Is The Black vs Brown Divide Real Or Media Manufactured?

[Dag ya'll, can a brotha get some love?]
Lurking just below the surface of Super Tuesday's returns is Hillary Clinton's continued dominance of the Hispanic vote. I still can't quite figure this out, but she is getting more love than Che' Guevara. Obama? Not so much.

New York Sen. Hillary Clinton won the Latino vote on Super Tuesday by a 2-to-1 margin in key states such as New York, California and New Jersey. That gave her a decisive win with the fastest-growing demographic in the country, possibly setting the stage for the general election when Latinos could make a huge difference in swing states.

Clinton focused on winning over Latino voters in recent vigorous campaigning in California and Arizona. She benefited from high-profile endorsements from Latino leaders such as Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers Union.

While Illinois Sen. Barack Obama did not win the Latino vote in California, he managed to attract younger Latino voters. Clinton culled her support , as she did in other states , from older voters. The wave of Latino support for Clinton began during the Nevada caucuses, when she won the Latino vote two-to-one.

I'll be more than forthcoming in admitting my lack of understanding of Latino culture and issues. I grew up in an extremely segregated Southern town where there were only blacks and whites. Period. I went to a Negro College an HBCU. I've always lived deep in the burbs'. My workplace is typical Corporate America. Point being: I just don't have many meaningful interactions with Latinos. Sure, there's the dudes who cut my lawn every other week, the folks who empty my office receptacle each afternoon, the guys who completely remodeled all 4 of my bathrooms for only $12k, and of course the token Hispanic kids on Average5thGradeHoopsTeam, but that's about it. Hardly meaningful interactions. It's certainly not by design, it's purely circumstantial. We just do not generally run in the same circles.

That said, I've been scratching my head trying to figure out exactly why Barack Obama's candidacy is doing so well with seemingly every other demographic slice except our brown brethren and sistren. Few seem immune to the Politricks of Hope Movement, but Latinos are hardly flocking to the message. I'm so clueless about Hispanic culture that I don't even have a snappy/humorous punchline to insert here. Go figure.

If you listen to talk radio, peep the cable talking monkeys, or peruse the blogosphere, you'll get a variety of opinions, and most seem to key in on the sordid recent history of black and brown disunity in this country as a factor. By this rationale, many blacks have lost jobs to Hispanics. Hispanics have taken over traditionally black neighborhoods. Hispanics either consider themselves superior or inferior to blacks. Hispanics want to assimilate and thus are more apt to gravitate toward a white candidate. Hispanics do not trust blacks. Blacks do not trust Hispanics. J-Lo used Diddy and Ja Rule for street cred, then dumped black America for Marc Anthony.

Again, folks, I don't make up this stuff, I just regurgitate it. [||]

On theory I hadn't considered until one of my wise AverageCommenters (AnonyMiss, take a bow) suggested it is that Hispanics simply still hold the Clintons in high regard and see no reason to choose Obama instead. Let's not forget that just a few months ago, blacks were still very much split on Obama/Clinton. Then of course, Bill started showing his ass, the dopeboy inferences were tossed, and lo and behold, Barry is getting Snoop Dogg-like love from hoods' coast to coast. Could it be that Hispanics simply haven't been insulted enough yet to consider switching sides? That's not as implausible a theory as it might sound. Again, AnonyMiss, take a bow. The Capri Suns are on the way.

Question: Why do you think Hispanics aren't getting behind Obama?

Votes are in and Obama has a Hispanic problem [Ventura County Star]

Clinton Overwhelmingly Wins Latino Vote [NPR]

Why You Should Never Ask A Rapper About Politricks: Exhibit A

I don't usually post web junk with context, but I'll make an exception today.



Wasn't this guy supposed to have retired after he lost to Kanye last year?

Question: How concerned are you about the threat of assasination should Obama win?

AB.com's Free Advice To All Candidates

So, Super Tuesday is (finally) history. 20+ states weighed in. There were some winners. There were definitely some losers. As we enter the second half of contests for each candidacy, here's my free advice to all remaining contenders and pretenders.

My Free Advice for Barack Obama

You held serve last night. You won 13 states, which is far better than anyone could have hoped for. You are fewer than 100 overall delegates behind Clinton, with favorable states like DC, MD, and VA coming up next week. You're sitting pretty. Here's how you can sit prettier.

Become a Better Debater - For all the fiery rhetoric and inspiration of Barry's speeches, this is still your achilles heel. Call Rebb'n Al and Jesse and get yourself signed up for their Guaranteed Soundbite Seminar. You need to learn the art of the zinger. Sharpening up your positions on the economy and war also wouldn't hurt.

Attack... Shrewdly - There are some differences between you and Clinton. Play up the fact that she voted for the war so that there's no confusion about where you stood and what she stood for. Do this in a non-threatening manner that gets you on the evening news.

Pander to Latinos - Apparently there's something to that whole black vs brown divide. You need to find a way, any way, to neutralize Clinton's advantage here. He hear J-Lo and Fat Joe are available. Call em', use em'. Do something.

My Free Advice for Hillary Clinton

Super Tuesday is over. You won the big states and held serve in your home states. You lost Missouri however, which isn't a good look. While you're still ahead in the delegate count, momentum, or at least perception of momentum, is everything. And you don't have Big Mo' on your side. Here's how you get it back.

Cry More - It apparently works. You turn on the waterworks, or simply talk about crying, and white women go storming to the polls. Do this strategically though, they'll prolly catch on after awhile if you don't.

Keep Your Husband Locked Up - Seriously, had you just kept Bill's ass back in Harlem during December, you'd be looking into resorts for Denver right now. Instead, you're probably going to have to keep campaigning right up til' Denver. Give him a handful of singles and tell him to get lost.

Schedule More Debates - Your money is running low, and there are plenty more states left. Obama is killin' you at the ATM right now, so challenging him to additional debates is a good way of getting free national advertising with seeming so obvious.

Play Up Your Experience - This is still your best asset. Many still think you actually ran the country during your 8 years in DC. Of course this is freakin' asinine, but it works. Keep on keepin' on.

My Free Advice for John McCain

You were supposed to have it locked up last night and looking into resorts in St. Paul today. Instead, you'll prolly have to slog this out another couple of weeks. Here's how to end this bad boy sooner rather than later.

Start Kissing Ass - For whatever reason, conservative talk radio hates your guts and would prefer having Robo-Romney represent them. This is of course, completely asinine. Call Rush, call Glenn Beck, call Sean Hannity. Buy these guys a beer or two and try to win them over. The sooner you do this, the sooner you can get some badly needed rest.

Thump Your Chest - Let's be honest, you are the only guy who could give anyone on the other side a run. But you're still not captivating the party faithful like someone of your stature should. Get some swag.

Consider Dying Your Hair - Let's be honest, lots of folks have reservations about giving you the Number One Spot because you're really, really, really old looking. Never mind the fact that your chief competitors are hardly spring chickens themselves. Romney has perfect hair, and a dye job too. Perception is errythang. Get yourself come blond highlights or something, and show off your trophy wife a bit more. Trust me, this'll shave decades off.

My Free Advice for Mitt Romney

Mike Huckabee upstaged you yesterday. Mike. Huckabee. You're a multimillionaire CEO with perfect (or so they say) hair, a trophy wife, legions of Mormom faithful, and a made for TV looking family. Life is good. Here's my advice to make it gooder.

Quit - You're clearly not connecting with voters. You're spending lots of your own money, but you seem to miss a critical point: people do not like you. Bow out gracefully while you've still got some semblance of dignity.

My Free Advice For Mike Huckabee

You shocked the world. They said the whole Christian Conservative movement was dead. They said southern politricians were no longer in vogue. But for one shining moment, you showed em'. Here's how to keep showin' em'.

Stay - The longer you stay in the race, the longer you make McCain's VP selection inevitable.

Get Money - You have been running on a shoestring budget. You are practically broke. But you've proven you can make it do what it do without funds. Now, find some way to tap into these megachurches and get yourself some more paper.

Expand - People, for better or for worse, still sorta see you as a religious nut. You'll need to adopt a more populist stance if you want to stick around longer.

My Free Advice for Ron Paul

You're still in the low single digits in every state, although you still have inexplicable levels of support and funding. Still, the writing (just as it's been for months) is on the wall. How do you erase that writing?

Quit - I have no friggin' idea who your supporters are anyway, but there clearly are not enough of them. You will not win. Bow out gracefully and pray for a cabinet appointment.

My Free Advice for Alan Keyes

Yes, this smiling Negro is still (technically) in the race. Yes, I have advice for him.

UPS Is Hiring - Let's keep it real, Alicia Keys has a better shot. Get a real damn job and quit allowing yourself to be whored out for the illusion of inclusion used. Have some dignity, black man!

My Free Advice for Ralph Nader

Yes, Nader is pondering a run. Yes, I have advice for him too.

Don't Run - Please, please, please, please stay your ass out the race. Your desire for self-importance and the adulation of others has already ruined enough races.

Questions (this one's multiple choice, take your pick):

* What does Obama need to do to capture the Hispanic vote?
* Should Hillary pull out Bill again or is he a liability?
* Who should McCain pick as his running mate?
* Is Romney wearing a hairpiece?
* Why does Ron Paul look so angry?
* If UPS isn't hiring, where should Alan Keyes look for his next job?

Weigh in early and often you-know-where.