The Blogger Racial Divide and Blogger Color Arousal

A national conversation about race. When will bloggers as a group address the issue?

Tears flow down the face of supporter Marty Nesbitt as Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama D-Ill., speaks about race during a news conference in Philadelphia, Tuesday, March 18, 2008.(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

wow, I just had the same conversation with Francis L. Holland last night. But the conversation we both thought about was more a national conversation about Color Arousal and bloggers.

As part of that national conversation on race and color arousal, lets include a national conversation on blogger color arousal and the digital blogger divide.

You see what Barack Obama is talking about in the video below, has a lot to do with what is going on in America's blogger community as well. I'm reminded that much of the conversation about race in the presidential election is based on comments made by Hillary and Bill Clinton and their surrogates. I'm also reminded that Bill Clinton and white bloggers met a year ago in Harlem NY without including black folks in the conversation. How interesting. Is there a "connection." ?

I'm reminded about a post a year or so ago, by Liza at the culture Kitchen when she wrote: "These are the 20 liberal bloggers that met with Bill Clinton in Harlem. As you can see, not one of them is black or latino.

Via Republic of T.

This photo proves that It's official : Hillary to run for President, so she kills the Liberal Blogosphere first.

I am just shocked at the glee with which Peter Daou has shown his disrespect for Pam Spaulding, Steve Gilliard, Louis Pagan, Chris Rabb, Earl Dunovant and me when he decided to not invite neither of us, or for that matter, any other black or latino bloggers.

Yes, Steve Gilliard, Pam Spaulding, and me have been vocal about Hillary's run for the presidency. You'd think though our opinions would be given the weight they deserve within the blogosphere itself --let's not even talk about the Clintonites or Washington.

Which is why I stand by what I said : In order for Hillary Clinton to run for president, she will do anything and everything to squash the voices of dissent raised through the progressive netroots. Stuffing their faces with lunch is one tasty way to go about it.

The more pressing question remains :

What does it mean though that there are 20 bloggers invited to this lunch and not one is black or latino? What does it mean for this group of bloggers to be patting themselves on the backs for being with Clinton when they are all in Harlem and not one of them is a person of color? What does it mean for these people to be there and have not one of them raise this issue in their blogs?" More HERE

Has Anything change? Yes, The Afrospear was created because other bloggers did not want to have a discussion regarding color arousal politics, or a national conversation on blogger color arousal and the continuing blogger divide. I Guess francis Holland is in many ways right.

The New Organizing Institutes' Blogger Summit has begun a real national conversation with bloggers about the blogger divide. Leading in that conversation included black bloggers like Pam Spaulding from Pam's House Blend, Citizen Journalist, Faye Anderson of Anderson at Large. Barantunde from Jack and Jill Politics, Gabriel from the Color of Change , Brandon Q, from The Super Spade, Field Negro, and Kevin Myles, president of the Wichita Branch of the NAACP.

Now the question is whether the Pseudo-Progressive 'A list' bloggers like DailyKos, MYDD, and others will continue the conversation started by Pam Spaulding, Steve Gilliard, Louis Pagan, Chris Rabb, Earl Dunovant, Francis L. Holland and others. Recently continued by The New Organizing Institutes' Blogger Summit. The engagement in a national conversation on Color arousal/Race and the Blogger Divide is a critical conversation. Or will this just be allowed to fester, because we can't handle the truth?

Hat Tip to all the bloggers who held it down, and worked to address the issue of the continuing blogger divide. Folks like, Liza, Francis L. Holland, Louis Pagan, Chris Rabb, and Earl Dunovant.

Why Do White Male Politicians like Prostitutes and Young Interns?

My Question: Why Do White Males love to have sex with prostitutes, and why would a Governor or Presidents ' wife, like Silda Spitzer or Hillary Clinton, put up with it ?

Are they weak women?

