Kevin Lewis's Blog

Another Member of the CBC Pledges Support for the Obama Campaign

Kevin Lewis — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 20:09:57 EST

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 Obama

Chicago, 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.

Illinois State Black Legislators Unanimously Endorse Obama

Kevin Lewis — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 14:58:03 EST

http://www.chicagodefender.com/page/local.cfm?ArticleID=10130
Illinois 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.

What's the Scoop on Barack

Kevin Lewis — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 18:04:37 EST

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/caucus
He’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."

Major Surrogates Hit The Campaign Trail for Obama

Kevin Lewis — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 15:52:39 EST

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."

Link to article

Welcome to African Americans for Obama!

Kevin Lewis — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 17:53:24 EST

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.

Join us in making America what we dream it can be.

Obama to Call for Fulfilling Civil Rights Legacy

Kevin Lewis — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 19:41:23 EST

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.

*************************************************************************

"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.

Al Sharpton Commends Obama's call to restore trust and integrity to the DOJ

Kevin Lewis — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 17:15:11 EDT

Today during an interview on Al Sharpton's radio show today, Senator Obama reinforced his position for the immediate removal of John Tanner, the Department of Justice voting rights chief. Obama also reassured Sharpton of his commitment as President to restore trust and integrity to the Department of Justice.

"If this is the kind of logic that's operating by this man and others in the Justice Department, then those folks have to go," Obama said.

Sharpton commended Obama for standing up against voting injustices.

"I salute you for your position on this," said Sharpton.

Check out Ben Smiths take on the interview: http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/1007/Obama_on_Sharpton.html

Or read the full transcript below.

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.

Michelle Obama's Speech to the National Congress of Black Women

Kevin Lewis — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 22:34:24 EDT

Michelle Obama’s Remarks to the National Congress of Black Women
Washington, DC
September 30, 2007

As Delivered

I am honored to be here. Thank you, Dr. Williams, for that warm introduction. Thank you for the invitation to join you here today, and thank you for your leadership of this great organization.

I am truly humbled and honored to be here with you this morning to celebrate the achievements of so many amazing women; women like C. Delores Tucker—who before her passing served as one of the driving forces behind the work of NCBW and whose distinguished and dedication and persistence led to the success on the Sojourner Truth Project…

And today’s honorees—women of great achievement man of whom are with us today and others who have passed on; women like Effi Barry. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends. We can all rejoice in her life and the lives of so many women who are trying to make sure that our daughters grow up in a nation where things are possible for them.

I am deeply moved to be here to issue the “State of the Black Woman” message that for so many years was delivered by one of my heroines, Mrs. Coretta Scott King. I had the privilege of meeting her at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, where can you believe this, she told me that she was proud of me.

I never imagined I would hear those words from a woman of such grace and dignity; a woman who had sacrificed so much of herself for me and others like me, and to hear those words I thought, God is good. She told me that she expected great things from us – from Barack and me – and the one thing I would remember that she told me is to not be afraid because God was with us and she would always keep us in her prayers.

So, as Barack and I move through this amazing journey together; a journey that requires great sacrifice and faith, I hold tight to the words of Coretta Scott King. You see Barack and I know that we are truly blessed and to whom much is given, much is expected. I know that I stand on the shoulders of so many black women who have come before me. Women like Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Fannie Lou Hammer, Shirley Chisolm, C. Delores Tucker, and Dr. Dorothy Height.

Women who I grew up reading about and watching and listening to; women who I have tried to shape my life after; women who do not appear in the history books but who have mentored me; women who told me to work hard, to dream big and to bring those skills and gifts back to my community. I did everything you asked me to do. So, I stand before you today as one of the products of your struggle, your labor, your sacrifice.

Mrs. King once said that, “…if the soul of the nation is to be saved, [we as women] must become its soul”. So, for me, this endeavor that Barack and I have undertaken is not just about winning an election, it is about inspiring and engaging souls. See, we will never fundamentally change the fate of black women and families or the fate of our country for that matter if we cannot change souls. If we don’t change the way we look at ourselves and one another, we will always struggle.

Barack always says that one of our greatest challenges as a nation is not a deficit of resources – for we are one of the riches countries in the world; and it’s not deficit of policies, because we have some of the greatest minds working on these issues. Instead, our greatest challenge is that we are living in a time when we are suffering from a deep empathy deficit.

You see, Barack believes in the greatness of America. He’s seen it in his own life’s journey. But he also knows that the politics of Washington today does not match our ideals as a country and that’s what’s holding us back.

Until we can restore that sense of mutual obligation that we have to have for one another; until we can remind people that we are only as strong as the weakest among us; that we are our brother’s and our sister’s keepers; that there is more that connects us than divides us in this country; if we cannot see ourselves in one another regardless of gender, race, class or religion, then we will continue to struggle.

The fact that I am standing before you today, perhaps to become the next First Lady, is an amazing idea. Me, a little black girl from the south side of Chicago; the product of a working class momma and daddy; the product of a public school education; the thought that I could be part of making history and potentially changing the way this country is viewed around the world is unbelievable – and it speaks to the progress that we have made.

But, we cannot lose sight of the fact that my story is too rare. Today, my story is very much an impossibility for too many young black girls. We live in a nation where I am not supposed to be here. I wasn’t supposed to go to Princeton and Harvard because my scores were too low. I wasn’t supposed to have successful careers in law and government and public service; I wasn’t good enough. We live in a nation were I am not supposed to be here. And I am certainly not supposed to be the First Lady of the United States. Statistically speaking, I am beating the odds.

