Why are the Clintons considered do popular among Black voters?

[phillyliberal]

Why exactly do African Americans relate and continue to support Bill Clinton and most recently his wife's presidential bid.
Is there an exact reason? This is a serious topic. I am interested, was it something he did as Governor? thanks alot. May be a simple question, but I have been unable to find an exact reason for the continued support.

thanks

[EFerrari]

1. I was listening to Robinson Randall this over the holiday

talk about Haiti and he asked the same question.

(Mr. Randall is a black scholar.)

[Nedsdag]

13. Watch this video:

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FVlKY8Ispg>

[EFerrari]

18. Randall makes a compelling case against Clinton. n/t

[cmkramer]

29. I think you have his name reversed

Isn't his name Randall Robinson and not Robinson Randall?

His brother was the late ABC News anchor Max Robinson.

[MADem]

36. Randall is a bit of an activist, to put it mildly.

Max was a grand trailblazer, with 'issues' poor man...

[EFerrari]

53. You're right, I do! He was on Charlie Rose last night.

He recounted how Colin Powell was instrumental in the coup against the Haitian government and how Condi Rice threatened Jamaica when that country offered to take Aristide in. Apparently, he was one of the people who charted a plane to rescue Aristide and his American wife from where they had been dumped and left to die.

God bless America.

[merwin]

2. This help?

http://dir.salon.com/story/books/int/2002/02/20/clinton/index.html

[Lucinda]

7. Thank you for the link!

[book_worm]

3. I think in Clinton's case it's because he spoke the same language that

many AA could relate to. The Democratic presidents who have had a unique relationship with AA are those who grew up in the South and knew how to speak at the pulpit in black churches, for instance. Jimmy Carter, was also extraordinarily popular with AA and endorsed by "Daddy" King and Coretta Scott King when he ran for president. Carter and Clinton share that unique relationship which some Northern Democrats with strong Civil Rights records like John Kerry and Walter Mondale didn't quite. They won the AA vote but didn't have the same kind of unique relationship with AA voters. I think that it's Bill Clinton who has made it possible for Hillary to compete for AA votes. If her name were not "Clinton" I doubt she would be doing quite as well with AA voters.

[politicasista]

4. And Kerry still got more black votes

than Clinton did. Gore got 90%.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

10. You sure Kerry also didn't get 90%?

That doesn't make sense at all.

[politicasista]

11. He may have

factoring in voter disenfranchisment. Didn't Bush's black vote total increase because of the gay marriage amemdments?

[NewYorkerfromMass]

55. BECAUSE of voter disenfranchisment

as an issue- black votes for Democrats should have been higher.

[journalist3072]

37. I don't believe that is correct.

[politicasista]

57. Do you have any links? n/t

[BenDavid]

5. rare white politicians who actually like black people witth respect

[College Liberal]

6. Interesting

Is that why he waited to attack Sista Soulja at Jesse Jackson's Rainbow push coalition? I am a 20 year old African American and Clinton is no friend of mines. He was called the first black president by Toni Morrison out of jest, but some conservative reporter wrote a column and he listed all of Clinton's negatives and said something about him being the first black president. I think i got the jest of the story.....

[Midlodemocrat]

69. It's jist.

And if you are 20, you were a child during Bill's Presidencies. Maybe do some reading on the subject? Why do you suppose his office is in Harlem? Gee, maybe people actually LIKE him?


:eyes:

[Catherine Vincent]

8. Lots of reasons.

Mostly because Clinton was a Democrat and the majority of black folks vote for Democrats, especially for the presidency. Also, Clinton appears to feel more comfortable around black folks as opposed to others that sit down and chat because they have to. Clinton is more genuine. As far as Hillary, if more Blacks are supporting her it's because she's just riding on Bill's popularity.

[sampsonblk]

9. Definitive answer for you - He showed up

The question is, when we are getting the short end of the stick, can we count on you to show up? If you can't show up, no one cares about your policies.

Bill Clinton has shown up - all of his political life. He didn't issue a press release. He didn't send a fax or an email. He showed up. Even when he wasn't running for anything. And he has been a consistent champion for black people on black issues for a long long time. That's why he could dis Souljah and get away with it.

In retrospect, Republicans just won't get that. They sometimes say nice things to blacks when its convenient. They have their staff issue favorable policy positions. But they never actually show up. Then they wonder why they don't get many black votes.

