Jim Clyburn: ‘No self-respecting African-American would dignify (Trump’s) campaign’

U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn told reporters Tuesday that “no self-respecting African-American would dignify” the presidential campaign of GOP nominee Donald Trump.

On the same conference call with reporters, the third-ranking Democrat in the U.S. House and the most senior black lawmaker on Capitol Hill also condemned fellow South Carolinian Mark Burns, a black pastor and Trump surrogate who recently re-tweeted a cartoon of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in blackface.

Burns, the pastor of the Harvest Praise and Worship Center in Easley, has since apologized for the tweet, which also depicted Clinton wearing a T-shirt that reads “no hot sauce, not peace” and a speech bubble proclaiming, “I ain’t no ways tired of pandering to African-Americans.” Clyburn called Burns’ actions “beyond the pale.”

Burns, the pastor of the Harvest Praise and Worship Center in Easley, has since apologized for the tweet, which also depicted Clinton wearing a T-shirt that reads “no hot sauce, not peace” and a speech bubble proclaiming, “I ain’t no ways tired of pandering to African-Americans.” Clyburn called Burns’ actions “beyond the pale.”

“When you do that,” Clyburn said, “you do not erase the impact that that still has on individuals.”

Clyburn, who participated in the call convened by the Clinton campaign to disavow the Trump campaign’s “troubling ties to a hate movement,” scoffed at these efforts. He said if the Republican nominee truly cared about reaching the black community, he would meet with the NAACP, the Urban League and any of the other black organizations whose invitations to Trump have been declined.

Clyburn also took issue with anyone who would single out Clinton’s use of the phrase “super predator” during a speech she delivered as first lady in 1996.

Critics, including Trump allies and supporters of former Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, have said the term was racially loaded. Clyburn said it was obvious she was talking about some bad actors, “not every African-American.”

Ultimately, he said, he was pleased “to speak on behalf of Hillary Clinton, and also to denounce Donald Trump and everything he stands for.”

[SOURCE]

Ben Carson to Trump: Stop calling Hillary Clinton a 'bigot'

Even Ben Carson thinks Donald Trump has gone too far in calling Hillary Clinton a bigot. I don't know what's more amazing, that Carson spoke out or that he stayed awake long enough to do so. Read his remarks below.

“I don’t generally get into the name-calling thing,” the former presidential candidate and retired neurosurgeon told The Daily Beast on Friday. “I kind of left that behind in the third grade. I certainly don’t encourage it because the issues that we’re facing are incredibly important for us and for the future generations.”

“That’s what people do who don’t have anything to talk about,” Carson said, referring to both candidates trading accusations of racism and bigotry.

[SOURCE]

President Obama's dynamic 2016 DNC convention Speech

Check out President Obama's dynamic speech at the 2016 DNC convention. A speech that reminds us why voters in America elected the man twice. A speech that reminds us that as a nation we have far to go but tells us how far we have come in the last 8 years. A speech that lets us know that although Hillary Clinton will be great president we will truly miss President Obama. Watch his speech below.

Donna Brazile's Rousing DNC convention Speech

Interim DNC chair Donna Brazile gave a rousing speech about Hillary Clinton. A speech about who she knows Hillary Clinton to be and what Clinton has accomplished throughout her life at the DNC convention.

Pres. Obama statement in support of Tim Kaine

President Obama sent out a fundraising email praising Hillary Clinton's pick of Tim Kaine as her running mate. Check out his statement below:

I wanted to take a moment to tell you why I'm so proud that Hillary has chosen Senator Tim Kaine to join her on the Democratic ticket this fall.
Nothing can really prepare you for this job. You come to learn that it's about having a firm grasp of the issues, sound judgment, and the tenacity never to stop fighting to make people's lives better.

The thing about Hillary is, she already understands all that. She does her homework, she masters the issues, and she never gives up. She gets the job done. And more than almost anyone I've worked with in Washington, Hillary's the kind of person who sees a problem and says, "How can I fix this? What can I do to help?"

