Uh Oh! Black Leaders Who Backed Hillary Early Get Nervous

Compiled by the DiversityInc staff.
January 07, 2008

Sen. Barack Obama's caucus victory in Iowa has put blacks leaders who came out early for Sen. Hillary Clinton in a bind.

A report in The New York Times indicated a flurry of phone calls went out to black elected officials across the country from the Clinton and Obama camps as the Iowa caucus results streamed in Thursday evening and it became clear Obama would have a decisive victory.

"For black elected officials who either stayed out of this race or have supported Sen. Clinton, they're in a very dicey position right now," Fletcher N. Smith Jr., a black state legislator from Greenville, S.C., told the Times. Fletcher added that should Obama find equal success in Tuesday's New Hampshire primary, black leaders who backed Clinton might become "magically unavailable when the Clinton campaign calls them."

"It's a precarious time for the Clinton campaign," Rep. Arthur Davis of Alabama told the Times.

Thus far, the Obama camp has nabbed several major endorsements from black officials, including Rep. Jesse L. Jackson Jr., D-Ill., Newark, N.J., Mayor Corey Booker, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, and Columbus, Ohio, Mayor Michael B. Coleman. The Rev. Jesse Jackson also has been in Obama's camp for some time. And of course, the support of Oprah Winfrey has been a big boost to Obama's campaign.

Clinton, who came in a disappointing third in Iowa, currently has the endorsements of Rep. Kendrick Meek, D-Fla., chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Foundation, and Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., among others.

According to The Washington Post, Clinton leads Obama in CBC Caucus endorsements 15 to 12. Some high-ranking members of the CBC, including Reps. Maxine Waters of California and James E. Clyburn of South Carolina, have reserved their endorsement. CBC Chairwoman Carolyn Kilpatrick, D-Mich., has also not endorsed a candidate, and it's not known if she will. According to The Hill, past CBC chairmen have "gone to great lengths" to avoid giving the appearance that the CBC was endorsing a specific candidate

 

I'm not particularly surprised as to the fact that many members of the CBC backed Clinton. Some didn't endorse him because they feel Obama isn't expressing a profound civil rights agenda whilst others don't feel he can carry a general election.

However, may i point out that the split amongst black leaders is a generational thing? Because most of the so-called post-civil right black politicians have all endorsed Sen. Barack Obama i.e. Deval Patrick, Cory Booker, Michael Nutter, Hank Johnson etc.

 

The elder black leaders probably feel that with Clinton in the White House...they can continue to occupy the posts that they have since the Vietnam Era. If Barack wins...the sweeping change could be something they end up getting caught in.....and more younger blacks will get the opportunity to hold the reins of power. There is also the "white man's ice is colder" mentality where some older folks just feel more comfortable being led by someone white because that is what they are used to. Also...a lot of blacks don't like having other blacks as their superiors...because we can be awfully tough on our own people when it comes to politics, business etc.


The other idea behind the lack of support....is that Barack has such a "crossover" appeal that throwing too much support behind him could cause moderate/independent white voters to back away...costing him valuable votes.

 

Very good points TheChosenOne! I'm glad to see that blacks aren't in lockstep only showing support for Obama, Hillary has the same amount if not more support from the black community. You are dead on about if Barack wins, change could be something the older black leaders end up getting caught in. And more younger blacks will get the opportunity to hold the reins of power. An overwhelming percentage of the older generation don't want to see a drastic change in the White House. Older whites don't want to see a woman or a black man in the White House, whilst older blacks maynot want to see a black man over a white woman in the WH. With that said, it is very clear, that this country will never see change, unless the younger generation gets out to the polls.

 

It could be as simple as people comparing experience and credentials. Hillary clearly has the advantage if decisions are based on those factors along. Just like whites can vote for Obama, blacks can vote as they please too. Look at it the same way you choose who to date...voters can do the same when casting their ballots.