THIS IS PRETTY AWFUL STUFF – AT 7:49 P.M. ET:   During the 2008 campaign, the Clintons, always close to the black community, were stunned by charges that they were fomenting "racism" during the primary battle against Barack Obama.  It was an awful charge, and absolutely untrue.

You'd think that African-American politicians would realize how terrible that was, and restrain themselves.  But it's seems we're back in the same place.  This story could have implications for Hillary Clinton if she chooses to enter electoral politics again.  From the Chicago Sun-Times:

Chicago mayoral hopeful Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.) shot a warning on Tuesday morning to former President Bill Clinton, coming to Chicago to stump for rival Rahm Emanuel: Stay out.

Davis said that if Clinton did campaign for Emanuel, it would "fracture" and perhaps break his warm relationship with the African American community if he came "to town and participate overtly in efforts to thwart the legitimate political aspirations of Chicago's Black community."

Huh?  What "legitimate" political aspirations?  Does any group own a city?  Should any group be guaranteed the mayoralty?  This is machine politics at its worst. 

Emanuel spokesman Ben LaBolt declined comment.

Emanuel is the front-runner in the Feb. 22 Chicago mayoral primary, a non-partisan election where if no one gets over 50 percent, then the top two contenders face an April 5 general election run-off.

Davis and former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun (D-Ill.) are the leading African American candidates for mayor and neither of them, for now, shows any intention of dropping out in order to consolidate the city's African American vote. Last week, state Sen. James Meeks (D-Chicago) quit the race in the effort to boost the chance of the city electing an African American mayor. Even if one African American were in the contest, it could be tough to overtake Emanuel's lead: he is polling well in the African American community. Emanuel is the former White House chief of staff who served under President Obama--the first African American president.

COMMENT:  This is appalling.  And now responsibility lies on the shoulder's of Chicago resident and former Illinois senator Barack Obama.  It is incumbent upon him to issue a public statement correcting or even reprimanding Davis, and insisting that anyone has the right to campaign for anyone else.

Let's see if Obama does it.  Rahm Emanuel was his chief of staff and Bill Clinton has been enormously helpful to him.  Obama owes them some decency.

December 28, 2010