Society tells girls like me that we shouldn’t reach too high or dream too big because our skin is the wrong color; or maybe because our communities are broken; our parents may be a little too uneducated, being poor, ill-equipped to provide us with the guidance that we need to thrive.

Again and again, society tells girls like me, “No.” “Not yet.” “Wait.” “You’re not quite ready.” “You’re not quite good enough”, “It’s not your turn.” Often the only difference between our success and utter failure is the presence of people in our lives who dare to believe in us; people like Mrs. King and Dr, Height who are so confident in who we might be that they pump us up so big and so strong – that when others begin the inevitable process of slowly tearing us down, we can never be completely deflated by their doubts, by their ignorance, by their fear.

You so see in 2007, black women still have not come far enough.

For starters, Black Women are struggling every day to keep our collective heads above water and this is true regardless of our socioeconomic status. We are told by our communities to dream big, but see society tell us that essentially we are on our own. Society says, you figure out how you’re going to successfully support and raise a family without a job that pays a living wage; You figure it out.

We know that women are paid less than men – 77 cents on the dollar on average – but pay discrimination is even worse for us [black women]: 67 cents for every dollar a man makes. Not to mention the millions of women over the past several decades, who have been pulled from the welfare rolls, left to fend for themselves without adequate childcare. No, black women have not come far enough because the vast majority of us are struggling to survive without the support we need from our society.

Today, Black Women are also faced with the challenge of keeping ourselves and our families healthy without access to quality and affordable health care. We are dying too young, too needlessly. In 2007, compared to every other racial or ethnic group, Black Women have the highest death rate due to heart disease. We have the highest infant mortality rate, we are more likely than white women to die of breast cancer, cervical cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS. No, we have not come far enough.

And sadly, the saddest reality is that we as black women still don’t love ourselves enough. When do we take time to take care of ourselves as we should? Too often we are the last ones on our own priority lists. We don’t eat right ladies. We don’t exercise. We don’t demand healthy relationships. We don’t have access to primary and preventative care, and if we do have access, we don’t have the time to go or the means to get there. So, we wait too long before we address our health problems. Illnesses that should be preventable and curable become death sentences for us. And we are often emotionally and spiritually depleted. You know what I mean.

Finally, Black Women are still left out of positions of power in this society. You see for us, the glass ceiling still exist. And we haven’t fully integrated into the halls of power and government and the board room. Only one black woman has ever served in the United States Senate; today there are none. Glad my husband is there. A black woman has never been a governor of a state or a Supreme Court Justice. Shirley Franklin of Atlanta and Sheila Dixon of Baltimore are currently the only two black women serving as mayors in our nation’s major cities.

In the United States Congress, which is filled with 535 members, there are 14 black women. Only 6 black women sit on the powerful federal appeals courts. That’s a problem with just 6--they resolve most of our most pressing legal issues.

The picture in corporate America is not much better. Of the CEOs of all of the Fortune 500 companies, not a single one is a black woman and not too many and not too many are brothers (black men). I’ve been privileged enough to sit on a boards; and I haven’t had much company in those boardrooms. Black women hold less than 2% of the board seats for the nation’s major companies.

The truth is that, even for those of us in this room who have made it, who have risen to high levels in our government, our courts, our law firms, our board rooms – still our story is far too rare. So we have not come far enough.

So, as we reflect on the State of The Black Woman, I believe that the answers to our challenges we face still lie within US; within OUR SOULS – and we have to engage and inspire each other. We have to understand what we are up against.

You see for so long we have been asked to compete in a game where we are given few of the rules and none of the resources to win. And when we do the impossible; when we beat the odds and we play the game better than those who made up the rules, then what do they do, they change the rules; they move the bar, and too many are left behind.

Today, we have the opportunity to not just change the players but to FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE THE GAME! A game that has been broken for too long, for too many of us. We have the chance to create a new game. A game that will allow the millions of little black girls like us to soar. To Soar. Do you hear me? To Soar.

So the question that we must ask ourselves as Black Women is: “Are we truly ready for fundamental change?” No, are we truly ready to allow ourselves to soar. That’s not an easy question. Maybe, just maybe we are ready. But this is the window of opportunity for us when we are really faced with that question. You see…

Maybe, just maybe we are ready to believe in the power of our own voices.

Maybe, just maybe we are ready to shed our fear and cynicism?

Maybe, just maybe we are ready to trust and believe in our own abilities?

Maybe, maybe we are ready to claim our rightful seat at the table?

If we are truly ready, then NOW IS THE TIME. We cannot afford to wait. I am not going to wait. The children in our communities cannot afford to have us wait. We cannot afford to sit by while others claim to know more about our issues than we do. While we wait for a turn that may never come.

Right now, we have this window of opportunity – we have this chance to bring about fundamental change in this country.

I ask you all here today to believe in the possibility of all of us. Now is the time for us to stand together, to pray together, to work together. And this is the thing I ask people around the country to do. I want you all to close your eyes and dream big, not small, dream big and envision the day that Barack Obama stands before the capitol of the United States of America to take the oath to become the next president of the United States of America. Just dream and think about it. Think about what that would mean for all the little black girls and in their minds not just here but around the world.

Believe in us. And if we do that, I truly believe that we will not only change the fate of black women in this nation, but we can change the world.

Thank you.