Anderson@Large

Tension Builds in Mile High City

The curtain will rise on the 2008 Democratic National Convention in less than two weeks. In a conference call with reporters, Convention Co-Chair, Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, previewed the nightly themes for what she promised will be “an exciting and innovative convention, one like we’ve never seen before in America.”

On the other side of town, some Hillary Clinton supporters previewed a different kind of party.

The Denver Group was formed to ensure “the Democratic National Committee respect and carry out the democratic process at the convention in Denver this August by meeting certain specific goals.” In a newspaper ad, “Will Howard Dean and the DNC turn the Democratic Party into the Boston Tea Party,” they boldly declare:

Senator Clinton’s name must be placed in nomination. Her supporters must be allowed to make speeches on behalf of her candidacy. There must be a true and honest roll call vote with each candidate given an equal chance to win the nomination.

If Democratic processes and principles are not respected, if attempts are made to turn the convention into a coronation instead of choosing a nominee according to Democratic rules and principles, then the party will have a much bigger problem – a genuine revolt of more than 18 million voters. And then, come November, there will be a lot more than tea going over the side.

I asked the group’s co-founder, Heidi Li Feldman, whether they will continue to press for a roll call vote in light of Clinton’s primetime speaking role. In an email, Feldman wrote:

The Denver Group will press for Senator Clinton's name to be put in nomination followed by truly competitive roll call vote, because we know that whichever candidate were to win such a vote would be more likely to attract enough votes in November to secure a Democratic victory, which is our ultimate hope.

Feldman dismissed fears that a divided party undermines Barack Obama’s chances of winning the general election:

The Denver Group is concerned that a facade of unity, rather than genuine support earned via a truly competitive roll call vote at the Convention, will undermine any Democratic presidential contender's chance to win in November.

Meanwhile, Clinton’s former communications director Howard Wolfson told ABC News that John Edwards’ lie about an extramarital affair cost Clinton the nomination:

I believe we would have won Iowa, and Clinton today would therefore have been the nominee. Our voters and Edwards' voters were the same people. They were older, pro-union. Not all, but maybe two-thirds of them would have been for us and we would have barely beaten Obama.

The Clinton-Obama drama continues. Stay tuned.

R.I.P., Isaac Hayes

I was still reeling from the death of Bernie Mac when I heard that Isaac Hayes was pronounced dead.

Two months ago, I saw Hayes in concert in Prospect Park in Brooklyn. He was a little unsteady as he was escorted onto the stage, but by the end of the night, Hayes was dancing and singing a rousing version of "The Blues is Alright."

The image of Black Moses draped in chains at "Wattstax" is indelibly etched in my mind. Memphis musician Michael Toles told the Washington Post:

The first few shows I did with him, he didn't wear the chains," Toles says. Many of the musicians who knew Hayes were aware of how the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. on the balcony at the Lorraine Motel in 1968 affected him. Toles goes on: "But then he started wearing them and I think it represented to him the coming freedom of the black man."

Hayes has gone to his reward. May he rest in peace.

Disunity in the Dem Community

In 17 days, the Democratic National Convention will be called to order. But don’t look for a group hug. The latest episode in the Clinton-Obama drama centers on whether she will allow her name to be placed in nomination.

Hillary Clinton was caught on tape mulling it over.

Barack Obama thinks a "catharsis" would be a distraction. He told a gaggle of reporters:

I don't think we're looking for catharsis. I think what we are looking for is energy and excitement about the prospects of changing this country, and I think that people who supported a whole range of different candidates during the primaries are going to come out of that convention feeling absolutely determined that we have to take the White House back.

In the meantime, Clinton supporters are determined to have their voices heard. The City of Denver has issued a permit to Colorado Women Count/Women Vote for a parade on Aug. 26, Women's Equality Day. This year marks the 88th anniversary of ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment, which granted women the right to vote.

They will march through Denver and hook-up with 18 Million Voices, a grassroots organization of Hillaryites who will host a festival lovefest in Confluence Park. Clinton’s star turn at the convention podium is scheduled for later that evening.

Though it’s Obama’s convention, Hillary and Bill Clinton want to party like it’s 1999.

Distractions Drive Voters to Distraction

With 89 days to go, the presidential campaign is driving voters to distraction. A new Pew Research Center poll found half of voters are suffering from “Obama Fatigue”:

As he has since January, this week, Barack Obama enjoyed much more visibility as far as the public was concerned than did John McCain. By a margin of 76% to 11% respondents in Pew's weekly News Interest Index survey named Obama over McCain as the candidate they have heard the most about in recent days. But the same poll also shows that the Democratic candidate's media dominance may not be working in his favor. Close to half (48%) of Pew's interviewees went on to say that they have been hearing too much about Obama lately. And by a slight, but statistically significant margin - 22% to 16% - people say that recently they have a less rather than more favorable view of the putative Democratic nominee.

Poll respondents said they want to hear more about John McCain. Good luck with that. There are now “distractions from the distractions” (hat tip: techPresident.com).

Meanwhile, Paris Hilton totally trashes McCain in her latest video.

In one day, Paris’ video has nearly five million views. Still, her use of the B-word has gone largely unnoticed. While Ludacris was rightly called out for using the B-word, Paris gives gets a free ride.

