PA – Obama Wins The Keystone State??

We’re making this a Black Races piece because, to this day, Pennsylvania has never elected an African American statewide.  Interesting – even Massachussetts was able to pull it off. 

Philadelphia Daily News political columnist John Baer writes a cogent piece on how Sen. Barack Obama could win the PA primary on April 22nd.  Baer seems to think the signs for an upset are in order.  Hear Baer tell it, and it’s plausible.  Don’t know.  We do know that, for some reason, even though the state has – for some time – been written off as a Clinton win, her poll numbers are falling fast in that state.  We are still of the opinion that she’ll win PA – the question is by how much.  If she wins by a slim margin, it doesn’t look good for her in a state that everyone thought she’d win easily. 

So, what’s going on?  Maybe Pennsylvanians are hearing that they are too old, too White, too bigoted, too old school political machine and too blue collar (translated: poor White trash), and it’s beginning to get to them.  Suddenly, this classic bastion of Northern pride is being painted at some redneck, hick state, and folks aren’t feeling it.  Maybe they’re a bit offended by that notion – Pennsylvanians are a proud, hard-working bunch.  And maybe they aren’t feeling Sen. Hillary Clinton’s recent “mis-speak” on her 1996 Bosnia trip.  We don’t know.  Something’s up.

Motown Political Overhaul on the Horizon

We can say it: a city like Detroit is in need of serious change.  Beyond the Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick disaster, the city is mired in unemployment, crime and poverty.  So, folks are considering bids against the Kilpatrick Political Family, both the Mayor and his mother, Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick (D-MI) who is perceived as somewhat ineffective (as both Caucus chair and Congresswoman). 

Still, it’s funny that it took Kilpatrick’s troubles to spark interest in replacing him.  As if Detroit’s own troubles weren’t enough to inspire the sort of passion for change we’re now catching wind of. 

Mark Hicks in the Detroit News reports:

City Council President Kenneth Cockrel Jr. says he is considering running for mayor.

“It’s definitely something I’m thinking about but I haven’t made any formal decision,” he said late Wednesday. “I’m not in a position to say I’m a candidate for 2009.”

The topic arose this week during a Michigan Municipal League conference in Lansing when a reporter asked about his plans.

Cockrel, who would step in if Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick leaves office, acknowledged last month he was drafting plans to run City Hall in case of the mayor’s resignation or removal.

Kilpatrick can be removed from office by the City Council only if he is convicted of a felony.

Political opportunism is contagious in Motor City.  Robert Snell and Charlie LeDuff also report in the Detroit News:

Fired Deputy Police Chief Gary Brown, fresh from beating Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick during the police whistle-blower trial, is mulling a campaign for mayor or against the mayor’s mother, U.S. Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick.

Brown and one of his consultants confirmed today that polling will begin soon to gauge his support for a run at mayor next year or a campaign this year for the 13th District, which spreads from the Grosse Pointes to Downriver.

Brown insists it’s not personal and would only discuss his interest in taking on Cheeks Kilpatrick, 62. But his candidacy could turn what has traditionally been a campaign cakewalk for the six-term congresswoman into a bitter race with a subplot of the decorated deputy police chief against the mother of the man who ended his law enforcement career.

The Black lining in Gov. Spitzer’s Downfall …

We couldn’t figure whether or not to put this as a Black Races piece or a Black Policy Wire, but decided that we had to act quick since neither has been updated in quite a long minute.

Anyway: everyone knows the dig on NY Gov. Eliot Spitzer.  The whole fall-from-hypocritical-grace thing is all over the news. It’s the stuff soap-operas and steamy HBO series are made out of.  In fact – you can’t write better stuff than this.  But, we shall not kick thy neighbor while he’s down.

The real story, for us, is whether or not this cat decides to resign (which might not be a bad idea since he was elected on the anti-corruption crusade mandate) and lets Lt. Gov. David Paterson take his place, the 53-year old legally blind African American and former State Senator out of Harlem. 

Will much of New York state’s White electorate - cringing from the days when Mayor David Dinkins couldn’t run New York City - give Spitzer a pass on this latest scandal just to spite the thought of a Black man running the Empire State?  18 months of a Paterson administration, should he take the seat, will tell.  Spitzer obviously doesn’t want to let his seat go; he worked all his life to get there, probably thinking all the way to the White House.  But, how much of a twist is this should he step down and let Paterson take hold: the morally blind leading the actual, visually impaired blind into immediate political stardom.

But, obviously, to be the 4th Black Governor since P.B.S. Pinchback’s 36 days in Louisiana offers a rare bit of leveraging beyond Gotham City limits for the state’s Black political establishment.  Now, folks like Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY) and Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY), through Paterson, could get something out of the harassment that a Clinton endorsement brings to African American elected officials.  Endorsing Clinton while representing Black districts that like Obama certainly hasn’t been the best of deals.  Throw Paterson in the mix, and they have something to lean on.  Some may say maybe it’ll make it easier for them all, including Paterson, to nix the Hillary endorsement.  It’s attractive for some, but: that’s politically illogical – they might as well move out of the state.  Again: at the end of the day, Black politicians are … politicians.  They have to get along in the same house, and that won’t happen anytime soon, especially while she’s still the powerful junior Senator from New York. 

There is also the question of whether a Black blind man will be a strong contender for the Governor’s post in 2010.  Not certain how the state’s Republicans will run against that.  But, if Paterson plays his cards right, he could be looking at more than just filling out the remainder of a Spitzer term. 

The other question is how this impacts the Presidential race.  Jury is still out on that; although Spitzer is a major Clinton endorser and super-delegate, she can easily distance herself from him.  Then again, as long as Spitzer is in office as the scandal unfolds, this all brings back the ugly days of President Bill Clinton’s trysts with Monica Lewinsky. Suddenly, an episode the Clintons would like to forget is being replayed on cable networks.  It can have an impact on the voter psyche: do we want to go through this again?

Maybe it helps Obama, maybe it doesn’t.  It could help since, again, that’s one of Hillary’s boys getting caught with his pants down.  Hence, her negatives could edge up a little while peeps look to Obama as a fresh beginning.  Then again, this comes at a bad time while Obama struggles to sharpen his counter arguments after losses last week.  This could turn into a big distraction, removing Obama from the headlines day by day. More spotlight on Clinton’s state, more spotlight on her - any media, as they say, is good media.  We learned that lesson last week; any chance she gets to look like the victimized, helpless White woman (oh no, here it comes, don’t go there … on the top of the Empire State Building, lol) translates into a good ole’ racial code day for her.  Odd how this happens in her state.  

MD – The Heated Battle for the 4th District …

One need not be an astute political observer to tell that the race for Maryland’s 4th Congressional District is one of the more tense races we’ll see in 2008.  Of course, our head is in the present primary gutter of the primaries, but one should take a close look at MD-4 to get a sense of what’s happening on the Black political landscape. 

MD-4 is a weird, snaky and shadily composed Congressional district mixing two very different counties with two very different sets of priorities: Prince Georges County and Montgomery County.  PG County, longstanding seat of Black middle-class, political and economic clout in the country, is vastly different from Montco in many respects, with piling needs in a variety of critical areas.  Yet, the MD Legislature found it appropriate to mix the two – we think ultimately at the expense of PG County’s large African American electorate which could use an extra focus from senior Congressional members.   Hence, White liberal activists are found dominating politics in the district in ways that make Blacks in neighboring PG county a bit anxious.   

Contender Donna Edwards takes yet another stab at dogging incumbent Albert Wynn into submission.  You remember the caustic 2006 Democratic primary between these two; well, Wynn won that by the literal skin of his teeth as Edwards pulled together an admirable coalition of progressive activists who seethed over Wynn’s Iraq War authorization vote.  One thing you can say about Edwards is that she’s persistent and hungry – to the point where this battle is more than just two Black politicos bumping heads for a seat.  No – it’s personal. 

We’re not certain, but the interesting thing about the MD-4 race that sets it apart from other Black political battles is that its more so combat over style.  We typically see a battle between two generations: old school vs. new school.  But, Wynn and Edwards appear from similar generations, but definitely marked in difference in terms of approach.  Edwards’ pushes the usual “progressive” agenda talking points; Wynn a Black political classicist who loves being kingmaker and playing behind the scenes.   But, beneath all that is a very contentious battle between two counties: a Whiter, left-leaning coalition of progressive activists back Edwards; Wynn may be pulling much more support out of Blacker Prince George’s County, an electorate more concerned with crumbling schools and higher property taxes than with their Congressman’s war vote.   

Hence, Edwards recent endorsement from actor Danny Glover stirs some attention and placates the uber-liberal base in Montco, but does it make any headway in PG County.  We’re not so sure of that.  What we do notice and admire about Edwards is the spirited campaign she’s waging, and the fact that she’s made Education and Domestic Violence centerpieces of her platform.  Wynn doesn’t; but, we also respect the way Wynn plays the game in ways that have helped bring bacon back to his district.  Which leaves us wondering if Edwards can walk the walk needed as much as she can talk the talk that activists like.  At the end of the day, activists don’t pay mortgages, bills and groceries. 

Rev. Al Sharpton Under Federal Probe …

Overshadowed by and floating under the mess of the baseball steroid scandal, Rev. Al Sharpton attempts to fend off federal agents who now circle in, raiding his non-profit and for-profit operations while issuing subpoenas to current and former associates.  The investigation appears rather extensive; this has been in play for some time.  Reports from the NY Daily News (eager for this moment to arrive):

Teams of federal agents swooped down on up to 10 close associates of the Rev. Al Sharpton Wednesday, demanding the flamboyant clergyman’s financial records since 2001.

Sharpton’s former chief of staff said he was roused at his Harlem home about 6:30 a.m. by two FBI agents who handed him a subpoena to bring the records to a federal grand jury the day after Christmas.

Several employees of Sharpton’s National Action Network also got wakeup subpoenas to testify before the Brooklyn panel, the rabble-rousing reverend’s lawyer said.

The FBI and IRS are investigating whether Sharpton improperly misstated the amount of money he raised during his 2004 White House run to illegally obtain federal matching funds, a source familiar with the probe said.

This isn’t exactly the best year for Sharpton, attempting to step up his game amid Obama’s hype.  A recent column in the Washington Post about his relevancy triggered more questions about just that.  And, he ended up not running for President after all. Will be interesting to see how this probe gets spun and what direction he’ll take – he can easily claim that he’s being “targeted” in response to his recent advocacy against the Justice Department.  How the African American electorate will react will be interesting too.  At this stage, there’s a lot of “not again” heads shaking, many privately expressing anxiety over too many Black political figures getting caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

Sharpton is saying he’s running in 2012.  But, the bottom line is: why investigate Sharpton?  Isn’t that something like … a waste of time. It’s not like he even registered on the primary radar in 2004; he barely registered in national polls.  He didn’t even make a real dent in the Democratic party’s direction.  Probing him adds insult to the injury of an embarrasing electoral performance.  That being the case, Sharpton’s claim of vengeance by the DoJ might very well resonate. 

The Black Politico Gap – Young vs. Old …

The never-ending discussion on our people’s generation gap is a constant fly in the soup.  But, it’s there and we can’t help but point it out in a few recent cases. 

Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), civil rights icon and longtime CBC powerhouse, is quick to endorse Clinton over Obama; he’s also real quick to clarify that he did not endorse a young Black political candidate, Keith Leaphart, running against Rep. Bob Brady (D-PA) in Philly in 2008, emphasizing that he and Brady are longtime friends and colleagues. 

