The American Spectator

The politicians themselves, like many of their fellow parishioners, may not embrace the inflammatory rhetoric, but they tolerate it. Those outside the pews of black churches, however, won’t let them off the hook for doing so.

As a result, black politicians must coyly distance themselves from the rhetoric of their supporters without going so far as to break with them. It’s difficult to have a Sister Souljah moment when that person isn’t a smack talking rapper, but an influential supporter.Obama attempted this in Philadelphia last March with his speech on race relations. While arguing that “I can no more disown [Rev. Wright] than I can disown the black community,” he actually did so throughout the entire speech. All it did was lead to backlash from Wright and his fellow clergymen, along with criticism from Obama’s archrival, Hillary Clinton, and pundits.

This balancing is especially problematic for the emerging younger, more centrist generation of black politicians, who prefer to focus on improving schools, economic conditions, and ending unwed parenthood than to dwell on matters of race and sex. It’s difficult to offer a different vision when old-school clerics view such ideas with disdain.

A key Obama supporter, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, faced this opposing problem two years ago during his successful gubernatorial bid. Ministers in such black clergy groups such as the Black Ministerial Alliance of Greater Boston complained that his eschewing of old-style race-baiting and support for gay marriage were too far out of the black mainstream. As a result, the former Clinton administration appointee reached out beyond the churches and outside the black community in order to win office.

Younger black politicians, learning the lessons from Obama’s experience, may have to go even further than Patrick in breaking with these clerics, even at the expense of being accused of racial betrayal. The growth of Latinos, Asians and even whites in once solidly-black districts may also help force black politicians to look outward. Either way, it will be a hard transition.