Eliott Spitzer, who was on Hillary Clinton short list as a running mate, and his wife Silda don't look to happy. She looks like she would love to hit him in the head with a bat. Anywho, Eliott Spitzer has announced his resignation, which will take effect on March 17. Only the lord knows how long it will take before Silda divorces her husband, who likes to play with young prostitutes. Reports are the FBI Watched Spitzer Before February Incident. Interesting the hypocrisy of this man. I wonder if she will stand by her man, like Hillary? it reminds me, how the hell can Hillary want to be President when she cannot take care of her house, let alone the White House.



The Washington Post has a list of interesting/Top 10 Sexual Politician Scandals, including:

10. “Gropegate.” Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-Cali.) admitted groping women early in career (2003).

9. Gary Hart's affair with model Donna Rice, ruining his very promising run for the Democratic nomination for president (1988).

8. Alexander Hamilton-Maria Reynolds affair (1797).

7. The Petticoat Affair or Eaton Affair involving a sex scandal and the resignation of much of Andrew Jackson's cabinet (1831).

6. Rep. Mark Foley; (R-Fla.) accusations of sexual harassment of underage congressional page (2006).

5. The Wayne Hays-Elizabeth Ray scandal. The Washington Post broke the story quoting Elizabeth Ray, Hays's (D-Ohio) former secretary, saying that Hays hired her on his staff in order to serve as his mistress. (1976).

4. The 1983 Congressional Page sex scandal – the House Ethics Committee recommended that Rep. Dan Crane and Rep. Gerry Studds be reprimanded for having engaged in sexual relationships with minors, specifically 17-year-old congressional pages (1983).

3. Chandra Levy scandal, involving Rep. Gary Condit’s (D- Cali) affair with Levy and then her mysterious murder (2001).

2. Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) – Bathroom sex solicitation scandal (2007).

1. Monica Lewinsky, a scandal involving a President Clinton's affair with an intern (1997). Larry Craig Special Report: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2007/08/30/LI2007083000829.html "Clinton Accused" Special Report: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/clinton.htm

Geraldine Ferraro Is Trying to Divide Democrats Along Color Lines

AAPP: Well the former closet bigot, now out of the closet bigot, racist Surrogate and Fox News contributor, former 1984 vice presidential candidate who helped Walter Mondale lose 49 states, Geraldine Ferraro stood by her controversial and racist comments about Sen. Barack Obama's presidential candidacy today. to this AAPPundit It appears that Ferraro and Hillary are working to divide the Democratic party along racial lines.

"I am sorry that people think this was a racist comment," Ferraro said in an interview with ABC's Diane Sawyer on "Good Morning America."

The white female Affirmative Action candidate of the 1980's declined to apologize for the firestorm she created when she told a newspaper last week that "if Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position."

Get this, She told Sawyer she was "absolutely not" sorry for what she said.

(Getty Images/AP Photo)

Hillary Clinton and her token negro has ignored Geraldine Ferraro's bigoted and racist statements saying to a reporter in an interview with ABC News affiliate WHTM, "Well, I don't agree with that and I think it's important that we try to stay focused on issues that matter to the American people."



I guess racial hatred and bigotry within her campaign organization is not important to Hillary Clinton. I'm in agreement with Pam Spaulding, when she wrote, has the Clinton team gone stark raving mad? I also wonder Since When Has It Been Lucky To Be Black In America? get this now Ferraro says: “They’re attacking me because I’m white!” Hey, I'm also beginning to wonder why do (some) feminists hate Barack Obama? But, guess what, one of my favorite bloggers just might be right when he wrote, Oh, She Just Hates Black Men. Ferraro's has a long history of this crap.

