McClatchy Newspapers: Will black voters stay home if Obama loses nomination?

[laststeamtrain]

Will black voters stay home if Obama loses nomination?
David Lightman and William Douglas | McClatchy Newspapers

last updated: May 01, 2008 05:56:37 PM

INDIANAPOLIS — Many black voters are making it very clear: They're concerned that Barack Obama is going to be denied the Democratic presidential nomination that they see as rightfully his, and if that happens, a lot of them may stay home in November.

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Feelings are similar elsewhere. Former Rep. Floyd Flake, D-N.Y., an African Methodist Episcopal church pastor and president of a private black college in Ohio, said he constantly hears the angst of African-American and young voters about Obama's fortunes.

"If he doesn't get it, there will be a response," Flake said. "The young people will not be showing up to vote for Hillary Clinton if she gets it. I think given the turnout coming from young people and African-Americans (for Obama), I don't think they will go to the polls if she is the candidate."

But Jerry Mondesire, the president of the Philadelphia chapter of the NAACP and publisher of The Philadelphia Sunday Sun, an African-American weekly newspaper, said it's foolish for any Democrat to refuse to vote if his or her candidate isn't the nominee.

"It's a stupid way for Obama supporters to think and a stupid way for Hillary Clinton supporters to think," said Mondesire, a pledged Clinton delegate. "It's a selfish and destructive way to think. I can't think of what the Supreme Court would look like if McCain were elected. Roe v. Wade could be diminished, and Brown v. Board of Education could be impacted."

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http://www.mcclatchydc.com/227/story/35516.html

[LakeSamish706]

1. Once again, it is not only Black voters that will stay home I see a very large...

number of whites not voting for a Hillary Clinton at this point as well. Reality is at this point, the only way Clinton can win is if she steals the nomination....

[movonne]

2. And all the new young groups that Obama has brought out..I think

they are looking for change...the better educated the less racist...

[goldcanyonaz]

19. Really? Both sides are screwed w/o the other on the ticket.

many will write Hillary in, and many will do the same with Obama.

[sponge bob]

3. Polls don't agree with this assumption

Clinton leads McCain in most polls right now, which means that blacks are willing to vote.

[totodeinhere]

8. No, because the nomination has not been stolen from Obama yet.

As long as that doesn't happen, everything is cool. If Clinton wins every remaining primary in a landslide and ekes out a pledged delegate victory against Obama, then of course his supporters would be disappointed but they would accept the result. But if Obama wins the pledged delegate race and the supers overturn that result, then all hell will break loose.

[aquart]

16. Talk about entitlement!

What bloody frigging nerve!

[aquart]

17. So, not able to win fairly, Obama resorts to blackmail.

Well, isn't he a peach.

[wanpete]

10. simply inaccurate. that is not the sentiment that prevails. blacks will not be marginalized and

taken for granted this election. it may make some feel better to think this, but it is simply and plainly not the case. not this time.

[sponge bob]

11. Whatever blacks plan to do, it's not affecting Hillary's GE chances

according to the polls I mentioned.

[wanpete]

15. let's hope we don't have to find out. but this I can guarantee you, it WILL affect her chances

in the GE.

[Window]

12. Don't bet on it.

[totodeinhere]

4. IMO this is the main reason why the supers will not overturn the pledged delegates result.

They cannot afford to alienate the party's most reliable and loyal constituency.

[galaxy21]

5. If the democrat party embrace racism by denying it to Obama

then they're basically the same as the republicans anyway. Only pro choice.

[MrSlayer]

6. Some will. But it's who will come out in force against Hillary that is the problem.

The disgusted Republicans who would have stayed home or crossed over in protest of McCain come back hard against Hillary, the Independents go to McCain and all the new registrations for Obama stay home instead. We lose. Obama is our only chance. We can afford to lose the hardcore racists, we can't afford the massive swing the other way.

[Coexist]

7. and I think SDs are smart enough to know that the party needs the millenials

as well as the AA base. The future of our party is firmly in the Obama camp.

[aquart]

18. God help us all then.

And I'm pretty sure you are not entitled to speak for any "AA."

[jaksavage]

9. That is a bigger hit

Than the blu collar racists who tend to trend repuke anyway.

[Nedsdag]

13. Jerry Mondesire is living in a dream world.

He truly believes Obama's African American supporters will forgive AND forget?

In the words of Madame Hillary's husband, that's the biggest fairy tale I've ever head.

[GoldieAZ49]

14. Whatever

:shrug: