He represents a majority African-American district in Tennessee. Most of his congressional staff, including the Chief of Staff, are African-Americans. He wanted to join the CBC, especially given the shared concerns of his constitutents and those of many of the people CBC members represent. But apparently there's a "no whites allowed" rule, and the color of a lawmaker's skin is more important to the CBC than the needs and interests of his hundreds of thousands of African-American constitutents.
Posted by armand at January 23, 2007 09:48 AM | TrackBack | Posted to PoliticsI'm not exactly surprised by this. I just think it's worth pointing out that they'll embrace, say Rep. Yvette Clark (D-Brookyln), who ran perhaps the most racist campaign in the country in the course of getting elected last fall, but exclude Rep. Cohen, who for years often supported unpopular causes in the TN legislature - causes that you'd think the CBC would want to promote.
Posted by: Armand at January 23, 2007 12:56 PM | PERMALINKyeah, i'm not surprised either, but stuff like this --
The bylaws of the caucus do not make race a prerequisite for membership, a House aide said, but no non-black member has ever joined. --
sounds awfully familiar, and not for its resemblance to salutary historic precedents.
if nothing else, they ought to own their self-defeating racism and put it in their bylaws in the light of day.
Posted by: moon at January 23, 2007 03:00 PM | PERMALINK