Even though Leaphart dropped the milk on that (he took friendly, passing words from Lewis as an endorsment), you can’t help but sympathize with him.  There’s a mixed signal: in a time when we get pummelled with messages and imagery of Black men “going extinct” too many of us fail to support those young brothers who actually get inspired, get motivated and want to run for office.  What’s up with that?  There’s recent discussion surrounding the fact that Clinton is polling amongst Black women better than Obama.  Think about that for a moment – here we have an example of a relatively young brother running for high office, the only brother to have a real shot at winning at, amid a climate of increased anxiety about a lack of “good Black men.”  We’re not endorsing Obama, but we can’t help but see the contradiction.  Many African Americans appear more supportive of Black athletes and entertainment phenoms than they do of a national Black political figure who could come close to winning the Democratic nomination. 

We have to ask ourselves: what do we want?

Then you’ve got hip hop intellectual and former MTV star Kevin Powell running against long-time CBC member Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-NY) in Brooklyn (the notorious no-show-on-the-Hill), with no major endorsements from Congressional Black Caucus members.  We know what that’s all about – Towns is one of them – but, still … what about a little love for the young brothers wanting to take it to the next level?  

Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. runs a rather critical column on why he’s endorsing Obama, in stark contrast to his father.  Why are the older Black politicos so quick not to endorse up and coming politicos who represent the new generation? John Lewis was as fast as sound to distance himself from Leaphart in an effort to not offend his White Hill colleague – we understand the politics, but couldn’t it have all been done a different way in which Lewis dropped some words of wisdom on the 32-year old political novice. 

NY(10) – Kevin Powell’s Brooklyn Zoo …

At first glance, Hip Hop Scholar Kevin Powell’s re-run for Congress in New York’s 10th District teases the eye for a laugh.  This was, after all, the cat who pulled out of last year’s mid-term race against incumbent Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-NY) before the ballots dropped.  It was a sad showing for a self-professed New School candidate that we hoped would have shaken things up a bit on the political radar.  Didn’t happen. 

So, when we see recent fundraising e-flyers circulating through our inbox, we’re like … lol – this guy is running again?  Didn’t appear as though he could run a campaign if his life depended on it.  Perhaps he should stick to writing books.  Because if you can’t figure out how to take out the laziest cat to ever have a seat in Congress, you’ve got problems. 

Our assessment in his first flirt with campaign politics is that Powell didn’t realize that Towns had the reliable senior vote behind him in that district (old folks always vote, and they seem to always vote for who they know: the incumbent).  Meanwhile, Kevin was too focused on the “hip hop/gen x” crowd vote which really isn’t all that reliable on many levels.  Too many of them smile in your face, give you public props and tight hugs, but lunch on the way to the polling station.  We don’t live in Brooklyn, but the writing was on the wall …

But, checking out Powells website (www.kevinpowellforcongress.com) we see signs of a net-rooted force to reckon with, if played right.  Towns obviously doesn’t have this level of sophistication and could see early retirement if he doesn’t light a fire under his House Chamber seat.  There is definitely an energy there we’re seeing that we didn’t see before.  New web look definitely turns a few heads, and he’s making solid use of the myspace/facebook/flickr/youtube tools.  Still, the jury is still out on net activism translating into electoral wins.  You might be big man on campus with your website, but that doesn’t mean a thing if you can’t direct folks to the ballot box. 

We dig the new energy; skepticism remains on the coordination.  We have to see it to believe it.  He gets kudos for prominently placing domestic violence on his platform.  That’s THE number one public health issue impacting Black women and it’s about time somebody ran on that.  Suggestion: also focus on batterer’s abuse and manipulation of the court system, thereby extending the violence even after the woman manages to escape.  You’ll find some alarming stats nationwide and in Brooklyn. 

Definitely a race to look at in 2008 – we hope.  Note to Powell: don’t let us down … again.    

MD – The Abysmal State of Voting in Baltimore …

FYI from last week: the Democratic primary for Mayor of Baltimore was a joke.  Why?  Only 28% turnout in a city 79% Democratic, 60% African American.   Very sad state of affairs considering the shape Baltimore is in with a continuous high homicide rate and struggling public schools.  Not to mention the drug problem. And deficits continue to loom both citywide and statewide. Baltimore voters must be smoking something other than good sense to not even hit the 50% mark. Nuff said on that. 

