It's been pretty clear for a while that Yvette Clarke -- whose district went decidedly for Barack Obama in the Feb. 5th New York primary -- has been wanting to stand with Obama.
But she has steadfastly and (from the perspective of this political outsider) painfully stood by Hillary Clinton in Clinton's increasingly desperate effort to bump Obama as the likely Democratic presidential nominee.
That characterization of desperate, by the way, is borrowed from the former Harlem state senator, and now Acting Governor, David Paterson, who in his own extremely gentle way expressed serious disappointment with Senator Clinton.
Paterson, like Clarke, is still officially supporting Clinton; but the difference is that Paterson and others, especially blacks like Congressman Charlie Rangel, have been lately evidencing a certain concern (we think it's actually a deep embarrassment) about Clinton's (lately quite crude) determination to stay in the race.
(Of course, the choice of "crude" follows the Senator's reference to RFK's assassination, in which she seemed to some to be saying, "Hey, stay with me because who the hell knows what's going to happen to Barack!") [read]
Now it seems that strong disappointment with Clinton is being turned on Yvette Clarke.
The Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats, a very progressive political group, has decided not to endorse Clarke in this November's race fo reelection.
The importance of this development is heightened by the fact that Clarke doesn't even have a challenger, which means the club is taking a stand against a Congressmember who very likely will remain in power.
In short, it might be said that they are showing some of the independence that they and many of Clarke's constituents would have liked to have seen in her.
Here's what the political organization, headed by Chris Owens, said in explaining its decision last Thursday night:
Clarke, a superdelegate at the upcoming Democratic National Convention, has remained supportive of U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton's Presidential candidacy even after her Congressional District cast 56% of its votes for Senator Obama in New York State's Super Tuesday Presidential primary . . .
[The organization's web site can be found by clicking here.]
The weird thing about all this, of course, is that Clarke is one of the most progressive members of Congress and even supported Dennis Kucinich's resolution calling for the impeachment of Iraq war architect Dick Cheney.
It was also reported a couple of weeks back that Clarke seemed joyfully beside herself as she greeted Obama during his visit to Congress. [see BrooklynRon post.]
But many, especially in Brooklyn's strong anti-war community, see it as strange and inconsistence that an elected official could hold such views and then stand with Clinton who, after all, cast her vote to approve the invasion of Iraq and has been decidedly hawkish in many of her remarks about the Middle East.
Clarke's decision to endorse and stick with Clinton undoubtedly reflects Clinton's strength as a U.S. Senator, and the fear that Democrats who go against Clinton may suffer politically down the line.
There are a good number of Brooklynites, nonetheless, for whom this kind of cold calculation is precisely what has turned them off about Clinton in her barking-mad pursuit of the presidency.
First let me say, I am for Hilary ,,Obama has no agenda,, He running on nothing more than Corporate Media hype,
Every seems to be caught up in this Barack Obama Magic show. since the media is pushing Hilary out . . .
Posted by: Paul V | May 26, 2008 at 02:20 AM
Perhaps Barack Obama will pay a price for the condescending attitude of Olbermann and his other supporters. I've just seen this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUyce6224Mk
I believe it. Something of a pain isn't it? Your bad attitude coming back to you.
Posted by: Sean | May 25, 2008 at 11:31 PM