African American journalist to the left: hands off Obama

[Sapphireprick]

Washington Post's deputy editor Colbert King, referring to "a possible 2012 presidential primary challenge to President Obama launched by his party's disgruntled left," tonight sent a warning to the left: "Sabotage the nation's first black president and the Democratic Party might as well bid farewell to its most loyal base of supporters: African Americans."

Read entire piece here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/10/AR2010121005182_pf.html

[TheKentuckian]

1. I'm black and Obama can kick rocks.

[EmeraldCityGrl]

2. Oh for Christs sake people get a grip! n/t

[Blue_In_AK]

3. I thought we were supposed to be past all this black and white stuff.

If someone more to my liking comes along to primary Obama, I will support that person -- black, white, yellow, green, or purple. This kind of racist bullying is just wrong.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Ok so the beltway is making real anger

about RACE???????

UNFRIGGING AMAZING!!!!

[Pirate Smile]

5. This has been perfectly obvious for a long time. I'm white but I mentioned this quite a while ago.

The Democratic Party is not stupid enough to do it. You can substitute women and imagine if it had been Hillary. It is ridiculous to act like members of a group don't feel a particular connection to a member of their group making such a historical breakthrough. Yes, the Irish Catholic side of my family did feel a strong sense of pride and connection when JFK won. It is reality.

He is just stating the obvious:

"Warning: If the Democratic left does to Obama in 2012 what it did to incumbent President Carter in 1980 via Ted Kennedy's damaging Democratic presidential primary challenge - or what the Republican right did to incumbent President George H.W. Bush in 1992 with Pat Buchanan's entry into the GOP primary - the Democratic party as a whole will find itself paying a steep price for years to come.

That's a promise, not a threat.

It's a pretty safe bet that Obama could beat back a contender or contenders for the 2012 Democratic Party nomination. But, as with the experiences of Carter and Bush in their damaging primary struggles, Obama would be forced to devote organization, energy and money to winning renomination, three precious resources best reserved for a general election.

It's unlikely Obama could emerge from a time-consuming and costly primary fight strong enough to run a competitive race against a Republican Party that is expected to be energized, united and determined to take back the White House in 2012.

Republicans would have the Democratic left to thank for that.

Make no mistake, however: If the left costs Obama his presidency in 2012, the Democratic Party as a whole will lose out. Sabotage the nation's first black president and the Democratic Party might as well bid farewell to its most loyal base of supporters: African Americans. "

[EFerrari]

9. Obama is the only one that will cost him his presidency.

And so far, he seems to be on that mission.

[BzaDem]

18. Not only is that wrong (Obama has one vote like everyone else), but it misses the point entirely.

The point of the article isn't just that Obama will lose. The article's author thinks that many African Americans might probably stop voting Democratic in future years if that happens.

So if your goal is to at some point in the future (beyond 2012) elect a president you deem progressive enough, that's probably not the best idea for you.

[left is right]

11. My problem with Obama is

if he fails as badly as it appears that he will, it will be decades before we will be able to elect another African-American. And, I think that he can only succeed by being boldly progressive; it’s not in him

[CakeGrrl]

15. That implies that race is DEFINITELY a factor

A white president can screw up (Bush), but no problem. Of COURSE the next candidate would be white - that's what we expect and why wouldn't we?

A black president screws up, and it's "Well, we tried that experiment; let's just leave it alone for a while. We've seen what one can do..."

Personally, I DO think some people have this mindset.

[CakeGrrl]

17. Agreed. There IS a group solidarity dynamic, whether or not people want to acknowledge it.

Obviously, it doesn't include every member of that group, but enough to have influence.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

33. The poll results speak for themseleves. They will back him if he starts WWIII

However to say threaten the party is insane considering the alternatives

[snagglepuss]

20. I wonder if African Americans who've lost jobs and homes feel the same way?

[BzaDem]

21. Unemployment among African Americans is way too high, yet every single week

Gallup records an 85-95% approval rating for Obama among African Americans.

