Another Member of the CBC Pledges Support for the Obama Campaign More great news, U.S. Congressman Bobby Scott of Virginia endorsed Senator Obama today. Rep Scott made history in 1992 when he was elected the first African American member of congress from Virginia since reconstuction. He also joins 14 other members of the Congressional Black Caucus in endorsing Obama including Rep. John Conyers, Rep. Sanford Bishop, Rep. Bobby Rush, Rep. Chaka Fattah, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., Rep. Elijah Cummings, Rep. Danny Davis, Rep. Barbara Lee, Rep. Lacy Clay, Rep. Artur Davis, Rep. Al Green, Rep. Gwen Moore, Rep. Keith Ellison, and Rep. Hank Johnson.
Press Release
Congressman Robert "Bobby" Scott Announces Support for Barack ObamaChicago, IL – Virginia Congressman Robert "Bobby" Scott (D-VA) announced his support for Senator Barack Obama today, citing his sound judgment on the Iraq war and leadership on critical issues such as health care and crime policy."America is at a crossroad. We can either remain mired in the politics of the past, or press forward and elect a President who can unite us around the sobering challenges we face. Senator Barack Obama offers change we can believe in and that is why I support his candidacy for President," said Congressman Scott.Scott added: "Senator Obama demonstrated the judgment we need in a President when he opposed the Iraq war from the start. His decades of public service is a resounding testament to his ability to build bridges across party lines and make change happen on bread and butter issues like health care, housing, education and creating safe communities. Moreover, he shares my belief that it is the sacred responsibility of government to secure our democracy through the protection of our voting rights and civil liberties."Obama said, "I am proud to have the endorsement of my colleague Bobby Scott. I know the difference his leadership has made for the people of Virginia and the nation. I am honored by his support, and I look forward to what we can accomplish together."Congressman Scott serves on the House Committee on the Judiciary, where he is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security. Scott also serves on the House Committee on Education and Labor and the House Committee on the Budget. Elected in 1992, Scott made history by becoming the first African American elected to Congress from Virginia since Reconstruction and only the second African American elected to Congress in Virginia's history.Scott joins Virginia Governor Tim Kaine in supporting Obama's campaign. Scott also joins 14 other members of the Congressional Black Caucus in endorsing Obama including Rep. John Conyers, Rep. Sanford Bishop, Rep. Bobby Rush, Rep. Chaka Fattah, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., Rep. Elijah Cummings, Rep. Danny Davis, Rep. Barbara Lee, Rep. Lacy Clay, Rep. Artur Davis, Rep. Al Green, Rep. Gwen Moore, Rep. Keith Ellison, and Rep. Hank Johnson.
http://www.chicagodefender.com/page/local.cfm?ArticleID=10130Illinois Black legislators unanimously endorse Sen. Obama by Kathy Chaney December 19, 2007 Black legislators in the Illinois General Assembly - the same assembly Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) cut his teeth in -- gave the official thumbs up to the presidential hopeful in his bid for the White House. Touting his extensive record, the Illinois Senate President said Obama has been a consistent soldier for the Black community since he came to Chicago two decades ago. "Barack Obama started his career in public service on the South Side of Chicago, organizing folks who had little hope to strengthen their families and their communities. In Springfield, he fought to outlaw racial profiling, to prevent innocent people from being sent to death row, and to provide health care coverage to an additional 150,000 Illinois residents. "In Washington, he secured increased investments for predominantly black institutions to make higher learning more affordable for our children and to protect homeowners from risky loans and foreclosures," state Sen. Emil Jones (D-14) said. Michelle Obama, who spoke on her husband's behalf earlier this month at Apostolic Church of God, said his fellow candidates say he is too inexperienced to be the next president of the United States. She disagreed and referenced his accomplishments while he was a state senator and his commitment to the community. She said his leadership is needed to make the nation better for future generations. Other Illinois lawmakers agree with her and said he's a "natural born leader." As one of Obama's delegates, state Sen. Mattie Hunter (D-3) said she saw firsthand his leadership abilities during his days in Springfield and is "proud to support him." "It's time for a change in this country. I don't like the shift this country has taken in the last seven years. Too many people are suffering and it appears that the administration is anti-American and pro-business. Obama represents change in this country," Hunter said. State Rep. Monique Davis (D-27), who worked with Obama to fight racial profiling and to get suspects' interrogations and confessions videotaped, said endorsing the senator was an easy choice. "I'm well aware of his competence. He knows how to work with people on both side of the table. His integrity speaks for itself. How could I not endorse him," Davis said. State Rep. Ken Dunkin (D-5) said, "Obama represents the new Americans. Our children and grandchildren are inspired by him. There's a paradigm shift in this country with new Americans and Barack recognizes that." The Illinois primary election is Feb. 5.
