Obama Snubs Black Media
By Uppity Woman on May 1, 2008 at 2:47 PM in African-American Media, Barack Obama, Media
I recall reading a piece about how Barack Obama skipped whistle stops to African American communities on several occasions. The rationale here was why spend valuable time in places where you already have the vote? The answer of course is “Gratitude” but I don’t think Barky Obama has that emotion.
Now we find that Barack Obama also ignores the black media media when it comes to his middle eastern financial war chest.
While the African American media complains that all three of the current Presidential candidates spend less money on and time with them, you can practically feel their hurt when it comes to Barack Obama.
Owners and operators of African-American media outlets throughout the country have just about had it with the Barack Obama campaign.
Yes, they acknowledge the Illinois senator to be the darling of the race – the exalted Great Black Hope, the charismatic champion of change who is making history for the ages as he mounts a formidable bid to become the nation’s first black president.
But they chafe at his campaign officials’ insensitivity to, and total disregard of, the folks who brought him this far and whom he needs to take him through the White House door: Black people.
“Obama’s people believe we black publishers should be promoting Obama’s candidacy for free.”
I can honestly understand and relate to the African American community’s frustration with the Democratic Party too. However, it would only be fair to remind them that they are not the only voting block that is sick and tired of being taken for granted by the Party. Florida and Michigan Democrats are not too pleased either right now. Plenty of women have been taken for granted by the Party for too many years as well–and plan to let them find that out the hard way. Latinos, disillusioned with our party, have regularly voted Republican. However, use of a candidate’s financial war chest is not a Party issue: it’s a Candidate issue. After all, without votes of the African American community and their belief in his Hope-Hype, Barack Obama would have been bounced from this race long ago.
While the black media community claims in their complaint that Hillary Clinton doesn’t give a damn about them, the truth is that the preponderance of the African American community knows that both Clintons always gave a damn about them, whether the African American community has amnesia about it or not. I know that Donna Brazile suffers from that very amnesia in a huge way. But how could Hillary not know that no matter what she and Bill Clinton have done in the past — and no matter what she does now, Obama has that community vote sewed up because he is black.
Prior to the playing of the always well-timed Race Card by the Obama camp, a tactic that has been conveniently sprinkled throughout his campaign by his surrogates when needed, the black community saw the Clintons as their beloved. To deny this is foolery. They didn’t call Bill Clinton “The First Black President” for nothing and all African Americans know this as well. When Hopey Obama entered the Presidential race, the torn feelings between the beloved Clintons and the potential for the first African American president was well documented–and understandable.
Hillary’s work for the poor as well as health care for their children was never a secret to the African American community until Obama used what he had already admitted in publication as a most helpful tool: Using Race works. And so, the rest is history for the majority of the black vote in this campaign. So it might be more than a little understandable as to why Hillary would give up that ghost, don’t you think? Besides this, does anyone really think John McCain expects to attract the African American community using media ads in Black publications? Really?
That leaves Barack Obama and the Gratitude Gene he seems not to possess.
Lenora Carter, publisher of the Forward Times in Houston, is absolutely livid about what she characterizes as Obama’s “total disrespect for the black press,” and she takes it personally. “I have bills to pay!” Carter exclaimed.
During the run-up to the Texas primary, Obama’s campaign ran full-page ads in Houston’s white-owned daily newspapers. “I raised hell about it and went through all the channels that resulted in the Fuse agency reluctantly buying two-1/2
page ads with us, but at a reduced price!” Carter said.
“I was really mad when I learned my ad salesman cut our price to get that little action from Obama. We have bills to pay, just like white people,” Carter continued.
“You could see the money he was spending on TV ads. Every time you flipped the channel, there was Obama. They think that we as black people are so anxious to get a black president that we’ll support him no matter what. So why waste money on us?” Carter said.
“It’s been very difficult to get into the same room with the man.”
All of this reminds me of other African Americans who turned their backs on their own community the minute they got their own good fortune after enjoying their support. Clarence Thomas had a good deal of “hopeful” African American support in his bid for an appointment to the Supreme Court, and the minute he got his nomination, he kicked the ladder right out from under him. He has shown no interest whatsoever in the African American community. Then there’s Condi Rice. Need I say more?
I truly believe that, in Barack Obama, the African American community is looking at another Clarence Thomas. The media outlets appear see the handwriting on that wall already.
“The Obama campaign is predominately white and they don’t get it.”
But Obama, on the other hand, is the full-body target of the publishers’ unrelenting wrath. “I believe they have blacks in the Obama campaign who have no power,” said Leavell.
His campaign officials do not have a clue as to the need to develop a relationship with the black media.
They just don’t get it.”
You would think that the Rezko situation with the slums of Chicago would be another huge hint of just how much Barack Obama cares about the poor in general and African Americans in particular. Barack Obama’s senatorial district was simply riddled with rat-infested, decaying “renovated” buildings under the leadership of Obama’s friend who secured $100 million in government grant money and tax credits to “help” the poor. He helped them all right. He helped them live in slums with no heat. And he did it all right under Obama’s nose.
Obama’s friend Tony Rezko proved far more important to Barack Obama than the very community that has supported his faux promise of “Hope”. Hope is, after all, an emotion, and Obama has played it well upon the very people who Hope the most.
As the old saying goes: Be careful what you ask for. You might get it.
by Ronald Scott
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