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Posted on 01/17/2003 1:29:02 PM PST by Froggie
Eyes on the presidency Moseley-Braun encouraged to run for White House
By Jeff Zeleny Washington Bureau Published January 17, 2003
WASHINGTON -- In a phone call Thursday, former Sen. Carol Moseley-Braun of Illinois told Democratic Party Chairman Terry McAuliffe she is taking her eye off another Senate bid so she can focus on a bigger prize: exploring a run for president.
Leading Democrats here said they were not discouraging the ambitious move because the party must improve its appeal to African-Americans and women. A national campaign by Moseley-Braun also could dilute the presidential candidacy of civil rights activist Al Sharpton, whom many party officials view as a wild card.
"The Democratic Party is running on the same tank of gas we had in 1992. We have not broadened the electorate," said Donna Brazile, a party official who managed Al Gore's campaign in 2000. "She could excite the Democratic base in ways that it has not been excited."
As the field of 2004 presidential hopefuls takes shape one year before the primaries, party leaders in Washington are concerned that their candidates may not energize African-American voters, who comprise a large share of the Democratic core. Not since Jesse Jackson sought the nomination in 1988 and Bill Clinton was elected in 1992, party officials said, have Democrats aggressively reached out to recruit and organize minority voters.
"To have a prominent African-American female out there making the case for the party would be great," said McAuliffe, who is scheduled to meet with Moseley-Braun on Jan. 27 to discuss her plans. "The more candidates the merrier."
Although Moseley-Braun was dogged by ethics scandals and ultimately defeated six years after becoming the first black female senator in U.S. history, several leading Democrats have encouraged her to launch a presidential campaign. Even if her candidacy failed, officials said, they believe she could raise valid issues and stir unmotivated voters in a Democratic primary with no obvious front-runner.
"I don't find it a ridiculous notion," said Minyon Moore, the former chief operating officer at the Democratic National Committee, who has talked with Moseley-Braun about her future. "When people are being fair to Carol, they know how smart she is."
Although Sharpton has never held public office, his prospective candidacy is worrisome to many Democratic officials because of his reputation as a loose cannon. Brazile and other party leaders are considering finding other African-Americans to challenge Sharpton so he wouldn't be the only candidate directly targeting black voters in the early primary states of South Carolina and Michigan.
In fact, Moseley-Braun could become one of several African-American candidates recruited as "favorite son" or "favorite daughter" candidates. Brazile has raised the idea of finding candidates who have strong regional followings, such as Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, former New Orleans Mayor Marc Morial and Rep. Harold Ford of Tennessee.
A spokeswoman for Sharpton could not be reached for comment.
Moseley-Braun appears to be among the first of these politicians taking steps to explore a candidacy. She told associates this week that she had given up plans to run for her former Senate seat, now held by Republican Sen. Peter Fitzgerald, in favor of exploring a national campaign.
Moseley-Braun, who declined interview requests, is expected to disclose her decision regarding the Senate seat Friday. She will announce other political plans later, but she asked McAuliffe to keep the door open for her to join Democratic candidates at a forum next month in Washington.
During her Senate term ending in 1998, Moseley-Braun was besieged by controversy over her travel to Nigeria and over campaign spending. The questions prompted a Federal Election Commission audit of her 1992 campaign.
Memorable Senate speech
"Obviously, Richard Nixon tells us that it is possible to have a second act in politics," said Kent Redfield, a professor of political science at the University of Illinois at Springfield. "She came in as the first African-American woman elected to the Senate, but the prevailing opinion was that she had really squandered all of the advantages and all of the opportunities."
Moseley-Braun also is remembered for delivering an impassioned speech on the Senate floor about the Confederate flag only seven months into her term. Her eloquent oration persuaded the Senate to reverse its approval of an emblem for the United Daughters of the Confederacy containing the flag and embarrassed Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.), who had sponsored the initiative.
After leaving the Senate, Moseley-Braun was appointed by Clinton as ambassador to New Zealand.
The ethics complaints, which contributed to her short Senate career, are etched deeply in her legacy. Still, several Democrats said Thursday that Moseley-Braun could overcome her past.
"She was new to the game," Brazile said. "When you don't understand the rules, you don't know how to play."
Indeed, Moseley-Braun once acknowledged in an interview that she had never fully appreciated the responsibility of being the first African-American woman elected to the Senate. She regretted, for example, that she went on vacation after she was elected rather than touring the state to thank supporters.
"It was incumbent on me to be more aware," she said in 1997. "I should have been more conscious of that. I made a mistake."
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
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Huh????? I'm just too old. The world has gotten too weird for me.
In the Democratic Party of the Clinton era, candidates are expected to have ethics troubles. Any that didn't wouldn't be considered qualified to be Democrats.
They've only recruited unorganized minority voters.
She was a grown-up, wasn't she? There is no "learning curve" to being honest. You do it, or do it not.
But wait! What if Hillary runs? Then since Lieberman is a Jew and a minority shouldn't Hillary stand aside if Lieberman gets within 10 pts. of her?
Maybe the Democrats should have some kind of presidential candidate affirmative action spreadsheet so we can get this all straight?
Hey. What if a black-Jewish-gay-transgender runs for the Democratic nomination? Do they get a 40 pt. "handicapp". Speaking of handicapped people. What if.......
Sorry, Pal!
And neither are the Republicans. (hehehehe)
Two possible explanations for this:
A) She took a look and found out that her chances of winning a senate race hover between zilch-point-squat and none. Or
B) She's trying to shake down Terry for some seed money for her campaign.
My guess is a tie between Moseley-Braun and Sistah Sheila. I don't know; there's that dim-wit in Georgia.
No worse than Bill Clinton with Al Gore as a running mate.
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