http://www.chicagodefender.com/page/local.cfm?ArticleID=10130Illinois Black legislators unanimously endorse Sen. Obama
by Kathy Chaney December 19, 2007
Black legislators in the Illinois General Assembly - the same assembly Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) cut his teeth in -- gave the official thumbs up to the presidential hopeful in his bid for the White House. Touting his extensive record, the Illinois Senate President said Obama has been a consistent soldier for the Black community since he came to Chicago two decades ago. "Barack Obama started his career in public service on the South Side of Chicago, organizing folks who had little hope to strengthen their families and their communities. In Springfield, he fought to outlaw racial profiling, to prevent innocent people from being sent to death row, and to provide health care coverage to an additional 150,000 Illinois residents.
"In Washington, he secured increased investments for predominantly black institutions to make higher learning more affordable for our children and to protect homeowners from risky loans and foreclosures," state Sen. Emil Jones (D-14) said. Michelle Obama, who spoke on her husband's behalf earlier this month at Apostolic Church of God, said his fellow candidates say he is too inexperienced to be the next president of the United States. She disagreed and referenced his accomplishments while he was a state senator and his commitment to the community. She said his leadership is needed to make the nation better for future generations. Other Illinois lawmakers agree with her and said he's a "natural born leader." As one of Obama's delegates, state Sen. Mattie Hunter (D-3) said she saw firsthand his leadership abilities during his days in Springfield and is "proud to support him." "It's time for a change in this country. I don't like the shift this country has taken in the last seven years. Too many people are suffering and it appears that the administration is anti-American and pro-business. Obama represents change in this country," Hunter said. State Rep. Monique Davis (D-27), who worked with Obama to fight racial profiling and to get suspects' interrogations and confessions videotaped, said endorsing the senator was an easy choice. "I'm well aware of his competence. He knows how to work with people on both side of the table. His integrity speaks for itself. How could I not endorse him," Davis said. State Rep. Ken Dunkin (D-5) said, "Obama represents the new Americans. Our children and grandchildren are inspired by him. There's a paradigm shift in this country with new Americans and Barack recognizes that." The Illinois primary election is Feb. 5.
Boston Globe (Editorial Board Endorsement) “For Democrats: Barack Obama”
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2007/12/16/for_democrats_barack_obama/
THE FIRST American president of the 21st century has not appreciated the intricate realities of our age. The next president must. The most sobering challenges that face this country - terrorism, climate change, disease pandemics - are global. America needs a president with an intuitive sense of the wider world, with all its perils and opportunities. Senator Barack Obama of Illinois has this understanding at his core. The Globe endorses his candidacy in New Hampshire's Democratic presidential primary Jan. 8.
Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier: Candidates Court Black Vote
http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2007/12/16/news/top_story/c1bb0bb3679e5ea8862573b3001c35c3.txt
A diverse field of presidential candidates, combined with aggressive, tailored outreach, has generated exceptionally high interest in the caucuses in the black community. African-Americans in Waterloo so far seem to mirror Democrats in the rest of the state --- they're mulling the three leading presidential candidates, but leaning toward Barack Obama. While people are quick to praise Hillary Clinton, the buzz in churches, barber shops and beauty salons seem to favor Obama less than three weeks before the caucuses.
Des Moines Register Rates the Candidates: Senator Obama
http://beta.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071215/NEWS/71215022/0/caucusHe’s smart. He’s crafted sharp policy proposals. He’s worked across the aisle as both an Illinois state senator and in the U.S. Senate. He’s done solid work on needed but thankless legislation such as requiring videotaping of police interrogations in capital-punishment cases in Illinois and reforming ethics laws at the state and federal levels. In the U.S. Senate, he’s burnished his foreign-policy credentials on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. So there’s far more to Barack Obama than inspiring oratory, his optimistic messages of hope and change, and his symbolism of youth and multiculturalism. Take all of that as a package, and oh the possibilities.
His election would signal to all Americans, especially young black men, that our nation still holds opportunities for them. And it would signal to the world that America is more attuned to the international community. Obama says it like this: From the day I’m elected, this country will look at itself differently, and the world will look at us differently.
Tom Joyner Morning Show w/ Senator Obama
http://homepage.mac.com/rossalan305/filechute/BARACKOBAMA121407.mp3
Tom Joyner: Yeah man they are coming after you now. So the story about the Clinton campaign putting out this statement not to vote for Barack Obama because he used drugs and then yesterday I understand that she apologized and the campaign worker quit.
Obama: Well I think everybody knows because I wrote about it in a book ten years ago… and part of the reason I wrote about it and I talk about it in schools is because I want young people out there to know that if they make the same kinds of mistakes that I made that they can get over it and that they can move on…right now the American people are trying to figure out their future. They're not worried about my past, they're not worried about my kindergarten papers. They’re not worried about what I did when I was a teenager. What they're trying to figure out is how is this guy going to help me get a job or make sure my kids can go to college or make sure I got healthcare. So, I take it as a compliment because it shows me that folks are getting a little worried about our campaign.
Washington Post (Kevin Merida) “The Ghost of a Father”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/13/AR2007121301784_pf.html
Sometimes the trigger will be a newspaper story he is reading about Africa. Or he may spot a group of boys on a street corner on the South Side of Chicago and think that one or more of them "could be me, they may not have a father at home." At other moments, he will be playing with his daughters -- Malia, 9, and Sasha, 6 -- and begin to wrestle with what kind of father he has become, what a career in politics has meant to their lives and how to guard against his father's mistakes. Thoughts of his father "bubble up," as Barack Obama puts it in an interview, "at different moments, at any course of the day or week." "I think about him often," he says.
Chicago Defender (Glenn Reedus) Obama is our only choice during these troubled times
http://www.chicagodefender.com/page/commentary.cfm?ArticleID=10115
Over the years Black folk have overcome tremendous odds and slews of naysayers (many of them Black) to achieve. We are now on the precipice of what may be our greatest achievement - electing a Black man to the highest office in the nation.
The Tennessean (Dwight Lewis) “'We're in this thing to win,' Obama tells journalists”
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071213/COLUMNIST0107/712130365/1101
Barack Obama had just gotten off the campaign trail with television talk show star Oprah Winfrey and he had a message for anyone who thinks his campaign for president is simply a symbolic run: "We're in this thing to win and govern. This has never been a symbolic campaign. My life was too good before I got into this race to want to engage in something for the sake of symbolism. "I am in this race because I think we have an urgent set of problems that have to be dealt with and I believe I can lead this country in dealing with them. "If you look at how the race is playing itself out right now, we have an excellent chance to win the primary and if we win the primary, I believe we will win the general election.''
Washington Post (Eugene Robinson) “Oprah the Believer”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/10/AR2007121001563_pf.html
Is it foolish to think that a nation stained by centuries of slavery and racism is prepared to elect a black president? Rarely phrased so bluntly, that's the central question posed by Barack Obama's candidacy -- especially for many African American voters, whose doubts are informed by having seen many an oasis turn out to be a mirage. Oprah Winfrey, as is her wont, cut to the heart of the matter. Campaigning on Obama's behalf this weekend, she echoed the words of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in offering permission to believe. "Dr. King dreamed the dream," Winfrey told a predominantly black crowd of 29,000 in Columbia, S.C. "But we don't have to just dream the dream anymore. We get to vote that dream into reality."
