Tennessee Democrats in Shelby County held a “Black Men for Kamala” event on Monday in response to the push by former President Barack Obama for black men to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris in November.
The event was described by the Shelby County Democratic Party as an “emergency press conference” held “in Response to President Barack Obama’s Call” in a press release that referenced the former president’s speech in Pennsylvania last week.
During his Pittsburgh campaign stop for the Harris campaign last week, Obama said he received reports indicating Democrats, “have not yet seen the same kinds of energy and turnout in all quarters of our neighborhoods and communities as we saw when I was running,” and specified the lack of enthusiasm, “seems to be more pronounced with the brothers.”
Obama told black male voters, “Part of it makes me think — and I’m speaking to men directly — part of it makes me think that, well, you just aren’t feeling the idea of having a woman as president, and you’re coming up with other alternatives and other reasons for that.”
The event held in response by the Shelby County Democrats included both Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris and Mayor Paul Young, as well as community leaders, and controversial attorney Ben Crump, who posted a live stream of his remarks to social media.
Crump, who gained national recognition when representing the family of George Floyd in 2020, said he attended the “Black Men for Kamala” event, “to respond to President Obama’s remarks that he made to black men in America,” which the lawyer summarized as a call “to set an example for our community” by voting for Harris.
“I think President Obama was making it pretty clear. Vice President Kamala Harris is one of the most qualified individuals who has ran for president when you look at her credentials. I mean, it’s clear, she’s always been a champion for justice, a voice for the voiceless, a resource for those who have no resources,” argued Crump.
The attorney said that Obama urged black voters, “once you look at all of her outstanding attributes, and qualifications, if you still feel that there’s something there that she hasn’t done to speak directly to you, he said… judge her against the alternative.”
The Shelby County mayor similarly reportedly called Harris one of the most qualified Democrats in a “long time,” and said the vice president would address crime and public safety.
“I think in these times when the economy is strained, when folks are looking for jobs, when crime and public safety is the top of our mind, I’m going to vote for the candidate I think that can handle the job,” said Harris, according to The Commercial Appeal.
Harris’ campaign announced that Obama plans to campaign for the vice president throughout the final weeks of the election.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to pappert.tom@proton.me.
Photo “Ben Crump Announces Event” by Ben Crump.