Can We Have your Vote Back?
With traditionally strong black support waning over the past few years, Democratic candidates stumbled over themselves at debates Thursday night in an attempt to win the black vote. At the historically black Howard University, the candidates were up to their old tricks: rebuffing recent press, defending their plans one education and urban welfare, and — unlike the last debates — not raising their hands.
Responding to the 5-4 Supreme Court ruling that shot down racial integration of America's schools, the candidates were back to the "bread and butter" issues of the Democratic platform, stirring support in the mostly black crowd. But divisions between the candidates flared. Obama talked about his membership in the black community while Hilary flexed her muscles over the spread of AIDS among black women.
The only levity of the night was from the usually polished Joe Biden, whose goof-up comment about Obama getting tested for HIV brought laughs from the audience and glares from Al Sharpton.