Actively engaging with African Americans on a personal level and specifically addressing their issues aren't just a talking point for this campaign; it has been a reality for this campaign since the very beginning. Senator Obama has dedicated his life to public service, from working as a community organizer in communities of color throughout the South Side of Chicago to fighting for voting rights as a civil rights attorney to championing social justice issues as an Illinois State Senator and United States Senator. What is especially notable is how, following Senator Obama’s lead, this campaign has continued to reach out to African Americans and raise awareness about the issues affecting their lives.
And the outreach has not been limited to African Americans in South Carolina or in major urban centers like Harlem and Oakland. We’ve done the same in the state of Iowa.
African Americans in Iowa are concerned about the same issues that concern African Americans all around the country, like affordable health care, employment, and improving the public education system. And they are also concerned about inequalities in the criminal justice system and in health care, as well as the need to strengthen our civil rights laws.
Just this past weekend, the Obama campaign hosted training sessions and special visits with some of our major campaign surrogates like Jessie Jackson Jr.; Cornel West, and Alfre Woodward in places like Waterloo and Cedar rapids, which have sizable African American communities.
And below is an article featured in the WCF Courier, that shows the depth of Obama for America’s efforts to communicate with African Americans in Iowa:
Candidates court black vote Waterloo, IA--- A diverse field of presidential candidates, combined with aggressive, tailored outreach, has generated exceptionally high interest in the caucuses in the black community. African-Americans in Waterloo so far seem to mirror Democrats in the rest of the state --- they're mulling the three leading presidential candidates, but leaning toward Barack Obama. While people are quick to praise Hillary Clinton, the buzz in churches, barber shops and beauty salons seem to favor Obama less than three weeks before the caucuses. A new poll released by Lee Enterprises, the Courier's parent company, echoed that assessment: Obama leads the pack with 33 percent, followed by Clinton and John Edwards, each at 24 percent. "The people I talk to here, and especially with African-Americans, it's Obama, Obama, Obama," acknowledged Joy Lowe, a longtime friend and supporter of John and Elizabeth Edwards. "I've never seen anything like this, not even with (former presidential contender) Jesse Jackson." Take a drive down East Fourth Street and through sizable African-American neighborhoods, and it's hard not to notice a similar trend in the yard signs lining the streets --- Obama, Obama, Obama. Not be ignored, though, are the splashes of Edwards and Clinton signs. Add it all up, and it could be a record year for voter turnout, said Michael Blackwell, Black Hawk County Democrats vice chairman. "I attribute that to the number of candidates running, and also the fact there have been a lot of candidates --- some more than others --- that have sought to reach out directly to the African-American community," Blackwell said. Campaigns have implemented unprecedented outreach efforts towards blacks in a city where the number of African-Americans roughly equals the national average --- 12 percent. It is a sizeable population, especially in a state with an approximately 2 percent black population. The campaigns have set up offices close to African-American neighborhoods. The Obama and Edwards campaigns share an office building on the eastern edge of downtown Waterloo, and Clinton's campaign is just a few blocks away at the other end of downtown. They have also hired black staffers to knock on doors, meet with community leaders at churches and organize house parties. "They're hitting the ground and hitting the churches. They're talking to the parishioners, talking on the streets," said the Rev. J.R. Burt, board chairman of Eastside Ministerial Alliance. "They've been very adamant, and weather has not been a deterring factor." Burt said he is impressed, in particular, by the efforts of the Clinton and Obama campaigns. While Clinton's staffers have been in the community longer, he's noticed Obama's people making a concerted push as the caucuses approach. Just last week, he said, he met with both campaigns. Others, like Nation of Islam Minister Michael Muhammad, appreciate Edwards' willingness to make poverty a centerpiece of his campaign. The candidates themselves have made an effort to visit Waterloo's east side to connect with black voters. Clinton stopped at the Cunningham School for Excellence last month and