by Davey D
It’s Wednesday, the day after the very hyped up Super Tuesday and something is not right in ‘Gothamn City’. There’s a foul, foul, foul stench in the air. What’s resonating in my mind is the title of Barack Obama’s book the ‘Audacity of Hope‘. Yes, it took a lot of nerve for many of us to hope and believe that playing by the rules and simply voting our hearts, power would shift without a fight. Its a lesson many here in the golden state are learning as they ask the 64 thousand dollar question which is; ‘how the hell did Hillary Clinton win in California’?
How did Hillary Clinton win when poll after poll after poll said that the race in California would be super close? How did Hillary win when a surging Barack Obama was had not only supposedly closed this insurmountable gap but in many places he was actually winning? How did Hillary Clinton win when her own people like LA mayor Antonio Veragosa who I personally spoke with yesterday point blank said this would be a close contest? He wasn’t strutting around like a proud peacock who knew this race was a sure thing. He along with every elected official of note that Hillary had on lock was running around talking to anybody and everybody trying to say she not he was the people’s choice. However, if you walked around Oakland or and definitely throughout Los Angeles, the buzz was for Obama.
How did Hillary Clinton win last night 20 or30 minutes after the polls closed when every so called expert was noting that it was gonna be a long night because of record turn outs and because so many absentee ballots had to be counted? I tell you something was and is not right.
Last night I went to the Obama primary party in a Club Avalon in Los Angeles that drew more than a thousand people compared to the mere 100 or so supporters who gathered at Hillary’s Super Tuesday event in Burbank. If Hillary won by such a large margin how come there was no ruckus celebration? Why weren’t people running around jubulant that she came out unscathed? Where were her supporters? She supposedly had women and Latino voters on lock. Where were they? Shouldn’t they have been out about touting her success. I mean winning Cali is a big deal..or were they as shocked an surprised as the rest of us. Everywhere I went last night people were scratching their heads asking How did she win?
Inside the Avalon, I saw the full range of what makes up this country including; young, old, black, white, Asian, Latino, Native Americans. I saw b-boys and b-girls wearing kangols and sweat suits. I saw cats in business attire. I saw dread locks, long hair, spiked hair, colored hair. I saw people with visible tattoos and I saw clean shaven folks. There were a bunch of people in costumes. It was very festive. There was no denying the energy that was in the air. Anyone who went to the Avalon last night knows what I’m talking about. The place was buzzing. Everyone was jovial. Change was in the air. You could feel it.
A
s people started filing in I kept thinking about all the folks who were inspired enough to pen Obama songs. A video featuring Common, Will Iam of the Black Eyed Peas and other singers played on the screen. It was interspersed with footage from speeches from Obama including one where he talked warned us to watch out for spin doctors and negative ad peddlers. That excerpt kept playing over and over again. Was it an ominous warning I kept asking myself?
As the crowd came into the Avalon, I received a text from my boy Shamako of Hip Hop Congress telling me that the song Vote for Barack which was penned by Bay Area artist D’Labrie was playing on CNN. Earlier that day somebody from the Washington Post had hit me up about a story they were doing on artists doing campaign songs for candidates. There wasn’t anybody doing songs for Hillary. People were rapping, singing and doing videos and spreading them around via Youtube and Myspace for Obama. How did Hillary win California?
Up in the media section of the Avalon, my colleagues who were assigned to cover this event were talking about how close they expected this race to be. Some of the news folks were talking that it might even be an upset. Word had gotten down and then it was supported by an announcement that in Alameda County which is up in the Bay Area had to keep their polls open till 9′oclock because so many people were on line. Everyone knew those long lines wasn’t for Mike Hucklebee or John McCain. Leading up to the Tuesday Hillary Clinton wasn’t drawing long lines. Those lines were for Obama voters.
Those long lines were the same long lines that were seeing leading up to Super Tuesday when Senator Edward Kennedy came to speak at Beebe Memorial church in Oakland and the line went around the corner. Those long lines were the same ones that that took place the other day at UCLA when Michelle Obama along with Oprah, Caroline Kennedy and Maria Shriver came out to stomp for Obama. There were no super long lines in San Jose when Hillary came to town. How did she win? How in the hell did she win California?
How did Hillary Clinton win California, when you went around South central LA and you saw car after car with Obama stickers and young people holding up signs? How did she win when we kept hearing about this so called Black-Brown divide but Monday night when I touched down in the Pico Union district of LA which is the heart of Latino country in this part of town and folks were talking about how they were rolling with Obama. I recall talking with rapper Omar Cruz who just did a song with Game and WC to indicate Black-Brown unity and was noting that yes, while there has been tensions between the two communities, folks in his part of town were feeling the message of hope and change that Obama was delivering.
We spoke for an hour as he broke down the politics of his hood and he explained that many elders would probably be behind Clinton ’cause they had a long relationship with her. They felt comfortable with her and associated her with her husband’s presidency which was during a period when people had ‘good times’ and money. That generation thing Cruz described was no different then what one might find in other communities. What Cruz had expressed was what other Latino leaders including Mayor Veragosa had noted. Clinton had a history with Latino people in Cali so she would get some votes.
