Will Black Voters Save Joe Biden's Presidential Campaign?
Should They?
Joe Biden's hopes to become President were always dependent on his ability to capture a high percentage of the black vote. With the earliest contests in the Democratic Primary process taking place in Iowa and New Hampshire with minimal black presence and the recent Nevada caucus where black voters are heavily outweighed by whites and Hispanic voters. The February 29th South Carolina Primary will be the first opportunity to see if black voters will be the firewall Biden desperately needs to stay a factor in the race to become the Democratic nominee. Bernie Sanders has taken a commanding lead in the race percentage wise, although the states having input thus far only represent 2% of the delegates to be awarded. Three days after South Carolina comes Super Tuesday; if Biden can't slow down Sander's momentum, he may well be finished by next week, unless black voters rush in to save the day.
Biden has seemingly claimed black voters as his birthright, payment due for his loyalty service as Vice-President to the first black President, Barack Obama. His early campaign efforts consisted of hitching himself to the Obama record and staying mostly out of view; hoping to avoid the gaffes he's famous for. In early polls, black voters did give Biden great support but he's faced an onslaught of negative ads from billionaire candidate Tom Steyer and others seeking to siphon off black voters. Joe has his own record to defend and has fumbled while doing so. He was reminded of the 1994 Crime Bill he once bragged about helping to author. That bill helped add to mass incarceration of black people and he's since offered a weak apology for unanticipated effects.
Then there's his treatment of Anita Hill during the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings when Biden was Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Biden didn't call three witnesses that would have supported Hill's testimony; instead making it possible for Thomas to become a Supreme Court Justice. Biden wasn't ready to go to the mat for Anita Hill, now he wants black people to save him. Joe apologized for that too.
Joe Biden is on paper the most qualified candidate for President. As Barack Obama's Vice-President his opinion was actually sought as opposed to most Vice-Presidents whose role is mostly ceremonial. He served in the Senate and while he didn't author quite as many bills as he presently claims, he did pass legislation and unlike the present President, understands how government works. He's known for his ability to compromise which could also be seen as a lack of conviction. Republican Senators and racist Democratic Senators of yore all found Joe to be a man they could reason with.
"I was in a caucus with James O. Eastland. He never called me 'boy,' he always called me 'son,' "
"Well guess what? At least there was some civility. We got things done.We didn't agree on much of anything. We got things done. We got it finished."
"But today, you look at the other side and you're the enemy. Not the opposition, the enemy. We don't talk to each other anymore."
Don't get me wrong, given the choice between any of the Democratic candidates and Trump, there isn't a moments hesitation. I would have preferred a couple candidates that have already exited the race and a couple that have little chance over the front-runners. But I believe the Democratic establishment had a finger on the scale. In the least surprising endorsement of the process; South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn came out in support of Biden; after long claiming he would stay neutral. He wasn't neutral months ago when he made back-handed compliments regarding Senators Kamala Harris and Cory Booker. He also suggested older black voters would have a problem with Pete Buttigieg's sexuality, calling it a "generational issue." Clyburn has always tried steering his constituents to Biden. Perhaps hoping for a reward down the road?
Biden has a relationship with the black community that relative to his competitors could have stood on his own. No he hasn't been perfect but neither have any of the others. I don't know what possessed Joe to tell a story about being arrested in Soweto along with former Atlanta Mayor and civil rights leader Andrew Young when meeting with Nelson Mandela. When asked, Andrew Young denied that he was arrested there and doubted Biden had either. Biden's campaign later backed away from the claim. We already have one President that makes up readily disprovable stories. We hardly need another.
Black voters are not a monolithic group and will make a variety of choices based on their own preferences. Joe Biden may well get enough black votes in South Carolina and Super Tuesday states to make the Democratic nomination a contest. It that happens, it won't be because he's entitled, he'll need to do something along the way (and afterwards) to deserve it.
About the Creator
William Spivey
I write because I must, no peace will I attain until my thoughts are put down on paper. Only then may I rest. I write about race, politics, education, and history. Can you handle the truth?
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