The best qualities of Hillary Rodham Clinton were on display last week in Indianapolis as she and her family continued their nearly two week barnstorming Indiana campaign.
In a campaign rally at Ben Davis High School, Sen. Clinton continued her new populist message that I first witnessed in Anderson.
Saying she was standing up for working class Americans, promising to renegotiate trade deals and return more American jobs to America, Clinton was channeling Lou Dobbs, without the immigrant bashing.
Thankfully Clinton didn’t repeat her lie that she had evaded sniper fire 12 years ago on a visit to Bosnia; a firestorm that took media and public attention away from the Rev. Jeremiah Wright flap that had been dogging Sen. Barack Obama.
Several national polls show that Clinton was hurt by her sniper fire whopper while Obama was helped by his honest discussion of race in the Wright mess.
Despite paid ads on four radio stations promoting it, and numerous plugs on the TV newscasts, the crowd at Clinton’s Saturday Ben Davis rally was a disappointment. The gym was set for 2,800, with provisions to add an entire section of seats, plus use of the auditorium as overflow. But these extra seats weren’t used and there were rows of empty bleachers in the open section when Clinton arrived.
Clinton rallies in Indiana drew 4,000 in Mishawaka, Anderson 5,000, Muncie 3,000, but in Indiana’s largest city, an underwhelming crowd of 2,200 to 2,400.
Indianapolis wasn’t the only place where Clinton’s crowd underwhelmed. Gary Post-Tribune columnist Jerry Davich said there were “hundreds” of empty seats and “a noticeable absence of Black voters in the crowd” at Clinton’s Friday rally in Hammond.
For the second straight week, I saw that for myself as there were just 100 African-Americans at Ben Davis. So few, I was able to count them all. In America’s 16th largest African-American community, a city/county 28 percent Black, just a handful came to see Clinton.
The Clinton campaign cadre will scream bloody murder about those last paragraphs but it’s the truth. Not only were Blacks not there, Black elected officials were scarce. The only one I saw was state Sen. Jean Breaux who introduced Sen. Clinton.
An unctuous Clinton campaign operative tried to keep me in the media concentration camp, refusing to let me talk to the few Blacks at the rally. But I firmly stood my ground, demanding the access I’d had at other campaign rallies and eventually us local media were able to do our jobs.
Black Clinton supporters told me why they were there, why they supported her.
“I look at issues, not color,” said one woman while another explained, “Hillary has an excellent platform, her economics are a lot better.”
A young brother said, “I think she’ll be getting the job done. I’m trying to get my friends to vote for her.”
The candidate introduced a UAW Visteon worker, Steve Bruce, to represent the economic issues Clinton speaks about at her rallies. But in his remarks, Bruce reflected the conundrum Clinton faces in our community.
Said Bruce, “When I look at the Democratic ticket, I’m right down the middle of the road. I support you and I support Obama. I’m right down the middle of the road. I’m looking at the candidate that’s gonna best represent me and my family in office.”
Not exactly a ringing endorsement.
Last week’s column complained about Hillary Clinton’s lack of access to Indiana’s Black media. Well, just as last week’s Recorder was at the printer, I got an e-mail confirmation from the Clinton Indiana campaign of my request to interview her.
In a rare, for her, live radio interview; Sen. Clinton addressed the Rev. Jeremiah Wright flap, telling me, “With respect to my comments concerning Rev. Wright. I was asked whether I would have attended Rev. Wright’s church or whether I would have left. I would have left. It was a personal decision that I was expressing. It had nothing to do with anyone else’s decision.”
But, then I saw another side. The side her campaign seemingly doesn’t want people to see or hear. In our interview when I compared her campaign to a basketball game in the final minute, seven points down, shot clock against you, Sen. Clinton broke out into a sincere, warm, hearty laughter. Appreciating the question and the humor and the Hooiserness of it.
Folks who’ve met Clinton personally say that in person she’s a knowledgeable, warm, caring individual with a great sense of humor. It hasn’t always shown up in this campaign, but it did in our interview.
Then at Saturday’s rally, when a young man, a self-described “devout Christian” told Clinton that “just like Queen Esther saved the Jews” she “would do the same for America,” Hillary Clinton was visibly moved. When she answered him, her voice was choked with emotion.
A couple of photographers thought her eyes watered; the love and respect in the question hitting her emotionally. But, an aide e-mailed me later saying “there were no tears.”
Maybe, but I believe Clinton showed her warm side. Something she showed in our interview. Something she should show more of.
Maybe it’d get more than a handful of African-Americans to attend her Indiana campaign rallies.
What I’m hearing in the streets
The 7th District Congressional Democratic primary officially became the most expensive in Indianapolis history as Dr. Woody Myers plowed $550,000 of his own money into his campaign, according to paperwork filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
Two years ago, in his abortive primary run, Kris Kiser borrowed against his Washington, D.C., condo and loaned $250,000 to his campaign. But the wealthy Myers is spending his own cash, like a drunken sailor. He’s spent upwards of $350,000 so far running TV ads and a pricey radio blitz starting this week.
Myers’ half million triggered the FEC’s Millionaires Amendment, allowing the other major candidates, Carolene Mays, David Orentlicher and Congressman Andre Carson, to triple what individuals can donate while boosting what major groups can do on their behalf.
It seems at least one candidate wants to buy a seat in Congress representing a district with the lowest median income and highest poverty rate in Indiana. Will Woody Myers really represent the majority of those in the district, or will he represent wealthy people like himself?
See ‘ya next week.
Amos Brown’s opinions are not necessarily those of the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. You can contact him at (317) 221-0915 or by e-mail at ACBROWN@AOL.COM.
