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Former mayoral candidate US. Rep Danny Davis (D-Ill) has criticized the Clinton visit, making it clear that by supporting Emanuel in this race, he risks jeopardizing his relationship with the African American community. Moseley Braun has the support of the majority of the African American community in Chicago. She and Davis, along with others, got together recently with Rev. Jesse Jackson to decide on a consensus black candidate for mayor.
Clinton spoke for 20 minutes at Emanuel's $250,000 closed-door fundraiser. He talked about how Emanuel has had the courage to make tough decisions. Other candidates held press conferences right before Clinton's arrival to take attention away from the fundraiser. Moseley Braun described Clinton as "an outsider coming to town to support another outsider." But even she relied on Hillary Clinton to campaign for her in Chicago when she ran for Senate re-election in 1998. She was also appointed a U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand by Bill Clinton.
By abandoning steadfast loyalty from the black community to show support for Emanuel, Clinton reminds all of us that he typically cheers for the team that's winning. Also, the broader liberal Democratic agenda almost always trumps the black agenda, whether we are talking about Clinton's support for Emanuel or the Obama administration's continued reluctance to specifically address horrific levels of black unemployment. Although black America can be very loyal to chosen political leaders, we can still end up at the back of the bus when it's time for those leaders to serve us. Those who once considered Clinton to be "the first black president" must now confront the reality that his support of African Americans is a matter of convenience, and that his willingness to make political sacrifices on behalf of African Americans is limited. The same is true for nearly any figurehead of the Democratic Party.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce's commentary delivered to your e-mail, please click here. 
Comments: (25)
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By: jeromequigley on 1/19/2011 10:40AM
Now let me get this right...Because Bill Clinton is not back the "black" candidate that means he no longer supports blacks in general?? Now to me it would seem that what the issue should be is who is the best person for the job, despite what color they are!! And to say just because he does not support Carole Mosley Braun that he does not support "blacks" sounds pretty racist to me?? Just because she, Jessie and Davis got together and Declared her the "black peepz leader" does not mean that she is. You make it sound like the peepz of that city are going to vote and support her whether the like her, think she is best for the job, etc Just because she is Black! Now that sounds a bit racist and very assuming of what "all blacks" of the city think, feel and are going to do! Who the heck are You Dr W and the rest of them to say what blacks in the Chicago area think and want???? And Bill Clinton is in no risk of losing anything from this the way I see it. You want to dismiss him for an opinion that he has that Rahm Emanuel is the best Person for the job! Like that will make all the good work he has done on a consistant basis is now all forgotten because of this view?? I swear there are some Big Ego trips going all around in your head and those in chicago that are trying to slam him for his support!! You really need to sit back and reflect on the things that you are saying Dr W before you go rifling them off!! Man, if those race roles were reversed you would be up in arms about the peepz and officials of Chicago being Klan like for trying to elect an official just because they were white and not because they were the best!! Am I wrong??? You, Jesse and the rest of those candidates need to bring your ego's in check and stop acting like you speak for all blacks in chicago, because in case you are not aware of this....YOU DON'T!!! Blacks of this country are as free thinking and diverse as any other race here! They pick and choose who they want based on their beliefs and of the qualifications of the candidate, NOT JUST BECAUSE THEIR BLACK!!! Man you really do have some gail to ASSume the things you do!! Time to step back from the rat race Dr W because your brain is getting more warped every day!!
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By: SAY WHAT! on 1/21/2011 6:34PM
Man, at the risk of sounding like an idiot, I'm only gonna vote for blacks even if I don't agree with their political views.
Further I'm only gonna vote for blacks endorsed by other blacks just to make sure there aint no games being played.
And even FURTHER I'm gonna keep my head WAY up my ass so when I open my eyes it will be nice and dark, JUST the way I like it!
Also Hispanics like this dude should not be running for ANY office or applying for ANY jobs because THEY AINT BLACK!
And FINALLY, because Mr Watkins makes it very clear regarding Obama's agenda, NOBODY should vote Obama EVER again because he does not always endorse Blacks. Heck he's only Half Black anyway.
