TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

More Freedoms Needed For Independent Voters (Anthony Leone, The Times Observer blog PA) For example, the Committee for a Unified Independent Party, Inc. works tirelessly to have politicians to commit themselves to work on behalf of independent voters.

POLITICAL REFORM

• Kentucky Bill to Let Independent Voters Vote in Partisan Primaries (Ballot Access News) Kentucky Representative Jimmy Higdon (R-Lebanon) has introduced HB 17, which says that independent voters may vote in any party primary.
  
• Richard Winger joins board of Free and Equal Elections Foundation (Independent Political Report) The Free and Equal Elections Foundation is a non partisan, non profit 501c(4) organization dedicated to eliminating restrictive ballot access laws that target Independent and Third-Party Candidates.
  

AFRICAN AMERICAN PRESIDENT

Column: The Dream: Before and after (By David Snow, Demopolis Times) It is a day that perhaps Dr. King could not have fully envisioned. The first African-American candidate for President for a major party came in 1972 — four years after King's assassination — when Shirley Chisholm ran for the Democratic Party. Jesse Jackson followed after that in 1984 and '88 for the Democratic Party, and Lenora Fulani ran as an independent in 1988 and 1992.

NEW YORK POLITICS/INDEPENDENCE PARTY

Independence Day (Elizabeth Benjamin, NY Daily News/Daily Politics) Fred Newman, a controversial figure who is a committeeman for the state Independence Party and the ally/mentor of Lenora Fulani, was unsurprisingly not pleased to learn of Mayor Bloomberg's new alliance with party founder and retired Paychex billionaire Tom Golisano. Newman panned the plan by Golisano and Bloomberg to "revamp" the Indy Party as an "outrageous and tyrannical attempt" by the mayor to "control what he can't control." As for any attempt by Bloomberg to land Row C for the third time, Newman vowed: "It's going to be very difficult for him to get the line...We're not going to be bought off."

LAST WORD

Monday Morning Mindfuck (Bill Campbell, Tome of the Unknown Writer) "I used to be all radical, and shit..." What happened??

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

ELECTION FALLOUT

• Race didn't decide the election (LA Times) "Economic issues trumped race." That doesn't mean white voters in Ohio harbored no racial prejudice; it means they put their feelings aside, or subordinated them, in deciding to vote for Obama over McCain. That's a psychological process that is common in many of the decisions we make. We do or decide something in spite of feelings to the contrary.
• State GOP got outworked, outspent (Detroit News) Saul Anuzis is a good state chairman who understands the need to woo independent voters. But he is always fending off challenges from the party's ideologues. He can't be effective if his own team is trying to stick a shiv in him.
• Stronghold shows cracks (Lancaster Online) "The difference in totals could therefore be attributed to the Democrats coming out while the Republicans stayed home. It also shows that Obama received twice as many of the independent voters than did McCain."
• An Obama Tilt in Campaign Coverage (Washington Post) The Post's polling was on the mark, and in some cases ahead of the curve, in focusing on independent voters, racial attitudes, low-wage voters, the shift of African Americans' support from Clinton to Obama and the rising importance of economic issues.
• Oregon Exits (Blue Oregon) But his most important demographic wins--and probably the reason he won the election--came among moderate and independent voters. Merkley won self-identified independents 48%-43%; among self-identified independents
• Obama's victory in Florida represents many firsts (Tallahassee Democrat) Obama won counties in the famed I-4 corridor, which cuts from Tampa through Daytona Beach, and includes a slice of independent voters who practically decided if Florida will be a red or blue state. In Orange County, for example, Obama beat McCain by 85,000 votes.

HISTORY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN CANDIDATES FOR PRESIDENT

• Role of race in the race (The Item - South Carolina) Lenora Fulani ran as an Independent in 1988 and again in 1992. She was the first black woman to appear on the presidential ballot in all 50 states.
• With Obama's win, our nation has overcome (The Courier Journal - KY)

LAST WORD
1960s Radicals Predict Rebirth of Social Activism (NY Times) Mr. Fenton, 56, had dropped out of the Bronx High School of Science in 1968 to pursue photojournalism. “There were demonstrations every week,” Mr. Fenton said. “I don’t know if that will ever happen again. I hope it doesn’t have to.”

Clinton, Obama, white women and Alice Walker

Lest We Forget: An open letter to my sisters who are brave.
by Alice Walker
The author argues that we must build alliances not on ethnicity or gender, but on truth.

March 27, 2008
I HAVE COME home from a long stay in Mexico to find – because of the presidential campaign, and especially because of the Obama/Clinton race for the Democratic nomination - a new country existing alongside the old. On any given day we, collectively, become the Goddess of the Three Directions and can look back into the past, look at ourselves just where we are, and take a glance, as well, into the future. It is a space with which I am familiar.... (TheRoot.com)

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE INDEPENDENTS!

• Independents key in New Hampshire-McCain, Obama appeal to undeclared voters (By Finlay Lewis, San Diego Union Tribune) Quotes Russ Ouellette, New Hampshire Committee for an Independent Voice
• National Focus Poses Challenge for Obama (Washington Post)
• Electability is key for voters in S. Carolina-For some black Democrats, Obama's Iowa win is a sign that Americans see past race, but others doubt his chances of a November win (Chicago Tribune)
• N.H. independents may hold key to future (Los Angeles Times)
• Finally, NH votes (Union Leader)
• Independents' Day-There are probably enough Independents to go around to both John McCain and Barack Obama. (National Review Online, By Jim Geraghty)
• The GOP's Jesse Jackson Moment? (The Atlantic: Mark Falcoff, by Ross Douthat)
• California Unaffiliated voters key to victory (Mercury News)
• Obama seen as unifying black and white voters (NY Newsday)
• N.H. independents likely to decide primary winners (NY Newsday)

BLOOMBERG

• Bloomberg in Spotlight but Still Not in Fray (Wall Street Journal)
• Obama’s Surge Deflates Forum and Talk of a Bloomberg Run (New York Times)
• Bloomberg Could Get on Texas Ballot with 43,991 Signatures, Even Though Media All Say He Needs 74,108 (Ballot Access News)
• Angry Independents Call for Bipartisanship-Oklahoma conclave brings together possible candidate Bloomberg and other middle-roaders (US News & World Report)

RON PAUL

• Ron Paul on the Verge of Going Third Party? (National Ledger, By Eric Dondero)
  

IT BEARS REPEATING:

• Why the Left Doesn’t Appreciate Obama (by Randy Shaw, Beyond Chron blog San Francisco Chronicle): "Yet bloggers are suspicious at Obama’s appeal to independent voters. Some take a giant leap in concluding that Obama’s attempt to broaden the Democratic base is a sign that he will allow such backers to water down or “co-opt” his policies as President......"
• Obama follows other African-American presidential hopefuls (reprinted on Raw Story): Not sure why Lenora Fulani's historic 1988 run for president is termed "marginal" since she was the first woman and first African American to be on the ballot in all 50 states... Oh, that's right, she ran as an independent candidate.....!!!!

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Actually, independent voters care a lot (Donna Lee Richards, Concord Monitor)
• If independents don't care about politics, why are the candidates wooing them in New Hampshire? (Arizona Central)
• ‘Long shot’ Kucinich scores 77% in independent voter poll (Daily Scare blog)
• The Huckmonster Returns to Another Monster: Dick Morris- local Little Rock reform activist talks dirt on Huckabee (by Skip Cook, OpEdNews)
• When blacks run for president (CBS News) News)
• Bill Clinton's negative attacks on Obama not appreciated (Black Star News Editorial)
• Calling The Kettle Black--Clinton's attacks on Obama (Black Voice News)
• Arizona Presidential Preference Election Limited to Republicans, Democrats (KTAR)
• The Path to a National Popular Vote (By David Sirota, Truthdig)

The Women Who Ran for President

...Lenora Fulani was the most successful female minor party candidate. Her name was on the ballot in 51 jurisdictions in 1988 and 48 in 1992. No other woman running for President, whether in a primary or a general election, has had her name on as many different ballots....

See: The Women Who Ran for President, by Jo Freeman

Barak Obama and his Disappearing Lenora Fulani Act

It's been posted before, but it bears repeating:

In a wonderful article on Black America Web, Barack Obama’s Presidential Candidacy Elicits Excitement, Prompts Debate Among Blacks, February 10, 2007, By Michael H. Cottman --

..."Despite Chisholm, Jackson, Fulani, Mosley-Braun and Sharpton before him, Obama is managing a scale of organizational and fundraising capacity that appears unmatched by those previous candidates," [Colorado state Sen. Peter Groff, executive director of the Center for African American Policy at the University of Denver] said. "Therefore, he is very much the most solid black contender for president of the United States, thereby presenting an unbelievably unique opportunity for African-Americans." .....

..."I'm proud of Senator Obama for following in the footsteps of Jesse Jackson, Shirley Chisholm, and Al Sharpton," Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) told BlackAmericaWeb.com. "He has earned the opportunity to make this run for the presidency, and I look forward to hearing his plans on how to get America back on the right path." ...

Gary Younge on Barak Obama

The power of hope: Six years ago, Barack Obama's political support consisted of 50 friends and acquaintances. Today, he has a serious chance of becoming the next US president. Gary Younge goes on the campaign trail of the black candidate who makes white voters feel at ease (The Guardian - UK) Saturday February 10, 2007

...In short, America is in a deep funk and desperate for political leadership that can unite the country around some new story. Obama's campaign is pitched to fill that void....

Partisan consideration trumps...

Americans more open to idea of a female or black president in 2008: polls (Brooks Bulletin - Alberta) by BETH GORHAM ...While no one would deny that race still matters in U.S. politics, said Keeter, "it seems like partisan considerations are more important than race."
The evolution of U.S. politics isn't surprising to those who remember that exit polls suggested Colin Powell could have won against Bill Clinton in 1996 if he'd run for president.
And a Gallup analysis suggests Hillary Clinton's gender may be a boost for her candidacy since she scores better among Republican and independent women than other Democratic candidates.
"It's possible that women may disproportionately swing to her in hopes of supporting the first female president," says the polling firm....

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

Florida: Independents like Charlie Crist
Alabama: 5% independents
Firefighters not ready to endorse
"Liberal Progressives" should back Kucinich
Chuck Hagel: Third-party run?
Obama and Hillary: dilemma for black women?
Obama: easy commodity
Obama and Hillary: (They're both Democrats)
Hillary and Obama: Politicians need black votes

No Black or White Presidents

Black or White? Obama’s appeal should not depend on his racial identification, By PATRICK JEAN BAPTISTE (Harvard Crimson) ...The point missed by many such concerned commentators is that Obama cannot, and should not, be a “black president” any more than he should be a white one. A multiracial nation demands a colorblind president—one willing to fairly address the plight and concerns of every citizen....

Obama, Sharpton, class and race

Obama stands in mainstream, as Biden trips, by Cynthia Tucker (Atlanta Journal Constitution) ...Biden's remarks illuminate something too long hidden — the tripwires and flash points around issues of race and class. Forget "clean." Never mind "nice-looking." The most intriguing word the Delaware senator used in describing Obama was "mainstream."
Biden has already called Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, presumably to assure them he didn't think they failed to take regular showers or had an uneasy relationship with the English language. .... Princeton University professor Melissa Harris-Lacewell recently told The Washington Post: "You can be elected president as a black person only if you signal at some level that you are independent from black people."...

More "Black Presidents"

from historymike Joe Biden, You Are a Blithering Idiot, Sir

"Black Presidents"

"black presidents (part four) on Planet Grenada blog: One of the more interesting characters in this subject area is Dr. Lenora Fulani. Fulani ran for President in 1988 as the candidate of the New Alliance Party. She received 0.2% of the vote, or almost a quarter of a million votes, and was the first African American independent on the ballot in all 50 states. She's been one of the strongest voices in favor of Black political independence (from the two-party system) and has been willing to work with everyone from Al Sharpton to Pat Buchanan. If you want to get a taste of her perspective on the last presidential race check out Black Electorate: "The Real Al Sharpton" by Dr. Lenora Fulani.
And you can get more of an overview of her organizing activities at: www.independentvoting.org

AFRICAN-AMERICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES

This from USA Today:

Candidate Party Year(s)
Former senator Carol Moseley Braun, Ill. Democrat 2004
Civil rights activist Al Sharpton Democrat 2004
Former diplomat Alan Keyes Republican 1996, 2000
Psychologist Lenora Fulani Independent 1988, 1992
Civil rights activist Jesse Jackson Democrat 1984, 1988
Rep. Shirley Chisholm, N.Y. Democrat 1972
Source: USA TODAY research

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