[College Liberal]

12. He has not gotten away with anything

hopefully, i don't have to sit out the '08 election. But, i can't see myself pulling the lever for a woman who's husband would disrespect an African-American woman for political gain....

[sampsonblk]

21. She was wrong

What he said wasn't disrespectful. She was just plain wrong.

I used to listen to her music. She was way way way out of line.

[College Liberal]

39. You really need to read more

Do a search and see what she really said and in what context. If Clinton was so outraged, why did he wait a few days and just magically bring it up to an all black audience. He gained politically from it....

[sampsonblk]

44. Clarification

I don't need to read about it. I was there and I understand very well. Most people never heard of her until the campaign. But I was a big fan of hers. I had her lyrics memorized.

Having bored you with all that. She was wrong.

[College Liberal]

46. I am so glad you know her lyrics

have you memorized "The Coldest Winter Ever" too?

[MonkeyFunk]

34. Didn't you just announce your presence here 3 days ago

with a post saying you liked ALL our candidates?

Were you being disingenuous then, or are you disingenuous now?

[College Liberal]

40. You have made me see the light

I like Clinton the person, Clinton the candidate is not my favorite. I don't have one yet. But, the more i see post by her supporters, the more i get turned off.


Um, sorry i am in a committed relationship so can you go and become fixated on someone else....

And another thing, i can say anything bad about any of the candidates because i don't have to vote. The primary in NC is in March or May, so my vote won't matter anyways. And you have some nerve, you have been trashing Obama and you catch feelings when i say something about Clinton?

[MonkeyFunk]

45. Don't flatter yourself

If I respond to you in two threads in two days, it's not a fixation - it's DU.

I just found it curious you announced yourself with a big thread about how you liked ALL our candidates and then three days later you're pulling this shit.

But rock on with your bad self.

[College Liberal]

47. Are you serious?

Is Bill Clinton a candidate? I had some unfavorable things to say about him and how i hoped it would not effect my judgment in next years presidential race, should his wife win the nomination. So what shit am i pulling? Are you seriously this annoying and ignorant. You have followed me to numerous threads, and for what, only you and God knows the answer to that.....


I am flattered :hi:

[LostinVA]

65. YOU seem to think he is

Why else would BILL Clinton's interlude with a rap singer have any bearing on "pulling the lever for a woman," ie HILLARY Clinton?

I hate college break time.

[Midlodemocrat]

70. Me, too. It's as bad as summer vacation for middle schoolers.

You know, sophomore - wise fools.

[annie1]

41. ok, that was pretty awesome. : )

(except i don't think he got away with anything either, but i know what you are saying)

[sampsonblk]

48. Thank you - nt

[journalist3072]

14. Well, I'm an African-American, and let me offer my perspective

First, let me say that I do not pretend to speak for the entire African-American community. We are not a monolithic group.

But let me see if I can offer some perspective here. It's just my opinion, of course.

- For starters, I personally believe that Bill Clinton is at his most eloquent, his most morally comanding, when he's speaking on matters of race. It's something that I believe President Clinton feels passionately about, based on his upbringing, and what people like his Grandfather taught him.

- In 1992, when President Clinton was interviewed by Bill Moyers on the eve of the Democratic Convention, Moyers asked him if there was any issue on which he would NOT compromise. His reply? "Race." He would not compromise on the issue of race. That, I believe, was the start of his connection to Black America, on a national level.

- Then, of course, there was his cabinet. He had a cabinet that looked like America. And he appointed people like Ron Brown, Alexis Herman and Rodney Slater (who Clinton knew from Arkansas) to some very powerful positions. And here's what I remember from that time. People like Alexis Herman would frequently call into the Tom Joyner show, to speak on the issues concerning Black America and what they were doing within their Departments to address those issues. And personally, I truly felt like I, as an African-American, had advocates in the White House during that time. I was so proud of people like Ron Brown, Alexis Herman and Rodney Slater. Because they truly kept faith with Black America, I believe, and tried to make it better. It's not just that President Clinton appointed Black people to his cabinet. It's what they tried to do during their time in the Administration. At Ron Brown's funeral, when President Clinton spoke, one of the things he said was "I want to say to my friend one last time, if it were not for you, I would not be President." That was extraordinary, to have the President of the United States say that a Black man was responsible for putting him there.

- Another thing I remember, is how after he became President-Elect, Bill Clinton walked down Georgia Avenue in DC. Now if you know anything about Georgia Avenue in DC...you know it's kind of a walk on the wild side...and before Bill Clinton, no President-Elect had ever tried to connect to the majority-Black citizens of D.C., by walking down Georgia Avenue.