But this job is also about surrounding yourself with the best possible people. And there's no more important decision you'll make as a presidential candidate than choosing a vice president. There are basically two paths you can take. You can pick someone for purely political reasons -- or you can pick someone who will be your partner in government. Someone who shares your values. Someone who will make you a better president.

That's why I picked Joe Biden -- and it's a testament to Hillary's character and integrity that she chose a man like Tim Kaine.

Like Hillary, Tim is an optimist. But like Hillary, he is also a progressive fighter. He's the son of a teacher and an iron worker who's always got working families on his mind. He spent nearly two decades and specialized in representing people who had been denied fair access to housing just because of what they looked like, or because they had a disability. And when a gunman killed 32 people on the campus of Virginia Tech, Tim knew he had a responsibility as governor to offer more than thoughts and prayers to the community he mourned with -- and as a gun owner, he stood up to the gun lobby on their behalf.

There aren't a lot of elected officials in Washington whom people like even more when the cameras are off than when the cameras are on. But Tim is that kind of guy. He's a man who's risen to the highest levels of government but still lives in the same neighborhood he did as a city councilmember in Richmond. You just can't find anyone with a bad thing to say about him, from the staff who've worked for him to the Republicans who've served alongside him.
Simply put: Tim is a good man. He's a true progressive. And he will make a great vice president.

I could not be prouder to support our Democratic ticket -- please join me in welcoming Tim Kaine to this team.

Hillary Clinton speaks at the NAACP National Convention

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton spoke at the NAACP National Convention in Cincinnati, Ohio on July 18, 2016. Clinton spoke on criminal justice reform, the tragic shootings of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, and police in both Dallas and in Baton Rouge, and of course Donald Trump. Watch her speech below:

3 Reasons Hillary Clinton Wont Pick Cory Booker For Her Running Mate

By George L. Cook III [EMAIL]

As an NJ guy and a black man it would make me proud to see Cory Booker as Hillary Clinton's pick for VP. But there are some good reasons why that probably won't happen.

From all appearances Cory Booker, the US Senator from NJ would make an excellent pick for Hillary Clinton's VP pick. He is super intelligent, engaging, energetic, GREAT with policy, a GREAT fundraiser, and willing to work with the other side of the aisle to get things done. But alas there are some very practical reasons why I believe Cory Booker will not be the VP pick. Here are three:

1: This reason is the most important reason and is no fault of Booker's but one that Hillary Clinton can't ignore. If she selects Booker and wins then everybody's "favorite" Fred Flinstone look alike, Chris Christie gets to pick the senator that replaces Booker. Christie will choose a Republican, and that would not be good for Hillary as she will need every vote she can get to get her agenda through Congress.

2: Booker doesn't bring anything that Elizabeth Warren can't. Warren may be even better at pulling in the progressive vote than Booker, and she would be better at attracting disgruntled Bernie Sanders supporters. Booker doesn't help much with the black vote as Clinton is well over 90% without him.

3: Booker doesn't help Clinton electorally. Clinton dominated NJ in the Democratic primary and will win NJ with or without Booker. In contrast, someone like Tom Kaine would bring the important battleground state of Virginia with him.

Booker has shown to be a more than capable senator, and I think Booker can best serve Clinton and the United States by remaining in the Senate and helping to write, sponsor, and pass progressive policies that help most Americans.

