Clinton Leaves Primary States For "State of the Black Union"

By: Fernando Suarez
Topics: Hillary Clinton

(CBS)

From CBS News' Fernando Suarez:

CINCINNATI -- With the Ohio and Texas primaries only 10 days away, one would think that both candidates would be spending most of their time between these two states. But Hillary Clinton is taking time away from campaigning in the Lone Star and Buckeye states to head to Louisiana for the annual "State of the Black Union" hosted by Tavis Smiley.

The problem is that Louisiana has already voted in the primary and gave Barack Obama a large victory. So why is Clinton taking time out of her limited campaign schedule to participate? Clinton Senior Spokesman Mo Elleithee said, "She's always been committed to dealing with the issues that are important to the African-American community." Elleithee said Clinton agreed to attending this summit weeks ago.

There's no doubt that after a series of gaffes and ill-advised comments throughout this campaign, there has been tension between the Clintons and the African-American community.

Weeks ago, Clinton was hammered for a comment she made that some suggested discredited the work of Martin Luther King, Jr. during the civil rights movement. Prior to the New Hampshire primary Bill Clinton criticized Barack Obama, suggesting his views on the Iraq war were "the biggest fairy tale" he's ever seen and later was accused of playing up the race issue prior to the South Carolina primary.

When pressed on why Clinton was spending campaign resources in a state that has already voted, Elleithee said "She's got a commitment to these issues, and is looking forward to the opportunity to discuss them."

Obama will not be attending the summit at all, causing some stir in the African-American community. In a letter sent to Smiley, Obama offered to send his wife Michelle, but Smiley declined to have her participate.

According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Obama says his campaigning in Ohio and Texas is keeping him from the event. Smiley called Obama's decision "a critical miscalculation and a missed opportunity."

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by ayz1234 February 25, 2008 4:10 PM EST: Dear dullith,

All presidential candidates would be fired given their voting records in the 110 congress because campaigning doesn''t exactly leave lots of time to vote on the senate floor.

Nevertheless, if we are going to decide who gets fired based on their senate attendance record, McCain and Obama would get the boot first. In the 110th Congress alone, the only senators with worse attendance than Sen. Obama was Sen. McCain and Sen. Johnson (who suffered a brain hemorrhage in December 2006 and has since been unable to return for work). I''m not saying Sen. Clinton''s attendance is stellar either, she''s only missed 55 votes less than Obama during the 110th session(Obama 182 v. Clinton 127). See - http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/110/senate/vote-missers/

However, when we compare overall Senate attendance records, then Obama blows Clinton out of the water, in a bad way. According to GovTrack, Obama has missed 193 out of a possible 1113 votes since becoming a Senator in 2005. Clinton by contrast has missed 167 out of a possible 2421 votes since becoming a Senator in 2001. Look both senators voted more than they missed votes, but if we''re talking about firing, then Obama should be let go first because in just 3+ years of serving in the Senate he has missed more votes than Clinton, who has served in the Senate for 7 years. See http://www.govtrack.us/congress/person.xpd?id=400629; Reply to this comment


by edenz21 February 25, 2008 4:25 AM EST: Who are the Obama supporters kidding? If the primary for Louisiana was held tomorrow, Obama would have made the time to attend the State of the Union.; Reply to this comment


by jay20082 February 24, 2008 11:40 PM EST: The day when blacks and hispanic minorities will eveer be well served by real inpsiration and lifting of our spirits to realize our full potentials...because we have talents afforded to us all by God...will be when the likes of a Dr. Condi Rice or Collin Powell run for president. These are folks who inspire not by asking how the government can take care of you from craddle to grave, but, how we are capable to excel above all difficulties just as they have. Each one of you otu there has the potentials to reach the stars, the moon or, whatever goals you set your eyes on. You just have to believe, as Bill Cosby, Brooker T. Washington, and other black folks have done it without using their race as a crutch that no political party can lift for you, except for yourself. I came from a family of 10, raised under welfare.....but could not wait until I was old enough to go work and get off it. Welfare has been the worst cancer to be fed to minorities....with the exception of unique individuals who really need our help. But, it has been the drug of choice for many of us who have used it as a co-dependent system, rather then a temporary assistant program. Stand up and raise yourselves with the talents given to you from above.; Reply to this comment


by jay20082 February 24, 2008 11:28 PM EST: With all due respect to the comments posted by Posted by:
"tambou at 03:58 PM : Feb 24, 2008
+ report abuse
Couldn''''t Tavis have arranged to have Barack appear on a remote feed?"