Speaking of long history, Look at the long campaign history of Hillary and Company playing the race card through racial hatred towards Obama specifically and black folks in general:

Shuck and Jive

Clinton Supporter Andrew Cuomo, Referring To Obama, Said "You Can't Shuck
And Jive At A Press Conference. All Those Moves You Can Make With The Press
Don't Work When You're In Someone's Living Room." Clinton-supporting New
York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said the thing that's great about New
Hampshire is that you have to go out and meet people rather than "shuck and
jive" through press conferences there. Cuomo said of New Hampshire on an
Albany radio station: "It's not a TV-crazed race. Frankly, you can't buy
your way into it. You can't shuck and jive at a press conference. All those
moves you can make with the press don't work when you're in someone's living
room." [Newsday, 1/11/08]

Martin Luther King/Lydon Johnson Comparsion

Clinton, Criticizing Obama For Promising "False Hope" Said That While MLK Jr. Spoke On Behalf Of Civil Rights, President Lyndon Johnson Was The One Who Got Legislation Passed: "It Took A President To Get It Done." Clinton rejoined the running argument over hope and "false hope" in an interview in Dover this afternoon, reminding Fox's Major Garrett that while Martin Luther King Jr. spoke on behalf of civil rights, President Lyndon Johnson was the one who got the legislation passed. Hillary was asked about Obama's rejoinder that there's something vaguely un-American about dismissing hopes as false, and that it doesn't jibe with the careers of figures like John F. Kennedy and King. "Dr. King's dream began to be realized when President
Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act," Clinton said. "It took a president to get it done." [Politico, 1/7/08; Video]

Clinton Introducer Said JFK Gave Hope, But Was Assassinated. Clinton introducer: "If you look back, some people have been comparing one of the other candidates to JFK and he was a wonderful leader, he gave us a lot of hope but he was assassinated and Lyndon Baines Johnson actually did all his work and got the republicans to pass all those measures." [HRC, Dover, NH,
1/7/08] AUDIO ATTACHED

Nelson Mandela

Bill Clinton Implied Hillary Clinton Is Stronger Than Nelson Mandela. "I have been blessed in my life to know some of the greatest figures of the last hundred years. [...] I go to Nelson Mandela's birthday party every year and we're still very close. [...] But if you said to me, 'You've got one last job for your country but it's hazardous and you may not get out with life and limb intact and you have to do it alone except I'll let you take one other person, and I had to pick one person whom I knew who would never blink, who would never turn back, who would make great decisions [...] I wouldpick Hillary.'" [ABC News, 1/7/08; Audio]

Drug Use

Clinton's NH Campaign Chair Raised The Youthful Drug Use Of Obama And Said It Would "Open The Door To Further Queries On The Matter." Clinton's Campaign Issued A Statement Distancing Themselves From Shaheen's Comments And Shaheen Issued A Statement Saying That He "Deeply Regret[s] The Comments." The Democratic presidential race took on a decidedly nasty and personal turn, with the New Hampshire co-chair for Clinton, raising the
youthful drug use of Obama. Shaheen said Obama's having been so open -- as opposed to then-Gov. George W. Bush, who refused to detail his past drug use during his 2000 presidential campaign -- will "open the door to further queries on the matter. It'll be, 'When was the last time? Did you ever give drugs to anyone? Did you sell them to anyone?'" Shaheen said. "There are so many openings for Republican dirty tricks. It's hard to overcome." By the end of the day, Clinton campaign spokesman Phil Singer had issued a statement asserting that "these comments were not authorized or condoned by the campaign in any way." And Shaheen himself issued a statement: "I deeply regret the comments I made today and they were not authorized by the
campaign in any way." [ABC News, 12/12/07]

Mark Penn, In Trying To Defend His Campaign Over Bill Shaheen's Obama Drug Use Comments, Used The Word "Cocaine," Drawing A Rebuke From Edwards Adviser Joe Trippi. Mark Penn, defending the Clinton campaign in light of Bill Shaheen's comments about Obama's drug use, repeatedly referenced Obama's cocaine use. Edwards adviser Joe Trippi accused Penn of dropping the word "cocaine" deliberately. Mark Penn said "Well, I think we have made clear
that the -- the issue related to cocaine use is not something that the campaign was in any way raising. And I think that has been made clear. I think this kindergarten thing was a joke after Senator." Joe Trippie responded and said "I think he just did it again. He just did it again. ...
This guy's been filibustering on this. He just said cocaine again." [Politico, 12/13/07; Video]

Fairy Tale

Donna Brazile Lashed Into Bill Clinton For Comparing Obama To A "Fairy Tale" And Said "It's An Insult... As An African-American" And That His Tone And Words Are "Very Depressing." Donna Brazile lit into Bill Clinton over his insulting comments of Obama, where he called him a "fairy tale" and said "I could understand his frustration at this moment. But, look, he shouldn't
take out all his pain on Barack Obama. It's time that they regroup. Figure out what Hillary needs to do to get her campaign back on track. It sounds like sour grapes coming from the former commander in chief. Someone that many Democrats hold in high esteem. For him to go after Obama, using a fairy tale, calling him as he did last week. It's an insult. And I will tell you, as an African-American, I find his tone and his words to be very depressing. ... I think his tone, I think calling Barack Obama a kid, he is a United States senator." [Politico, 1/8/08]

Cross posted on African American Political Pundit

More HERE

Speaking of Tavis Smiley, and other negroes, black self hating, sell outs, and color aroused traitors

It's the Tavis Smiley Show, or better stated Attack Obama in support of Hillary Clinton Show. Your program host, who else ...Tavis Smiley.

It's all over the media, Black Journalist Tavis Smiley is under attack for criticizing Obama.



Just because Tavis Smiley says he has received death threats does not mean it is true. I take his comments with a grain of salt.

Quite candidly, someone may have been trying to get in touch with him and called his moms house. He may have also got insulted with that, and is now saying even his mother is getting phone calls. I take what Tavis says at face value. Tavis is a book seller, and is proving himself to be a Clinton kiss up. His "Executive Decision" to not allow Sen. Barack Obama's wife to speak at "HIS" event, shows me that it is "His" event."

If Tavis had reached out to previous participants of "his event, " or did an on-line survey on "His" website, I'm sure that the overwhelming majority of participants would say, Let Michelle Obama speak on behalf of her husband. But that is not what his self serving, black self hating, echo told him to do. He wanted Barack to come kiss his ring, just like so many other alleged black leaders want him to do. I'm glad that there are many non-politically correct sisters and brothers that are calling Tavis on it.

Yes, I personally call some self hating blacks - negroes, black self haters, wannabes, traitors and other things too. The fact of the matter is blacks in America have a history of having negroes, wannabes, haters, traitors, and people who have sold out our communities.

Ask any former Black Panther, ask any black political prisoner in America or abroad, ask any black folk who where forced out of major cities throughout America, if they were sold a bill of goods, many times self appointed black leaders, like Tavis who sold them down the drain, yes, black self haters, wannabes, haters and traitors. While at the same time most people stayed quiet because it was politically correct to challenge.

Robert Johnson of BET fame is a self hating, traitor, sell-out, negro. Anyone who says Bob Johnson is a great man, is a negro that is out of his or her mind. Bob Johnson is the ultimate sell out. Former UN Ambassador Andrew Young is a Walmart lackey, who has also has turned out to to be a disgrace. The way he disrespected black women by saying Bill Clinton has had sex with more black woman than Obama. Ouch! Is anyone listening? Tavis Smiley like Julian Bond is becoming just another lackey for the Clinton's. Yes I said it.

Through our history there have been Negroes who are nothing less that black self hating traitors, who have joined others by sucking the life blood of our communities. Whether it be political traitors (acting black and working with others on the gentrification of urban communities through gentrification initiatives). Self haters who could care less about their own people. Yes, there have been revolutionaries who joined the fight for freedom even before the Boston Massacre. From Jamestown to black wall Street, there were blacks that fought the good fight, build education systems and economic opportunities for our own, then there were black folks who were stripped of their identity and self and disgraced themselves and there people.

