Hillary Clinton gets mixed reception in Harlem

BY LETTA TAYLER | letta.tayler@newsday.com

January 21, 2008

Fresh from winning Nevada with the help of Latinos, Hillary Rodham Clinton yesterday resumed her courtship of African-Americans by attending a service honoring Martin Luther King Jr. at a prominent Harlem church. But the boos that mingled with cheers during her visit underscored her looming battle in wresting black voters from Barack Obama.

"You've come to Harlem to steal the black vote!" a small but boisterous group of Obama protesters shouted as Clinton stood outside the Abyssinian Baptist Church to receive the endorsement of its influential pastor, the Rev. Calvin O. Butts III.

"Harlem for Obama!" the hecklers repeated, briefly drowning out Butts' endorsement. When Clinton passed cups of steaming coffee to the crowd on the bitterly cold day, one Obama fan shouted, "I don't want your coffee!"

"HIL-lary! HIL-lary!" Clinton supporters shouted back.

Clinton visited Harlem as she seeks traction in Saturday's primary in South Carolina, where blacks may represent more than half of Democratic voters. She, Obama and third-place John Edwards descend on the Palmetto State today to participate in King Day celebrations and a televised debate.

Though she handily won the Latino vote in Nevada caucuses Saturday, eight in 10 black Nevadans backed Obama. A recent poll shows Obama leading Clinton 42-40 percent among blacks in New York, one of 22 states holding party contests Feb. 5.

Moreover, recent disparaging comments about Obama by Bill Clinton and Clinton family friend Bob Johnson, the influential founder of BET, have offended some African-Americans. Hillary Clinton also raised eyebrows on the eve of the New Hampshire primary with remarks that critics thought minimized King's contribution to civil rights reform.

Clinton, who only last week accused Obama of fomenting criticism of her Johnson comment, yesterday denied their rivalry would create ethnic or racial divisions. Obama is "an extraordinary African-American" and the Democratic Party emerged from the race "united," she said, uttering a word Obama used yesterday at a pulpit in Atlanta.

In her second New York event in a week to draw on King's theme of racial harmony, the New York senator won applause from parishioners as she vowed to continue the slain civil rights leader's "revolution" if elected.

Outside the church, Butts, who also is president of SUNY at Old Westbury, said his endorsement of Clinton had prompted angry phone calls from some parishioners. But, he added, "a vote for Hillary is not a vote against Barack Obama or any community, be it African-American, Latino or any other." Instead, he said, it is a vote for the candidate "who has the vision and experience to make things happen."

He took a lower road during services. After Clinton addressed parishioners, Butts said slyly: "Uh-huh! No teleprompter here. Isn't that something? A little scrap of paper but that's all." Obama has used a teleprompter in some speeches.

Butts' endorsement was not a great surprise, given that Clinton is backed by New York's black congressional delegation, which includes Rep. Charles Rangel (D-Harlem). In addition, Bill Clinton has made Harlem his post-presidential headquarters. Still, the pastor expands the New York senator's African- American sphere of influence just days before South Carolina will serve as a test of Obama's support among black voters.

Candidates hit South Carolina

Tonight at 8 on CNN, the Democratic presidential contenders will participate in a debate hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus Institute in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Their discussion comes ahead of Saturday's Democratic primary in the state.