Some of John Edwards’ best friends are black. Unfortunately, Oprah is not one of them.
But according to the leaders on the call, the polls are wrong. “I don’t think he’s trailing, he’s not behind,” said Spartanburg City Councilwoman Linda Dogan. “There’s no doubt in my mind that Sen. Edwards is leading,” said Tyrone Freeman of the Service Employees International Union. He added that he thinks the polls “reflect excitement” about the first viable black presidential candidate, but that “people will make decisions on the issues that affect their lives.” Dr. James Blassingame of the National Baptist Convention said he thinks Edwards’ understanding of these issues will “pull him through” in the final weeks.
The fact is, if Edwards ends up being competitive in South Carolina, it’s not going to be because locals decided to pore over his policy briefs the week before the election. It’s going to be because he performed well in Iowa. Yes, he won South Carolina in 2004. But John Kerry wasn’t exactly a commanding presence among African-Americans, at least not on the scale of Clinton or Obama. And that’s just it: Edwards’ problem in winning over black voters isn’t Oprah. It’s his opponents.