[fortyfeetunder]

30. I remember what happened to Pres Carter in 1980.

and then we had 12 years of R presidents...and I can't honestly say I was doing better at the end of those three terms than I was at the beginning.
I would hate to repeat that again.

edit: grammar (again)

[democracy1st]

6. He can go straight to hell!

[nashville_brook]

dupe.

[nashville_brook]

7. this race-baiting has got to stop.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

8. Not taking the bait. (n/t)

[Starry Messenger]

10. That presumes there are no African American leftists who are disgruntled.

Strange to leave them out. They most certainly exist.

[FLAprogressive]

13. +1

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. The Congressional Black Caucus for starters

[CakeGrrl]

19. Of course there are. But polls tell you where the vast majority stand. n/t

[BzaDem]

22. Perhaps. But Gallup shows that 85-95% back Obama every single week they poll. n/t

[FLAprogressive]

12. So basically Obama is above criticism because he is black. Wow. Is this guy for real?

[BzaDem]

24. He's not saying above criticism. He's more saying above-primary-challenge, if you ever want to elect

a progressive in a future election.

[CakeGrrl]

25. NOWHERE did he say that. Where did you get that from his article?

He's just giving his opinion on what the reaction will be from a very significant portion of the African-American voting bloc if all the talk of ousting Obama in a primary comes to fruition.

Like it or not, I expect that to happen. People in the Progressive blogosphere who think that the Dems at large -- those who aren't following every political move in Washington -- are with them in their angst/disgust of Obama and their desire to kick him out of office are going to be in for a surprise.

[Dreamer Tatum]

34. No, he's merely above CHALLENGE. Critique all you like - juat don't TAKE ACTION. nt

[rucky]

16. Is he the *official* African American journalist to the left?

is that on his business card?

[Poll_Blind]

23. I'd like to believe he is judged (favorably or not) based on the content of his character, not the..

...color of his skin.

PB

[oldlib]

26. President Obama's Problem

Isn't that he is black. His problem is his acceptance and consuming effort to prolong the GWB agenda. Until this most recent effort I looked on his presidency with pride, for the party as well as the country. I just think that it is tragic that he is pursuing the path that he is on.

[frylock]

27. president obama is also half-white

[TheKentuckian]

28. and well over half Republican

[EFerrari]

31. LOL

:spank:

[ProgressiveProfessor]

32. He identifies as black and is universally considered as such

There were some issues with some black leaders that he had not paid his dues or was not "authentic" due to his white upbringing.

[somone]

29. Winning hearts and minds

[Number23]

35. ROFL The denial (and cluelessness) is STRONG in this thread

((wiping away tears)) What seems like a "no shit" statement to me is like BREAKING NEWS to apparently a few folks here.

Man, this place is... something.

Edit: Just read the piece. Interesting, if a little milquetoast. Much of the stuff is just no-brainer common sense.

"As for African American women, the group with the highest voter turnout rate in the 2008 presidential election? Don't even ask.

And why should they stay with a Democratic Party that turns tail on a president who's trying to lead a fractious country through one of roughest patches in its history?"

But this bit drives it all home: "Perhaps those on the purist Democratic left - not one of whom could have won a presidential race in 2008 and not one of whom can make it to the White House in 2012 - refuse to recognize what Obama has accomplished in two short years, even in the face of rock-solid Republican opposition. His supporters know better."

Common sense. He then goes on to present a list of achievements passed by this administration that has been repeatedly dismissed on DU but affects tens of millions of Americans, most of whom are black and/or middle to lower middle class. You know, the group of folks that the "liberals" here scream the loudest about being "on their side" and "trying to help."

No wonder this piece is being unrec'd and ignored. The common sense and reality aspects of the piece have not been welcome on this web site and within certain "liberal" corners for some time.

[chaska]

36. It's not news that blacks may be dems but are not particularly liberal. And they don't vote....

in near high enough percentages. If they did South Carolina (where I am) would be blue.