This blogger, will call out political traitors, haters, and Negroes who are more interested in self promotion than self uplift. I have paid my dues 50 times over to be able to do this. I have never been politically correct, and candidly could care less if someone disagrees with my opinion or observations. Maybe it's time for Tavis smiley to start hating on Obama. Maybe it's time to Celebrate African-American history now in the making. But that would be to easy for Tavis, he wants Obama to kiss his ring first. Check out what other bloggers are saying.

Audio: Tavis Smiley Calls Out Barack Obama
Tavis to Michelle Obama: Thanks, But No Thanks
Screw A Tavis Smiley - Boycott That Negro

Black Leadership Self Hatred and The Obama Campaign

I Just finished reading an article by Darryl Fears in the washingtonpost.com. In the article he talks about Tavis Smiley, the bestselling author of the "Covenant With Black America," and how Tavis is being "hammered," "barbecued," and is "catching hell" from black Americans for suggesting that Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) made a major mistake by declining to speak at the State of the Black Union event that Smiley plans to host next week in New Orleans.

Here is the article and my thoughts, highlighted in red. Based on what I'm reading and hearing, Tavis is another Black Crab hating on Obama.

Black Commenter, Criticizing Obama, Causes Firestorm
By Darryl Fears, The Washington Post



Photo of Tavis Smiley

"There's all this talk of hater, sellout and traitor," Smiley said to me in a telephone interview. Smiley even mentioned getting death threats, but wouldn't elaborate. He said his office has been flooded with angry e-mails. "I have family in Indianapolis. They are harassing my momma, harassing my brother. It's getting to be crazy," Smiley said.

AAPP: If this is true, this regretful, inappropriate and unlawful.

Smiley's problems started early this month after he invited Obama to speak at the State of the Black Union, an event Smiley founded nine years ago. Held annually during Black History Month and broadcast by C-Span, the event gathers a Who's Who of black intellectuals, pundits, activists, entertainers and politicians to discuss and brainstorm about where black America is and where it is headed. This year's topic is "Reclaiming Our Democracy, Deciding Our Future."

The State of the Black Union has grown into a key event for black people since its start, but as Smiley has discovered, Obama's presidential run is far more highly regarded.

As the first black person to have a legitimate shot at a presidential nomination, defeating Sen. Hillary Clinton's rich campaign juggernaut, Obama is virtually a third civil rights movement, the manifestation of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream. His candidacy has produced a fervor in black America born of centuries of wanting. Nearly every black vote that Clinton thought was hers at the beginning of the race has been siphoned by Obama.

Each of the presidential candidates were invited to speak, but only Sen. Hillary Clinton accepted. Clinton is desperate to bolster her flagging campaign with a larger share of the black vote after losing all but a small percent to Obama. Smiley said he wants the candidates to focus on the issues that black Americans care about.

AAPP: Hillary is the only candidate who needs to convince black voters to stop voting for Obama and vote for her. Hillary will be glad take a few pictures with you. I'm sure Bill Clinton will be willing to show up too. He sure would be glad to tell some black jokes and make some more color aroused statements against Barack Obama. Maybe Hillary will bring out some other surrogates like Robert Johnson or Andrew Young. I'm also sure Hillary will also bring her new black female campaign manager around. If that won't work, maybe Hillary can dig up some family members of Lyndon B. Johnson to let black folks know how unimportant MLK was to the Civil rights movement. But then again, with Hillary in the house, talking black, giving her southern drawl, and a few photo ops, maybe you can get some photo ops for a new book. "Hating on Barack - My 11th hour effort to create discourse with black folks and Brack Obama."

If the blogosphere is any reflection, however, black America believes Smiley should check his ego. Commenters would much rather see Obama campaigning against Clinton in Texas and Ohio than at Smiley's confab in Louisiana, a state he's already won. Critics burned up Internet chat rooms, taking turns at denouncing Smiley. Pundit Melissa Harris-Lacewell, an Obama supporter, authored a biting anti-Smiley opinion on TheRoot.com (which is owned by Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive), entitled, "Who Died and Made Him King?"