Thank you B.W for pointing out the fact Obama is not a racist. How can we as Blacks ever support somebody who has a warped way of thinking like that. Unless he makes changes to close his mind, we should not support him EVER!
In closing, even though Bill Clinton is white I gotta give him props for playing the sax on the Arsenio Hall show because it was the ONLY time the show had anything good on it.
Blow Billy Blow!
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By: AL on 1/21/2011 8:37PM
You better be careful jeromequigley!
Watkins may give you a PC beat-down for your open minded viewpoints.
Didn't you know it's one of the 2 hypothetical reasons he recently wrote about as to why he never joined a fraternity in college?
He fantasized that he was afraid he would get suspended if he had to deliver a beat down if his frat mates messed with him!
Just between you and me, you better be careful what you write in the future just to play it safe.
OMG! I'm shakin just writing this.
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By: jeromequigley on 1/20/2011 11:29AM
@Say What: very nicely put!! Always enjoy a good discussion with peepz that can think for them selves!! @AL, yeah I am soooooo scared of Dr W!! He always tries to come off hard and from the "streets" but you can tell after reading his articles(which he ALWAYS has a personal experience that fits right in...yeah right!) that he is as soft as the Stay Puff Marshmellow Man!! I'll make sure I watch my back...ROTF!! He would catch a beat down from a round the way Cincinnati Man!! Thanks for lookin out!! God now who gave Bugs Hunter a computer and told him he had some thing "Smart" to say???? He missed the boat on your post so bad that by the time he got to the pier the boat was already 20 miles out to sea!!! I always respect some one who has to stoop to debates based on phrases like "Amerikkkan crackers" and "jew and a terrorist"! We must be dealing with another PhD like Watkins. Man I gots to get me one of those PhD's, I'll have to pick up a box of "Craker" Jacks today and see if I get lucky!!
@ Bugs Hunter: just no words to help you out, good luck getting through life with your attitude and way of thinking! You'll need it!!!
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By: David on 1/19/2011 10:46AM
Why should this surprise anyone. Didn't the late Ted Kennedy privatively state that Bill Clinton said of Obama
"A few years ago, this guy would have been getting us coffee"
White liberals are just the lesser of two evils. Black people need to get themselves in a position where we don't have top support any type of evil, conservative OR liberal.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2010/01/10/2010-01-10_bill_clinton_told_ted_kennedy_that_president_obama.html
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By: Brady on 1/19/2011 12:21PM
@David
And that was the comment that fractured the relationship. Bill was talking about Obamas qualifications, not his race.
Bills point was he Obama didnt have enough experience, but folks took it out of context and played the race card on Bill, and he was rightfully furious.
After all he had done, to have black folk play the race card on him, he went ballistic.
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By: Mariah on 1/19/2011 11:04AM
This is just silly.
Clinton supports the one he believes will be the best mayor - no matter of race.
I don´t feel that Mosley could do the job, why on earth would he support the black candidate if the black candidate can´t do what Chicagos next mayor must do? Is there a rule of some kind that the black candidate should have Clintons back-up just for being black? I´m a woman - does that mean I have to vote for a woman?
Gee, I must have been missing something...
Rahm Emanuel is the next mayor of Chicago due simple reasons; he´s smart, he´s tough, he´s driven. He´ll work like hell to get the city moving forward - that is what matters. That is what Chicago needs, not a Mosley.
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By: jeromequigley on 1/19/2011 1:10PM
Thank You Mariah for proving my point!!! For Dr W to insist that if you don't support and vote for the "black" candidate that you are against blacks is just so many kinds of WRONG!! But I bet he was one of the one's that enjoyed seeing Nina Turner (of clevaland OH) get made fun of in the "black owned newspaper" The Call&Post because she did what she felt was best for the City and not what the "Black Leaders" wanted her to do and go along with!! So as he and the likes of Jesse and Al see it, you are either voting the way the Powerful Blacks vote or you are The Enemy!! Welcome to politics!! Now maybe peepz will see that just because White politicians believe or do some thing, does not mean that is how the regular peepz who are white feel. They do what they want because it has a pay off for them and they will use and step on any one that objects to them!! FYI Mariah, if your not familiar with Nina Turner check her out!! She is the kind of leader that peepz of all color want and respect, basically because she cares!!