Waterloo East High School last spring. Obama has been a frequent visitor, stopping at the Boys and Girls Club, Cunningham and local churches over the past nine months. At Gray's Barber Shop last week, Princeton University professor and author Cornel West, also famous for his involvement in the Matrix movies, stopped by to talk to about a dozen people on behalf of Obama. Though better-known among the older generation, West, wearing a tight-fitting suit and scarf around his neck, inspired awed reactions from some younger men. He didn't talk much about Obama, but his visit got the men thinking and talking about the Illinois senator. Brandon Ross, a student at Hawkeye Community College, said he recently saw West on TV during a hip-hop awards show. He was planning on caucusing for the first time, in large part due to the persistence of Obama local field organizer, Maria Thomas. Thanks to her repeated reminders, he said, he even knew the location of his caucus site. "She pulled me into the caucus --- over at McKinstry (Elementary)," he said. "I'm going to be there." Like some others at the shop, he expressed disappointment that by supporting Obama he couldn't also back Hillary Clinton. As a man sitting in a barber chair put it, "She's got the name," a reference to her husband, Bill Clinton, who enjoys popularity with some in the black community. But ultimately, Ross said, he is excited to caucus because of a strong feeling that "change is going to happen." It is a sentiment shared by fellow Obama supporters. "Even if he does not win, I will be able to say to my grandchildren, 'Your grandmother voted for this man,'" said Lou Porter, director of KBBG-FM. "To me, that's important." But whether or not that interest translates to more votes on caucus night remains to be seen. Joy Lowe, the Edwards supporter, wants the added interest to drive more voters out on caucus night, even if it means more support for another candidate. But she remains skeptical. "I've been going out to caucuses for 30 years now, since Jimmy Carter, and you get there and half the people who were claiming to support a candidate don't show up," she said. "I'm hoping this will be different. But I guess we'll just have to wait and see if they'll actually caucus."
Candidates court black vote
Waterloo, IA--- A diverse field of presidential candidates, combined with aggressive, tailored outreach, has generated exceptionally high interest in the caucuses in the black community.
African-Americans in Waterloo so far seem to mirror Democrats in the rest of the state --- they're mulling the three leading presidential candidates, but leaning toward Barack Obama.
While people are quick to praise Hillary Clinton, the buzz in churches, barber shops and beauty salons seem to favor Obama less than three weeks before the caucuses.
A new poll released by Lee Enterprises, the Courier's parent company, echoed that assessment: Obama leads the pack with 33 percent, followed by Clinton and John Edwards, each at 24 percent.
"The people I talk to here, and especially with African-Americans, it's Obama, Obama, Obama," acknowledged Joy Lowe, a longtime friend and supporter of John and Elizabeth Edwards. "I've never seen anything like this, not even with (former presidential contender) Jesse Jackson."
Take a drive down East Fourth Street and through sizable African-American neighborhoods, and it's hard not to notice a similar trend in the yard signs lining the streets --- Obama, Obama, Obama. Not be ignored, though, are the splashes of Edwards and Clinton signs. Add it all up, and it could be a record year for voter turnout, said Michael Blackwell, Black Hawk County Democrats vice chairman.
"I attribute that to the number of candidates running, and also the fact there have been a lot of candidates --- some more than others --- that have sought to reach out directly to the African-American community," Blackwell said.
Campaigns have implemented unprecedented outreach efforts towards blacks in a city where the number of African-Americans roughly equals the national average --- 12 percent. It is a sizeable population, especially in a state with an approximately 2 percent black population.
The campaigns have set up offices close to African-American neighborhoods. The Obama and Edwards campaigns share an office building on the eastern edge of downtown Waterloo, and Clinton's campaign is just a few blocks away at the other end of downtown.
They have also hired black staffers to knock on doors, meet with community leaders at churches and organize house parties.
"They're hitting the ground and hitting the churches. They're talking to the parishioners, talking on the streets," said the Rev. J.R. Burt, board chairman of Eastside Ministerial Alliance. "They've been very adamant, and weather has not been a deterring factor."