A little bit of history made though: sisters in Baltimore dominating the political scene, with 3 being elected to top posts including Sheila Dixon as Mayor; S. Blake-Rawlings as City Council President; and Joan Pratt as Comptroller. 

The results of the 9/11/07 contest are – go figure - hidden deeply without a direct homepage link on the Baltimore Board of Elections website.  You actually have to go to the state of Maryland’s election board site to get routed to the direct page for the voting results of last week’s elections.  No wonder nobody came out to vote.  Results can be found at:

http://www.baltimorecity.gov/government/elections/results/

In Selma …

The Clinton vs. Obama saga rages on.  The general take on the two criss-crossing campaign paths in the legendary Alabama location is a petty, insincere exchange of niceties and platitudes staged to rally Black votes.  Sen. Clinton may have miscalculated any surging name recognition amongst critical Black votes as Sen. Obama is now ahead in that same demographic by 10 percentage points in recent polls.  There is an ugly theme of gamesmanship that doesn’t sit too well, here reading an excerpt from the Washington Post earlier today:

Not to be outdone in the hunt for black votes, Hillary Clinton also spoke in Selma at a church three blocks away and brought a secret weapon _ her husband. Three days before the march anniversary, her campaign announced that the former president who is so popular among blacks would accompany her for his induction into Selma’s Voting Rights Hall of Fame.

A subtle hint of sexism reigns a bit supreme in these characterizations of Hillary appearances with her husband, as it is implied that – as accomplished as she is – her campaign can not sustain itself without the presence of her husband’s popularity overshadowing.  Even when the woman is the front runner for President, she can’t do it without her husband.  Many Black voters seem to blindly accept this formula.  Strange how an event commemorating the civil rights movement and a moment marking the beginning of a new era for African Americans would be allowed to be so brazenly upstaged by a White man and former president:

But the former president stole the show from the two candidates. The audience cheered loudest for him when the three took the stage at the end of the march and the crowd mobbed him as he tried to make it to his limousine, delaying his departure.

For all the talk of progress and “rainbow coalitions,” little appeared at Sunday’s event.

Clinton to Black Voters: “See I’m a victim, too …”

This roaring, irritating and idiotic conflagration between the Obama and Clinton camps over steamy side comments by media mogul David Geffen is not as impulsive as some might think.  It’s smart – and it’s been carefully calibrated by Clinton to somehow further diminish Obama’s value as a viable Black candidate with potential to seriously edge the Black Democratic primary vote.

Here, Sen. Clinton can turn the tables on the expectation (so far accepted) that Sen. Obama is victimized by the reality of his “Blackness” in this very expensive campaign.  There’s a paradox hidden in that assessment - how a Black man now possessing the ability to raise millions of pre-primary dollars is a “victim” of national racial dysfunction is a new contradiction unacceptable to the many White voters eager to absolve themselves of racial guilt vicariously through a vote for him.  The Clinton camp senses this new, transcendant empowerment of Obama and must – at all costs - begin painting themselves as fragile and vulnerable. 

The problem with Black political development and power over the past 50 years is the juxtaposition of African American politicians and elected officials campaigning for equal treatment (thereby acknowledging their historic beat downs) against the grab for real power once they’ve attained electoral success.  Obama illustrates a new “Black Power,” as some are opining, a power disconnected from or, at least, not as reliant on its humble roots. 

As a rule of Black thumb, Underdog candidates and politicians who offer glamorized or attractive claims of support for the African American plight are often applauded as community champions who relate.  This is what makes the Clintons’ image soar in Black circles, heightened as African Americans aggressively rallied around the embattled President during his impeachment proceedings in 1998. 

If she is to win hard-fought, loyal Black primary votes in 2008, Sen. Clinton understands that she must portray herself as the embattled underdog when compared against Sen. Obama, who – presently – enjoys a protracted media honeymoon.   Widespread popularity amongst White voters and an aura of impregnability may actually hurt Obama amongst Black primary voters typically favoring the underdog candidate that most relates to their tragic, underdog history.