Clinton's black superdelegates being "targeted, harassed and threatened" by Obama camp

[Herman Munster]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0208/8762.html

African-American superdelegates said Thursday that they’ll stand up against threats, intimidation and “Uncle Tom” smears rather than switch their support from Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton to Sen. Barack Obama.

“African-American superdelegates are being targeted, harassed and threatened,” said Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II (D-Mo.), a superdelegate who has supported Clinton since August. Cleaver said black superdelegates are receiving “nasty letters, phone calls, threats they’ll get an opponent, being called an Uncle Tom.

“This is the politics of the 1950s,” he complained. “A lot of members are experiencing a lot of ugly stuff. They’re not going to talk about it, but it’s happening.”

After civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) switched his support from Clinton to Obama earlier this week, other black superdelegates have come under renewed pressure to do a similar about-face. A handful have bowed to the entreaties in recent weeks, including Georgia Rep. David Scott, but many say they are steadfast in their support for Clinton and resent strong-arm tactics to make them change.

Rep. Diane E. Watson (D-Calif.), a black lawmaker and Clinton backer, said the intense lobbying for Obama would not alter her vote.

“I’ve gotten threatening mail,” Watson said. “They say, ‘Your district went 61-29 Obama and you need to change.’ But I don’t intimidate. I can hold the ground. … I would lose my seat over my principles.”

[LoZoccolo]

1. There is absolutely nothing wrong with voting out people who don't represent their constituency.

If Watson's district did indeed go 61-29 for Obama and she wants to face the voters after working against them, I'd say that's it's own consequences.

[sueragingroz]

2. there is absolutely something wrong with threatening an "uncle tom" smear.

[RummyTheDummy]

67. But in this case it's true. It's not a smear.

[Onlooker]

82. You should probably look up "Uncle Tom" rather than embarrass yourself

Or do you have evidence that black supporters of Hillary are acting in a subservient manner because she's a white master?

[rodeodance]

91. shameful post

[goclark]

30. And her district is ready to do just that ~ bye bye Diane

[elixir]

40. You're absolutely right, that's why I'm voting against Kerry and Kennedy in the next MA election.

Thanks for reminding me...

[jlake]

64. If this is true, Obama should be prosecuted.

[lapfog_1]

95. Nowhere in the article does it say that the phone calls are

from Obama or his campaign.

More likely it's from angry constituents.

If you want to know how Barack asks for someones support, as opposed to Hillary, listen to the interview that Bill Richardson gave yesterday on the subject. He contrasted both very well indeed.

[Clintonista2]

77. Tell that to John Kerry and Ted Kennedy. n/t.

[MoonRiver]

3. Another disgusting piece of information about Obama.

Think I'll mosey on over to Hillary's website and contribute again.

[writes3000]

10. What does this story have to do with Obama, himself?

I'll agree that some people supporting him are crossing the line bigtime but I haven't seen Obama mentioned as the one who is threatening people here.

Try to keep your bias in check somewhat.

[shaniqua6392]

19. Except for when any of Clinton's surrogates

have done anything wrong, every Obama supporter directly blamed her. The shoe is on the other foot now and he is responsible for those he has working for him. This is the only bias I see here.

[blonndee]

22. Please show me how "anyone working for him" is responsible for this. Thanks. nt

[jackson_dem]

53. Jesse Jackson Jr.

[blonndee]

81. Link? Please show me how anyone working for Obama is responsible for this. Thanks. nt

[anamandujano]

99. Can't stop himself dealing from the bottom of the deck.

[MoonRiver]

23. Surrogates to Obama = Obama.

Or is it "different" for your messiah than for Hillary Clinton?

[blonndee]

34. Please show me how "anyone working for him" is responsible for this. Thanks. nt

[lapfog_1]

97. Show where it is surrogates (connected to campaign)

It's far more likely that the angry phone calls are from angry constituents.

[jackson_dem]

52. It has been confirmed that at least St. obama's national co-chair is doing this...

Yeah, Obama has nothing to do with what his national co-chair from his hometown is doing...

[lapfog_1]

98. Sure... I'm absolutely going to believe that.

because you said so.

Obama's national co-chair has been calling super delegates and calling them "uncle Toms" and threatening them... right.

[anamandujano]

101. Exactly, constituents don't have a direct line to their congress critters.

[ExFreeper4Obama]

39. So now Obama is harassing superdelegates?

Eh? How did you make that leap?

