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Philly Blunt: PA Gov. Says Some Keystone Staters Won't Vote for a Black Man

February 12, 2008 9:28 PM

Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, a prominent supporter of Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that some white Keystone Staters won't vote for a black man.

"You've got conservative whites here, and I think there are some whites who are probably not ready to vote for an African-American candidate," Rendell said. "I believe, looking at the returns in my election, that had [2006 Republican gubernatorial candidate] Lynn Swann been the identical candidate that he was -- well-spoken, charismatic, good-looking -- but white, instead of black, instead of winning by 22 points, I would have won by 17, or so."

Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., has said similar things -- see HERE and HERE.

In such a heated political environment, post-South Carolina, can a man in Rendell's position, of his hue, discuss racism without being accused of being a racist himself?

I suppose we shall see.

- jpt

February 12, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (66)

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wake up citizen's if you care for the united state and love your flagthe national our fore fathers that built this america for all of us and like their pictures on our money and the words in God we trust on it. plus like all the old custom's of this u.s. don't vote for obama he has hung with to many coorked people and still is. read mrs.obama thesis from princerton 1985 the first page really tells it all these people really just want to help their own.

Posted by: george | Oct 7, 2008 2:36:10 PM

wake up citizen's if you care for the united state and love your flagthe national our fore fathers that built this america for all of us and like their pictures on our money and the words in God we trust on it. plus like all the old custom's of this u.s. don't vote for obama he has hung with to many coorked people and still is. read mrs.obama thesis from princerton 1985 the first page really tells it all these people really just want to help their own.

Posted by: george | Oct 7, 2008 2:36:04 PM

If there was a poll of Af-Am to identify at least six things about Barack Obama with race not being one of them I would be willing to bet that the majority would not be able to identify more than three.  Why?  Because they are voting for him simply for the one reason they can identify.  Can that fact be considered racist?  Is this an indication that he is the best candidate for the job?  That is really not an issue.  It is however, irresponsible because ultimately, when  he loses the we black people will still be at the end of the food chain.  Whether Rendell will be considered a racist for stating the truth is really a matter of peception. I don't get offended by a statement of truth.  I am offended by the denial of racism because that is what continues to promote it.  It Barack what a white candidate no way would he be where he is now.  After all John Edwards was more qualified and express more concern for more people regardless of race than BO has.

Posted by: winning0853 | Apr 3, 2008 5:05:18 PM

Surprise...another divisive Clinton surrogate.

There are people who will not vote for Hillary because she is a woman, but Ed Rendell does not want to mention that.

Obama is a uniter and I am sure some racist people have voted for him because he is the better candidate to change the way government plays a role in our lives. Imagine that!

Posted by: Sarah | Mar 6, 2008 3:28:32 AM

Wow! The worse kind of racism is the kind that pretends it isn't. Your statement that blacks have no other reason to vote for Obama than the color of his skin is ignorant! You have swallowed Hillary's spoon feeding misinformation hook line and sinker.
Ship Ahoy!

Posted by: NewDay | Mar 5, 2008 9:05:07 AM

So if a white woman does not vote for Obama she is racist? So what do you call all the blacks that are coming out to vote for Obama just because he is black and nothing more.

Posted by: SJ | Feb 13, 2008 10:15:13 PM

Why all the bitterness about AA voting for Obama. He is half white so why does he get tossed in the "Black" bucket. Why can't he be considered a white man?Shows you just were this country is.

Posted by: OK Native | Feb 13, 2008 4:10:03 PM

Sorry about the typing errors!

Obama supporters - most of Sen. Obama's support comes from Upper-Income Democrats and Independents (black and white - 14% of the people) and the African American population (11% of the general population).

Sen. Obama can not win without the support of Sen. Clinton's voters. Be negative just a little while longer - they will vote for Sen. Mc Cain or stay at home.

Obama does not walk on water for all of us!

Posted by: ff | Feb 13, 2008 3:41:45 PM

Obama supporters - most of Sen. Obama's support comes from Upper-Income Democrats and Independents balck and white - 14% of the people) and the African American population (11% of the general population).

Obama can not win without the support of Clinton voters. Be negative just a little while longer - they will vote for Mc Cain or stay at home.

Obama does not walk on water for all of us!

Posted by: ff | Feb 13, 2008 3:39:50 PM

Actually I was a bit surprised to find many racist whites in PA, especially racist white women, and in Maryland too!

Posted by: George Chell | Feb 13, 2008 2:56:23 PM

You know that most of you are chastising a man who apparently knows his constituents all to well. I have visited PA and what Gov stated is true. He wasn’t speaking of himself, but the persons that live in PA. So, why are you attacking him? If you voted for him that you must have thought him the best candidate. Was there truth to what he was saying and now, heaven forbid the world knows it.

Posted by: Anonymous | Feb 13, 2008 2:20:01 PM

Philly Blunt???


*throws popcorn* BOOO HIIIISSS BOOOOO

Posted by: Groan | Feb 13, 2008 12:43:24 PM

I haven't heard or seen the actual quote, so I can't tell how he said it, but factually, I don't see much wrong with it...if she still lived here, my mother might be one of them...

he said SOME whites, not all of them...and it seems to be a swipe against those white voters, not the African-American community

Posted by: phillygirl64 | Feb 13, 2008 12:25:05 PM

It is clear that obama is exacerbating the racial tension in America. So much so that obama knows if he loses the race there will be more trouble and racial violence. He is too young to remember the 1960's but he can always read about it.
Just what America needs.

Posted by: lindafranke1952 | Feb 13, 2008 12:08:30 PM

Governor Rendell's comments represent yet another cyinical attempt by Clinton machine politician to marginalize Senator Obama on the basis of racial divide. It is a shameful indication of a ruthless strategy by a member of the democratic party: the party of coalition. While this may be an underhanded way to attract certain voter groups in the short term ultimately it is a losing strategy for the democratic party.

Posted by: Marianne | Feb 13, 2008 12:04:40 PM

OK Let me see if they were Conservatives there that mattered why is a Democrat in office. I think he meant to say the creators of the KKK Democrats would not vote for a Black man!

See True Conservatives vote for the best person for the job, not their looks!

Posted by: spock | Feb 13, 2008 11:12:31 AM

To think that hundreds of years of Racism disappeared with the coming of Obama is naive.
Of course there are people who will not vote for a black president.

Posted by: Pat | Feb 13, 2008 9:25:17 AM

The is nothing wrong with the Gov statement he is right there are some whites that will not vote for Obama so what is the fuss about. On the other hand we have AA coming out in their numbers to vote for Obama because his war cry is "its out time now" or "our time has come". Now whose time is he speaking about American time, Democratic time?. He does not explain but its the drive in the hidden message which is vote to put a black man as President, and your time will come. Then you have some that say the black community need this as a role model to be the example for their young ones to turn around their lives, showing them they can achieve the highest position in the land. All these statements are not picked on as being racist so what is so difficult to understand in what this Gov is saying ?

Posted by: SJ | Feb 13, 2008 8:44:33 AM

Pennsylvanians, how does it feel to have such an embarrassment for a governor? (I ask this with no sense of pride or gloating, since the governor of the state in which I live is under federal investigation for all sorts of financial improprieties.) You realize, of course, that your "esteemed" governor has called you racists by implication, and that he must have an extremely low opinion of you. After having spent a very enjoyable week in Philadelphia and meeting quite a few very nice people, I think your governor couldn't be more wrong or misguided. To borrow one of Jake's favorite questions, what say you?

Posted by: chuck | Feb 13, 2008 8:25:56 AM

What Gov. Rendell said is stupid and far from the truth. He labels Pennsylvanians with something they didn't ask for.

Lynn Swann, the Hall of Fame Pittsburgh Steeler and sports commentator didn't have enough political fame to win the Governor's chair.

It wasn't because of Swann's skin color alone, the Governor has to give voters more credit to choose than that.

He's a supporter of Hillary, her campaign is going to be pissed!

States with more whites than Pennsylvania has, Obama is winning. That political block is being voted over. Idaho and Utah. Iowa and Nebraska. Kansas and Maine.

It's a stupid statement said in a flippant way and Rendell shows his ego is flawed.

Pennsylvanians should punish him with negative commentary and I believe they will.

It will be a smackdown of his views when Obama wins Pennsylvania.

Posted by: Marks | Feb 13, 2008 8:05:25 AM

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