How many of the following Democrats have pledged to vote for Nancy Pelosi for Speaker, voted for the health care bill, voted for Cap and Trade, voted for the stimulus bill, and voted for Wall Street Reform?
Among the endangered Democrats counting on a substantial black turnout are Representatives Bobby Bright of Alabama, Allen Boyd of Florida, Sanford D. Bishop Jr. and Jim Marshall of Georgia, Frank Kratovil Jr. of Maryland, Travis W. Childers of Mississippi, Steve Driehaus and Betty Sutton of Ohio, John M. Spratt Jr. of South Carolina, Chet Edwards of Texas, and Glenn Nye and Tom Perriello of Virginia.
Here’s the problem. These Democrats need blacks to have their back even though most of them have not had the president’s back…at least, not consistently. And if your are not even going to vote for Pelosi then who gives a crap if you win reelection? In every case, their opponents are worse. But maybe these candidates should have thought about who they’d need to win reelection instead of how they could distance themselves from the president and the Democratic leadership. Each candidate has a distinct record so, for example, Perriello has nothing to apologize for. Most of them have taken at least one courageous vote. But, as a group, they’ve been running scared, and that doesn’t inspire progressive Democrats to come out and vote for you.