- As President, Bill Clinton tried to keep the conversation going with Black America, by calling into the Tom Joyne Morning Show, and interviewing with Tavis Smiley. And he didn't just do it around election time either. And let's not forget his One America initiative, where he tried to get the entire country to start a dialogue about race relations. And one of his last acts as President, was to send the U.S. Congress a report on his One America initiative.

- He was the first modern President to visit the African continent. He tried to impart the message th at what happens to Africa, matters to America and the rest of the world as well. Remember how Hillary Clinton and Chelsea actually visited Africa before President Clinton did, and on the eve of their Africa trip he had that accident (I believe at Greg Norman's house) and he needed surgery? Hillary Clinton was inclined to cancel her trip to stay close by and see about President Clinton. But he would not let her....He wanted to send the message to Africa that they were a priority for this Administration, so he told her to go on. And then a few months down the line, he went to Africa as well. I also think Black America appreciated the friendship that developed between Nelson Mandela and Bill Clinton. They truly have forged a bond and a friendship, and to see someone like Nelson Mandela hold Bill Clinton in such high regard, speaks volumes. And even since he's left the Presidency, Bill Clinton travels to Africa every year for Mandela's birthday.

- There's also the matter of just how Bill Clinton connected to Black America on a personal level. It's something you really can't adequately describe. But there are all kinds of stories of how, Bill Clinton would be in a room full of us Black folk, and when it would come time to sing the Negro National Anthemn, he would be the only one who knew ALL of the words. You'd get to a part of the song where all the Black voices would fall silent because they hadn't memorized a certain portion of the song, but Bill Clinton did. It's those kinds of things, that endeared him to Black America.

I also think that Sen. Clinton feels the issue of race deeply as well. She lived in a conservative neighborhood in Park Ridge. But she had a youth minister, Don Jones, who took her and other youth to see Martin Luther King, and they got to shake Dr. King's hand. In other words, Don Jones showed Hillary Clinton and other youth at their church, that there was a whole other world out there, than the one they had previously been exposed to in their conversative neighborhoods in Park Ridge. She also had a metamorphosis after arriving at college. She came to Wellesley as a Republican, but that all changed as a result of the turbulent 60's.

Anyway, I didn't mean to write an essay here. I'm sure I haven't been eloquent at all, but I hope I've provided some perspective for you on how Bill and Hillary Clinton became so popular with Black America.

I have some recommended reading for you:

1. "Bill Clinton and Black America" (Author: Dwayne Wickham)

2. Hillary Clinton- The Inside Story (Judith Warner)----Really gives some insight into how the civil rights movement affected Hillary Clinton.

[Catherine Vincent]

27. Great post.

:thumbsup:

[journalist3072]

31. Oh thank you....I sorta felt like I was rambling, lol.

[emilyg]

35. Wonderful. Good insight.

[journalist3072]

38. Thank you! You know....another thing that helped endear Bill Clinton to Black America

was him establishing his office in Harlem after he left the White House.

No former President had ever opened their post-presidency office in Harlem, until Bill Clinton did so.

[emilyg]

56. Can you imagine Bush in Harlem?

[EFerrari]

61. No. But I can imagine the cost to normal people of those offices. n/t

[journalist3072]

62. You really need to grow up. Criticizing Bill Clinton for having his Harlem in office, are you?

You need a life.

[emilyg]

63. If that's your best...ok

[College Liberal]

42. He played us

I am only 20 and i can tell you that. he hurt black America. He did nothing to repeal the regressive drug laws and worse of all, under his watch a presidential election was stolen.

[EFerrari]

60. And elections are stolen mainly on the backs of black voters.

I've always wanted to like the charming Mr. Clinton. And I've never been really able to do that.

[LostinVA]

66. Good grief

[Midlodemocrat]

68. Yeah, that's it.

:eyes:

Fer fuck's sake.

[Andromeda]

50. Kudos, journalist3072....

Thanks for the enlightening post.:hi:

[Beacool]

52. Thank you, you have been more than eloquent enough!!!

I am neither AA nor gay, but I have always admired and respected the Clintons for being so inclusive in both their public and personal lives.

Bill Clinton could have dedicated his post presidency to giving lucrative speeches (like Reagan) and not much else. Instead, he started his foundation and has dedicated most of his time to raising funds and tirelessly traveling on its behalf (most frequently to Africa).