Luda must be totally hot (under the collar).

Election Hits and Misses

The heat is on Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick who is caught up in a text-messaging sex scandal.  But he wasn’t on the ballot yesterday. So, some wished the sins of the son were visited upon the mother who was on the ballot.

And they nearly got their wish. Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, chairperson of the Congressional Black Caucus, narrowly fended off two primary challengers. Kilpatrick received 20,888 votes, or 39.1 percent, former state Rep. Mary Waters had 19,183 votes, or 36 percent, and state Sen. Martha Scott garnered 13,280 votes, or 24.9 percent. The margin of victory was 1,705 votes.

The low turnout, roughly 13 percent, and the slim victory may foreshadow problems for other congressional incumbents.

A new Gallup poll found:

In a year when approval of Congress has reached a new low, just 36% of U.S. registered voters say most members of Congress deserve re-election. This is among the lowest ratings Gallup has measured in a recent presidential or congressional election year. ...

Gallup has found ratings in the neighborhood of the current 36% in three other election years -- 1992, 1994, and 2006. All of these years brought about significant change in the membership of Congress.

That may not be the change members of Congress believe in.

And speaking of change, DeKalb County (Ga.) CEO Vernon Jones was routed in the runoff race for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate. In a light turnout election (less than 10 percent), Jones lost to Jim Martin, a white former state legislator. Martin defeated Jones 59.8 percent to 40.2 percent.

Jones tried to hitch his wagon to Barack Obama. His campaign tactics included a brochure with a photoshopped image of Obama. That was change the voters did not believe in.

Letter to the President (In Waiting)

It is a rite of passage for elementary schoolchildren to write a letter to a new President expressing their hopes and wishes for his administration. For rap artists, President Ronald Reagan inspired them to raise their voices in “Letter to the President,” a powerful documentary that chronicles rap music’s passage as “music for a cause” at the height of Reaganism.

The film, narrated by Snoop Dogg, captures the downward trajectory of African Americans during the Reagan era.  Community activist Davey D observed:

His economic policies were designed to decimate entire swatches of the black community and the inner city. And they did.

The film immediately came to mind when I read “An Open Letter to Barack Obama.” The letter calls on Obama “to stand firm on the principles he so compellingly articulated in the primary campaign”:

Since your historic victory in the primary, there have been troubling signs that you are moving away from the core commitments shared by many who have supported your campaign, toward a more cautious and centrist stance--including, most notably, your vote for the FISA legislation granting telecom companies immunity from prosecution for illegal wiretapping, which angered and dismayed so many of your supporters.

We recognize that compromise is necessary in any democracy. We understand that the pressures brought to bear on those seeking the highest office are intense. But retreating from the stands that have been the signature of your campaign will weaken the movement whose vigorous backing you need in order to win and then deliver the change you have promised.

The letter is signed by some of the usual suspects and one suspect Obama delegate, Norman Solomon (h/t National Review Online).

BTW, if you’re in the Big Apple on Aug. 17, there will be a voter registration drive and screening of “Letter to the President” in St. Nicholas Park.

Dog Days of Election '08

In my ongoing search for distractions from dog whistle-politics, I went to the “Harlem Rent Party” at the Museum of the City of New York.

Actually, it was a festival of film shorts (precursors to music videos) of musicians who dropped by Harlem’s legendary rent parties. Music greats like Louis Jordan, Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway and the “Empress of the Blues,” Bessie Smith.

While there, I checked out “Campaigning for President: New York and the American Election,” an exhibition of political memorabilia from 1789 to the present.

It was a thrill to stand at the lectern that Abraham Lincoln used when he spoke at Cooper Union in 1860. The artifacts of negative campaigning include a “Comb Nixon Out of Your Hair” comb and trinkets of voters who were “talked to death” by perennial presidential candidate and noted orator William Jennings Bryan.

Fast forward to today. Negative campaigning has gone viral. Indeed, someone has taught an old dog, John McCain, a new trick. McCain is using video to sow doubt about Barack Obama. The “Celeb” video has been viewed by over 1.5 million people.

McCain’s new web ad, “The One,” has more than 750,000 views.

A new Rasmussen poll found that 69 percent of voters saw news coverage of the Obama-Britney-Paris ad. Of those, 22 percent thought it was racially-charged while 63 percent said it was honky dory.

And yes, there is a racial divide. Fifty-eight percent of black voters said the ad was racist compared to 18 percent of white voters. Dog whistles, anyone?

The racial gap is not as wide over Obama’s comment that “he doesn’t look like all those other presidents on the dollar bills.” Fifty-three percent of white voters and 44 percent of black voters said it crossed the line.

With Obama and McCain in a statistical dead-heat, the New York Post gloated:

Barack Obama's whirlwind trip to the Mideast and Europe: more than $1 million.
John McCain's two days of viral video ads comparing his rival to Paris Hilton and God: $200,000.
A tie in the latest presidential tracking poll: priceless.

The polls have emboldened McCain, who told ABC News’ Diane Sawyer:

We’re not gonna allow racism to come into this campaign in any form. And so I’m gonna respond if it comes up again.

To borrow a phrase, “someone done hoodooed the hoodoo man” (hat tip: Louis Jordan).