CNN: Clintons, Obama hope to woo black support in Selma

[DeepModem Mom]

Clintons, Obama hope to woo black support in Selma
March 2, 2007
From Mary Snow
CNN New York Bureau


Then-President Bill Clinton attended the 35th anniversary of the march in 2000.

NEW YORK (CNN) -- As they battle for support in the black community in their quest for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama will attend Sunday's commemoration of the historic 1965 Selma voting rights march.

However, Clinton will bring along a not-so-secret weapon -- her husband, former President Bill Clinton.

"There is no white politician in America who is more popular in the African-American community than Bill Clinton," said Jamal Simmons, a Democratic strategist. "So she has a very strong card to play."...

An ABC News-Washington Post survey, taken late last week, found that Obama, from Illinois, was the choice of 44 percent of black Democrats, compared to 33 percent for Hillary Clinton, with a sampling error of plus or minus 8 percentage points. That was a marked shift from the beginning of the year, when she led Obama 60 percent to 20 percent.

However, the poll found that the New York senator's favorable rating among black voters was 85 percent, compared to 70 percent for Obama, although his favorability has climbed 16 points since the beginning of the year....

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/03/02/clintons.obama/index.html

[illinoisprogressive]

1. Ah, but Obama is a force of nature. Child of destiny up against a political machine

[DeepModem Mom]

4. You're "waxing eloquent" tonight, i.p.! nt

[babylonsister]

2. Except for this one, DMM, I'm avoiding these threads and any general

discussion of candidates (if I can:))
Too much other very serious stuff going on; the pre-primaries going on a year before it needs to is a bit distracting to me.
I will listen to the talking heads, but hope not to get too involved.
But thanks!:hi:

[DeepModem Mom]

3. Understood, babylonsister! (Some of us are hopeless political junkies.)

:blush:

[babylonsister]

5. I think I might be one, too.

But that story will change by next week, and every week from now on.

I so want to see this admin get nailed for all their fuckedupness, that's my mission.

[DeepModem Mom]

7. That's a good one! nt

[GainesT1958]

6. Funny how...

She plays him up in situations like this, but runs for cover whenever his personal foibles are brought up.

Her being anywhere near the president he was? Sorry, I just can't see it for the life of me. It's really hard for me to find ANYTHING constructive she's done in her time in the Senate--almost in the same ballpark with Liddy Dole, in that respect. It seems that the only thing at which she's really been successful is self-promotion (another similarity she shares with Dole). She was deeply engaged in protesting the Viet Nam War when an undergrad, but now she thinks it's OK for a new generation of young people to die in a war just as pointless--because it's not people in her age bracket doing the dying. And was there anything she did to contribute to the efforts of the Civil Rights Movement when growing up in suburban Chicago? Or in her undergrad days? The reason her campaign reacted so vehemently to David Geffen's remarks is simple: they know he spoke the truth.

At least Barack Obama is representing a good portion of his heritage when he makes that walk. His effort to help the disadvantaged runs deep in his career, and in his character. Personally, I can't decide whom to support among the declared candidates; I'm waiting for one or two others to decide about making a welcome entrance to the race--one currently from Arkansas, and one from Tennessee. But for what it's worth, Obama looks quite genuine, in both tone and record.

And these days, we need all the genuiness we can get!

B-)