Obama to CBC: 'Time for Action Is Now'‎

Filed under: News, Politics, President Obama, Race and Civil Rights

Like most family members, they have have had some squabbles and exchanged some angry words, but when a real threat is on the horizon, they kiss and make up, put the feuding to the side and take on all comers.

That's what President Barack Obama and members of the Congressional Black Caucus did this past weekend.

As a black-tie audience cheered Obama on, the president raised the specter of a Republican-led Congress. if blacks don't turn out in droves to support Democratic candidates in the November election.

Obama urged lawmakers and party officials to return to their home districts and rally voters in their churches, barbershops and beauty shops (you know, the places where you can always find black folks) and mobilize the vote.

Obama is clearly trying to revive the enthusiasm generated in the black community by his campaign for the presidency in 2008, and it looks like the effort is sorely needed. A recent Gallup poll found that 25 percent of blacks gave either some or a lot of thought to the upcoming congressional election compared to 41 percent of whites.

Funny how the threat of having to work with a Republican House of Representatives has gotten Obama and CBC members to put their differences to the side for now.

Obama and CBC members most recently exchanged jabs with the handling of the Shirley Sherrod firing and the president's support (or lack thereof) of Kendrick Meek in his successful primary battle against billionaire Jeff Greene.

And don't forget that Obama and several CBC members have had long-standing differences over Obama's efforts to target aid toward the black community, with CBC members reasoning that there is nothing unusual for key constituent groups (especially those who were key to victory) to get some special spoils after the election.

Obama countered that as president his measures to improve the economy must help all Americans and that the targeting of aid packages won't happen on his watch.

But all of these arguments will look like mere skirmishes if Obama has to fight with a hostile majority in Congress for his final two years in office. That's why it makes all the sense in the world for the president and the members of Congress to circle the wagons.

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