However, Cruz went on to emphasize, that all his homeboys were getting on board the Obama train. At first many were skeptical, but as his message of hope and his willingness to take this beyond race and make everyone feel welcome, was one that striking a chord with the cats that he knew. People were willing to give him a shot.
That night in downtown LA you came across homeless people on skid row who were talking about Obama. I’m telling you place after place people were embracing this message of hope and change. So how the hell did Hillary win?
Yesterday I was up bright and early and ran into Pras of the Fugees who was in town. He was over at Lemiert Park at this round table put together by local activist Jasymen Cannick, talking to KTLA channel 5 News about why he was getting behind Obama. He was up on many of the issues of the day and he emphasized the need for change and he felt Obama could deliver. Minutes later Questluv of the Roots showed up along with actress Jurnee Smollett of Eve’s Bayou and the Great Debaters.
I spoke with Quest for about 20 minutes and he told me that Obama had been reaching out to the Roots to see about helping do some fund raisers. The group hadn’t been able to make that happen, but he was solidly behind the man. During our conversation we spoke about fellow producer Timbaland raising 100gs for Hillary Clinton and Quest wondered if that was the right move. He felt like Timbaland was on the wrong side of history. How could you choose Hillary over Obama at this point in time he asked?
Actress Jurnee Smollett at 21 told me how she had personally been going door to door in a van registering people to vote and letting them know about Obama. She had been working the precincts in various cities including South Carolina. She talked about the buzz for Obama
Yesterday yielded some comical moments as many of us who had gathered in Leimert Park remarked how it was great to see so many people debate politics and not rap beefs or some frivolous controversy. For example, while talking with Questlov, word had came across that Maya Angelou was on Stevie Wonder’s radio station KJLH pushing for Hillary Clinton. He and Jurnee bounced and headed over to the station to counter Angelou’s message.
During the live on air broadcast where folks had gathered for a round table discussion, Congress woman Diane Watson bumrushed the proceedeing and right there on live TV started advocating for Clinton. Her remarks were met by groans and howls as people yelled they objected. It was a great for TV moment, but led to a long sit discussion where Watson tried to explain her rationale for backing Clinton when everyone in the immediate vicinity was backing Obama. She cited loyalty and her long relationship as the reason why. It was good discussion, but even she had to admit there was momentum behind Obama.
With all this being said, I first got wind that something might be wrong when someone came over to Lemeirt Park and said that he was not being allowed to vote for Obama because they said his ballot was wrong. At first I thought it was an isolated incident which could be easily corrected. He was given a phone number and instructions and sent along his way.
Not to long afterwards somebody else came through and told how he was being denied a provisional ballot. Instructions and phone numbers were again given and that incident was chalked up to the large turnout.
A couple of hours later my home girl Angelica called to tell me her mom a veteran precinct worker up in the Bay Area was given a hard time at her polling place and it almost led to a shouting match and she was being prevented from voting because she had an absentee ballot. My friend’s mom knew the rules and stayed her ground until it was finally proven that was right. But things got heated as the poll worker seemed bent ..ping her from casting her vote. She was pulling the lever for Obama.
Throughout the day you heard little stories about voting booths not working and paper work not being correct. By early afternoon a bulletin was sent out talking about people were being denied the right to vote when they came to the polling place as an independent and noted that they were DTS ‘Decline to State’ voters. Apparently the problem was getting some troublesome that Obama’s people even sent out a bulletin with phone numbers to call. Something was beginning to smell fishy, but who would want to believe with so much attention and hype voter disenfranchisement would be going on amongst the democrats.
The topper came late that afternoon when LA artist Mike Miers gave me a call to report that in nearby Carson voters were being challenged and being denied the right to vote. Meirs who works at a juvenile facility is well aware of the laws had reported as many as 16 people were turned away. I passed his number along to our radio station to look into it. They in turn were supposed to give him numbers to report the incidents.
Like I said you kept hearing about problems, and now this morning the news is backing up what we were hearing, but was it behind this sudden trouncing that Hillary had over a surging Obama?
I once heard somebody say on the radio the otther day the problem they had with a guy like Obama is that he makes people comfortable with buying into and eventually embracing an electoral system that is fundamentally flawed. His argument went along the lines that people over the years have checked out and stopped voting because of major inadequacies including; lack of diversity in opinions and choices. The system is designed to keep third parties out and as we saw in these elections it’s designed to keep certain candidates out. Key issues, even in this election have not been brought up and discussed by a compliant corporate owned media. That has not sat well with a lot of folks.
The arguments pointed out that people without a lot of money found it difficult to run. Obama has been successful because he has a huge war chest, but what about other candidates who have hopeful messages, why can’t we hear and see them?
By giving people eloquent messages of hope while simultaneously not openly and aggressively challenging or using resources to safeguard those who may be victim to this flawed electoral system, Obama at the end of the day would do more harm then good, because people would be left completely demoralized.
Keep in mind, this is the second time Obama voters have been severely misled. The first time was in new Hampshire when an Obama victory appeared certain and at the last minute Hillary won. I remember how dejected people felt when that happened. Obama with his talk picked people up and let them know there would be brighter days tomorrow and people brought into it and went away fired up. People were further boosted when it was revealed that the pollsters got it wrong because they over-estimated the youth/student vote not realizing that many of the colleges in New Hampshire were still on winter recess. However in Cali things were different. What took place last night is not easily explained away.
Last night at the Avalon, the jovial mood was dampened and I’m not so sure people were completely picked up after Obama spoke. Many were happy to see he did well. He won 12 states and is within 100 delegates of front runner Hillary Clinton, but it was hard to ignore the white elephant in the middle of the room-How did Hillary win? How could everyone be so wrong with their predictions?
This was the hard question in the back of everyone’s mind. And even harder to take is the fact that an ugly answer may be resting within her camp. A still even uglier answer may be resting within Obama’s camp.
In the case of Hillary with so much at stake, and with the possibility of a major, unexpected power shift all the stops been pulled. We saw how ugly she and her crew can get. Look at how former president Bill Clinton behaved. Look at the reaction people have had to him. Some have caved in and become the Clinton’s proverbial lap dog.i.e BET Founder Bob Johnson Others bolted and have gotten behind Obama just to make their disgust with the Cinton’s be known.i.e Senator Edward Kennedy. With that in mind, did the unthinkable happen in California? Was there voter disenfranchisement with fellow Democrats at the helm?
Asking this of a Hillary Clinton who authored legislation designed to protect voters for many is akin to asking if your spouse is cheating? But how did she win so soundly when everything was said to be close? That’s a question on everyone’s mind? What is the ugly truth behind this?
With Obama things get ugly in this sense. Is he really true to his words about hope, change and a brand new day? His rhetoric is uplifting. It’s what we all need to hear after 8 years of Bush and the misery he caused. He’s touched a nerve with folks and hence he’s has a great responsibility on his shoulders. He can’t toy around with people’s feelings and let them down.
Hearing about a 12 state win and Obama’s team executing a beautiful strategy to stay close is not enough. Things still aren’t sitting well. Something went down in Cali last night and it can’t be ignored and should not be ignored. This is where Obama will have to step up and show and prove that he’s all about the rhetoric he espouses. He’s got to answer that nagging question-How the hell did Hillary win? That’s the change I want.
I want answers to hard questions especially when things don’t feel and seem right. If Obama lets this one go and keep its moving it will represent a chink in the armor. It’ll be the equivalent of having rock hit you car windshield. At first it’s a small nik, but as time grows on that nik spiders out and soon you have to replace the windshield.
Last night at the Avalon I saw an upbeat hopeful crowd struggle with being happy. Say what you will but I been around long enough to be able to feel a vibe. It’s what we’re taught to do in radio and as deejays we learn how to read the crowd. We know how to pick upon the energy. So as the music played and people had drinks and people convinced themselves that Obama did well and the race still goes on, they knew, we all knew that a crime was committed in Cali last night. The big question is was it committed by one group of power hungry vultures-the Clintons with Obama being a victim alongside us or was he a deliberate distraction for some shady shit yet to come down the line?
As I left Lemiert Park yesterday I ran into some Crips and talked to them about the Super Tuesday. They had some sobering and blunt things to say. One cat said all he sees is a bunch of people trying to get power and all this is a one big publicity stunt designed to distract us.
He continued on and said what we got is a brother trying to be president going up against a slick pimp who lost his job because now has sent his wife out to win his job back. I asked them how they felt about Obama being a brother who could possibly make it to the white house.
He said, “he ain’t gonna make any difference in my world”. In my world I just 7 years for having a gun while the peckerwood (white boy) in the cell next to me got 2 years for having a meth lab.
He added that he wasn’t a broke cat, that he had money and good lawyer and he still got seven years. “This system ain’t designed for us cuz”, he said. “It’s designed for them. It’s designed to keep them in power”.
He went on to explain that this system always throws distractions at us. He said the so called beef between Blacks and Mexicans is designed to keep us off focus so we don’t see their dirt. He said you gotta stay focused in these streets.
I asked how he felt about Obama and whether or not he made him feel proud and if he thought they could make a difference?
Dude laughed and so did all his partners… He looked at me as if I was completely naïve and walked over and said look cuz.. “If he was on the yard with us, with might look out for him, but this system is full of distractions and it ain’t for us. To be honest I wanna like dude. He says good things, but I calls it as I see it and to be honest I think he’s one of them. He’s part of they set”.
The audacity to hope in troubled times is a bold endeavor and oftentimes quite necessary to carry on but last night’s California primary was an indication that we’re gonna need to do more than hope.I guess what I’m hoping for is that Barack Obama isn’t one of them. Time will tell if he is or not.
I get to the Janet Jackson listening party late because in this industry NOTHING starts on time despite the email saying it will start ‘promptly’ at 6. Yeh right! When I drive by the venue, I see a line that stretches down the block and immediately knew I was NOT gonna stand in line and why should I? I’m BIG CED dammit!
