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Tuesday, 13 March 2007 15:23 |
 | | Roland Martin |
CHICAGO ó One of my all-time favorite TV shows is ìThe West Wing.î On one particular episode, the Bartlet White House was pretty miffed that one of its past supporters, an influential Hispanic labor leader in California, was being courted by a potential rival.
When they see the man sitting courtside at a basketball game with their nemesis, they summon him to the White House. The White House aide (played by Rob Lowe) then begins to go after the guy, giving him menacing looks, and demanding to know why he was flirting with the other side when Bartletís folks had done so much for him in the past.
ìThat was last time,î he said. ìWhat do I get this time?î
The storyline
came to mind as I listened to many African-American political leaders,
as well as everyday voters, go on about what African-Americans owe the
Clintons, believing that what took place during the administration of
Bill Clinton is enough to warrant their full support for Sen. Hillary
Clinton in her run for the White House.
What a bunch of hogwash.
Anyone knows that in politics, what you did last year is nice, but today is a different day.
And seven years after Clinton left the White House is a long time.
There is no
doubt that African-Americans felt strongly about Bill Clinton. His poll
numbers among blacks was sky high, and there was no group that he could
count on more. He played the saxophone on Arsenio Hallís show, was as
comfortable as an old-school preacher in black churches and relished
when folks like Toni Morrison (foolishly) referred to him as Americaís
first black president.
Now his wife is
running, and the expectation is that the goodwill created by her
husband should automatically go to Sen. Clinton.
You see, thatís
the kind of stuff that played well with the civil rights movement
crowd. A (white) politician paid attention to a few black causes, and
we provided them with lifelong support. Drop by a few black churches on
your way to the ballot box, take a few pictures, and all is well. When
that got old, a few political appointments here and there were enough
to satisfy African-Americans.
Some candidates
have even run on the ìmy dad was good to African- Americansî platform,
leading ministers and civil rights leaders to toss their support their
way, without demanding anything in return.
Today this
generation is tired of the old games. ìWhat have you done for me
lately?î is the mantra, and it is one that various political
constituencies demand of candidates.
Republicans
spent a lot of time in the last election heavily courting Hispanics.
But with so many in the GOP taking a strong anti-immigration stance,
they are going to pay a dear price if they donít make amends before
November 2008.
Mostly white
evangelicals have held sway in politics the last 20 years, namely in
the Republican Party. If a candidate doesnít speak aggressively to
their issues ó pretty much limited to gays and abortion ó you can bet
there will be political hell to pay.
Gays are a major
force in the Democratic Party. Any presidential candidate who doesnít
support gay rights ó including civil unions, gay adoption or inclusion
of sexual orientation in hate crimes legislation ó can expect to feel
the heat.
The point is everyone demands accountability, and if they donít get what they want, they make them pay at the ballot box.
Not
African-American political leaders, who have always talked loudly, but
who run and hide when a few crumbs have been thrown their way.
That shouldnít
be the case with Sen. Clinton. The love blacks have for her husband
should be earned ó by her. If some want to ask Sen. Barack Obama,
D-Ill., if heís ìblack enough,î then they should have the courage to
ask of Clinton, ìWhat are you prepared to do for us?î
If she gives the
same boilerplate speech, then they should go look for another candidate
to support.
She recently dropped $10,000 a month for the services of a
prominent South Carolina state senator and pastor (Obama and others
also tried to recruit him), hoping he will seal the deal for her with
blacks in South Carolina.
Sen. Clinton,
thatís old school. And trust me, this generation doesnít play by the
same rules as their mommas and daddies. They play for keeps. And as
they say on the basketball courts in the ëhood, ìYou better bring it if
you want to keep playing.î
ï
Roland S. Martin, editor of The Chicago Defender newspaper, is author of ìSpeak, Brother! A Black Manís View of America.î
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