AAPP: I agree, smiley appears to be involved in a little bit of old school self-hatred as far as I am concerned.

A fan of Smiley commented on one blog, saying, "Tavis, Ya Killin' Me, Man." An angrier writer headlined his comment, "This is just dumb." "This man is involved in the fight of his life for the presidency of the UNITED STATES, not black states," he wrote of Obama. "I don't know if Tavis got the memo, but Hillary is leading in Texas, Ohio and Pennsylvania, where the governor said that his white folks won't vote for a black." Other comments would likely be blocked by Net Nanny and can't be printed on the Web pages of a family newspaper.

For Smiley, the tumult is a major turnabout. Until now he was a darling commentator in black America. His passion for the people endeared him to many. People listened to his commentaries on the popular Tom Joyner Morning Show, and snapped up so many copies of the "Covenant" that it made the top ten lists of the both the New York Times and the Washington Post. When Smiley talked, black people listened.

AAPP: I agree, at this point Tavis seems to be more to be interested in selling books, and being the king of Black America. Although Obama may change his mind and attend, I'm with obama on this one. Get busy and campaign were you need to be Obama. Don't listen to the self-hating black folk, even those who sell a lot of books and talk the talk.

"One of my friends said, 'you are being barbecued in the blogosphere,'" Smiley said. He told Black America Web writer Michael Cottman's that "I'm catching hell." In our interview, Smiley said: "This is the first time in my entire career that I have found myself in this kind of relationship with some folk in black America. I now know what it feels like to have the weight of the Internet world bearing down on you. Man, it's an eye opener when you get caught in the middle of it."

AAPP: look in the mirror Tavis, this election is bigger than you!

Obama's campaign said he called Smiley twice on his cell and office phones. Smiley said he returned the calls but got no response.

On the Tom Joyner Morning Show recently, Joyner brought up the controversy during an interview with Obama, relating how Smiley was taking heat for saying he thinks Obama doesn't want to talk about issues black people care about.

Obama chastised Smiley, but spoke as if the two were friends. "I'm going to have to call Tavis up and straighten him out on this," Obama said. He said he's addressed issues that Smiley cares about, such as health care and eliminating the legal sentencing disparity that allows judges to send mostly black crack cocaine offenders to prison with sentences that are five times longer than powder cocaine offenders who are mostly white and Latino.

Obama followed up with a letter to Smiley, dated Feb. 13. In it, Obama explained why he declined the invitation, saying that he needed to campaign in states that Clinton must win to in order to topple her candidacy.

AAPP: Hey Tavis, Obama is right, get over it!

"I will be on the campaign trail every day in states like Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin talking directly to voters about the causes that are at the heart of my campaign and the State of the Black Union forum such as affordable housing, economic opportunity, civil rights and foreign policy," Obama said in his letter. He had offered to have his wife, Michelle, speak in his stead at the State of the Black Union, but Smiley had declined. "I ask that you reconsider," Obama wrote. "Michelle is a powerful voice for the type of reach change America is hungry for."

Smiley responded in a commentary on the Tom Joyner Morning Show, condemning Obama's decision with his usual strong, passionate, rapid-fire delivery. He recounted the gist of his statement in the interview. "I think it is a miscalculation on his part not to appear and a missed opportunity."

AAPP: Hey Tavis Smiley, there you go with that, "I'm more important" than the people of America that Obama needs to convince to vote for him stuff. In the big picture of this campaign, your not as important, this time around. No photo op for you and Obama this time.

"I love Barack Obama and I love black people," Smiley said. "I celebrate his past accomplishments and I celebrate his future aspirations. I never wanted to stand in the path of his growth."

However, he said, "My job is to ask the critical question, to raise these issues and keep these guys focused. There are some people who are disappointed that I'm not jumping up and down saying, 'Vote for Barack Obama.' That's not my role as a journalist. That's not what I do."

