Obama has to earn blacks' votes, Sharpton says

[Doondoo]

Assumptions that black voters will blindly support candidates like Illinois Sen. Barack Obama just because of race are insulting to African-Americans, civil rights activist and political figure the Rev. Al Sharpton said during a visit to Tennessee State University on Tuesday. The 2004 presidential candidate also said he was considering another run in 2008.

At a news conference before his speech on the Nashville campus, Sharpton criticized discussions about whether Obama, D-Illinois, son of a Kenyan immigrant father and white mother, will automatically get black voters' support.

"A lot of people and the media … act like blacks can't think," Sharpton said. "We will support people that stand up for us, no matter what their background, and we will not support those that won't."

Sharpton said he's still considering a presidential bid in 2008 if none of the announced Democratic candidates makes a strong enough stand for social justice issues.

"If no one champions that, I will come into that race late myself," Sharpton said.



http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070214/NEWS01/702140419

[William769]

1. His constant position on Gay marriage

Has already taken him out of the race for me. :grr:

[Nedsdag]

13. I guess you're voting for Giuliani then.

He's pro-gay marriage.

[William769]

14. Don't be such a jerk!

We do have Democrats that are pro Gay marriage. :eyes:

[Nedsdag]

17. I'm not a jerk!

But it's time face the facts. Kucinich isn't going to be the nominee and he's the only Democrat running for Presidnet that I know off hand who is pro-gay marriage.

[William769]

18. Then you need to do some more research.

[Nedsdag]

20. I have done research.

Has Clark come out for gay marriage? No. Has Richardson? No. Chris Dodd has been silent.

I'm waiting for other names please.

[Rottenmac]

2. oh lord

:argh:

Like Obama needs Sharpton talking trash as well as the RW Noise Machine. And if people don't understand that Obama is a better choice than McCain, Romney Giuliani or whomever... they deserve what they get.

I would hope that african americans understand they are better served by a democratic majority, than they were by the last 12 years (and Shrubs' 8 years) of self-serving BS.

[beaconess]

8. Sharpton's not talking trash. He's exactly right

And it's ridiculous and insulting that he's even asked to address such a stupid issue. Nobody's asking Gephardt, another former, losing candidate, whether he thinks that Edwards or Clinton or Vilsak have a lock on the white vote. And I bet we'll never hear him being forced to explain - AGAIN - that white voters will pick their candidates based upon the issues.

[rpannier]

3. Everyone running should 'earn' votes.

I find this fascination on the part of the media with 'blok voting' humorous, bizarre and contemptible.

Because Obama is black every black should automatically vote for him seems to be their reasoning.

By this bizarre logic all white women should vote for Hillary, all Southern white men should be lining up to support Edwards, every Mormon should be voting Romney (even Sen Reid), every american taliban type should vote brownback and every egomaniacal, sociopath should be voting mc cain (likewise, in the last election, every person with a low i.q. should have voted bush)

[BearSquirrel2]

9. The same reasoning should apply to ...

The same reasoning should apply to Al Sharpton. At the same time, Al should wonder if he could possibly deal with people as people as opposed to solely addressing black voters. Poor folks are poor. There are actually MORE poor white poor people then poor black people.

[natrat]

15. but this a patriarachal society filled with people who

have a pre set view of leaders, no?

[Diamonique]

4. Nothing wrong with this.

Obama has said the exact same thing himself.

[bigdarryl]

5. Fat Al is going to support Hillary thats my prediction. Obama has already....

stated on 60 minutes that he has to earn the black vote.

[William769]

11. Does name calling make you feel better?

:eyes:

[beaconess]

6. And this is news, why?

Why shouldn't Obama have to earn black votes? No one thinks it strange that he must earn white votes. Why do people assume that black votes are just going to fall into his lap, as if we're so stupid we'll vote for any black face on the ticket.

Sharpton is right. But why was he even asked such a stupid question?

Shheeesh!

[Eugene]

7. Bluntly put, but it's true.

Black voters won't automatically vote for Obama just for the color of skin.
That is a good thing. We don't expect women voters to automatically support
Hillary because of her gender, do we? Sharpton's point is we should move on
from this kind of talk.

All of the "big three" candidates have strong records with the black community.
No candidate should take black support for granted or write it off.

[OHdem10]

10. The Media are never happy until they create dissension.

They are good at accusing everyone else of politically incorrect,
They talk a good game about wanting the country to come together
but appear often to do everything they can to keep some kind of
misunderstanding.

They gush about Obama, emphasizing the fact that he is not from
the Civil Rights Movement. Not a "Movement" candidate they say
over and over. As a "lily white" person, I get the message
--I do not have to fear him. He is not like that Jesse Jackson
or Al Sharpteon. How crass can they be??? They supposedly
want to help Obama. do they not realize Obama has to have
both White and Black Votes.

[Kahuna]

12. I sent a LTTE to my paper yesterday about the black voters and

Obama issue. I'll post it if it's published. I said in my letter that such speculation is irritating and condescending. I reminded the potential readers that since we've never had to consider a woman or minority candidate we've always only based our vote on who we believe would do the best job if elected. I see no reason to believe that with Hillary and Obama in the race our criteria would be any different. Afterall, we are mostly creatures of habit and will likely make our choices based on the same criteria that we have always used.

[zulchzulu]

16. NAACP rates Obama a mere, tiny 100% on his voting record

Senator Obama supported the interests of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People 100 percent in 2005.

Senator Obama supported the interests of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights 94 percent in 2005.

http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=BS030017

Perhaps 200% would be better proof that he supports the "black vote"...

:think:

[Mass]

19. Obama said the same thing during the 60 Minutes interview.

He said it was racist to think that black people would automatically vote for him.

[IndianaGreen]

21. The same argument can be made about women voters voting for Hillary

because she is a woman.

Despite the bullshit one hears from the MSM, I think the American people are going to vote base on their judgment of a candidate's suitability for the Presidency, not on extraneous issues such as their race, gender, or public religious displays.

[Dean Martin]

23. True, I know several women who won't vote for HRC

They see her as scheming, they see her as power hungry, and they ESPECIALLY detest her for sticking with Bill when he was cheating on her. They saw that too as a power play. Their opinions are Hillary only stuck with Bill because she wanted the power.

[Grandrose]

22. It's all about...divide and conquer!

The Democratic Party should be bragging and crowing
about it's diversity and it's big tent, compared to
the Republics Party.
I find it insulting that African-Americans in 2007 have
to justify or deny our vote. The real questions should
be about...will IT be counted?



:banghead: