Tuesdays with Paulie for Democrats

What's Julian Bond Doing?
NAACP Chairman pushing delegates for Clinton

In a letter sent to DNC Chairman Howard Dean, NAACP Chairman Julian Bond is urging him to reconsider his decision to not allow the primaries in Florida and Michigan to be counted. Dean decided to punish the two states by not permitting any of their delegates to count because they decided to hold their primaries early, violating Party rules. In both states Hillary was the winner as well as the only name on the ballot.

If the Democratic Party overturns their decision, Clinton would obtain an additional 366 delegates, allowing her to regain the lead as well as the front runner status.

So why would the head of the largest African American civil rights organization in the country push the Democratic Party to make a decision that could end the candidacy of the first Black Presidential candidate who has a real chance at the White House?

According to Bond "refusing to seat the states' delegations could remind voters of the "sordid history of racially discriminatory primaries." He claims that he sent the letter on behalf of the voters of Florida and Michigan who are victims of a GOP controlled legislature who moved up the primary date. However if that is the case why would Dean punish these voters for something the state Party supposedly had no control of?

The truth of the matter is that Bond is a Democratic pawn before he is any type of civil rights leader. The NAACP asking Dean to count the delegates gives the Party a scapegoat to make this decision and not be seen as racially discriminatory against a black candidate who has a real chance at the Presidency. Dean can claim the NAACP is supporting the decision therefore saving face with a constituency that usually supports them at a rate of 90%.

Paulies Point readers know that I will not be supporting the Democratic candidate and would prefer a Clinton win, since she is easier to defeat in a general election. However wrong is wrong. The Democratic Party made a decision to disallow the Michigan and Florida primary results. Most of the candidates took their name off the ballot and didn't campaign for obvious reasons. Clinton oddly enough kept her name on the ballot, granting her an automatic win. If these states counted, Obama would of been on the ballot and spent a considerable amount of time in these states. A different outcome could of easily occurred, especially in Michigan.

For Bond to demand these votes be counted is discriminating against one person, Barack Obama. It's mind-boggling to think the NAACP would be behind a move to destroy the presidential aspirations of the first black person to have a real shot at the White House. However older generation black leaders, which include Bond, Andrew Young and John Lewis are men who worked with Dr. King, but after his death became political hacks instead of fighters for justice. They see themselves as being replaced by a younger African American group of leaders who have had an easier time getting ahead and can be seen as examples of race relations greatly improving in America. That doesn't play well for the NAACP or the Democratic establishment who rely on the "idea" of racism for political power.

Bond claims the NAACP will not endorse any candidate for President during the primary. Talk to the hand Julian, it's obvious you are in the pockets of the Clintons. To believe Bond is concerned about the voters of Florida and Michigan is comical. The fact he is first bringing up the subject nearly three weeks after their primaries were held and after Obama has obtained a delegate lead shows how full of crap he truly is.

The only fair way to count these delegates is to hold the primaries over, but that will prolong the primary election season, which hurts the eventual nominee for the Party against the GOP candidate.

Sounds like back-door politics is alive and well and Julian Bond has given Howard Dean the go ahead to make a decision that could destroy a black mans chance at the White House.

Will Dean go down that road? That decision will come after Texas and Ohio plays out.

Paulie