Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Leadership change renews concerns that blacks ignored for top Democratic spots
AP | 11/26/02 | JANELLE CARTER

Posted on 11/26/2002 3:54:03 AM PST by kattracks

WASHINGTON (AP) -- As House Democrats pick a new leader for their fund-raising committee, black lawmakers are again protesting about being overlooked for key positions despite delivering millions of votes each year.

Louisiana Rep. William Jefferson has been lobbying to replace Rep. Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., as chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

But Jefferson's prospects of getting the plum assignment are anything but certain since the elevation earlier of this month of Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to House minority leader. The job may go to Rep. Martin Frost, a Texan who challenged Pelosi for the leader's job before dropping out of the race. Frost has chaired the committee twice before.

Pelosi, the first woman to lead the party in either the House or Senate, also approached Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., about taking the job, but he declined, according to a Markey aide.

Jefferson would be the first black to chair the campaign committee. Many black Democrats are clearly frustrated that his appointment is not a done deal.

"It is time for diversity to show its head," said Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, the chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus. All 38 members of the caucus are Democrats. "We want to have input with the Democratic caucus of the House. We get frequently labeled as the base but the base is rarely heard from when it comes to decisions related to the DCCC."

Jefferson declined to comment for this story. According to party sources, he raised $1 million during the last election cycle for the DCCC. Frost raised $4.1 million.

In a letter to Pelosi, the black caucus noted that Jefferson chaired this year's annual fund-raising dinner for the DCCC, which brought in $5.2 million.

"It is critical that the next DCCC chair be a visionary with a proven record of raising money," the letter said. "Congressman Jefferson is that person."

Pelosi's office said no decision has been made on the position and noted that Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolina, who is black, was elected vice chairman of the caucus last week.

"That means that Mr. Clyburn in the future will be looked upon. If there are any more openings he is one of the members who will be looked at to progress," said Cindy Jimenez, a spokeswoman for Pelosi. "That's how you start."

"Just voting for someone to be in the vice chair is a vote of confidence with this group that they are significant and we are empowering them and we want them to be in our leadership," Jimenez said. "I think it sends a very strong message."

Nonetheless, complaints remain that there have been too few blacks in leadership jobs within the Democratic Party.

Former Rep. Bill Gray of Pennsylvania became the No. 2 Democrat in 1989 before retiring two years later. The late Ron Brown in 1989 became the first black to chair the Democratic National Committee.

Some blacks were angered last year when party leaders pushed Terry McAuliffe to head the Democratic National Committee over Maynard Jackson, a former Atlanta mayor who is black.

Meanwhile, Republicans prominently featured Rep. J.C. Watts, who is retiring this year after serving as chairman of the Republican Conference, the No. 4 position in the House GOP leadership.

Ron Walters, a political science professor at the University of Maryland, said black Democrats are right to complain.

"You've got to think about the fact that everybody acknowledges how critical the black vote is to the Democratic Party. Then, when it comes to showing them how critical they are by giving them top positions, they don't do it," Walters said.

But Walters also blamed black politicians.

"They've got to do a better job of leveraging black voting power," Walters said. "You have to shake things up to get what you want."

Johnson said: "It's like anything else. We end up seeing the same faces in leadership. There's nothing wrong with those leaders but it is indeed time to try someone else's talent."

----

On the Net:

Congressional Black Caucus: http://www.house.gov/ebjohnson/cbcmain.htm

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee: http://www.americashouse.org/

Copyright 2002 Associated Press. All rights reserved.


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: dontgetuppity; liberalplantation
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-27 next last

1 posted on 11/26/2002 3:54:03 AM PST by kattracks
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: kattracks
Its a White Woman's And Man's Democratic Party. The blacks are the waiters, maids, busboys, and sharecroppers on the Liberal Plantation and their lot ain't gonna be improved any time soon. Welcome to the Democratic Party Meets The Twilight Zone.
2 posted on 11/26/2002 3:59:10 AM PST by goldstategop
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rdb3; Khepera; elwoodp; MAKnight; condolinda; mafree; Trueblackman; FRlurker; Teacher317; ...
Black conservative ping

If you want on (or off) of my black conservative ping list, please let me know via FREEPmail. (And no, you don't have to be black to be on the list!)

Extra warning: this is a high-volume ping list.

3 posted on 11/26/2002 4:03:00 AM PST by mhking
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: goldstategop
It is time for diversity to show its head,"...there are going to be riots soon, the blacks have found out the truth about the democRATS.
4 posted on 11/26/2002 4:04:22 AM PST by RWG
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: kattracks
Personally I can only breath a sigh of relief that the rats are too stupid to recognize just how formidable an opponent Ford would be. He's such a smoothie. His rhetoric melts on your mind, not in your hands. Still he's a lefty through and through.

We'd best hope the rats keep true to their creed and keep him down.

Then again, if he ever wants to be recognized as a man and not a minority, he could convert and be welcome with the Pubbies.

