Cynthia Tucker: McKinney's fringe beliefs repel voters

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | 8.24/2002 | Cynthia Tucker

[Antmatic]

Though I don't live in the 4th Congressional District, I am nevertheless heartened by Denise Majette's defeat of the increasingly marginalized Cynthia McKinney. McKinney was a poor representative of a district that is home to a large enclave of economically successful, mainstream African-American voters.

Those voters are patriotic, moderate (if left-leaning) and concerned about the same issues that concern their white counterparts: good schools, safe streets and getting their children on a winning soccer/swim/Little League team. They don't share McKinney's fringe beliefs.

Indeed, few black Americans share the beliefs of McKinney or the controversial political figures who came south to campaign for her, including the incendiary Louis Farrakhan and even the self-promoting Jesse Jackson. They no longer constitute the core of the black political leadership class.

Instead, a new generation of black political leaders -- moderate, pragmatic consensus-builders -- is coming to the fore. They include politicians such as former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk, now running for the U.S. Senate from Texas; Georgia Secretary of Labor Michael Thurmond; U.S. Rep. Harold Ford of Tennessee; U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop of Georgia; Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin. And, of course, Majette.

Jackson and his cohort came out of the civil rights movement, with its protest marches and (in the latter years) confrontational rhetoric. Those tactics were courageous and necessary to secure the rights of a race of people who were deliberately locked out of the mainstream.

But the same tactics are less useful, even counterproductive, these days. Because so many black Americans have joined the great mainstream, it is much harder for us to rail against it with any credibility.

And that's good news. It is due to the overwhelming success of the civil rights movement that black Americans can move beyond the old ways. While racism lingers, it is a shadow of its former self.

McKinney should have been a member of that new class of politicians. A child of the civil rights movement, she attended integrated schools and sends her son to one of Atlanta's tony private academies. She is bright and well-educated. But she has turned increasingly toward the tired rhetoric of the 1960s, replete with charges of racism and a belief in dark government conspiracies.

Majette, by contrast, is black like me. She is earnest -- perhaps a little boring. She supports affirmative action, but she doesn't see racist conspiracies everywhere she turns.

Although educated at Yale and Duke, she will have a sharp learning curve if she gets to Congress. (She has GOP opposition.) But since she is studious, even a bit nerdy, she will get the hang of it.

McKinney tried to paint Majette as an Uncle Tom, a tool of the white establishment, not "black enough." But that old canard no longer works.

With African-Americans in the board room as well as on the basketball court, the new black middle class doesn't accept the old labels about what it means to be "black."

Majette and I will probably disagree on some issues (in fact, I'd bet on it). But I don't expect her to embarrass her constituents with loony theories about the roots of terrorism or apologies to a Saudi prince.

Nor do I believe that she will expect some sort of misplaced race loyalty from me. I can't imagine that she will ever tell me I'm not "black enough" if I sometimes criticize her policies and positions.

That was the old way. But that era, happily, is fading fast.

[Antmatic]

It is very interesting to watch the transformation of Cynthia Tucker from a diehard toe the line liberal to a left leaning moderate on many issues. I wonder why this is occuring?

The AJC, a previously very liberal paper, was (and is) extremely anti-McKinney. Interesting.

[section9]

This woman would change her tone in a heartbeat if a black Conservative Republican were running.

Cynthia Tucker is not a moderate lefty.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[steve50]

Looks to me like outside money and cross over voters were what got McKinney. Looks like this is a tactic that is going to increase in the future, in both parties.

[wretchard]

"It is very interesting to watch the transformation of Cynthia Tucker from a diehard toe the line liberal to a left leaning moderate..."

It must be terrifying for Democrats to watch their patented script tanking before the very audience they expected to enchant. They were the last to believe what they publicly espoused without conviction: that black people have brains just like anyone else. Just as poor white folk are eventually insulted by people who persist in treating them like rubes and patronizing them with hee-haw jokes, black people with jobs and a measure of education don't find clowns like Farrakhan, Jackson or Sharpton funny any more.

The sixties are over. It's just that they don't know it yet.

[cerberus]

This woman would change her tone in a heartbeat if a black Conservative Republican were running.

I'm sure you're right about that, but I will give credit where it is due. Even if these are rare instances, an occasional voice of reason from Ms Tucker can't hurt at all.

