2 Key South Carolina black leaders endorse Hillary Clinton

[Herman Munster]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6413691,00.html

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - Two key black political leaders in South Carolina who backed John Edwards in 2004 said Tuesday they are supporting Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's bid the Democratic presidential nomination. State Sens. Robert Ford and Darrell Jackson told The Associated Press they believe Clinton is the only Democrat who can win the presidency. Both said they had been courted by Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, but believe his winning the primary would drag down the rest of the party.

``Then everybody else on the ballot is doomed,'' Ford said. ``Every Democratic candidate running on that ticket would lose because he's black and he's at the top of the ticket - we'd lose the House, the Senate and the governors and everything.'' ``I'm a gambling man. I love Obama,'' Ford said. ``But I'm not going to kill myself.''

Ford said he was swayed by calls from former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton. He said she has solid support in his native Charleston, one of the key regions in the state with a big black Democratic voting population. Jackson, who also is the minister of a large church in the state's capital city, said Edwards - a South Carolina native who won the state's Democratic primary three years ago - had his chance.

``I feel as if he's had his opportunity,'' Jackson said.

[David Dunham]

1. Obama has no established tie to African-Americans in the South

[WI_DEM]

2. Hmm, I wonder how Hillary Clinton at the top of the Democratic Ticket in SC would fare?

It's a shame that Hillary's people have to use the "He's black and he'll lose and cause everybody else to lose" argument. It shows how desperate they are and what a threat they think Obama really is.

[David Dunham]

3. No. Their concern is losing the entire House and Senate nationwide.

[WI_DEM]

6. and what makes them think that would happen?

he's polling as well as anybody. It's a stupid argument. Yes, Hillary Clinton could win South Carolina and pull in tons of democrats but Barack Obama couldn't. Pleeesee!!

[Herman Munster]

5. nothing in that article says Bill and Hillary used that argument

to sway them.

Don't imply otherwise without proof. The state senators were speaking as themselves. Obama shares no cultural ties to the african american community. It's not surprising that they would pick someone who has been there for them for 15 years than a newcomer who shares only the color of their skin.

[WI_DEM]

7. give us some proof that Obama would lose SC and lose congress

and those guys are endorsing Hillary and my guess is that their comments and rationale for endorsing her was discussed by the national campaign. I don't fault their endorsing Hillary but there reasoning is not very good.

[Herman Munster]

8. well no democrat will win south carolina

but this is really simple. We won mostly conservative house districts to take back congress. They are pale pink or purple in voter registration. Most of our candidates who won were more moderate than anything DU would find acceptable.

So you put an inexperienced black candidate with a muslim surname and turn out the racists and those light pink districts flip to red -- THEIR HISTORICAL VOTING PATTERN -- and we get a republican house.

[WI_DEM]

9. Oh well, a black man with a muslim surname--of course now it makes sense.

sarcasm.

And if you put a woman candidate who many Republicans dislike (or hate) and some independents also can't take and put her at the top of the ticket and those GOP lite districts will remain democratic? See, the argument can be made both ways, and I don't buy it either way.

Obama is not some rube with no experience. He has a very accomplished background in working for civil rights in Illinois and state government before being elected to the US Senate. He has more experience than a number of people who have been president.

[China_cat]

4. Ford is considered pretty much a joke here in SC

It was him or the coke dealer from Charleston city council to go to the state office.

If you can ever find a video of him, see if you can understand anything he says.

[Leopolds Ghost]

10. In fairness -- That's NOT the argument Bill and Hillary Clinton used.

The argument Hillary used is money Money MON-EY.......

You'd better believe it.

I mean, come on, we're talking about State Senators-for-life of gerrymandered districts, one of whom happens to be the pastor of the largest church in his district... people like these have sold out the entire civil rights movement for money and power.