AAPP: Whatever! Enjoy the kiss up and photo op with Team Clinton. This is nothing more than old school, black leadership self hatred against Barack Obama. Just another Crab in the basket.

Note: I will be discussing this tonight (Sunday) on:
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Black elected officials and black superdelegates begin to ditch Hillary

Well I guess the big loss of Al Wynn in Tuesday's election is causing black lawmakers to rethink their support of Hillary Clinton. It also appears that the Congressional Black Caucus
knows that that they will be held accountable. It's interesting that team Billary has been allowed to insult Black Men, Black Women, and Democratic Activist without the Congressional Black Caucus saying anything. You know what I'm talking about, Hillary has been able to say that
"we Don't Matter."

Well it appears that we may have just reached a number of black superelegates finally understand that we have reached the tipping point.

As noted by Associated Press, "In a fresh sign of trouble for Hillary Rodham Clinton, one of the former first lady's congressional black supporters intends to vote for Barack Obama at the Democratic National Convention, and a second, more prominent lawmaker is openly discussing a possible switch.

Rep. David Scott's defection and Rep. John Lewis' remarks highlight one of the challenges confronting Clinton in a campaign that pits a black man against a woman for a nomination that historically has been the exclusive property of white men.

"You've got to represent the wishes of your constituency," Scott said in an interview Wednesday in the Capitol. "My proper position would be to vote the wishes of my constituents." The third-term lawmaker represents a district that gave more than 80 percent of its vote to Obama in the Feb. 5 Georgia primary.

Lewis, whose Atlanta-area district voted 3-to-1 for Obama, said he is not ready to abandon his backing for the former first lady. But several associates said the nationally known civil rights figure has become increasingly torn about his early endorsement of Clinton. They spoke on condition of anonymity, citing private conversations.

In an interview, Lewis likened Obama to Robert F. Kennedy in his ability to generate campaign excitement, and left open the possibility he might swing behind the Illinois senator. "It could (happen). There's no question about it. It could happen with a lot of people ... we can count and we see the clock," he said.

Clinton's recent string of eight primary and caucus defeats coincides with an evident shift in momentum in the contest for support from party officials who will attend the convention. The former first lady still holds a sizable lead among the roughly 800 so-called superdelegates, who are chosen outside the primary and caucus system.

But Christine Samuels, until this week a Clinton superdelegate from New Jersey, said during the day she is now supporting Obama.

Two other superdelegates, Sophie Masloff of Pennsylvania and Nancy Larson of Minnesota, are uncommitted, having dropped their earlier endorsements of Clinton.

On Wednesday, David Wilhelm, a longtime ally of the Clintons who had been neutral in the presidential race, endorsed Obama." More HERE

AAPP: What do you think. Should black superdelegates abandon Hillary if their districts supported Obama?

The Tipping Point, Superdelegates, Obama, Billary and Democracy in America

AAPP: The Democratic Party and/or its Superdelegates, just may try to shut Barack Obama out of the Presidency. It's the color scheme stupid.



The writing is on the wall. Denver may be the scene of another 1968 like Democratic National Convention. That's if superdelegates, party leaders, members of congress and other VIP's get an automatic vote on the Democratic Convention floor for a brokered convention. Meaning the winner of the pledged delegates who represent the popular votes across America (which will probably be Obama) loses to the candidate who has the most superdelegates (which will probably be Billary Clinton). So, America, it would appear the Fix just might be in. The Democratic Party and/or its Superdelegates, just may try to shut Obama out of the Presidency. This should alarm the American Democratic electorate. It just may cause a Revolt against the Democratic Party rules not seen since the days of Fanny Lou Hammer and Hubert Humphrey.



This has the makings of ugly Democratic Politics that may destroy allegiances of progressive voters to the Democratic Party. The question many black bloggers, including the blog What About Our Daughters is asking; Will Barack Obama pull a "Fannie Lou Hamer" or Will he take ne for the team?

