CNN's Anderson Cooper and Soledad O'Brien Slant Black Superdelegate Coverage

Jack Turner/Baratunde laid it down already here: CNN Does Disservice To Black Bloggers And JJP Specifically. I'll just add my own 2 cents. I too found it interesting that CNN who has reached out to Jack and Jill Politics in the past chose to use the voices of the poor beleaguered black superdelegates without the voices of anyone from Color of Change or anyone from JJP to explain our campaign. Our emails are on the left and Baratunde has already been on CNN before, hey. Flashing our blog on a screen isn't the same thing. That's a disrespectful drive-by.

We have consistently supported here at JJP the concept of democracy and representation of our concerns by elected black people. It's up to the people of Massachusetts to speak back to the Kennedys if they don't like their representative choices. We ain't worried about them. We concern ourselves here with the use of recently acquired African-American power to improve the lives of African-American people. We need black leaders to know that we are holding them accountable and that unrepresentative, self-serving backroom deals are unacceptable.

Here are the posts I've written in support of Color of Change's position:

Politico Article Attacks Color of Change
February 29

Call on Black Superdelegates to Do the Right Thing
February 21

I find it interesting that well over a month later, CNN is bringing this effort to everyone's attention. My question: Is there discussion within the CBC of moving allegiances from the race-baiting can't win side to the momentum candidate who also happens to be a CBC Member? I wonder if we will be hearing soon of more African-American Members of Congress becoming superdelegates for Obama. Is this CNN story and its slant designed to provide some coverage to those who feel pressured through personal ties (rather than their constituents' votes) to remain aligned with the Clintons? Whassup.

Here's the text of the Color of Change petition which I have signed and which is respectful in its urgency. Please join me and sign on. Thanks if you are one of the thousands who have already done so. Let's send a powerful message.

Dear Congressional Black Caucus Member,

Over the last several weeks, voters in CBC districts have spoken with clarity about their choice for President—they overwhelmingly support Barack Obama. But the clear mandate they've laid down is threatened by those in your ranks who as superdelegates may break away from their constituents to vote for Hillary Clinton.

The Congressional Black Caucus has worked hard to protect the political voice of Black Americans. You took the lead in 2000 and 2004, insisting that all votes be counted and that they count. Using your status as a superdelegate in 2008 to undermine the people's will would be a tragic reversal.

I'm writing to ask that you use your power as a superdelegate to amplify the voice of the informed, engaged, and diverse electorate in your district and across Black America, not silence it. I urge you to make it clear that as a superdelegate, you will support the voters' will.

We deserve elections determined by the electorate, not by insiders. And we need you to stand with us, as we speak in a strong voice about who we wish to see as the Democratic nominee.

Sincerely,

[Your name]

Fresh Meat - Writer Says Clinton Betrayed By Blacks, Can't Trust Them

hat tip to JJP community member Nonie. She spotted this in her hometown paper

Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton should be leery of ever trusting the word of another black person, especially the word of elected officials, celebrities and other elites. She most certainly should never again trust the word of black preachers.

Too many blacks have betrayed Clinton. They have been disloyal. They have lied to her, many to her face.

I don't expect anything constructive by posting this. This blog post is basically me pointing to an accident at the side of the road. Gawk for a moment, and move on.

She's Baaaaack. Stephanie Tubbs Jones On Ferraro (video)

Stephanie Tubbs Jones provides for hours of entertainment. If she weren't so embarrassing, I'd kick back with some popcorn and just enjoy the show. Hat tip to ColorOfChange for letting me know about her MSNBC appearance, and of course, RedLasso for the ability to clip it.

Here goes:

My observations:

• Seems to be the first time I've heard STJ come out strongly against the racial bullshit flowing freely from the Clinton campaign. Could she be getting the message that her own shameless defense of HRC offenses is unacceptable. Watch how she puts up the shield of "we at the CBC..."
  
