*Now Democratic Florida Rep., Alcee L Hastings has joined the growing chorus of voices criticizing President Obama‘s lack of outreach to the black community.
Hastings, 76, says Obama consistently disrespects the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), the black Press, and graduates of historically black colleges, key groups that were critical to his re-election in November.
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Speaking Friday at the mid-winter convention of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), Hastings, a former federal judge, said the Congressional Black Caucus carefully vetted candidates they felt would be ideal for the second Obama administration, which has come under criticism for being dominated by White males.
“The Black Caucus of Congress then sent 61 names to the White House,” Hastings recounted. “Time went by. Not one of that 61 was selected – not one.”
In a speech that had a rich blend of seriousness, humor and expletives, Hastings said during the campaign, the CBC pressed the Obama campaign about the paucity of advertising with Black newspapers in particular. He said a top campaign official said Obama initially planned to spend only $650,000 with Black newspapers, a figure that was raised under pressure to $1 million – which meant that $999 million went to others.
“If I was president of the United States, there is no way in hell that I would raise a billion dollars and don’t spend but a million dollars with people who probably had as much to do with my becoming president as anybody,” the Florida Democrat said.
Read/learn more at NNPA via Sacramento Observer.
And now it begins…..
Glad these folks are finally speaking out. Kinda figured once the second term came around more would come forth, though I wish they had the courage to do it last term. The “strategy” among a lot of “us” was “shhh, don’t say anything til he gets re-elected, if we speak now, he might not get re-elected.” The problem with that strategy is the assumption that he really WANTED to do more for the Black community but “couldn’t” if he wanted to be re-elected. What happens if that assumption is wrong and he really DOESN’T give a damn about you? He already got your vote, he gets to write “two-term president” on his resume/ autobiography/legacy. If it wasn’t in his heart to do something already, he has no incentive to do so now. Blacks with all their “strategy” may have unknowingly given away ALL their political power…not just for the current administration, but for decades to come.
Kinda figured once the second term came around more would come forth, though I wish they had the courage to do it last term.
TGen, that’s the thing. Even though you and I have always been explicit even from the first term, all those other black folks also knew what’s up. They kept quite because they reasoned that it’s in the best interest of the race that a black man not only got elected but also got re-elected. They all knew Obama was full of it, and anyone who doubted then is pretty sure now seeing that it’s the second term and he still ain’t about to do a damn thing for black people.
Even Sharpton, Dyson and Perry, they all talk the same as us behind closed doors about Obama. But they had to keep a stiff upper lip to ensure not only his election, but maybe even more importantly, his re-election. Some might even argue that his re-election was more important for black people than first getting elected. You would rather have a black man not getting elected than have to suffer the stigma of a defeat so that people can say black people can’t run shit.
We all did our part to get him elected and re-elected. Now it’s time for everybody to sound off.
I supported the POTUS both terms and hoped that he would select a cabinet member from a HBCU. If an alien came here from out of space, it would think only Harvard, Yale and Princeton produced scholars worthy of mention.
Fanteeking, you are so right. I have seen his elitist colors flying for a long time, but to see a long-time supporter like yourself finally see that is jolting. The veneer is finally wearing off.