Election 08: Black Voters in Atlanta Holding John Lewis Accountable

AAPP: Even Civil Rights Icon's have to be held accountable.Eddie Griffin and others within the afrospear have been following John Lewis and other super delegate supporters of Hillary Clinton. Word on the street, "black folks are angry at black congressional leaders, and are ready to vote some of them out of office."



Eddie Griffin, Member BASG

As an example, many people in Atlanta have been watching John Lewis too. Jim Galloway, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that for the first time in nearly a decade, U.S. Rep. John Lewis of Atlanta will have opposition to his re-election to Congress. Markel Hutchins, an Atlanta minister who took up the cause of a 92-year-old woman killed in a botched police raid, announced this week that he will challenge the 11-term congressman and civil rights icon in the Democratic primary.

AAPP: It's about time black folks starting holding black elected officials accountable. Al Wynn - Congressional Black Caucus Member was held Accountable on Super Tuesday. Other Super Delegates were placed on notice: If your voting constituency in your district overwhelmingly voted for Barrack Obama, you owe it to your voting constituency to vote for Barack Obama at the National Convention. We know who you endorsed. Have no doubt we are watching you!

Blogger Joins Roundtable Discussion with Barack Obama Regarding Health Plan

African American Political Pundit had the opportunity to have an exclusive interview with Social and Political Blogger MsLadyDeborah from the blog From My Brown Eyed View this week. MsLadyDeborah had the opportunity to meet with 5 other residents of Ohio in a Health Care Roundtable held at OSU with Senator Barack Obama to review and discuss his Health Care proposal. Listen in as MsLadyDeborah provides her take on Senator Obama from a black woman and consumers perspective.

This is a photo of the Health Care Roundtable that was held at OSU on Saturday February 23, 2008.

Source: From My Brown Eyed View

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 it's the "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.
or better stated, Obama Wave Stuns Tavis Smiley.



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.



Democratic presidential contender Sen. Barack Obama speaks at a Texas rally after winning Wisconsin. (Reuters)

Its interesting that The Washington Post recently noted, "Obama now has such a lock on the loyalties of African Americans -- 84 percent of the black vote in Alabama, 87 percent in Georgia, 84 percent in Maryland, and on and on -- that the black vote is no longer contestable.

Which brings us back to the dilemma facing some of Clinton's high-profile black supporters -- those with titles and constituencies of their own. They are feeling some kind of crazy pressure. Last Friday, about 25 of them held an hour-long conference call to discuss what one described as an effort to "pester, intimidate, question our blackness" for not supporting Obama."

AAPP: 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 Tavis. 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 "Journalism king of Black America." Although Obama may change his mind and attend, I'm with Obama on this one. Obama needs to continue to get busy and campaign where he need to get undecided votes. 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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Poster Child for the Failure of Black Political Accountability

Kwame Kilpatrick: Poster Child for the Failure of Black Accountability

Source: A Political Season

I lived in Metro Detroit for eight years, a time span that included Mayor Archer's second term and Kwame Kilpatrick's first. Detroit has been the nightmare scenario of white flight, ineffective black political rule, racial polarization and urban decay for better than 20 years. The city has a history and well known status as the most segregated city in America. Sadly, that racial legacy and present day context has been the excuse for a low standard of accountability when it comes to Detroit's black political leadership. The latest embarrassment is the now publicly outed sordid extramarital affair between Mayor Kilpatrick and Chief of Staff Christine Beatty.

It was an affair those in the know and among Kwame's security detail knew about and one of those open secrets the rest of the city suspected. It became public knowledge for sure when text messages were revealed which confirmed the affair. The seeds of Kwame's undoing began with a pair of police officers that sued him and the city for alleged violations of the state’s Whistleblower Protection Act. The suits were brought by Officer Harold Nelthrope, a former mayoral bodyguard, and Gary Brown, a former deputy chief who previously headed the Police Department’s Internal Affairs Unit. Brown says he was fired for letting members of his unit investigate Nelthrope’s allegations and Nelthrope said that Kwame violated whistle blower laws by outing him and slandering him in retaliation. More HERE

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?

Al Wynn - Congressional Black Caucus Member Being Held Accountable

Hey Al Wynn
See Yah!

Late Update: With 51% reporting, the Associated Press has projected Donna Edwards the winner over Al Wynn — and apparently by a landslide. source: Talking Points Memo

Pr. George's attorney leads in early results against eight-term Representyative Wynn in Md.

WaPo reports U.S. Rep. Albert R. Wynn (D) conceded a short time ago after a stunning loss to Prince George's County lawyer Donna F. Edwards. Wynn, who had served in the 4th District for eight terms, had been targeted by an aggressive advertisement campaign, funded in part with hundreds of thousands of dollars from national labor groups and liberal organizations. The effort apparently convinced voters that Wynn had fallen out of step with his overwhelmingly Democratic district during his 15 years in Congress.

AAPP: Maybe its time for Afrospear members to target Congressional Black Caucus members who a just like Wynn and run against them. We need to hold Congressional Black Caucus members accountable who support Hillary Clinton after voters in their district overwhelmingly supported Barack Obama.

Hillary to Black Men, Black Women, and Democratic Activist "You Don't Matter"

AAPP: I watched CNN in amazement yesterday afternoon as Hillary Clinton dismissed her weekend losses. It's clear that Hillary Clinton has a strategy of continuing her color aroused campaign. She continues to bring up at every opportunity that Obama is Black, as he beats her and Bill in more states with large white populations.

AAPP: " Hillary is truly becoming a modern day American political campaigning disgrace, saying essentially that 'Democratic activists' and black voters don't matter. Hillary and Bill are truly showing their deep down color aroused feelings regarding black America. It truly seems to be deep rooted and just plain angry."

Both John Aravosis (DC) from the blog America Blogs and the Daily Kos are covering the story.

Here is what Hillary had to say today about you 'activists' and blacks who vote in the Democratic primaries. You see, you don't really count.

Hillary Clinton on Monday explained away Barack Obama's clean sweep of the weekend's caucuses and primaries as a product of a caucus system that favors "activists" and, in the case of the Louisiana primary, an energized African-American community.

She told reporters who had gathered to watch her tour a General Motors plant here that "everybody knew, you all knew, what the likely outcome of these recent contests were."...

Noting that "my husband never did well in caucus states either," Clinton argued that caucuses are "primarily dominated by activists" and that "they don't represent the electorate, we know that."

The DailyKos notes:

One of the hilarious side-effects of every Obama victory is the spin from Clinton quarters and its surrogates and supporters explaining why said victories "don't matter".

Iowa didn't matter because it was a caucus state, and it's undemocratic. Same goes for every other caucus state including Maine. The only caucus state that mattered was Nevada.

Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Alaska, and Utah don't matter because they're small Red states that Democrats won't carry in November.

Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Louisiana don't matter because they have black people. Expect the same spin out of DC this Tuesday. Black people don't apparently count.

Washington and Minnesota don't matter because they have educated white people.

In any case, Washington, Nebraska, and Louisiana didn't matter on Saturday because everyone expected Obama to win them anyway.

Virginia and Maryland, assuming they're won by Obama, will be a combination of the "black people" and "educated people" rationalizations. Throw a little of "Obama was expected to win anyway", and you've got the trifecta.

Illinois doesn't matter because that's Obama's home state. Expect the same spin when Obama wins Hawaii by double-digit margins in two weeks.

Missouri doesn't matter because Clinton sent out a press release claiming she won it.

Colorado was a caucus state, so that leaves Delaware and Connecticut. Those are the only two states that apparently matter, giving Hillary Clinton a commanding 10-2 lead among states that matter.

One final line of attack used to minimize Obama's victories is the notion that "he can't win states without his base", his base of course being African Americans, white yuppies, and Red state Democrats. More HERE

AAPP: It has become more and more obvious that Billary has color arousal issues with a black man running against her and winning. It's also obvious to this African American Political Pundit that Hillary supports her own political abortion when she makes statements like she did yesterday. I guess the Obama/Hillary ticket won't happen. And that may just be a good thing for the Democrats. If Hillary wins the nomination, blacks may just stay home."

It's Time to hold Hillary Clinton Politically Accountable

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

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BlackSuper Delegates Placed on Notice

Black SuperDelegates: If your voting constituency in your district overwhelmingly voted for Barrack Obama, you owe it to your voting constituency to vote for Barack Obama at the National Convention. We know who you endorsed. Have no doubt we are watching you! PS: White and Latino SuperDelegates representing black constituencies should do the same. We know who you are too. You will be held politically accountable for your actions



AAPP: Today I received a comment on my blog by one of my readers, wrote: "Black politicians who have pledged their super delegates to Hillary over Obama amounts to a smack in the face to the black electorates. Black super delegates must vote in accordance with the aspirations of their black electorate which has overwhelming decided that they prefer Obama over Hillary. I for one will not vote for any black elected official who casts their super delegate for Hillary when the overwhelming aspiration in my congressional district is for Obama. Black people across the country should put their black leaders on notice. : Black Super Delegates belong to the people black officials represent. Siddhi Shonibare, whoSiddhi Shonibare's remarks were as timely as the article by Judge Greg Mathis who noted in his recent commentary: As the Candidates Cross the U.S. Seeking Votes, Keep your eyes on the super delegates.

Judge Mathis also noted in BlackAmericaWeb Superdelegates are elected officials -- members of the House, senators and others -- who cast votes at the party conventions. Because of their positions as government leaders, they are not bound by the votes of their constituents; they are free to cast a vote for whomever they choose. If a particular candidate can win their support, they can also win the nomination, no matter what that state’s voters decided in their primary elections.