5 posted on 11/26/2002 4:09:24 AM PST by Caipirabob
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kattracks
The NY primary was a great example. The Clintons wanted Andy Cuomo.

But he fell on his face so they endorsed McCall... but gave him no money.

You see, Cuomo would have been a Clinton water-boy, McCall wasn't that compliant.

Sure, McCall was a lib, but he wouldn't dance for them.

6 posted on 11/26/2002 4:18:29 AM PST by johnny7
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RWG
How bizzar is it that so many years after achieving MLK's goal that the Dem's still see blacks as the underclass, not to be trusted with top positions in the leadership? And isn't it equally sad that prominent blacks stand by quietly while Colon Powell and Condi are called house slaves by their own?

7 posted on 11/26/2002 4:19:11 AM PST by wingnuts'nbolts
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: kattracks
Shut up and don't forget to vote. That's the dem message to black Americans.
8 posted on 11/26/2002 4:43:09 AM PST by OldFriend
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: wingnuts'nbolts
The Dems show once again that they only need blacks at election time.

And isn't it equally sad that prominent blacks stand by quietly while Colon Powell and Condi are called house slaves by their own?

In light of the DemocRATS failure to place any blacks in positions of power these "prominent blacks", by not objecting, and continuing to support the Dems, have become the modern day house slaves.

9 posted on 11/26/2002 4:51:36 AM PST by kattracks
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: kattracks
Through their propensity to constantly paint blacks as victims, and their need to believe their own lies, they cannot possibly see blacks as their equals.
10 posted on 11/26/2002 5:04:14 AM PST by wayoverontheright
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: wayoverontheright
In their minds blacks can no nothing good without their help.
11 posted on 11/26/2002 5:05:23 AM PST by goldstategop
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: kattracks

PAGING MR. BELAFONTE! REALITY CHECK FOR MR. BELAFONTE!

12 posted on 11/26/2002 5:08:40 AM PST by martin_fierro
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kattracks
"They've got to do a better job of leveraging black voting power,"

This is the catch-22 they have built for themselves: in order to leverage their voting power, they would have to make a credible threat to vote for the GOP. The black leadership has invested too much political capital in preserving Great Society debacles and opposing reforms. To advocate for more conservative (and in my opinion, empowering) legislation, the black leadership would jeopardize their own positions of quasi-power. So they are completely castrated politically.

Who looks like the house slaves now?

13 posted on 11/26/2002 5:10:54 AM PST by Mr. Bird
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kattracks
They used all of these words of chatter just to say that W J Clinton is being ignored.
14 posted on 11/26/2002 5:27:30 AM PST by TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kattracks
There are no qualified blacks to take Democrat leadership roles.

All the Black Democrats are so tightly focused on being Black they can't enlarge their field of view to include issues ouitside of their own Black Caucus.

Leadership requires the ability to see the big picture.

15 posted on 11/26/2002 5:34:54 AM PST by bert
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kattracks
The race issue is where I decided how evil, Democrats really were. The only thing that I can come close to using as an analogy is the old bait and switch con artist game.
They are willing to ruin millions of lives in order to retain power. They are as racist and any KKK member, the only difference is that the KKK is honest about their personal beliefs while the Democrats are not.

Take these two statements.

KKK- we believe that blaxk people are not as smart as white people and therefore should not have the same rights as white people.

Democratic party - blaxk people need special rights in order to make it because they are not as smart as white people.


Essentially they are the same message, aren't they.
16 posted on 11/26/2002 5:44:57 AM PST by ODDITHER
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kattracks
In light of the DemocRATS failure to place any blacks in positions of power these "prominent blacks", by not objecting, and continuing to support the Dems, have become the modern day house slaves.

Good point. It seems that so often when blacks aspire to leadership roles in the DEM party, they get the message, "sit in the back of the bus". And amazingly, they comply with little more than whimpers.

Members of the black caucus have such radical leftist views, having them as front people for the party would be problematic--akin to a GOP promotion of someone like David Duke. A seemingly more moderate person like Ford could be attractive, but I think the DEM power structure is afraid of him. He doesn't seem to be a kool-ade drinker like Ron Brown, for example.

17 posted on 11/26/2002 6:06:27 AM PST by randita
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: kattracks
Since I'm not a demoncrat, I'm sure thay could care less what I think, but Frost is the man for the job.

Of course, appointing Frost will lead to speculation of a widening conflict between jews and blacks

18 posted on 11/26/2002 6:36:47 AM PST by Ben Ficklin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: mhking
When will the Congressional Black Caucus and their supporters wake up?
19 posted on 11/26/2002 9:51:06 AM PST by mafree
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: mafree; rdb3
When will the Congressional Black Caucus and their supporters wake up?

I think they like getting slapped around while they drink their Kool-Aid. We've got a better shot with the black electorate than we do with the overseers...

20 posted on 11/26/2002 9:54:07 AM PST by mhking
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-27 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson