The remarks have set off a wave of handwringing among liberals over how intensely Black men will back Harris and whether the focus on Black men belies Democrats’ deeper troubles with the broader electorate.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Barack Obama had frank words for Black men who may be considering sitting out the election.

“Part of it makes me think that, well, you just aren’t feeling the idea of having a woman as president, and you’re coming up with other alternatives and other reasons for that,” he said Thursday to Harris-Walz campaign volunteers and officials at a field office in Pittsburgh.

America’s first Black president touched a nerve among Democrats worried about Vice President Kamala Harris’ chances of becoming the second.

Harris is counting on Black turnout in battleground states such as Pennsylvania in her tight race with Republican Donald Trump, who has focused on energizing men of all races and tried to make inroads with Black men in particular.

Obama’s comments belie that Black men still overwhelmingly back Harris. But her campaign and allies have worked hard trying to shore up support with this critical group of voters — and addressing questions about potential misogyny.

Black Americans are the most Democratic-leaning racial demographic in the country, with Black men being outpaced only by Black women in their support for Democrats.

  • FIash Mob #5678@beehaw.orgOP
    14·
    23 days ago

    This article buries the money quote:

    “We’re not a monolith,” Thompson said. “However, we are just like every other American in this country who wants a good paying job, that we can provide for our children and participate in their lives and the lives of our partner, that we can get them home safely, afford to go to the grocery store, save a little for retirement and have a vacation.”

    Reminds me of the article yesterday calling out women for not having enough babies and blaming individualism and secularism instead of the fact that people can’t afford to procreate.

    The simple fact is that it’s really hard to sell Biden 2.0 when Biden 1.0 failed people so spectacularly for people that are out there working to live. You just can’t hand someone a record of failure and expect that they’re going to enthusiastically support your candidacy.

    • sqgl@beehaw.org
      3·
      22 days ago

      The price of living has gone up in all developed economies it seems since the pandemic. Price gouging by corporations despite record profits.

      I don’t understand how it is synchronized globally. Seems unlikely they agree at Davos under a full moon and then laugh maniacally but I am at a loss for a plausible explanation.