Robin Mazyck here guest blogging for The Brody File.
As an African-American woman from South Carolina, I'd like to weigh in on the discussion surrounding the crucial black vote here in the Palmetto State.
There are a couple of things I'd like to point out as it relates to Saturday's Democratic primary and the role African-Americans will play.
First, African-Americans in the state are still deeply divided when it comes to supporting Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. And while new polls show that Clinton is losing some support, the pulse on the ground is different.
A recent radio interview with Cynthia Hardy, a state-wide radio host, found that it was a bit more difficult to gauge whether Clinton or Obama had the most support when talking to people on the ground. During the interview, Hardy also talked about going to her beauty salon one morning and watching her stylist, an Obama supporter, get into a heated debate with a Clinton supporter. She called it a "big Obama, Clinton face-off." (This may sound strange, but for blacks, the beauty salons and barber shops are important place to discuss community issues.)
And as for tonight's important Congressional Black Caucus Institute debate, it will be interesting to watch Clinton and Obama face off. Let's think back to that Tavis Smiley debate at South Carolina State University a few months ago where Clinton's comments on AIDS and black women brought the audience to its feet. African-Americans remember that.
Maybe the smart thing for Clinton and Obama to do is focus on the economy tonight and not issues surrounding who's "black enough" or who supports the black community the most. We get it.
The Clinton's have a long history with the African-American community - no one is questioning this. We get it, Obama is indeed black enough (That whole notion is so absurd it makes my blood boil).
Blacks in South Carolina don't need to be reminded where we've been. They know all too well about the dream deferred. In fact, many of them still live it -- especially in some of the rural areas in the state. They want to know about the FUTURE!
Let's forget the race card for a minute. Blacks here want to know: who will help me feed my family? Will I be able to afford health insurance? Will I be able to keep my home from being taken away by foreclosure? How will I make sure my children are properly educated? How can I live the American dream?
And don't forget the war - they are very concerned about the war in Iraq, too.
Blacks understand that all eyes are on them, and they are taking this primary very seriously. For the first time in history, minority candidates with a viable chance of winning are relying on the minority vote.