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By: Brady on 1/19/2011 12:04PM
1."didn't endorse the black candidate".
He can endorse anyone he wants, he doesnt have to support the darkest Mf in the room.
2. "Clinton has relied heavily on black support to win elections in the past"
True, but Black folk abandoned the Clintons, by the way how’s is that working out. Payback time.
3. "he risks jeopardizing his relationship with the African American community".
Who da hell is Danny Davis, and how does he know what black folk are thinking. Do we all share the same brain? Im cool with bill.
4."got together recently with Rev. Jesse Jackson to decide on a consensus black candidate for mayor".
Not the best candidate, but the "black candidate".
Thats what you get with Jesse, you dont get the best, you get the darkest, ask Soledad O'Brien
5."By abandoning steadfast loyalty from the black community"
Where was that loyalty in 2008, he owes us nothing. Black people walked away from the clintons faster than you walk away from a haircut.
Faster then you run to the doughnut house.
6. "the broader liberal Democratic agenda almost always trumps the black agenda"
Is this News, who doesnt know this? Except Black folk. Thats what you get when your dependent instead of self sufficent. You have to wait until they get around to u. Usually around election time. The President just did it.
By the way, where is Donna Brazile and Cynthia McKinney, they havent been around since their "ONE" time appearance in Nov.
8. "we can still end up at the back of the bus when it's time for those leaders to serve us".
No no! Try ya do end up on the back of the bus, right were you should be.
Democrates havent won the white vote since 1964, they can not win without black people. So how is ya end up on the back of the bus. The answer of course is ya have to be some stupid MFers, to have the keys, but dont drive.
9."unwillingness to make political sacrifices on behalf of African Americans is limited. The same is true for nearly any figurehead of the Democratic Party".
Yes to include Barak Obama, however we must be fair. There is no reason what so ever to make any damn sacrifice for a constituent, to dam docile, dependent and stupid, to make you pay for ignoring them. What are black people prepared to do for these constant ovesights? Not one damn thing.
So seat ya ass down at the back of the bus, with your hand out, and hope The Liberal Leadership will get to you, after Gays and latinos and whomever else they respect more than you.
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By: jeromequigley on 1/19/2011 1:49PM
Brady: I do declare that Mr Watkins is going to neeed to add another Suffix to the end of his name...Because you just took him to school!!!! Nice dig on #4, Soledad did not deserve that disrespect. But maybe it opened her eyes to the fact that hate of color lives in the heart not in the skin shade! A point I made on a earlier post of their BS excuses is the actions against Nina Turner! They ripped her apart and hung her out in the "black owned" newspaper The Call&Post! Why because she would not vote the was the "black leaders" wanted her to! And funny thing is the Legal advisor and Editor of the Newspaper is also the local NAACP chapter...hmmmm??? Yet you heard and saw nothing of Ben J denouncing him or the call and post for putting out a racist cartoon of Ms. Turner did we??? Nice double standard Ben J!! Or when (once again) Ben J, kicked out Michael Meyers from the 100th celebration of the NAACP because he would not jump on the wagon of going after the cartoonist that did the pic of the monkey getting shot(hey that sounds familiar doesnt it, Ms Turner). Now how does a guy kick out a Huge figure in the civil rights fight(and I mean in the ditches fighting) like Michael Meyer from an orginaztion that he helped become what it was in it's hayday??? Ben J was not even a twinkle in his daddies eye when Mr Meyers was out there fighting for civil rights and he has the nerve to not only kick him out of the dinner but do it under escorted guards!! PUNK!! It's the same game no matter what the shade...you don't go along with the rich and powerful and you will get STOMPED ON!! I wonder how long it will take some peepz to get that?? Any way...Always love to see you lay it out "like it is" and takin BW to school was just a nice BONUS!!!
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