:shrug:

[jackson_dem]

54. By sending his cronies out to do it, like his national co-chair

[rodeodance]

48. payday is in a few day for me--then i will click on also

[jlake]

60. Yay! Hillary is for those of us who can't afford to bet it all on false hope.

[rodeodance]

66. hope is fine----I just will not let it rule my vote.

[Canuckistanian]

4. Oh, come on, this is getting fucking ridiculous

Nobody's being "harassed" here and if they are, it's CERTAINLY NOT BY OBAMA HIMSELF.

"Your district went 61-29 Obama and you need to change."

OOOOOooo, scary. Watson should have called the cops.

[rodeodance]

45. are you doubting that people feel harassed?

[LisaM]

5. I'm not necessarily blaming Obama, but he should put a stop to it

Look, I'm not calling Ted Kennedy and harrassing him to switch his vote (and I haven't heard of it happening).

[JVS]

84. How could you miss the hilarious thread in which Teddy hung up on a Hillary supporter!?

Ohhhh it was rich!

[ProSense]

6. Obama camp? Color of Change's site is encouraging superdelegates to vote with the American people.

There are crazy people on all sides.

Clinton-Obama argument leads to stabbing, police say

There were and still are a lot of threats aimed at Kerry and Kennedy for endorsing Obama. It's disgusting, whichever side does it.

[anamandujano]

7. I knew it. It's good to have people speaking out. I hope this will put

a stop to it. Shine a light.

[Tatiana]

8. Also discussed here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=4813194&mesg_id=4813194

[blonndee]

9. "Obama camp," huh? Where does the article say that?

You're suggesting that Obama himself and his campaign are involved in this behavior. Too bad you have to resort to misleading subject lines. Ah well. "Catapult the propaganda," right?

[Kittycat]

11. You need to change your misleading title.

You infer, by using the term, "Obama Camp" - that Obama or one of his staffers are making these threats. They cannot control what voters say and do. And in some cases, if voters vote overwhelmingly for a candidate, and what their congresscritter to support them - they have every right to appeal to them. Threats no, but if their people aren't supporting their voice, then they also have every right to do what it takes to get them out (within the law of course). That said - I don't support or condone true threats.

[rodeodance]

20. "intense lobbying for Obama"

You need to change your misleading title.
Posted by Kittycat


You infer, by using the term, "Obama Camp" - that Obama or one of his staffers are making these threats. They cannot control what voters say and do. And in some cases, if voters vote overwhelmingly for a candidate, and what their congresscritter to support them - they have every right to appeal to them. Threats no, but if their people aren't supporting their voice, then they also have every right to do what it takes to get them out (within the law of course). That said - I don't support or condone true threats.

Your message

[tammywammy]

21. Agreed

[Arkana]

12. Yeah, I'm sure Obama's campaign is threatening black supers.

You just carry on with your paranoid delusions.

I swear, the outrageous accusations about Obama here are getting worse and worse.

[jackson_dem]

55. Obama's national co-chair is not part of his campaign?

[rodeodance]

94. I suggest you tell Obama to tell his camp/surrogates to lay off. Not look good now does it!!

[blonndee]

13. "Cleaver said he did not believe the Obama campaign was behind the disturbing e-mails and

phone calls he has received.

'I refuse to believe that Sen. Obama gave orders for something like this to happen. This is a contradiction of the new politics that Sen. Obama is running on,' he said. 'My fear is with all of the nastiness, we’re going to have a whole lot of kissing and making up to do as a party.'"

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0208/8762.html

[Blue_Roses]

104. exactly

I want the TRUTH dammit. Not the half-truths!

thank-you.

[Redstone]

14. Bullshit.

Redstone

[ruggerson]

25. that's not a verb

[chitty]

15. Where in the world

do they get this shit?

Christ it never fucking ends.

[jackson_dem]

56. From what Obama's national co-chair has been confirmed as doing weeks ago

[Occam Bandage]

16. Looks like they're facing angry constituents, not the Obama camp.

[Major Hogwash]

28. Yup.

Obama doesn't need them anyway. He said he thought they should vote the way the people of their district voted.

That's where the pressure is coming from.

[MadBadger]

32. Herman Munster...Worst Person in the World?

[Major Hogwash]

42. Well, not really. I loved watching The Munsters. Fred Gwynn was hilarious.

I was too young for "Car 54, Where are you?"
We didn't own a teevee at the time that show was on.