[blam]

"It is very interesting to watch the transformation of Cynthia Tucker from a diehard toe the line liberal to a left leaning moderate on many issues. I wonder why this is occuring?"

I've noticed this also. On occassion though, she still has a racist article or two within easy reach.

[goldstategop]

Cynthia Tucker IS a liberal. But like most middle class blacks she's embarrassed by her namesake (first name) McKinney and her 60s confrontational in your face style of self-promoting politics. Very few blacks in the mainstream share the race baiting passions of Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson's incessant grandstanding or Chicken Lou Little's scorched earth hatred of whites. They know they've made it and rocking the boat could erase all their hard-won gains. The early civil rights movement had to challenge the establishment both because it was fighting for a moral cause and it had nothing (blacks didn't have any rights in those days) to lose. Today blacks have secured their rights and have become a part of mainstream America and while there is still racism, its a shadow of its former self. In fact, I would hazard a guess there's more racism today among some blacks than among most whites. The defeat of Jihad Cindy is very good news for America in that people of all races are tired of the old, divisive debates and want to build a country with a better quality of life for every one. Denise Majette and the new generation of black leaders know that reparations is an issue that will only serve to divide the country at time when it needs national unity. Yes, there are prominent black holdovers of the 60s who will still try to keep the pot of racial resentments simmering but they're increasingly irrelevant to the future. Even Tucker concedes that while the old dogs of the civil rights establishment will bark loudly every now and then, the national caravan has left them behind.

[where's_the_Outrage?]

Instead, a new generation of black political leaders -- moderate, pragmatic consensus-builders -- is coming to the fore

Interesting that other names weren't added such as Colin Powell, J.C Watts, Clarance Thomas, or Condoleezza Rice.

But that would mean giving credit to the dreaded GOP.

[11th Earl of Mar]

Majette, by contrast, is black like me. She is earnest -- perhaps a little boring. She supports affirmative action, but she doesn't see racist conspiracies everywhere she turns.

Tucker sounds pretty moderate, until one recalls the venom she spews at Clarence Thomas.

[Antmatic]

Though Clarence Thomas and J.C. Watts are good men, and I agree with what most of what they say, they cannot be described as "moderates."

[GailA]

harold ford jr is NOT a centrist he is a FLAMING SOCIALIST who knows how to watch his mouth shut in interviews. He is a klintoon butt kisser deluxe.

[peteram]

Yes, there are prominent black holdovers of the 60s who will still try to keep the pot of racial resentments simmering but they're increasingly irrelevant to the future.

Agreed! It appears that more and more Black Americans are seeing this for what it really is - an effort for the "old" leadership to keep them in oppression. As more Black Americans rise to higher levels of achievement, Jesse, Al, and Calypso Louie lose their consitiuent base. And that would indeed render them irrelevant.

Therefore - keep the flames of racism burning, keep the "brothers" angry. It keeps them in business. Well, as we have heard from that Reparations rally last week - THEY are the ones sounding racist. And I believe that even clear thinking Blacks are realizing this.

I think more Blacks in America are beginning to see that the "enemy" is not the government - but their own "leadership" and they are looking to change who speaks for them.

[Illbay]

"Who is this woman and what has she done with the real Cynthia Tucker?"

[Illbay]

Definition of a "hard-Leftie": Someone who will do anything including the use of high-explosives to steal votes, intimidate the populace and make **** sure Democrats win, no matter what.

Definition of a "moderate-Leftie": Someone who will do anything just short of the use of high-explosives to steal votes, intimidate the populace and make **** sure Democrats win, no matter what.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Cyndy Tucker still doesn't get it. Hyphenated Americans are the remains of the "new Left." The sooner they're gone, the better.

[liberallarry]

The sixties are over

Right. I had a great time at it...but I won't resort to a wig and plastic surgery.

[Guillermo]

It seems that much of the Atlanta media establishment was against McKinney.

Democrats provided the victory, Republicans provided the embarassment.

[Guillermo]

I disagree. Read my above post.

Analysis shows more Democrats voted for Majette.

[Guillermo]

Tucker, it would seem, has undergone quite a change since 9-11.

[peteram]

True - I like to think of us all as Americans. Period.