• I'm still annoyed at her and others who try to paint the ugliness of the Democratic primary as some sort of 50/50 guilt to be split between Obama and Clinton. By far, the Obama campaign has taken a much higher road. Her calls "inviting the Obama campaign" to move along with her seem disingenuous and factually off. "Both sides" have not been equally divisive and destructive here
• She's out of touch, claiming that all Dems will magically come back together in November despite what we've seen thusfar.

Finally, I just don't like her. She's been wrong so many times and just plain irritating to watch and listen to. Watching her is like picking your nose. It's nasty and wrong, but you just can't help it, and you know you want to look!

WaPo on Color of Change vs Rep. Stephanie Tubbs-Jones and the CBC

Shailagh Murray over at the Washington Post wrote a smarter version of this Politico story on Color of Change's petition to ask superdelegates to vote with their constituents called For Black Superdelegates, Pressure to Back Obama.

Here's an excerpt:

Tubbs Jones is pushing back hard against the kind of pressure that has come down on Rep. John Lewis (Ga.) and other black Democratic superdelegates who are being pressed to back Obama's candidacy.

"I say shame on anyone who's engaged in that conduct, to put that kind of pressure on John Lewis," Tubbs Jones said. "I'm not trying to be a martyr. I think Senator Clinton is the best candidate. And the beauty of the United States of America is you have the right to have your opinion, and I have the right to my opinion."

Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones's district is in the Cleveland area. So she hasn't had to choose yet between her own personal preference and those of her district. It will be interesting to see what she has to say after March 4.

Frankly, I find the paternalism/maternalism of certain Congressional Black Caucus members such as Tubbs Jones to be astonishing. Going back to the Politico article (emphasis mine):

Rep. Gregory W. Meeks (D-N.Y.), a Black Caucus member, said he is still “very strong” for Clinton even in the wake of Lewis’s turnaround. He was unmoved by discord in his Queens district, which backed Obama in the New York primary.

“Some people threw out flyers. That doesn’t faze me at all. If someone wants to run against me, that’s democracy,” he said. “Sen. Obama is a very inspirational person. People in the district are proud. I’m proud. You can’t not be proud being an African-American… But I have to do overall what’s in the best interests of my district.”

So in essence what we are being told is that Mother or Father Knows Best and that even if the majority of their district supports one candidate, your CBC Member Knows Best and will Vote For You. The Way You Should Have Voted. If You Simple Negroes Whose Heads Got Turned by That Slick-Talking Barack Obama Exercised The Good Sense That God Gave Ya.

Or somesuch crotchety old nonsense like that. That's not leadership and that's not democracy. What Color of Change and over 18,000 of their supporters who have signed their petition are saying is -- please represent your constituents. They are not the only ones with a petition either. If your constituents mostly backed Clinton, then by all means, vote for Clinton. All CBC members will have had a chance to vote for their preferred candidate privately in their home states at the very same time the rest of us voted in the primaries. To assert that they plan to use their privileged second opportunity to vote in Denver over the wishes of their districts, the people who made that privilege possible? That's arrogance of the highest order. And very disappointing given what we saw during the 2000 election when the popular vote failed to hold sway. Or have we all forgotten about that?

If you'd like to keep track of how your CBC Member is planning to vote, take a look here at the 2008 Democratic Convention Watch Superdelegate List.

Black on Black -- Obama and the Somali Elder Outfit

What really gets me about the Clinton campaign's release of Barack Obama dressed as a Somali (which is meant to terrify Americans with visions of towelheaded terrorists running the country, I assume) is that another black person, Maggie Williams, would be involved. If the Clinton campaign is behind it. Maggie Williams as you might recall Hillary Clinton's new campaign manager and therefore the buck stops with her with any racist, hate-filled stereotyping aimed at a fellow person of color. She should go down in the HNIC Hall of Fame for this one which if it can be lain at her door which threatens to take race relations backwards about 10 years or so.

Doesn't look like it's had much effect so far but something tells me that if Obama gets the nomination that we might not see the last of this and other photos from Africa. The GOP apparently has actually been conducting tests for exactly what the boundaries of racist (and sexist) political messaging might be. Ugh.

But where are other black leaders in speaking out against this black on black smear?

JJP reader Talented Tenth puts it best, I think:

I just saw the