By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Producer
Posted Nov. 30, 2007 – Rep. Henry Hyde, the Republican firebrand who will always be remembered for his fierce opposition to initiatives of his rival House Democrats and as one of the most vociferous crusaders in the call for the impeachment of former President Bill Clinton, has died. He was 83.

In recent weeks, Hyde, who served more than three decades in Congress before retiring in 2006, was awarded the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Medal Of Freedom, for his longtime service in the House. “With so many on Capitol Hill, Henry Hyde’s friendship is gold,” President Bush said in bestowing the honor on Hyde. “They are quick to say it’s not the same Congress without him, but that we’re a better country because he was there. And colleagues will always admire and look up to the gentleman from Illinois. Henry J. Hyde. And Bob, please tell your dad a lot of us in Washington love him.”
Hyde, who in his dying days from a rehab center in Wheaton, Md., following open-heart surgery in early November praised the friends and colleagues he has in both parties, was a staunch opponents of such issues as abortion. One of the leading voices in the run-up to Clinton’s impeachment, he has been quoted as saying that he didn’t want to proceed with impeachment hearing but became angry with Clinton for lying about the affair and decided to proceed. His opponents at the time chided Hyde as a hypocrite, since he himself had once indulged in an affair as a young lawmaker. He was the chairman of the Judiciary Committee and presided over the hearings that led to Clinton’s impeachment over the Monica Lewinsky affair.

It will be interesting to see how the Republican presidential candidates reflect on Hyde’s career in coming days. 
 

By Pamela J. Gentry, Senior Political Producer

Posted Nov. 29, 2007 – This has been a tough year for Black congresswomen.  In April, Rep. Juanita Millender McDonald (D-Calif.) died from cancer.  Over the Thanksgiving holiday Rep. Julia Carson’s (D-Ind.) announced she wouldn’t run for re-election because she is fighting an aggressive form of lung cancer. 

“We know she toiled over the decision to not return to Congress. In her selfless tradition of public service, Representative Carson refused to allow anything to beset the interests of her constituents,” said Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick (D-Mich.), chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus.

But Carson who has been working from home the last few months decided the time had come to leave a job she has done with passion and precision for more than a decade.  In a brief but sincere message on her congressional homepage, she explained her decision to focus on her health. The message of her plan not to run was penned by a staffer, but her plans for the future are in her own words.  “Who knows the future? Who knows God’s will?  I want very much to return to Washington and continue representing the good people of Indianapolis with my vote,” she said.

Carson has served in Congress for 11 years and was the first woman and first African American Indiana sent to Congress. Folks in Carson’s district affectionately dubbed her “Miss Julia.” 

 “Carson has exhibited the spirit of a warrior, the grace of a dove and the roar of a lion,” Kilpatrick said.
 

By Pamela J. Gentry, Senior Political Producer

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (Posted Nov. 28, 2007) – Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) visited South Carolina Tuesday, which will be the first southern state to hold its presidential primary.  She stopped in Spartanburg to pick up endorsements from some 50 ministers whose congregations cover the northern region of the state.  The delegation of pastors flanked Clinton on stage before a crowd of more than 300 in the Spartanburg Marriott Hotel ballroom.

A political pep rally with pastors is a winning combination for any campaign.  But the one who stood out to me was the event coordinator. South Carolina State Rep. Harold Mitchell (D) had first endorsed Clinton’s top rival, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.).

 Mitchell told me his switch wasn’t “a quick change” but after finding Clinton was closer to the issues he cared about, it just seemed like the right thing to do. 

Mitchell said when he testified at a hearing in Washington, D.C., on environmental justice, he listen to what Clinton had to say and found she supported the same state projects he was working on. Not just on this issue but other issues as well. 

“She came back and put together a trust fund for affordable housing; she signed onto the reauthorization of Hope Six, an initiative to spark home ownership, and she has the leadership and experience,” Mitchell said.

You can never underestimate how a candidate relates to the folks when they meet face to face.  And Clinton worked the room and clearly roped in a few votes.  After her remarks, she shook hands with the crowd and exchanged pleasantries. 

Bertha Robinson from Moore, S.C., told me, “I like her ideas, and she would be an excellent president; she’s for the middle class and underprivileged.”

John Teamer, of Spartanburg, was still undecided.  “I wanted to see what she’s like; I want a president that’s for everybody.”  

There is no way to tell just how much power or influence these pastors have with their folks or communities.  Mitchell told me most of them were already Clinton supporters and his switch had nothing to do with their endorsement. 

Mitchell is confident he made the right move.  “I like the senator (Obama); he’s real good; it’s not that I dislike him.”

That may be true, but it is a “dis.”

By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Producer 

Posted Nov. 21, 2007 – The heat is on, and Democratic rivals in Iowa have a three-way race and new frontrunner, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) 

On Tuesday, The Washington Post and ABC News released a poll showing Obama bumping Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) from atop the Democratic hill, suddenly becoming the No. 1 choice among likely caucus voters.   Obama is now favored by 30 percent to Clinton’s 26 percent, with former Sen. John Edwards (D- N.C.) in third place with 22 percent.

Clinton has found herself on the defensive since the Oct. 30, debate in Philadelphia.  Obama and Edwards came out tough against Clinton and repeatedly challenged her “honesty and trust” worthiness.  The debate in Las Vegas last week brought more of the same and could be one of the factors influencing Iowa voters.  

When the survey asked, “Which candidate is the most honest and trustworthy?” Obama came in first with 30 percent, with Clinton trailing 10 points behind him. This could be an indication that the flurry of attacks against Clinton by her rivals may have eroded some of her mooring.  

Another possibility for Obama’s four-point surge is that folks might be getting to know more about him and liking what they see.  This week, he rolled out an education plan that would make community college free through tax credits.  Now that’s something with mass appeal, and could grab the attention of new undecided voters.

There was some good news for Clinton in the poll, however.  When asked who they thought was the strongest leader and most experienced, likely voters picked Clinton; she scored 32 percent, 10 points ahead of Obama.  She also came in first with voters on strength and experience.     
On Tuesday Clinton took those “strengths” on the road, challenging Obama’s  foreign policy experience.  “Now voters will judge whether living in a foreign country at the age of 10 prepares one to face the big, complex international challenges the next president will face,” Clinton said.

Obama is ahead in the poll for first and second place.  This could almost guarantee a win for him.   

Those caucus voters supporting less popular candidates can decide to give thier  support to another candidate if their first choice is at the bottom.   When folks were asked in the survey who they would pick as their second choice, Obama was on top again.

By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Producer 

Have Democrats decided to dish the dirt about their rivials?   Read and respond. 

Posted Nov. 18, 2007 – Over the weekend, I got an email from Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-Ill.) campaign calling for his rival, Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), to put up or shut up. 

Obama was responding to a story in the “New York Post” by conservative columnist Robert Novak, who wrote that Clinton operatives had started a “word-of-mouth” campaign alleging scandalous information existed about Obama.  “The nature of the alleged scandal was not disclosed,” Novak said.

Not mincing words, Obama responded. “She, of all people, having complained so often about ‘the politics of personal destruction,’ should move quickly to either stand by or renounce these tactics,” he said in a statement.

Recalling Clinton’s criticism of “mud throwing” in politics during the Las Vegas debate, Obama challenged his nemesis. “But in the interest of our party, and her own reputation, Senator Clinton should either make public any and all information referred to in the item, or concede the truth: that there is none.” 

Obama’s “in your face” response was a first.  I don’t recall any of his communications being this strongly worded.  

 So where did the story come from?  Novak is no novice in reporting on politics – or in stirring up a hornets’ nest when it comes to those outside his political tastes. Remember, he’s the one who outed Valerie Plame in a 2003 column in The Washington Post, letting the world know that she was an undercover CIA agent. Bush administration officials leaked her name to Novak following the disclosure by her husband, Ambassador Joseph Wilson, that the administration had greatly exaggerated reports about Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction. A grand jury investigation followed and  Lewis “Scooter” Libby was indicted for perjury, obstruction of justice, and making false statements to federal investigators.
Phil Singer, a spokesman for the Clinton camp, denied anything to do with the Obama smear story, telling CNN Saturday, “We have no idea what Mr. Novak’s item is about and reject it totally.  Instead of pointing fingers at us, Senator Obama should get back to the issues and focus on what this election is really about.”

Look, the Democrats don’t need to play “gotcha.”   If they start calling names, flinging mud and running with rumors, the party’s nominee will hear it all, play by play, from their Republican opponents. 

They better get a lid on this quick.  And if the Clinton campaign is found to be at the bottom of this, the fallout could harpoon two frontrunners, making room for a new one.

By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Producer 

Did you see a winner in last nights debate?  If so, share your insights. 

Posted Nov.16, 2007 – Did anybody else find the format of Thursday night’s Democratic debate in Las Vegas distracting, with all the constant applause and the unseemly amount of time allotted to Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.)?  I’m sure the other five folks who were left just standing there behind their podiums would agree with me.

Leading up to the debate, pundits focused on how Clinton was going “come back” after her lackluster performance in Philadelphia and the pounding she took from her rivals. Well, she did come back fighting, and she brought some new ammunition: her fresh hair highlights, a silver necklace and red lipstick. 

I noticed the handiwork of her “glam squad,” and I bet most of the viewers at home did too.

 Clinton has made every effort to keep her gender out off the radar, but she made sure to reference it in last night’s debate. “I’m not playing, as some people say, the gender card here in Las Vegas,” she said, contradicting herself in the process. “I’m just trying to play the winning card. And I understand very well that people are not attacking me because I’m a woman; they’re attacking me because I’m ahead.”

The candidates tried to get on the record – issue by issue – but it wasn’t easy with so much time given for rivals to mitigate their arguments in rebuttals.

Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.), the only one who could stick to time limits, was refreshing and to the point.  He complimented all his challengers while finding a way to challenge their abilities in the same sentence.  “This is not about experience; it’s about change. It’s about action,” he said. “Who among us is going to be able to, on day one, step in and end the war?” 

Former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, made a compassionate speech in opposition to racial profiling.  “It will be stopped when I am president of the United States,” he said. “We’re gong to take the steps that need to be taken to restore America’s moral leadership in the world.”  

After Clinton and Obama sparred over who had the best universal healthcare plan, I didn’t see anyone score a knockout.  I’ll bet that virtually all of the candidates left Vegas with the same amount of support they brought.

Posted Nov. 14, 2007 – Black lawmakers today are remembering former California Democrat Augustus F. Hawkins as a champion of civil rights, servant of the people and guardian of the American dream.  A founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus who spent 56 years in politics, Hawkins died this week at the age of 100.

“He is the author of some of the most significant legislation ever passed in the House … particularly in the areas of education and labor,” said Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), whose fiery demeanor contrasts greatly with that of the soft-spoken man she called her mentor. “He cared about poor and working people.” Waters holds the seat that Hawkins vacated more than 16 years ago.

By the time the legendary lawmaker resigned in 1990, at age 83, he had left his fingerprints on a host of historic pieces of legislation, namely the section of the landmark 1964 Civil Rights Act that created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act, which not only helped create jobs but got those who needed them most qualified to fill them; the Youth Employment and Demonstration Projects Act of 1977, which recognized the importance of employing young people and involving them in conservation and community-improvement activities; and the Pregnancy Disability Act of 1978, which served notice to employers that getting pregnant was no longer grounds for terminating women, and required companies to cover pregnant workers with health insurance.

Before being elected to Congress in 1971, Hawkins served in the California State Legislature.  The first African American from California to be elected to Congress, he spent his time in the House working on fair housing, education and civil rights while representing his district as a Democrat from the South Los Angeles district.

He helped unite his fellow Black lawmakers – that’s when Blacks were stilled called “Negroes,” and there were few who made it to the esteemed halls Congress. Without his early involvement to mold a unified voice on issues important to African Americans, who knows whether the Caucus would have gained its current clout? There are now 43 members representing more than 40 million Americans.

Rep. John Lewis, (D-Ga.), another lion in the Civil Rights Movement, remembers meeting with Hawkins several times in the 1960s.  He was not afraid to visit Selma, visit Birmingham, and cities in Mississippi when hostility and tension peaked, Lewis said. As a member of Congress, Hawkins felt it was his responsibility to see first-hand what was happening at the heart of the Movement, Lewis said.

Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick (D-Mich.), chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, understands that her current position is a direct result of Hawkins labor. “As the first African American elected to the United States House of Representatives from the West, Hawkins tirelessly served the constituents of Los Angeles, Calif., and the nation with a tamed spirit and roaring determination,” she said.

Thelma T. Daley, former National President of Delta Sigma Theta, Sorority and vice chairwoman of the National Council of Negro Women, was with me when I heard the news of Hawkins’ passing.  “He was a great supporter of Delta Sigma Theta’s programs under the leadership of our national president, Geraldine Pittman Woods, a native of California,” she said.

Lisa Ransom, the granddaughter of the congressional pioneer recalls his long, illustrious service. “My grandfather was a tremendous public servant who built a 56-year career serving his country,” she said in a statement. “That’s a long time to serve, and it reflects on his great character and the quality of him as a person.”

Hawkins never fully retired.  He continued to work, sitting on boards and interacting with community leaders, especially in the area of education. 

By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Producer

Posted Nov. 13, 2007 - During the 2000 presidential race I met David Yepsen, the dean of Iowa politics. Every word Yepsen writes in his Des Moines Register column is coveted by those primary vote seekers campaigning in the Iowa.

Yepsen is to politics what Jay-Z is to Hip Hop – the man.

So I couldn’t help but notice when he praised the speech of Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) during the Iowa Democratic Party’s Jefferson Jackson Dinner last Saturday night.
Yepsen wrote, “The passion he showed should help him close the gap on Hillary Clinton by tipping some undecided caucus goers his way.”

“His oratory was moving, and he successfully contrasted himself with the others especially Clinton without being snide or nasty about it,” Yepsen said.

Now that’s a great review, and I’m sure the other five candidates noticed. Yepsen said the other speeches were “good” but gave Obama the highest mark of “excellent.” The dinner was attended by 9,000 donors, and party activist with a tremendous amount of influence over the party’s faithful.

But this wasn’t the only good news for the Obama campaign within 24 hours. In the other early primary state New Hampshire, political columnist Elaine Kellerman made this prediction in the Concord Monitor: “Barack Obama is the only Democrat who can beat the Republican in the general election.”

Kellerman sited a Time magazine article titled “Obama’s Red State Appeal. She wrote “He can draw votes from across party lines. He is the only Democratic candidate with support from Democrats, independents and Republicans. “

I can’t argue with her premise. Anyone hoping to win the presidency will need crossover voters. But both of these articles say more about Obama’s challengers.

There continues to be discussion regarding frontrunner Sen. Hillary Clinton’s (D-N.Y.) overall appeal. She’s been working to convert her critics and win over the undecided.

Obama’s speech did land one barb on his rival’s during his speech in Iowa. “When I am the nominee of this party, the Republican nominee will not be able to say I voted for the war in Iraq, or that I gave George Bush the benefit of the doubt on Iran, or that I support Bush-Cheney policies of not talking to leaders that we don’t like,” Obama said.

This was a good week for Obama, one down and eight weeks to go.

Every day politicians, pundits and pollsters debate the course of action to take in Iraq. Have you thought about it? What do you think should be done? 

By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Producer

Posted Nov. 12, 2007 – This weekend I received a brochure from my representative in Congress, freshman Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Md.)  The tri-fold, red, white and blue document was a Veteran’s Day tribute to the men and women in uniform who have served our country.

In bold letters, a quote from Sarbanes reads, “We must honor the sacrifice of our Veterans.  Always.”

The intent of the brochure was clear. Sarbanes wants to reach out to his constituents and use the opportunity to get feedback.  The mailing talked about helping Veterans cut red tape when accessing healthcare and opening communications with vets to improve support services when they return home.  But the part that caught my eye was the questionnaire in the tri-fold that asked about the war in Iraq.

The question laid out options in very clear and easy language for folks to understand.  I plan to answer the question and send it in, but for those of you don’t live in Sarbanes’ district, I thought I would share his question and the choice of answers: 

“Recent reports have underscored a number of options for a new direction in Iraq. I want to hear what you think is the safest and most effective approach for changing course.  

1. Immediate withdrawal
2. Withdraw within six months
3. Year-long phased withdrawal
4. Relocate American troops elsewhere in the region
5. Partial withdrawal with an open-ended troop presence
6. Open-ended commitment”

These are the options. Let me know what you think?

By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Producer 

Should Black folks consider returning to farming? 

Posted Nov. 7, 2007 - Leaders in the Democratic Party will hold a news conference today to shore up support for $288 billion over the next five years to help American farmers. 

When I looked at the dollars on the table, I wondered whether this bill be good or bad for Black farmers?  After a closer look, I asked, “what Black farmers?”  

Black farmers are disappearing, and in some states, they’re already gone. 

 The reason is simple: Blacks decided to leave the profession and head to the industrial states for higher-paying jobs or higher education. 

While farming always has been hard work, Black farmers had the added pressures of enduring racism and road blocks that often prohibited them from owning and operating independent farms.

According to the U.S. Census of Agriculture, the number of Black farmers peaked in the 1920s, with more than 925,000 Black farmers among the 650 million farmers in the United States.  Those numbers spiraled down the next four decades, and by the 1960s there were less than 90,000 Black farms in operation.  Now, they’re fewer than 19,000. 

 The farm debate began on Monday and looks like it will pass without much push-back from Senate Republicans.  If it passes, it will put more fresh fruit in school lunches, and guarantee more spending for conservation and subsidies to boost crop prices and farmers’ income.  

This bill will give very wealthy farmers a variety of alternative funding to plant organic crops, support small farmers’ markets and rural development, and create a commission to keep an eye on food safety.

 Farming is now big business.  I wonder if Black folks gave up the vocation too soon.