P
Patriot Games
Guest
http://newsmax.com/politics/clinton_backer_race/2008/04/01/84682.html
Lawmaker Dismisses Obama's Attraction
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
WASHINGTON -- A congressman backing Hillary Rodham Clinton says white voters
are supporting Barack Obama based on the view that he is articulate and his
election would allow the nation "to get this boogeyman called race behind
us."
Missouri Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, who is black, told Canadian Broadcasting
Corporation that Obama "is articulate. In the black tradition, he would
probably be mediocre."
"For White Americans, it's like, this guy can speak," Cleaver said in the
radio interview. "If you put him on a level with a lot of other
African-American public speakers, he may not even measure up."
But Cleaver also conceded in the interview that he thinks Obama will win the
White House.
"If I had to make a prediction right now, I'd say Barack Obama is going to
be the next president," Cleaver told Canadian public radio in an interview
first aired on Sunday. "I will be stunned if he's not the next president of
the United States."
Cleaver has remained a strong supporter of Clinton despite pressure from
other black leaders and many of his constituents to switch allegiance to
Obama. He was not immediately available on Tuesday to discuss his comments.
Some black members of Congress, such as Georgia Democratic Rep. John Lewis,
have changed their allegiance from Clinton to Obama in recent weeks.
In the interview, Cleaver insisted he would not back away from his
endorsement of Clinton. He claims much of the support for Obama is driven by
a sense that his election will prove the country has solved its problems
with race.
"I think for many white Americans, they are looking at Barack Obama and
saying 'This is our chance to demonstrate that we have been able to get this
boogeyman called race behind us,'" Cleaver said. "And so they are going to
vote for him, whether he has credentials or not, whether he has any
experience _ I think all that's out the window."
Yet Cleaver asserts that Obama as president could actually hamper efforts to
curb racial injustice. He said future concerns about race "would be met with
rejection because we've already demonstrated that we're not a racist
nation."
Cleaver represents a majority white congressional district in Kansas City
where Obama won a majority of the vote in Missouri's presidential primary.
He is the only ordained minister in Congress and still preaches every Sunday
at his mostly black Kansas City church.
Cleaver said he was "outraged over the outrage" at the controversy over
Obama's former pastor, who was criticized for making racially charged
comments in church sermons. Cleaver praised Obama's Chicago church for
having a "long and rich history of being involved in the betterment of the
Chicago Black community."
Last year, Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., was criticized when he called Obama "the
first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and
a nice-looking guy."
Cleaver compared his continued support for Clinton to his loyalty in rooting
for his hometown football team when it plays a better opponent.
"Even though I don't expect the Kansas City Chiefs to beat the Indianapolis
Colts, I cheer for the Kansas City Chiefs," he said.
Lawmaker Dismisses Obama's Attraction
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
WASHINGTON -- A congressman backing Hillary Rodham Clinton says white voters
are supporting Barack Obama based on the view that he is articulate and his
election would allow the nation "to get this boogeyman called race behind
us."
Missouri Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, who is black, told Canadian Broadcasting
Corporation that Obama "is articulate. In the black tradition, he would
probably be mediocre."
"For White Americans, it's like, this guy can speak," Cleaver said in the
radio interview. "If you put him on a level with a lot of other
African-American public speakers, he may not even measure up."
But Cleaver also conceded in the interview that he thinks Obama will win the
White House.
"If I had to make a prediction right now, I'd say Barack Obama is going to
be the next president," Cleaver told Canadian public radio in an interview
first aired on Sunday. "I will be stunned if he's not the next president of
the United States."
Cleaver has remained a strong supporter of Clinton despite pressure from
other black leaders and many of his constituents to switch allegiance to
Obama. He was not immediately available on Tuesday to discuss his comments.
Some black members of Congress, such as Georgia Democratic Rep. John Lewis,
have changed their allegiance from Clinton to Obama in recent weeks.
In the interview, Cleaver insisted he would not back away from his
endorsement of Clinton. He claims much of the support for Obama is driven by
a sense that his election will prove the country has solved its problems
with race.
"I think for many white Americans, they are looking at Barack Obama and
saying 'This is our chance to demonstrate that we have been able to get this
boogeyman called race behind us,'" Cleaver said. "And so they are going to
vote for him, whether he has credentials or not, whether he has any
experience _ I think all that's out the window."
Yet Cleaver asserts that Obama as president could actually hamper efforts to
curb racial injustice. He said future concerns about race "would be met with
rejection because we've already demonstrated that we're not a racist
nation."
Cleaver represents a majority white congressional district in Kansas City
where Obama won a majority of the vote in Missouri's presidential primary.
He is the only ordained minister in Congress and still preaches every Sunday
at his mostly black Kansas City church.
Cleaver said he was "outraged over the outrage" at the controversy over
Obama's former pastor, who was criticized for making racially charged
comments in church sermons. Cleaver praised Obama's Chicago church for
having a "long and rich history of being involved in the betterment of the
Chicago Black community."
Last year, Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., was criticized when he called Obama "the
first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and
a nice-looking guy."
Cleaver compared his continued support for Clinton to his loyalty in rooting
for his hometown football team when it plays a better opponent.
"Even though I don't expect the Kansas City Chiefs to beat the Indianapolis
Colts, I cheer for the Kansas City Chiefs," he said.