But it's just not black bloggers, as John DeSio writes in the Village Voice "Barack Obama’s is locked in a virtual tie for convention delegates with slim delegate lead over Hillary Clinton, but Democratic Party rules could still shut him out of the presidential nomination despite his strong performance in the primaries."

John Desio goes on to write, "At issue are so-called “superdelegates,” former and current elected officials and other Democratic power-players who are appointed as delegates to the party’s national convention and can choose their preferred candidate with no regard for how their state has voted. New York’s superdelegates include, among others, former President Bill Clinton, United Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten and every Democratic member of the State’s congressional delegation.

Within the primary voting system Obama has put together a small lead over Clinton, with 635 delegates compared to her 630, according to CNN, though other counts vary. But Clinton has maintained a strong majority of those superdelegates that have made their official pledge, and leads Obama 783-709 when those numbers are factored in (other superdelegate counts give Clinton a larger lead.)

Obama is well aware of the disparity and has sent a message to the Democratic establishment on those superdelegates, stating that they "would have to think long and hard about how they approach the nomination when the people they claim to represent have said, 'Obama's our guy.'" Obama’s message is clear: do not subvert the will of the people.

The superdelegate system used by the Democrats was put into effect during the 1970’s, as a means for party officials to maintain their influence in the face of reforms that arose from the 1972 presidential campaign of former senator and liberal stalwart George McGovern, said Tom De Luca ,a professor of political science at Fordham University.

The superdelegates are bound to nothing but their own opinions, said De Luca, and make up a strong 20 percent of the total Democratic delegate count of 4,049. Should Clinton’s lead among superdelegates vault her to the nomination, despite her defeat to Obama at the hands of the people, it could mean trouble for Democrats in November.

“I think it would be very, very bad for the Democrats,” said De Luca. “It might really demobilize some of the Obama constituency in the November election, which could well be very close.”

Harlem State Senator Bill Perkins was the first New York elected official to forsake his hometown senator and endorse Obama’s campaign, and he too is concerned that the will of the people could be cast aside at the convention, all in the name of party politics. Obama’s campaign is one of hope, said Perkins, and those hopes could be dashed by the superdelegate system, shutting Obama out of his rightful nomination “not on the basis of merit.” More here

I agree with David Sirota and his Huffington post article, A Short-Term Solution to the Potential Superdelegate Problem, Americans need to find out who their Superdelegates are in their state, and then start putting pressure on them. As David said, We've got to get ahead of this thing before the horse-trading and backroom dealing starts. We have to watch out and make sure Billary Clinton does not try to buy or steal the election. The message needs to be sent out. Superdelegates: We Are Watching You

AAPP: Here is more historic information on the Superdelegates.

Superdelegates

Who: A superdelegate is a Democratic Party representative who carries an independent vote going into a national convention. He or she can be a former elected, or party, official or a current officeholder. A superdelegate is not bound to vote in line with party primary elections or caucus decisions.

How many: The Democratic Party has just fewer than 800 superdelegates headed to the Democratic National Convention in Denver. The exact number of superdelegates is fluid until March 1. They will account for about 20 percent of delegate voting at the convention.

The GOP: The Republicans give each state and protectorate three unpledged delegates: the state party chair, a committeeman and a committeewoman. Also, there are some GOP state parties, such as Colorado's, whose primaries or caucuses are meant to guide pledged delegates but do not bind them to the popular vote.

History: In 1984, Walter Mondale persuaded the Democratic Party to create superdelegates while running as the party's establishment candidate. The Republican system evolved after reforms in both parties in 1972.

Why: Democrats banned winner- takes-all contests in the 1980s to apportion support so that underdog candidates had a fighting chance. But the invention also shelters party front-runners from being overwhelmed by unknown candidates who surge from behind. The real aim is to head off protracted fights on the convention floor, keeping some power for party insiders.

Source: DenverPost.com