Leftists referred to Coop's blunt facts as "hate speech."

Didn't Clinton leave the SG post vacant after Elders was forced to leave?

No, he appointed Dr. David Satcher.

[Media Insurgent]

I seem to remember reading that while the uniform was always part of the position, no one ever really wore it until Coop. I could be wrong on this, though. Aside from Coop & Elders, the only thing I know about Surgeons General is the warning on cigarette packs.

Wasn't there was some talk about eliminating the position altogether after Elders left the post? Of course this was happening around the time that Gingrich & the gang were talking about de-funding PBS, and we all know how that went.

You'd think that with all the concerns about bio-terror, germ warfare and last year's anthrax scare that the Surgeon General would have a higher profile these days, but I have not seen any evidence that Bush even has one.

[WaveThatFlag]

Surgeon General is not a Cabinet position. Nice try, though, Thank you for playing.

Look, you are putting me in the undesirable position of appearing to stick up for Bill Clinton. However, since I'm "playing": Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown anyone? Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman anyone? Secretary of Transportation Rodney Slater anyone? Secretary of Veteran's affairs Togo West anyone?

You don't really know what you are talking about, do you? It is important that conservatives get their facts right here, so that they don't get smacked around by liberals in the real world. Oh, and by the way, National Security Advisor is also not a Cabinet position. But thanks for playing all the same.

[RobbyS]

Blacks do have economic power--collectively American blacks have more income than all of Mexico. But do they contribute?

[RobbyS]

However you have to admit that Clinton only put blacks into "second tier" cabinet positions. Powell and Rice are clearly among the power elite.

[WaveThatFlag]

Agreed. Colin Powell is the most powerful African American in US history. I'm sure that this drives the Democrats crazy. However, in fairness to Clinton, his Cabinet was a lot darker than the current one.

[Tall_Texan]

Oh oh. The House slaves are getting uppity about their massahs...

[OldFriend]

Somehow I just can't imagine Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton donating to the dem party, can you?

These guys are the ones with their hand out all the time.

[Tall_Texan]

We get frequently labeled as the base...

That's often what something on the bottom is called, Eddie...

[mafree]

Don't the Black Dems know it's not the votes but the money that really counts to the DemoncRAT party leadeship?