[Kahuna]

78. Right. It's as simple as that. nt

[MadBadger]

17. The Article doesnt Back up Your SHAMEFUL Accusation

Doesnt say anywhere that the Obama campaign is harrassing and threatening Black superdelegates

SHAME ON YOU.

[rodeodance]

46. "said the intense lobbying for Obama"

[cali]

18. YOU made up your false headline. This is NOT from the Obama camp

and you fucking well know it. Pure slime and smear on your part. Yes, this is disgusting, but it is not being done by Obama's campaign and it's vile to suggest it is. Congratulations on that smear.

[Bodhi BloodWave]

26. A true and classic Herman Munster production, i can't wait for the nominee to be chosen

be it Obama or Hillary just so that these kind of topics will be a thing of the past(until the next democratic primaries)

[jackson_dem]

57. Wht cali doesn't mention is Obama's national co-chair is doing the same thing

[cali]

75. I've condemned Jackson Jr, before

but there is NO evidence that he's sending obscene or threatening email or making calls like that. I think he's wrong to pressure SDs in the way that's been reported. We also know that the Clintons have been pressuring SDs. God, I can't wait until your candidate finally drops out. I'm betting on next Wednesday. I'll cheer loudly.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

24. This is so disgusting....obama plays the RACE CARD everytime Clinton can do nothing about it....

:mad: :mad: :mad:

[Bodhi BloodWave]

29. Please do point toward where the campaign is shown to have a hand in this n/t

[anamandujano]

38. He gave the okay to this when he made himself the black candidate.

You can even see his followers here trashing any black who supports Hillary.

If Cleaver refuses to believe it, that's his choice. The fact is it's happening. It's been going on for some time and Obama has not put a stop to it. That's not leadership, unless of course, he approves of it.

[Occam Bandage]

41. ...what? He's black, so this is his fault? What. The. Fuck.

[fishwax]

65. wtf?

He gave the okay to this when he made himself the black candidate.

:wtf:

[JVS]

85. fucked up stuff, eh?

[NorthernSpy]

90. GOD made him the black candidate, genius!

Oh, I suppose the part about filling out candidacy papers was Obama's doing, but still...


:dunce:

[tammywammy]

27. You should change your headline, it's misleading

Cleaver said he did not believe the Obama campaign was behind the disturbing e-mails and phone calls he has received.

“I refuse to believe that Sen. Obama gave orders for something like this to happen. This is a contradiction of the new politics that Sen. Obama is running on,” he said. “My fear is with all of the nastiness, we’re going to have a whole lot of kissing and making up to do as a party.”

[Sensitivity]

31. Continuous pattern of Dishonest treads which twist a valid story to SMEAR OBAMA.

It is so disgusting. And people want Michelle to be so "Proud."

[Hillary_Hillary]

63. How is it dishonest? Read the article.

And it's not like half this forum isn't filled with anti-hillary smears and lies. Be reasonable.

[tridim]

33. 5 more days

I hope it goes by fast.

[Lerkfish]

36. there's light at the end of the tunnel

and this is one very dark tunnel, indeed.

[Baclava]

89. Nothing lasts forever

What's everybody gonna hate next week?

[Political Heretic]

35. Welcome to the NFL.

Sorry Watson, but saying "Your district went 61-29 Obama and you need to change" is not a "threatening" mail. That's called a persuasive mail.

I hate to burst your martyr bubble. A threat would require the message to say, "Your district went 61-29 Obama and you need to change.... or else we will make something bad happen to you."

Which means I doubt than anyone has been truly "threatened."

This is hardball, and whatever Obama is doing to aggressively persuade super delegates we already know Clinton has done and is doing as well. And I don't blame either of them. This is big league ball.

[jackson_dem]

58. Has Hill's co-chair said: "you're white. you're district is white. vote for Hill or else..."

Or is that a tactic reserved for St. Obama who claims a new politics will come if we give him the reins?

[cooolandrew]

37. That is distortion to say it is from his camp they are not associated to hsi campaign.

[rodeodance]

47. ?? you are word parsing

[BenDavid]

43. a coin in an empty suit makes a lot of noise.......

[rodeodance]

49. :-)--they sure are in tizzy

[Hillary_Hillary]

44. Surprised? The Obama campaign is SHAMELESS.

[meow mix]

50. “They say, ‘Your district went 61-29 Obama and you need to change.’ But I don’t intimidate.