Burt said he is impressed, in particular, by the efforts of the Clinton and Obama campaigns. While Clinton's staffers have been in the community longer, he's noticed Obama's people making a concerted push as the caucuses approach. Just last week, he said, he met with both campaigns. Others, like Nation of Islam Minister Michael Muhammad, appreciate Edwards' willingness to make poverty a centerpiece of his campaign.
The candidates themselves have made an effort to visit Waterloo's east side to connect with black voters. Clinton stopped at the Cunningham School for Excellence last month and Waterloo East High School last spring. Obama has been a frequent visitor, stopping at the Boys and Girls Club, Cunningham and local churches over the past nine months.
At Gray's Barber Shop last week, Princeton University professor and author Cornel West, also famous for his involvement in the Matrix movies, stopped by to talk to about a dozen people on behalf of Obama.
Though better-known among the older generation, West, wearing a tight-fitting suit and scarf around his neck, inspired awed reactions from some younger men. He didn't talk much about Obama, but his visit got the men thinking and talking about the Illinois senator.
Brandon Ross, a student at Hawkeye Community College, said he recently saw West on TV during a hip-hop awards show. He was planning on caucusing for the first time, in large part due to the persistence of Obama local field organizer, Maria Thomas. Thanks to her repeated reminders, he said, he even knew the location of his caucus site.
"She pulled me into the caucus --- over at McKinstry (Elementary)," he said. "I'm going to be there."
Like some others at the shop, he expressed disappointment that by supporting Obama he couldn't also back Hillary Clinton. As a man sitting in a barber chair put it, "She's got the name," a reference to her husband, Bill Clinton, who enjoys popularity with some in the black community.
But ultimately, Ross said, he is excited to caucus because of a strong feeling that "change is going to happen." It is a sentiment shared by fellow Obama supporters.
"Even if he does not win, I will be able to say to my grandchildren, 'Your grandmother voted for this man,'" said Lou Porter, director of KBBG-FM. "To me, that's important."
But whether or not that interest translates to more votes on caucus night remains to be seen. Joy Lowe, the Edwards supporter, wants the added interest to drive more voters out on caucus night, even if it means more support for another candidate. But she remains skeptical.
"I've been going out to caucuses for 30 years now, since Jimmy Carter, and you get there and half the people who were claiming to support a candidate don't show up," she said. "I'm hoping this will be different. But I guess we'll just have to wait and see if they'll actually caucus."
Link to article
Welcome to African Americans for Obama! This webpage is part of Barack Obama’s commitment to making you part of this historic campaign for President.
It is an exciting time for African Americans, who will play a pivotal role in this election. We want to ensure that you have what you need to share your ideas and turn your enthusiasm for Barack into action that can help lift up your families and communities.
There is no better advocate for African Americans than Barack Obama. Barack knows your story, because it is his story. The causes that you hold dear have been the causes of his life. Barack has spent his entire career fighting for justice -- as a community organizer in the streets of the South Side of Chicago, as a civil rights attorney, a constitutional law professor, an Illinois state Senator and a U.S. Senator.
As President ,you can trust that he will hear your voice, understand your concerns, and act on your priorities.
Barack believes that if we can put an end to partisan politics, bring people together, and recognize that what unites us is greater than what divides us – then we can make fundamental change possible in this country. Whether it is ending the Iraq war, providing universal health care, making college tuition more affordable, placing a quality teacher in every classroom, or expanding economic opportunity in urban areas and making “equal justice under the law” a reality for every citizen, you can have confidence in the courage, sound judgment, and leadership of Barack Obama.
Barack is ready to lead as President. But, he needs your help. True to the spirit of the Civil Rights Movement, Barack’s candidacy is driven from the bottom up, by everyday people resolved to come together and demand better of their government.
Senator Barack Obama delivered a commanding speech in Manning, SC last week Friday commemorating the struggle of the civil rights foot soldiers and calling on African Americans and all Americans to write the next chapter in the civil rights movement. Below is an article featured in the Boston Globe that highlights many of the key points addressed by Senator Obama during his speech in Manning.
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"Obama tries to allay race, safety concerns of blacks"
By DeWayne Wickham
When Sen. Barack Obama took to the steps of the Clarendon County Courthouse in Manning, S.C., Friday to give a speech on civil rights, the symbolism of the location was as chilling as the unspoken reason for his address.
It was in Clarendon County that a 1948 lawsuit was filed by a black farmer whose children had to walk miles to school while white students were provided free bus transportation. That suit launched a legal campaign that culminated six years later in the Supreme Court's historic Brown v. Board of Education decision that outlawed school segregation.
That was nearly 60 years ago. Last week, Obama, who hopes to make some history of his own by becoming the nation's first black president, made this small town the backdrop for his attempt to answer concerns some blacks have about his White House campaign.
"It would have been easy for them to stay home. To heed the voices of caution and convenience that said, 'wait,' 'the timing isn't right,' or 'the country just isn't ready.' It would have been easy for them to give in to the fears that no doubt kept them awake some nights," the Illinois senator said of the blacks who went to court to end the racial imbalances in the county's school system.
And then, near the end of his speech, Obama connected their struggle to his.
"Now, I've heard that some folks aren't sure America is ready for an African-American president, so let me be clear," he told his mostly black audience. "I never would have begun this campaign if I weren't confident I could win. But you see, I am not asking anyone to take a chance on me. I am asking you to take a chance on your own aspirations."
A first-test primary
South Carolina's Democratic primary in the last week of January is the first contest in the presidential nominating process in which black voters — roughly 50% of the state's Democrats — could be decisive. But according to several public polls, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton leads Obama among blacks in the state.
The Obama campaign's internal poll has him ahead among black women, 47% to 36%. But even that number isn't big enough to ensure a victory in South Carolina. His speech and the other stops Obama made in the Palmetto State Friday were part of an effort to beef up support among blacks.
Safety concerns
"I just don't want African-American voters to feel somehow that it can't be done and then not vote their preference," Obama said of his candidacy during a telephone conversation with me shortly after his Clarendon County speech. He also acknowledged the fears that some people have about his safety.
"We're hearing, particularly from African-American women, on this issue. Michelle and I have talked about it and prayed about it," and the couple is confident about the job the Secret Service is doing to protect him. Concerns about his safety "shouldn't be an excuse or a reason" for blacks not voting for him, he said.
He's right. This is a historic moment. Obama, a black man, and Clinton, a white woman, are front-runners to become the Democratic Party's presidential candidate. A victory by either would be a major breakthrough for a nation long plagued by racism and sexism.
While women recently have become the leaders of nations such as Germany and Argentina, a victory by Obama in the race to become the Democratic nominee would put a black man in position to take the helm of the world's most powerful nation.
I don't say this as an endorsement of Obama. Mine is a far more basic point. No one should back away from supporting him out of fear that his race might cause others to reject his candidacy — or cause him harm.
Had blacks in Clarendon County been afraid to confront their fears, they would not have made the history that changed this nation for the better.
OBAMA INTERVIEW WITH AL SHARPTON
Al Sharpton: Talking about justice department- a gentleman named John Tanner, made a statement that is outrageous at best and he has come under fire from Senator Barack Obama democratic presidential candidate and the junior senator from Illinois and I have on the live line Senator Obama to talk about his call on the justice department to remove this official, how are you doing today Senator Obama?
Barack Obama: I am doing good Reverend. How have you been?
Al Sharpton: Everything is good. I was in your town this weekend, they treated me real right, I used Michelle’s name.
Barack Obama: That’s how you do it, that’s the task force there, you know Michelle Obama then you’re straight.
Al Sharpton: Tell us about your call on the removal of John tanner and why?