For example, a candidate could come in second in a large state but, if they have enough superdelegates on their side, they could lock up that state’s nomination.

How does this affect African-Americans? The fight for the Democratic nomination is especially tight and, historically, blacks have voted Democratic because the party generally supports social justice issues that affect our day-to-day lives. If, as a voter, you’ve selected one candidate over another, and so have the rest of the voters in your state, you’d rightly expect them to receive the state’s votes for the nomination. It will be an insult to your sensibilities to learn that, because of behind-the-scenes politicking, the votes instead went to the second place finisher.

The nation’s democratic process will only work if the votes of its citizens truly count. Both the 2000 and 2004 elections have proven to this country what can happen when the voices of the people are ignored.

How can you make sure your state’s superdelegates reflect your interests at the Democratic National Convention in August? Call them. Write them a letter. Send them an email. Let them know you expect them to do their job, which is to reflect your interests as a constituent.

---

Judge Greg Mathis is national vice president of Rainbow PUSH and a national board member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

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Black Voters Smack Down Black Political Leaders - Support Obama!

Obama is for Real

Change is coming to America.

"The votes are still being counted in cities and towns across America," Obama told supporters in Chicago, Illinois. "But there is one thing on this February night that we do not need the final results to know: Our time has come. Our movement is real. And change is coming to America."



WaPo reports: "Obama won about eight in 10 African Americans, a trend that put him over the top in Georgia and Alabama." More HERE

WaPo also reports Obama received four in 10 white voters in Georgia and fared better among white men there than he had in an earlier racially polarized race in South Carolina, giving his campaign a chance to claim that he had broadened his support in the intervening weeks. Victories in Connecticut and North Dakota bolstered that claim."

AAPP: If not for California Billary Clinton probably would not be in the presidential race. there is general agreement that the extended primary battle may help Obama.

He won overwhelming African-American support despite early endorsements of Clinton by black political handkerchief heads. Black folks were not drinking that Kool Aid any more.

Obama kicked butt across Midwestern and Rocky Mountain states with mostly white populations -- Colorado, Idaho, Minnesota, North Dakota and Kansas, showing he can go head to head against team Clinton.

WaPo reports, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton won victories over Sen. Barack Obama in California, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York last night, giving her presidential campaign a crucial boost. But Obama countered by winning a string of states, including the general election battleground of Missouri, in the seesaw race for the Democratic nomination.

AAPP: Billary may be smiling now, but she may not be smiling in a few months. Even Republicans like Obama, and lets not talk about independents.



Get this, Obama also won primaries in Alaska and Utah, say what!

He also won Delaware, Connecticut and his home state of Illinois. reports are that he holds a slight lead in New Mexico's primary.

It's all about the delegates baby!

More Later Today!

The Black Vote: "Super Tuesday" Live Blogging

The Black Vote: "Super Tuesday" Live Blogging with Afrospear Members

This Historic Super Tuesday has Black voters, young and old fired up.

There is plenty of coverage and Live Blogging from across the afrospear
and across America.

You can join African American Political Pundit

As he calls it the way he sees it!

You can also call it the way you see it too!

Join his LIVE Blog discussion starting at 6:00 pm EST

One Night! Super Tuesday!
4 Live Blogging Events

Event
Live Blogging starting at 6PM on Super Tuesday HERE!
(See Broadcast above)

Event

Super Tuesday Rap Up with
African American Political Pundit

Live event: 2/5/2008 11:00 p.m. E.T.

Call-in Number: (718) 508-9867

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Event
You can also Join
What About Our Daughters
2-hour Super Tuesday podcast beginning at 8:30CST.

Join outstanding journalist, AM McReynolds from the blog, Backyard Beacon as they keep you up to date on the returns as well as offer some unique stories from their prospective as African American women. Make sure you check out Ann's blog. She's a journalist, not a rabble rouser so we should make an interesting pairing.

WAOD Super Tuesday Podcast
Special Edition of the Black Women's Roundtable
8:30PM (CST)- 10:30PM
blogtalkradio.com/blackwomen
Chat, Email or Call: 646-478-4750




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Event
Dallas South Blog - Super Tuesday Live Blogging

The live blogging on Dallas South blog will start at 8:00 p.m. CST on Super Tuesday.

Link to:
Dallas South Blog - Super Tuesday Live Blog 8:00 p.m. CST

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Black Voters - Super Tuesday Rap Up with African American Political Pundit

Calling it the way I see it!

Calling it the way You See it!

Two Events on One Night! Super Tuesday!

First Event
Live Blogging starting at 6PM on Super Tuesday HERE!




2nd Event

Super Tuesday Rap Up with African American Political Pundit



Live event: 2/5/2008 11:00 p.m. E.T.

Call-in Number: (718) 508-9867

African American Political Pundit