November 30th, 2007
11:01 AM ET
15 years ago
Obama and black women voters
CNN's Chris Lawrence takes a look at Obama's effort to court black women voters.
WASHINGTON (CNN) - Why is Sen. Clinton leading Sen. Obama among black women voters? Chris Lawrence looks at Obama's plan to fight back.
From CNN Politics
- Manhattan DA says his office won't tolerate 'attempts to intimidate' following Trump posts
- 10 Cards Charging 0% Interest Until 2024
- NY grand jury investigating Trump hush money scheme to hear from former Michael Cohen legal adviser
- Notable legal clouds that continue to hang over Donald Trump in 2023
- Cohen and his former legal adviser in spotlight as NY investigation into Trump moves further into view
- Georgia prosecutors considering racketeering and conspiracy charges in probe of effort to overturn Trump's 2020 loss, source says
First he's too green. Second Clinton is the best candidate and it doesnt hurt that she is a woman. I love Hillary!!!!
he doesnt have to waste his time i would never vote for him he is not the man to be a president and his wife is goofy as he is
I'd love to see this poll breakdown those with a college degree and whom they choose.
He is not fighting back, we are voting for him. I am a black woman and we are not stupid enough to believe what the media is saying. Many black women out here don't care about what CNN is reporting. We are voting for Obama and we can not wait that time to come. I have a son and would have to tell him he can aim higher. So as my friends!
I am black educated woman and I am voting for Obama. What else?
I think when I listen to Obama, he has many issues that would resolve at the end of the day for me as a black woman than I think Hillary Clinton May be aware of. Obama can also help Africa,mexico and other parts of the world that are crying out for United states help more than Hillary Clinton will.I would vote for him.
Go, Barack,we have your Back!
Sen. Clinton is leading Sen. Obama among black women voters because they know the real thing when they see it. They know who is talking real issues that matter to real people. The majority of black women voters are not swayed by dog and pony shows. It's entertaining to see all those celebrities at Obama's appearances, but black women voters, like white women voters, want real change. They recognize that Hillary has the strength, experience, and dedication to bring about positive changes for our nation.
Go Obama
The whites people have ruled since united states came into existance. Time for a change. I have the paint ready to paint white house black!
Do any of you people have spell check?
How about this, I am supporting my candidate because they have experience doing XXXXX and got XXXX done?
You go girl, she's he best, his time has come, I have the paint........
That's all you got?
I disagree the video and article's assessment.
I believe Mr. Obama has strong support from African American women. He's the the support of the most powerful AA woman in the country, Oprah Winfrey. I'm AA and the women in my family are voting for him, along with my friends and many co-workers.
What Obama and his supporters need to realize is, educated and informed people are not going to vote on a candidate just because he is black. For that matter, eduated and informed woman are not going to vote for Hillary soley based on her gender. On a side note, if you are trying appeal to black women I'm not sure Oprah is the way to go. Have you seen the majority of her auidence? Middle aged white woman. Sorry but its the truth.
When I watch presidential candidates do thier thing on TV I always come to the same conclusion with a single work "narcissism. We all know the words they speak are hollow, and some know that the polls are designed by political tricksters to lead the unknowing, or uncareing public.
I am a black man who supports Hillary Clinton. Black voters must ask themselves 3 questions before they vote for either Obama or Hillary. (1) Who are Obama’s and Hillary’s endorsers (particularly the black endorsers) and why are they endorsing those candidates? (2) Who can BEAT THE REPUBLICANS? (3) Which candidate is READY TO LEAD ON DAY ONE?
Most black endorsers of Hillary Clinton tend to be experienced Democrats who understand Hillary’s experience and the direction in which America NEEDS to go. Most of the black Obama endorsers are either only endorsing Obama because he is black or are one of those confused people who want to change the two-party system because they’ve bought into the right wing demagoguery that says Democrats exploit black people. There are also a lot of woman haters out there and it is sad.
If you are voting for Obama because he is black then you really just want to punt the ball back to the Republicans. Hillary Clinton has taken the jab that she is polarizing simply because she fires directly at the Republicans. What Obama and Edwards and the others, who think that firing at the reactionaries is risky, are not realizing is that if Americans can’t see the mess the reactionaries have made some of them might still think it’s cool to vote for the reactionaries. Somebody has to fire at the Republicans to stop their momentum. Hillary is the only candidate that has taken the fight to the Republicans.
Hillary Clinton is ready to lead on day one and does not need on-the-job training. She is clearly more experienced than Obama on foreign and domestic issues. If black people support Obama over Clinton it will make blacks look biased, racist, sexist and complacent because the Clinton’s have been our friends and have always look out for us. Stop listening to the haters, please. It would be quite hypocritical of us to talk about racial bias and then turn around and vote with bias. Black people must continue to support Hillary Clinton so that the Democrats can move the chains. We don’t want to punt the ball back to the reactionary right wing. Hillary Clinton is doing all the work and Obama is trying to steal all the credit. That is not fair at all, and black people should look deeply at this without listening to the hate, lies and demagoguery.
chavez,Alexander,IOWa : If you ready to paint the whitehouse a different color – when why not brown? Vote Richardson. All the democratic candidates are far far better than Obama. Too GREEN
I think CNN is twisting the news. Most of the Black,latino,white women around me are voting for Barack. I would think CNN is trying to campaign for Hillary any way possible. That is not gonna happen. Clintons had their time and we voted for them. I am personally voting for Obama.
If anyone looks at the first Clinton's record and what he did TO blacks and not FOR you would never put another Clinton back in the whitehouse.
Don't listen to the rhetoric spewed by the media or people who are in the Clintons' pockets, read real articles and results of Bill's decisions.
Start with the genocide in Rwanda.
Look at how Clinton made it possible for more blacks and poor to spend more time in jail than the rich.
Look at his so-called welfare reform that left children without a safety net.
Both the Clintons used and are still using the poor of all colors to get power. They will then throw a few crumbs your way and the poor are grateful and sing praise to the Clintons.
You don't want crumbs so you can stay in the gutter so you can be used over and over by self-serving politicians – you want real policies so we can all be lifted up.
I would never vote for a candidate based on their race; whether for OR against them.
I think it's insane to assume that black women will vote for Obama simply because he's black.
Hopefully they will vote for him because of his record, because of his stance, because you think he will do the best job...but to vote for a candidate based solely on their race. That's the type of behavior that Howard Dean is alluding to when discussing the fact that all the republican candidates are white males. He's accusing them of racism and here are people saying they'd only vote for a candidate becuase of their race, so what is the definition of racism now?
WOW, this election is not about color or gender; It's about who can lead in a true democrat way. I'm an intelligent Black women, and I'm still undecided.
Why do the threads about Obama and Hillary always divide people into tribes or demographics, such as "Black Women", "Women Voters", etc. Arent' we all Americans? Don't the Democrats constantly harp on "uniting" us?
disagree the video and article's assessment.
I believe Mr. Obama has strong support from African American women. He's the the support of the most powerful AA woman in the country, Oprah Winfrey. I'm AA and the women in my family are voting for him, along with my friends and many co-workers.
Posted By Vikisha, Milwaukee WI : November 30, 2007 12:40 pm
Gee, not that I'm a fan of the current administration, but I would have thought Condi Rice was the most poweerful AA woman in the country.
Why is CNN researching what divides black women from a black President?
I am a black educated woman and I am supporting Barack Obama. I don't see it wrong to do this given that white people have supported their white presidents and have never supported a black person till this time around when their president dupped them. I have been voting for white people but this time around I would not be fooled by anybody. I have a couple friends who are for Obama. My kids who are in their thirties are looking forward to go and cast the first vote and I hope it will be an important vote for them. I was so tired with G W Bush and I can not wait to turn the page. I don't expect much from obama but the much he will be able to do will be ok with me. He is an intelligent human being and he knows how hard to be a presidential candidate especially when you are a person of colour. The media have been something on Hillary and nobody has spoken against this. I feel it is ok for me to voice out my support to to the candidate that I resonate with and that is the next president of United states,
Barack Obama!
Speaking of Obama and women, I've seen very little critical comment on what was said at an Obama fundraiser in Harlem recently.
"You'd say, 'I had that white lady! What was I thinking,". To roaring applause in Obama's presence.
Every woman of any color should take note of this – take note of what was said and take note of what Obama's response was (or lack thereof).
Can you imagine the media and public response if a white person had said that about a black woman?
Regarding any woman's vote – perhaps Obama should ask his sponsors not to make racially and gender insensitive jokes to introduce him.
I am an AA man who supports Obama. The idea that we shouldn't support Obama because of what whites will think of us is would be funny if it wasn't so ignorant. I support Obama because he didn't punk out (like Hilary) on starting this insane venture in Iraq. At least Edwards had the good grace and courage to admit his vote on Iraq was wrong. I also support Obama for his boldness in changing direction in Cuba and on many other foreign and domestic policy issues.
Nearly every poll has shown Obama more electable than Hilary, so the wasting your vote rhetoric from Monte is also false. The Republicans have acknowledged that they hope to run against Hilary because she will raise more money for them and any Republican candidate.
Being married to the President isn't the same thing as governing experience. If she was married to a doctor, I wouldn't think she could dispense health care any better than someone without actual experience. In fact, the effort she led on health care was an abject failure. Hilary is better than any of the Republicans, but Obama and Edwards would both make better Presidents.
AA women don't need to be told who to vote for. They'll vote their convictions and beliefs, and like all of us they'll live with the consequences.