HRC's black supporters pressed to support Obama
By: Charles Mahtesian and Richard T. Cullen
Feb 27, 2008 05:51 PM EST
Georgia Rep. John Lewis, who Wednesday switched his allegiance from Hillary Clinton to Barack Obama, may not be the last high-profile African American officeholder to change sides.
The pressure on Clintons black supporters to defect has been gradually mounting, rising to the point where some elected officials are being forced to consider whether their backing for Clinton will have adverse consequences for their own political fortunes.
Its atmospheric pressure, a change in mood in their communities, says University of California at Los Angeles political scientist Mark Sawyer, who studies race, ethnicity and politics. You see people that are going out to vote that have never voted before. Do you want to be on the other side of that?
Lewis, who announced his decision in a statement, alluded to the weight of history and pointed to his districts overwhelming support for Obama in the states Feb. 5 primary. When I speak to students about the Civil Rights Movement, I say that it is impossible to stop a determined movement that is captivating the American consciousness, Lewis said. I think the candidacy of Sen. Obama represents the beginning of a new movement in American political history that began in the hearts and minds of the people of this nation. And I want to be on the side of the people, on the side of the spirit of history.
But its also true that his decision to flip comes not long after he drew his first general or primary election opponent in nearly a decadea challenge rooted in Lewiss previous endorsement of Clinton.
One who is an elected representative of the people must not ever get ahead of his or her constituencies, said the Rev. Markel Hutchinson, his primary election challenger. It is a complex quagmire that congressman Lewis is presently in, because instead of waiting and following the leadership and direction of his constituents and following the pulse of the community that he represents, he side-stepped his constituents.
There is little reason to think that political expediency drove Lewis, a civil rights icon who is safely ensconced in his Atlanta-based seat, to make the jump to Obama. But theres no question that, for many black politicians, the stakes have increased since Obamas Jan. 26 victory in South Carolina, when he first displayed his tremendous popularity among African Americans by winning 78 percent of their vote.
In the four weeks since then, black elected officials ranging from Virginia state Sen. Louise Lucas to New Jersey state Sen. Dana Redd to Georgia Congressman David Scott have switched from Clintons to Obamas camp. That list also includes former Cleveland Mayor Michael White and New Jersey super delegate Christine Roz Samuels.
Who wants to be on the wrong side of history? says UCLAs Sawyer. These are African American politicians who probably didnt think Barack Obama had much of a chance to get elected and now hes poised to be the nominee.
Since South Carolina, Obama has regularly won in excess of 80 percent of the black vote, placing African American supporters of Clinton in the awkward position of bucking the overwhelming sentiment of their constituents. The predicament is even worse for black politicians who double as Democratic super delegates since they could end up casting key votes against Obama at a time when he would be closer to the White House than any other African American in U.S. history.
Most Clinton backers, it should be noted, have so far remained loyal.
I have not had any direct pressure, said Rep. Diane Watson (D-Calif.). Im not shifty and I dont go with the wind
Ive given that decision much thought early on. I weighed the decision that I made. Im going to be with Hillary Clinton until the last vote is counted because of my working relationship with her over the years.
For others, though, loyalty to Clinton has come at some cost. The New York Daily News reported that an anonymous flyer was circulated at the Association of Black and Puerto Rican Legislators annual conference last week, urging that a candidate please step up to challenge Rep. Greg Meeks (D-N.Y.) in the congressional primary.
Another member of the New York congressional delegation whose district was carried by Obama, freshman Rep. Yvette Clarke, has been targeted by an online petition calling on her to act in accordance with the preference of the Voters.
"We Barack Obama supporters would like to see her announce publicly that she is reconsidering her super delegate pledge, and that, at a minimum, she will wait to see the outcome of the popularly elected delegates, said Chris Owens, a Brooklyn political activist who ran unsuccessfully against Clarke in a 2006 open seat primary. If someone was already running and they had this issue at their back, then it would be a big help.
A spokesman for Clarke, Scott Levenson, said the congresswoman sees the role of the super delegate as balancing her district, her state, and other concerns. But even in reiterating the congresswomans support for Clinton, there is a suggestion that it might change at a later date.
"She's a committed super delegate to Hillary Clinton," he said. "It would be inappropriate to readdress that until all the primaries are done."
Certainly it is a sensitive issue, one that many black pols are loathe to talk about. Through a spokesman, David Scott declined an interview to talk about his decision. A handful of other black politicians did not return phone calls from Politico.
Lewis also struggled publicly with his decision. His decision to endorse Obama comes after his office denied a New York Times report one week earlier saying that he was going to throw his support to Obama.
This has been a difficult decision for me, Lewis said.
Ben Smith and Josh Kraushaar contributed to this report.
I think as you mentioned if they did not get into your face about it all the time it would be fine. My friends here that have the Obama love don't share it with me as some others have but we do laugh about it...and just tonight during the debate my best friend and I were at a school meeting and we were talking about how we were missing the debate so I leaned over to her and asked her (as I made kissing motions with my mouth) if she wanted some Obama love to hold her off till she got home to watch...
....I feel so left out 
.....NOT 
My mom says I have to be nice and not tell her she's turning into a crazy old woman, but it's really hard! 