Folks......wake up......I appaluid Tavis for his incredible efforts and talent for putting together this event. However...Obama''s absence was not about him not being able to be there physically or remotely....which was a sensible and logical solution offered by the user "tambou".

Folks, this was about Obama not wanting to give th eimpression that his campaign was too close to the "black cause", to the "black union". He intended not to seem aligned with too much of the "black thing"...sorry to say.....out of concern of being associated with the likes of Sharpton, Jesse, Belafonti, etc. That''s the sad case of the matter. Pure politics my friends.; Reply to this comment


by kensingsd February 24, 2008 11:17 PM EST: Obama only shows when it works for him. Get used to it -- all fluff. Way to go Hillary to continue to stand up and do more than speak -- but act on the issues and bring them to the forefront. Hillary Clinton will be a strong and compassionate President.; Reply to this comment


by tambou-2009 February 24, 2008 6:58 PM EST: Couldn''t Tavis have arranged to have Barack appear on a remote feed? I know that there may be significant symbolism to some folk in one person being live and the other on a monitor, but hey! this is the 21st Century. I believe that this picture is not quite "right".

Is this about Tavis''s show or is it about who the people want as their next President?

I personally believe that Tavis is casting his dice on whether or not this is a seismic shift in American political history, or at least which way it is shifting - first woman president or first Black? The Black electorate are have a more weighty decision to make than decide whether Barack''s appearance on Tavis''s show is a miscalculation or not. Work it out Tavis!; Reply to this comment


by tambou-2009 February 24, 2008 6:23 PM EST: Couldn''t Tavis have arranged to have Barack appear on a remote feed? I know that there may be significant symbolism to some folk in one person being live and the other on a monitor, but hey! this is the 21st Century. I believe that this picture is not quite "right".

Is this about Tavis''s show or is it about who the people want as their next President?

I personally believe that Tavis is casting his dice on whether or not this is a seismic shift in American political history, or at least which way it is shifting - first woman president or first Black? The Black electorate are have a more weighty decision to make than decide whether Barack''s appearance on Tavis''s show is a miscalculation or not. Work it out Tavis!; Reply to this comment


by alee25 February 24, 2008 5:32 PM EST: Action speaks louder than words: Hillary''s presence and Obama''s absence are, case in point. As First Lady Michelle O. will be expected to represent her country in a positive light. Given her poorly thought out comments on more than one occasion, can we trust her to be a goodwill ambassador for the US?; Reply to this comment


by nigel2008-2009 February 24, 2008 3:44 PM EST: I know it will be a disappointment for Smiley not to see Obama in the summit, but the truth is that no man seeing his roof on fire will say he''s going to work first because he wants to avoid being fired by his boss.

Obama has a problem dealing with the two states, Ohio and Texas, Clinton hasn''t got much problem in these states so she can afford to go to the summit not same with Obama, every sincere patriot willing to back Obama would rather join hands with him on how to win these two states that carries a lot of vote than to distract Obama''s attention with the talk of a summit that can always be able to accomodate a representative; of which he did sent Michelle but Smiley refused, I find his invitation then a distracting one and not a supportive one.
He should be careful not to be found a subjection of distraction to Obama; Reply to this comment


by darrren12000 February 24, 2008 10:30 AM EST: dulith said: "Secondly, Obama is smart enough to know that the most damaging thing that can be done to him right now is to give the opposition the opportunity to peg him as the "black" candidate."

SO -- doesnt that make him just as politically calculating as everyone else? He is the honest, hopeful one who is going to change Washington, but sounds like he is "doing whatever it takes to get elected" -- even avoiding his "own people." YOu guys are so hypocritical.; Reply to this comment