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The Washington Afro-American, March 15, 2008 - March 21, 2008

On the eve of election, Blacks in Ohio still split between Clinton and Obama
By Zenitha Prince Washington Bureau Chief CLEVELAND (March 1, 2008) Local City Councilman Kevin Conwell is testimony that Barack Obama is the presidential candidate of change. Before Obamamania swept up the country and apparently Hillary Clinton along with it, he was firmly in the Clinton camp. After his constituents let him know in no uncertain terms that they were backing Obama, he changed his mind. My residents sat me down and talked to me, recalled Conwell, who was the recipient of a stream of e-mails and a barrage of angry telephone calls. My residents love me because I changed my mind. What they are mad about now is when I run out of Barack percent, which falls within the polls margin of error. A week ago, some polls had Obama trailing Clinton by as many as 10 percentage points. Clinton continues to hold the advantage among women, 52 percent to 41 percent. Black women, a key Democratic group, are deciding between an African-American and a woman. And their choices are further compounding the ability to predict Tuesdays outcome. When I heard she was running, I thought, At last, said Susan Soden of Columbus, as she stood in the snow passing out Clinton campaign literature. I could not live with myself as a woman if I did not vote for her. Eileen Hamblen, a registered nurse from Cleveland, agrees. Her reason: Men have screwed up for so long, I think its time for a woman. In voting elsewhere across the country, Obama has won the overwhelming majority of the Black vote, including those of Black women Many expect him to continue that pattern in Ohio. There seems to be little doubt that Obama will carry large urban areas, such as Cleveland and Columbus, where most African-Americans live. His community organizing skills bring him closer to voters, said City Councilman Conwell, who switched to the Obama bandwagon. They feel he has genuine concern and a sensitive ear to the common peoples concerns. Some casting their ballot on Tuesday are elated that an African-American has a real opportunity to win his Partys nomination and go on to become president of the United States. Hes the second coming of Jesus Christ, declared Dave Ali, 56, owner of the Peoples said, You dont remember going to [restaurants] and not being able to eat a hamburger because you were a nigger. Do you know what his becoming president will do for our race?

Photos by Zenitha Prince

Dave Ali, 56, owner of Peoples Marathon Gas Station in Cleveland, right, has been trying to convince State Rep. Eugene Miller, D-District 10, to switch his vote from Clinton to Obama. prominent Clinton supporter from Georgia who switched his endorsement to Obama, others, I was on board from day one, Miller stated. There has never been a doubt in my

When I heard he was running I had tears in my eyesYou dont remember going to [restaurants] and not being able to eat a hamburger because you were a nigger. Do you know what his becoming president will do for our race?
Obama lawn signs. While Conwell followed the lead of Rep. John Lewis, a such as Ohio State Rep. Eugene Miller, remain loyal to the New York senator. mind. He said there is another reason he is sticking with Clinton: I gave my word, The separate routes charted by Conwell and Miller makes it more difficult to predict the outcome of Tuesdays Democratic primary here. The latest polls show that Obama has won over large chunks of Clintons base. A Reuters/C-SPAN/Houston Chronicle Poll conducted by Zogby International from Feb. 28 to March 1 shows Clinton leading by a single percentage point in Ohio, 47 percent to 46

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Marathon Gas Station on 117th Street in Cleveland, pointing to the walls of his shop that are festooned with Obama paraphernalia. When I heard he was running I had tears in my eyes. He turned to Miller and

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Ali was among those pressuring Miller to abandon Hillary Clinton. He explained, I knew Eugene as a kid. I love him and Im proud of him, but Im trying to get him on the right side of history.. Christopher Leake, a 26year-old Clinton volunteer, has also been feeling pressure. And so far, he has not capitulated. I get a lot of pressure, he said. Im a Black man in his 20s with an Ivy League education, so they figure I should be supporting Obama, but Im a lost cause at this point. U.S. Rep. Stephanie TubbsJones, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, has not yet joined the Obama Express speeding across America. She, like Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland, remains steadfast in her support of Clinton. Sen. Obamas effectiveness in this race is that he offers people a compelling vision, he has an extraordinary organizing team, he has been able to raise considerable contributions and now he has the support of the largest union the SEIU, said Jamal Simmons, a Democratic strategist. Simmons cautioned that there are some subtle factors at work that may make it difficult for Obama to win Ohio. There are some residual conflicts regarding race that often rear up, he said. The downturn in the economy, especially in manufacturing, has increased tensions between and among communities which would not work in Obamas favor. He added, In the 2006 elections, every Democrat in the state won except for the African- American who was running for treasurer. We have yet to see an African-American Democratic nominee win a state-wide election. Obama is hoping to change that.

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