The foundation has so far raised more than 12 billion dollars, money that has been used mainly to supply AIDS patients in Africa with affordable medication that has prolonged the lives of thousands of people now and millions in the future.

For all their human foibles, the Clintons are great people and I'm sick and tired of the constant belittling of them by too many who have done too little to benefit mankind to have the moral authority to be their judge.

[jeffrey_X]

54. What a great post.

Thanks for detailing your own perspective.

[mtnsnake]

64. Thanks, journalist3072

You are refreshing, a breath of fresh air around here. As always, I like your style :thumbsup:

[Cameron27]

67. Thank you!

I wish I could recommend your post!

[MS Liberal]

15. He is one of us.

He grew up in Arkansas surrounded by black people. He did not run from us. He did not shun us. He treated us as he wanted to be treated with respect. He has more in common with the average African American than Obama. Clinton lived in the Jim Crow south. He knows our struggles first hand. As a young man he saw our pain; felt our pain; fought to end the injustice. He is one of us. You can feel it when he talks about life in Arkasas. You can see it because he was smart enough to put his office in Harlem. Clinton skin is white but his soul is multi-racial. Clinton is not perfect but he is one of us and therefore so is Hillary.

Obama is going to get a backlash from blacks because of people like Chris Matthews. Tweety and whites like him want to use Obama to ease their guilt over slavery. Hell Obama is not even a descendent of slaves. From all I know his African ancestors were slave traders.

[journalist3072]

I disgree with you on one small point

When you said that "Obama is going to get a backlash from blacks because of people like Chris Matthews."

Well....I think that if anything, Tom Joyner is going to be the cause of some Obama backlash in the Black community.

I love Tom Joyner dearly, and I love what he does for our nation's HBCUs....Our HBCUs are Tom Joyner's passion, and I have a lot of respect for him for that.

But I've been very disappointed in him lately. He's basically trying to get Black America to vote for Obama simply because he's Black...he says we need to grab this chance now. He had Rep. Kendrid Meek of Florida (an African-American and a supporter of Sen. Clinton) on his show. His very first question to Rep. Meek was "There's a perfectly qualified Black man running for President. Why aren't you supporting Sen. Obama?"

Then, he had Michelle Obama on his show, and he asked her "What is up with Black women?" Meaning- why aren't more Black women supporting Obama?

And I think he's going to turn some people off by trying to tell us how to vote...I don't need Tom Joyner to tell me who to vote for, and I'm just really disturbed at his wanting us to engage in group think and just blindly get behind the Black man for President.

[politicasista]

19. Tom Joyner isn't the smartest political mind in the world, but

I think what he is saying is that we should come together and support one of our own. I don't agree with everything he says, but I find him entertaining sometimes. You have a right to support who you want, and he should too.

[journalist3072]

24. Right...that is what Tom Joyner is saying, and I disagree with him.

You're absolutely correct that he is saying let's support one of our own..we may never get this chance again.

And thereinlies the problem.

I personally agree with Al Sharpton when he says "Just because you're my color, doesn't mean you're my kind."

I like to put it another way: "Just because someone looks like me, doesn't mean they represent my interests or values."

From my own perspective, Tom Joyner is doing a great disservice to our community, by trying to get us to all gather around Obama and support him. What he should be saying, is support the person that best respresents your interests and values.

Barack Obama has been on Tom Joyner's show plenty of times, and I've never heard Tom Joyner engage Barack Obama is a single policy discussion. It's always "How's Michelle and the kids" and a bunch of light-weight talk. How is that helping Black America?

By contrast, when he had Sen. Clinton on his show, he berated her about her health care plan, asking why wasn't it FREE healthcare. But she was a trooper. She wasn't afraid to delve into the specifics of her health care plan. She engaged with Tom Joyner on the issues.

He hasn't provided that same treatment to Obama, and I think that does a disservice to Black America.

[politicasista]

25. That is something that I would like for him to do

If he supports Obama, he should make the case for him. I think the smear campaign against Obama has pushed him close the edge also.

[journalist3072]

26. Tom Joyner has been pimping for Obama since Day One....

And I disagree that there has been any smear campaign against Obama. I think it's the inconvenient facts getting in the way, like how his health care plan would leave a certain number of people uninsured.

But again, Tom Joyner has done his bidding for Obama from Day One, basically encouraging us to engage in group think.

[politicasista]

28. The drug use was a smear campaign

to make him look bad to the black community. I am still sure as the primaries draw closer, there will be more talk about what Obama plans to do and less trival talk.

[journalist3072]

30. Uh....the primaries are a week from TODAY....Don't you think it's time

Tom Joyner had that substantive policy conversation with Obama?

What is he waiting for? Until after Obama loses the primaries, and then say "Well Senator, if you had won, what would you have done as President?"

[politicasista]

32. I didn't know when the primaries were. I thought that was the caucus

unless they are the same thing. I don't have a candidates, so I am new to this. I wasn't here in 2003 or early 2004. :shrug:

I am sure he is waiting on that too.

[journalist3072]

33. Well....the Iowa Caucus is next Thursday, and then the New Hampshire Primary is later in January

The point being that next week, it all starts. Next Thursday, the first votes of the 2008 campaign will be cast.

So I just don't buy the notion that Tom Joyner is waiting until later in the season to get more specific with Obama. It's way past time for that.

How does Tom Joyner expect the electorate to make an informed decision? My guess is that he doesn't care about that. It's all, let's get behind the black man.

[politicasista]

58. That's what it comes down to

You actually have posted some good thoughts.

[College Liberal]

43. You like to read political books, do you?

Go pick up: Willie Lynch and the Making of a Slave.....

[sandnsea]

49. He chose Midtown first

The only reason he moved it to Harlem was because of the objection to the outrageous cost of the original office.

Everybody isn't thrilled with his presence in Harlem either, rents have doubled. Just as his housing program has allowed for gentrification and dislocation, so has his presence in Harlem. And he offers no help. He's charming, like any sociopath who knows just what to say while getting ready to rob them blind.

[College Liberal]

59. Good Post

:hi:

[journalist3072]

16. One of the other things I forgot to mention, that I think is worth noting

Perhaps unline any other President before him, Bill Clinton had a true grasp of the issues affecting Black America.

I think it was at the 2000 Democratic Convention, as he gave his "valedictory" speech, he talked about reading an article in a newspaper, which talked about young African-American teenagers planning their own funeral, saying "These are the songs I want sung, this is the outfit I want to have on...."

And he basically said something like "This is not the freedom that Dr. Martin Luther King died for." This is not what Martin Luther King envisioned for today's generation.

[EFerrari]

17. Clinton sent back Haitian refugees that were fleeing a murderous regime

ARMED BY BILL CLINTON'S GOVERNMENT.

I bet that's not the "freedom" Martin was killed for, either.

[journalist3072]

20. I do agree with you there

I've never understood our country's immigration policy...It seems as though people from Cuba are welcomed here with open arms (and don't get me started on that stupid "Wet foot, dry foot" policy), while people from places like Haiti aren't welcomed here.

So I do think there is a disconnect there.

I don't agree with Bill Clinton on everything. For example, I wish he would have tried to do more, substantively, to advance the cause of DC voting rights. He's definitely FOR DC Voting Rights, and he even had the "Taxation Without Representation" license plates put on the Presidential limo before he left (which George W. Bush promptly had removed when he came in). But on a substantive level, Bill Clinton didn't do much (ie. trying to work with the Congress) to advance DC voting rights.

Although there were definitely mistakes and missed opportunities in his Administration, I honestly believe he tried to make Black America better. The African-American unemployment rate was better when he left office. By just about every margin (i.e. poverty race and unemployment rate), Black America was better when Bill Clinton left office. And those statistics speak for themselves.

He did a lot of good.

[politicasista]

22. Do you know what's behind the line that

More black males went to prison on his watch, welfare went up, genocide in Rwanda went ignored.


He sided with secrecy and privilege and protected Bush I a on CIA Drugrunning story that came out in 1996.

He also sided with Bush I over the American people and especially the black community whose cities were targeted to be the dumping grounds for the tons of cheap cocaine that were part of the IranContra dealings of Poppy Bush and his thugs. Not to mention he did execute a mentally retarded black man when he was governor.


I am undecided and am in no way dissing Bill, but this has come up when mentioning what he really did for black people.







edit for word

[EFerrari]

23. Clinton's bad decisions on gutting welfare, public housing as well as

on NAFTA and the WTO were no friends to black America. Over all our economy did better, but the most vulnerable among us were more vulnerable when he left office.

Statistics don't speak for themselves. They speak for their promoters.

[calteacherguy]

51. Bill's brother?

[Perry Logan]

71. Poverty rates among African-Americans dropped to their lowest levels EVER under Clinton.