Barack Obama: This issue dates back to something that I know you and your listeners are familiar with and that is the whole photo ID issue. Remember in Georgia they passed a law that you had to have a photo ID that is created in offices outside of Atlanta. If you tried to get there in remote and suburban areas where we didn’t live, they charged big money for it. So, there were lawsuits filed suggesting that this would be discriminatory, that it would have a disproportionate affect on minorities that would be less likely to have a photo ID or would be less likely to be able to spend $35 for a photo ID. This official who has been defending; he is suppose to be the guardian of voting rights at the civil rights department. This official not only intervened in the court case arguing not only that it is ok to have a photo ID law of the sort that Georgia wanted, but during his interview recently he argued that the only people that might have difficulty for a photo ID are the elderly and black folks shouldn’t be worried about this because they tend to die earlier anyway. There are fewer old black people than white people. This was caught on tape. I don’t think there is any dispute and my general philosophy is if this is the kind of logic that is operating by this man and others in the justice department then those folks have to go, so we wrote a letter to the justice department indicating that this official should be removed.
Al Sharpton: Now can you imagine, I salute you for your position on this because this guy is saying now you raised a good point, what was proposed in Georgia and was proposed in Michigan as well. And he said the only people who have this problem is old folk and black folk die first anyway, I mean that not that you have to protect peoples right if they only have 2 days to live. He’s making a whole racial assessment about a whole group as an excuse for not protecting their rights, I mean this is as insulting as it gets.
Barack Obama: Keep in mind this isn’t the first time they made this argument. I don’t know if you remember Reverend when we were having a discussion on social security privatization and they were trying to sell privatizing social security to black people by saying that since you all die younger you generally get fewer benefits. It turns out this isn’t true of course because our folks are more dependent on social security for their retirement and we use the disability portion of social security at a higher rate than others in the population, but they were trying to use the same argument instead of trying to figure out how we reduce mortality rates among African Americans and how do we close disparities in health care for African Americans, they are using those disparities as an excuse to justify trying to either lock people out of being able to vote or use these to advance their privatization schemes for social security. It is a perverse logic and is one I think has to be challenged.
Al Sharpton: You as a lawyer, a constitutional lawyer in your right, Martin Luther King III and some of us today actually we are going to Atlanta tomorrow we are going to officially call on marchers on November 16th with all these hate crimes hanging nooses hate crimes that are happening, Jena. If you were elected what type of justice department would you promise the people you would do and what would be the type of attorney general you would appoint?
Barack Obama: Well I’ve already said very clearly, I delivered a speech at the Howard convocation several weeks ago where I said my attorney general will appoint a head of the civil rights division and staff the civil rights division and one of their first jobs, one of their clear criteria is working with local law enforcement to ensure equal justice. To make sure that laws are not applied in a discriminatory manner. To investigate cases in which the criminal justice systems seems to be favoring one group over another and so in the Jena situation the justice department should have gone down there immediately and investigated and talked to the various local officials down there to make sure justice was served. And that has been the historic role. Generally what I would like to see a justice department that can anticipate these problems before they happened. We should have a justice department that’s providing training for local police to indicate where the lines are in how you treat suspects. We should have a justice department that explains to local law enforcement in video taping interrogations and confessions the way a law that I passed in Illinois actually will not only improve and protect the rights of the defendants and suspects but will also improve police work. That’s the kind of proactive civil rights division that I want to see in the justice department.
Al Sharpton: I think that is clear and specific and I also think that your call for Tanner’s removal is something that all Americans should support and I might add that when we talk about hanging up nooses it is going across the board, if they start with blacks they will do Jews they will do women, this is an American cause for justice, not just a black cause.
Barack Obama: Absolutely, I agree with you. I think it is important for all Americans to speak out on these issues and one encouraging thing that I am seeing is that there are an awful lot of young people. When I am in Iowa where there may not be a lot of black students, a lot of white students are concerned about Jena, a lot of white students are concerned about the football player down in Georgia. A lot of white students are concerned about these issues because they recognize that it is a moral issue and they want to create a better America for future generations.
Al Sharpton: I want you to know Senator I haven’t made any endorsement yet. But I tried over the weekend to get to the Christian rights conference cause I wanted to help Rudy Giuliani out and let him know how much he would do for people like me if he was elected president but they didn’t let me on the program. Thank you Senator Obama, tell Michelle we want to talk soon.