"Your district went 61-29 Obama"

yes.
this person is not representing the voters, she should change. if she doesnt they should be reminded of that next time she asks for thier vote. and be gone.

and um, what is so intimidating about that statement? lol

[jackson_dem]

59. Tom is that you?

:wow:

[leftynyc]

100. And did Kerry and Kennedy

represent their voters? That's a stupid argument.

[Demagitator]

51. Obama is using classic CIA tactics....

I have been wondering; if indeed -- Obama -- may be a CIA spook.

[jlake]

61. Jesus. This is frightening -- he is running an extremely nasty campaign against Hillary.

[Hillary_Hillary]

62. Extremely nasty. But smiles for the cameras & everyone thinks he's God.

[rodeodance]

93. gets nastier every day.

[CyberPieHole]

68. Obama is just the lowest for of human being...he has debased the entire Democratic Party...

He has shamelessly used race to attack Clinton at every turn. If Obama gets the nomination I hope the Clinton supporters stay home and refuse to vote for him in the GE. He does not respect Hillary Clinton and therefore cares not for our votes. Let him go suck up to the homophobic bible thumpers like McClurkin and get their support...or get the Raygun dems he's always squawking about. Obama doe not need our support.

[casus belli]

70. Buh bye. n/t

[leftynyc]

102. You need to calm down

The DEMOCRATS need your support and the support of all Hillary's voters. You really think John McCain would be better for this country? 4 more years of puke rule? 2 more Scalia's on the court? What is wrong with you?

[casus belli]

69. Ok, nowhere does it say the Obama CAMP was responsible. Nowhere.

Or is it ok now to start blaming what supporters of various candidates do on the candidates themselves?

[SoCalDem]

71. politico

:rofl:

[MagsDem]

72. Obama really inspires people, doesn't he?

Unforunately, not in a good way. It's really quite ironic that he preaches about all this change he is going to bring about when the facts seem to be his supporters are some of the nasiest people to be found in politics.

[Demagitator]

79. There is a simple way to figure out who is a liberal

A liberal or liberal Democrat is basically friendly; even with those that disagree with them -- the opposite is true of the fascist, or totalitarian political mind.

[oasis]

73. Tom Delay tactics from the Obama "Hope" mob.(eom)

[MojoMojoMojo]

74. Superdelegates are being bribed with PAC money as well

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

76. Hmm...

“If white people were being harassed and threatened because they were not supporting a white candidate, we’d see headlines,” he said.


Methinks if someone actually released some of these alleged "threatening" letters, we'd be seeing LOTS of headlines. So... where are they?

[Kaylee]

80. And if Hillary were in the lead with 90% of a congressman's

constituency voting for her...he would be pressured by his voters and interest groups to go in that direction. There is nothing nefarious here. Your political butt is always on the line when you don't follow the wishes of those who voted you into office. This is one of the reasons why I dislike the ideas of superdelegates.

Edit: and instead of being called an uncle tom, you would be called a misogynist in not so elegant terms.

[rodeodance]

96. stay focused ---this is OBama surrogates doing the crap!

[ArizonaJosie]

83. Sadly, I think some racism/sexism has been papered over for years in this party

Never before has there been a situation where it could be exposed. As long as our candidates were white men we didn't have to deal with it because it never reared it's head like this.

[JVS]

86. Grassroots democracy!

Gotta love it!

[bunnies]

87. Where is the proof that the "Obama Camp" is behind this?

Because I havent seen any.

[Blue_Roses]

105. there is none...

...Cleaver said he did not believe the Obama campaign was behind the disturbing e-mails and phone calls he has received.

“I refuse to believe that Sen. Obama gave orders for something like this to happen. This is a contradiction of the new politics that Sen. Obama is running on,” he said. “My fear is with all of the nastiness, we’re going to have a whole lot of kissing and making up to do as a party.”

It's at the very end of the article. The OP much have forgotten to put that part in there:eyes:

[0007]

88. Wow! This sounds like Butthead & Beavis stuff

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

92. Democracy is so inconvenient.

:shrug:

[SeaLyons]

103. There is No Question

that this is going on and it's coming from the Obama camp as well as individual to individual within the black community.

[Quantess]

106. Oh-ma-gawd! LOL, just kidding.

:freak: