By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Producer

Posted April 2, 2008 – I really hate to say, “I told you so,” but the reception Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) received from her own constituents last weekend during the Texas Democratic Convention isn’t surprising. 

  Lee is an ardent and vocal supporter of Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), but the folks she “reps” don’t agree with her presidential pick. They, like most African Americans, are for the freshman Democratic senator from Illinois, Barack Obama.

On Feb. 11, I predicted that this is precisely what would happen.  I warned that Black lawmakers who were out of step with their constituents at this historic time in American politics might just see their voter base dwindle and lose their seats in the future. 

 Some Black lawmakers, realizing that their political futures are far more important than their allegiance to Clintons, quickly changed their endorsements from Hillary to the popular candidate of their constituents, Obama.  Georgia Congressmen David Scott and John Lewis were among the first to flip-flop for the sake of the people they represent – and for their own political lives. 

Lewis, a longtime friend of the Clintons, said when he switched, “”Something’s happening in America, something some of us did not see coming.  Barack Obama has tapped into something that is extraordinary. “

Lee, one of Clinton’s national co-chairs, is seen as having a disconnect with the folks who sent her to Washington.  During an interview on Fox News earlier this month, she confirmed she was sticking with Clinton – regardless of her constituents’ choice.

The booing began the moment Lee rose during the Texas Democratic Convention to speak to the crowd.  The 18th district, which is predominantly Black, delivered 90 percent of its vote for the Illinois senator in the Texas primary.

 KHOU’s Web site has video and sound of the audience’s boos and chants for the Illinois senator.  You can hear Obama supporters calling out Obama’s name as she tries to address the convention.
 
I doubt this reaction was expected by Lee, but it could be a sign of things to come.  Lee is the first to get feedback so quickly, and this could signal to her and other elected “super delegates” just how big the stakes are if they decide not to follow the wishes of the folks who put them in office.

Following this latest development, she told reporters, “What would I be if I went back on my word to an individual that I’ve worked with for more than a decade and who sat down talked to me about her vision for America?”

The answer: politically brilliant.

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