George L. Cook III AfricanAmericanReports.Com

Hillary Clinton statement on Alton Sterling shooting

Presumptive democratic nominee Hillary Clinton has released the following statement on the shooting death of Alton Sterling:

"The death of Alton Sterling is a tragedy, and my prayers are with his family, including his five children. From Staten Island to Baltimore, Ferguson to Baton Rouge, too many African American families mourn the loss of a loved one from a police-involved incident. Something is profoundly wrong when so many Americans have reason to believe that our country doesn’t consider them as precious as others because of the color of their skin. "I am glad the Department of Justice has agreed to a full and thorough review of this shooting. Incidents like this one have undermined the trust between police departments and the communities they serve. We need to rebuild that trust. We need to ensure justice is served. That begins with common sense reforms like ending racial profiling, providing better training on de-escalation and implicit bias, and supporting municipalities that refer the investigation and prosecution of police-involved deaths to independent bodies. All over America, there are police officers demonstrating how to protect the public without resorting to unnecessary force. We need to learn from and build on those examples. "Progress is possible if we stand together and never waver in our fight to secure the future that every American deserves."

[SOURCE]

Sen. Booker declines to discuss being vetted for vice president

In an interview with CNN's Brianna Keiler, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker dodged questions about whether he is being vetted as a potential running mate for Hillary Clinton to her campaign.

Meet Brandon Davis, the new head of the Democratic National Committee

Hillary Clinton's campaign is taking the reins of the Democratic National Committee, installing a new top official on Thursday to oversee the party's day-to-day operations through the general election.

Brandon Davis, national political director for the Service Employees International Union, will become the general election chief of staff for the Democratic Party. His selection formalizes the coordination of the Clinton campaign and the committee

Davis, 38, oversees the political efforts at one of the country's largest labor unions. He has also worked as political director to Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri.

Wasserman Schultz welcomed Davis to party headquarters on Thursday morning. While she will remain in her position as the party's chairwoman, at least through the convention next month in Philadelphia, her role diminishes with the Clinton campaign's takeover of the committee.

The appointment of Davis is intended to allay some of the concerns about party leadership. It is a standard transition, as Clinton becomes the presumptive Democratic nominee.

[SOURCE]

Oprah Winfrey endorses Hillary Clinton for president

Oprah Winfrey signaled her endorsement of presumptive Democratic party presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in an interview that aired today on “Good Morning America.”. Watch the announcement below.

Jesse Jackson endorses Hillary Clinton

The Rev. Jesse Jackson endorsed Hillary Clinton on Saturday, continuing a recent string of high-profile endorsements for the presumptive Democratic nominee.

Jackson, speaking in Chicago, said he trusts that Clinton will look out for the interests of marginalized communities including refugees, immigrants and the poor.

"We trust her to work on health care, to fight for the poor ... for the willingness to fight for civil rights," Jackson said.

[SOURCE:CNN]

6 Reasons Hillary Clinton will win in November

By George L. Cook III EMAIL

Many Trump and Sanders supporters believe that Hillary Clinton has no chance at winning in November. They believe in all the negative hype that Clinton detractors have been putting over the decades, and that Trump will not just win, but win easily. That's simply not the case, here are six reasons why she will win and become the first female President of the United States.

1. Hate her or love her, she is simply the most qualified candidate ever to run for president. She has forgotten more about politics and world affairs than Sanders and Trump know combined.

2. She will have the Obama Coalition behind her and with that comes Barack Obama, The Campaigner, and Chief. He is very popular among Democrats and would energize those that sat the primary season out. Many of those supporters want to protect the Obama legacy and trust Clinton to do just that.

3. She will have arguably the greatest group of surrogates ever out there stomping for her campaign. Those surrogates would include President Obama, Michelle Obama, Bill Clinton, Joe Biden, and Elizabeth Warren. (If Bernie Sanders can stop pouting and come to his senses then he could also be on that list.) That's political star power no matter which one shows up at a rally or on television.

4. She has a superior campaign organization. She has veterans of winning presidential campaigns working for her and has ground games ready to go in toss-up states and important states such as Ohio, Florida, California, New Jersey, and Michigan.

5. She is facing a media personality, not a true candidate. Donald Trump can't help but be Trump, and he will self-implode under the stress of a presidential campaign where everything you do and say is vetted and questioned.His lack of substance will bite him in the ass.

6. Many Republicans simply can't bring themselves to vote for Trump. They will stick to their ideals and principles and take the loss this year so that they can win in 2020. They will not publicly support or endorse Hillary Clinton, but they will vote for her.

So that's my opinion Hilary Clinton will win in November. So what do you think?

George L. Cook III AfricanAmericanReports.Com

NJ Black Mayors’ Alliance endorses Hillary Clinton

Just ahead on the June 7th Primary the N.J. Black Mayors’ Alliance for Social Justice yesterday formally endorsed Hillary Clinton for president following a meeting with the Democrat candidate.The mayors discussed issues important to them including concerns about the economy,income equality gap, and the unemployment rate in NJ with Clinton. Here's an excerpt about the meeting from the Amsterdam News.

The mayors discussed issues important to them, including the economy. As the nation comes back from the worst downturn since the recession, the elected officials said the poor and disadvantaged have not benefited. In many New Jersey cities, more than a third of minority adults are unemployed, even when the nation is doing well financially. Data from a 2015 U.S. Census study show that the income equality gap in the Garden State is among the worst in the nation.

“The growing gap between the very wealthy and the poor, the disadvantaged and the middle class is a calamity that threatens the very existence of democracy in America,” said Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka, Chairman of the Black Mayors’ Alliance. “The fact that anyone takes Donald Trump seriously and that he has become a serious candidate for President is symptomatic of what will happen to our nation if income inequality continues to get worse. Hillary Clinton offers our best chance to achieve economic and social justice in America.”

Clinton expressed her support for the campaign of the Black mayors to expand job training and apprenticeship programs targeted to sectors with job growth, to strengthen school vocational programs, to expand support for MWBEs and to strengthen re-entry programs for ex-offenders. She also supports increasing the minimum wage in New Jersey.

During the roundtable, Clinton discussed her commitment to criminal justice reforms and addressing gun violence, building upon President Barack Obama’s progress and making college affordable.

Who is on the Democratic National Committee Platform Drafting Committee

Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz announced the appointment of the 15-person Platform Drafting Committee. The Drafting Committee is responsible for developing and managing the process through which the Democratic Party's National Platform is established.

The roster of the drafting committee reflects the party's agreement that Sanders would have five supporters on the committee, compared to six for Hillary Clinton. The remainng four appointments were made by Debbie Wasserman Shultz.

Maryland Rep. Elijah Cummings, who has endorsed Clinton, will lead the committee.

Sanders supporter on Committee:

Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison

Cornel West.

Author Bill McKibben

Arab American Institute head James Zogby

Native American activist Deborah Parker.

Clinton supporters on the committee:

Ambassador Wendy Sherman

Center for American Progress head Neera Tanden

Ohio Rep. Alicia Reece

Environmentalist Carol Browner

Illinois Rep. Luis Gutiérrez

Union head Paul Booth.

Debbie Wasserman-Schultz Appointments.

Maryland Rep. Elijah Cummings, Committee Chair

California Rep. Barbara Lee

Former Rep. Howard Berman

Philanthropist Bonnie Schaefer

Hillary Clinton speech at Trayvon Martin Foundation 05/22/2016

Here is Hillary Clinton's Circle of Mothers speech given at a Trayvon Martin Foundation event (5-22-16). She discussed the NRA and "Donald Trump's America". All proceeds raised went to supporting the Trayvon Martin Foundation/Circle of Mothers. Check out here entire speech below.

The Trayvon Martin Foundation is a social justice organization committed to ending senseless gun violence, strengthening families through holistic support, S.T.E.A.M. education for women and minorities and mentoring. Learn more here: http://trayvonmartinfoundation.org/

Bernie Sanders Supporters Democratic National Convention Survival Kit

Yeah I'm a Hillary Clinton supporter and since I'm a nice guy and I do feel for Bernie Sanders supporters, I have decided to introduce the Bernie Sanders Supporters Democratic Convention Survival Kit. Check out the video below:

Dem. Congressman Donald Payne: Bernie Sanders wants to destroy Democratic Party

During an interview with the political site PolitikerNJ, NJ Congressman Donald Payne (A Hillary Clinton supporter) voiced his displeasure with democratic candidate Bernie Sanders. Payne went so far as to say that "Sanders Is Trying to ‘Damage and Destroy’ Democratic Party."

Other comments he made:

On Bernie running as a democrat: “We need to remember that Bernie Sanders is not a Democrat,” Payne told PolitickerNJ. “Everyone has a right to run for president in this country but he should have run as an independent as he has been for the past 30 years rather than using the Democratic Party in order to gain traction in his campaign.”

On Sanders supporting Hillary Clinton if she wins the primary: “It is incumbent upon him, if he is going to do this properly, that once the decision is made by the voters in the Democratic primaries that he comes together and says he is supporting the nominee so lets see what happens,” Payne said. “If he doesn’t do that then the whole thing was a sham. I feel very strongly about it. It is really beginning to annoy me that he has turned out the be this divisive and it is not right.”

On Hillary Clinton winning the general election: “Last time I checked, she is leading in the popular vote. I believe and I am confident that she will win the Electoral College and she will have the popular vote. She is heads above either candidate,” said Payne, referring to both Sanders and presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump.

Four Reasons Bernie Sanders supporters need to overcome their "Hillary" issues

By George L. Cook III EMAIL

The #BernieOrBust movement is is full swing even though Sander's chances of winning the nomination are slim to none at this point. The Sanders supporters drone on about what they believe is Hillary's dishonesty, her ties to Wall Street, things she said as First Lady and anything else they can pull out their asses as reasons that they can not now or ever vote for her.

Well I have four very good reasons why Sanders supporters should get over their disdain for Hillary Clinton, go in the voting booth, hold their noses, and vote for her.

Those reasons are:

* The death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia

* Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy is 79 years old.

* Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is 83 years old.

* Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer is 77 years old

While we know the next president will appoint one judge to replace Anton Scalia, we also have to realize that due to the ages mentioned above three other seats could open up due to retirements or death.

That means the next president would have the chance to shape the US Supreme Court for decades to come. Those judges will make rulings on a variety of issues that will affect us all. Decisions on matters such as:

* Citizens United

* Healthcare

* Women's reproductive rights

* Civil Rights

* Gun Control

* Voting Rights

Let me ask you angry Sanders supporters something. Do you want President Trump or Cruz making these appointments? Do you want what progress has been achieved to be overturned? Do you hate Hillary so much that you are willing to jeopardize all the rights mentioned above?

Please, put what you claim you stand for above what you feel toward Hillary. You will get over your hurt feelings being; the country may never get over a Supreme Court dominated by conservatives.

Southern African American democratic leaders not happy with Bernie Sanders

Black democratic leaders in southern states are not happy with Bernie Sanders after his rather dismissive comment on why southern black voters went for Hillary Clinton.

Those leaders include South Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Jaime Harrison, Louisiana Democratic Party Chairwoman Karen Carter Peterson, Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Allison Tant, Democratic Party of Georgia Chairman DuBose Porter, Mississippi Democratic Party Chairman Rickey Cole, former South Carolina Gov. Jim Hodges, and former Democratic National Committee Chairman Don Fowler. These individuals penned the following letter to Bernie Sanders stating their displeasure with his remarks.

April 20, 2016

Senator Bernie Sanders

131 Church Street, 

Suite 300 

Burlington, Vermont

Dear Senator Sanders,

We commend you on running a spirited campaign that has energized and mobilized a new generation of voters, but we are concerned about the way you and your campaign have characterized the South.   

As you may recall in 2006, the Democratic National Committee chaired by former Vermont Governor

Howard Dean took two historic steps towards diversity and inclusion.  First, the DNC modified its Presidential Primary process and added South Carolina and Nevada (states with sizable minority populations) to join the historic early states of Iowa and New Hampshire.  Governor Dean stated at the time that he “strongly believed in the importance of broadening participation in the nomination process to better reflect the rich racial, regional and economic diversity of the Democratic Party.”   Second, Governor Dean initiated a 50-state strategy to strengthen the Democratic Party and amplify Democratic voices in all states and not just states traditionally dominated by Democrats.   

The greatest asset we have as a party is our diversity—a diversity of cultures, religions, ethnicities, experiences, and backgrounds. 

Yet over the course of this Democratic primary, you and your surrogates have sought to minimize

Secretary Hillary Clinton’s victories throughout the South as a symptom of a region that, as you put it, “distorts reality.”  You argue that the South is “the most conservative part” of America; implying states that traditionally vote Republican in a general election are not worth contesting in a Democratic Primary.  

There are several issues with these assertions.

First, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, “55% of the African American population lives in the South, and 105 Southern counties has a black population of 50 percent or higher.”  The African American community has been the most reliable and consistent vote for the Democratic Party for a generation, and in this year’s primaries, in the Southern states of South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, and North Carolina, African Americans represented between 31-71% of the Democratic electorate.  To dismiss the importance of this region is to minimize the importance of the voices of a core constituency for our party.   

Second, the Democratic Primary vote in Southern States was a crucial component for Barack Obama’s ultimate success in 2008.  Wins in South Carolina, and other southern states during the Democratic presidential primaries laid the groundwork for President Obama to build a message and campaign organization that resonated in North Carolina, Virginia, and Florida.  Many of the non-battleground southern states even utilized these networks to assist with voter outreach efforts, mobilizing thousands of volunteers to make calls and engage in GOTV operations.

Third, several of the states that you have won like Oklahoma, Idaho, and Utah overall are far more conservative in their general election results than the states in the South.  Moreover, current polls show that the Democratic electorate across the South is consistently among the most liberal anywhere in the nation.  In fact, some of the most liberal members of Congress hail from majority-minority districts in these states.  Regardless, it is important that Democrats in red and blue states alike feel supported by the Party and our presidential candidates.   

Democrats ought to embrace the South and all regions to build an organization that can compete in all 50 states.  We must continue winning states like Virginia and North Carolina, and we can’t write off states like Tennessee and Georgia.  Even Texas could turn blue in less than a generation.  And beyond the presidential race, there are important statewide and other federal races happening every cycle.  Boosting Democrats’ chances in those seats is vital to enacting a progressive agenda at the local level and in General Assembles. This can only happen if we show up, speak to the region’s needs, and compete for every vote, even in the face of long odds.  That’s how change really happens. 

Southern Democrats already have to deal with Republicans refusing to expand Medicaid, deteriorating infrastructure, and the lack of adequate funding for our public schools. We need our national Democratic leaders to invest in our races and causes—to amplify our voices, not diminish them.

In contrast, Hillary Clinton has spent her entire career trying to help people all across the South.  She saw a region full of families and children of every color, and instead of diminishing them, she worked to build them up. She is committed to a long-term strategy of rebuilding our state Democratic parties, to assist candidates up and down the ballot, and to serve as a voice for the voiceless.  She has not dismissed the importance of states that you have won, because she realizes s that to be President of the United States you have to be a champion for all of the states. To be leader of the Party, you have to be with Democrats in all states as well. That includes the ones you won and yes, even the ones you lose.  

And that’s why we’re with her.

Respectfully,

Hon. Jim Hodges		Don Fowler
Fmr. Governor of South Carolina		Fmr. DNC Chairman
Allison Tant		Hon. DuBose Porter
Chair, Florida Democratic Party		Chair, Georgia Democratic Party
Sen. Karen Carter Peterson		Rickey Cole
Chair, Louisiana Democratic Party		Chair, Mississippi Democratic Party

Jaime Harrison

Chair, South Carolina Democratic Party