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THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE


November 10-16, 2010 Page A-3


Second Front


By Michael Cottman BLACKAMERICAWEB For President Barack Obama, Tuesday’s hos-


tile takeover of the House of Representatives by Republicans was a stunning political setback, a fundamental rejection of Obama’s sweeping legislative agenda.


It was also Obama’s first failure as presi-


dent to rally Black Americans around a slate of Democratic candidates during a critical mid- term election cycle. Unfortunately for Obama, Black voters, collectively, did not answer his call.


Obama now faces a harsh political reality:


The historic shift in power in Washington, D.C. that resulted from Tuesday’s elections could stall parts of the president’s ambitious initia- tives for the next two years, unless he decides to compromise with a GOP that he has de- scribed as misguided and irresponsible.


“All sides are going to have to compromise


to get anything done,” Karen Finney, a Demo- cratic strategist, told BlackAmericaWeb.com Wednesday. “It’s easier said than done, how- ever.”


Obama will likely experience political grid-


lock like he’s never seen as president — the same kind of extreme partisan divisions he vowed to mediate from his White House perch.


In 2008, the president campaigned as a na-


tional healer who would cut through the hard- core Washington politics and unite the parties. Starting this week, Obama will get his chance to prove that he’s a genuine consensus build- er.


During a White House press conference


Wednesday, Obama appeared humbled and admitted that he took a “shellacking” in Tues- day’s elections.


“This is something that I think every presi-


dent needs to go through because the respon- sibilities of this office are so enormous and so many people are depending on what we do,” Obama said, “and in the rush of activity, some- times we lose track of the ways that we con- nected with folks that got us here in the first place.”


“I’m sure there are easier ways to learn these


lessons,” he added. “But I do think that this is a growth process and an evolution.”


As part of Obama’s growth process, perhaps Barack Obama


the president will reflect on the particular eco- nomic needs of the Black community and ask himself — and his political advisors — why many Black voters did not respond to his re- quest for a strong turn-out on Tuesday.


Despite his last-minute pleas on Black radio,


Black voters bailed out on Obama “D


espite his last-


minute pleas on Black radio, many African-Americans sat out on Tuesday because they were disengaged. Obama not only failed to rally women, independents and college students around Democrats, he also failed to fire up his Black base. Perhaps Black voters didn’t turn out Tuesday because Obama’s name was not on the ballot. Or maybe Obama hasn’t visited enough Black neighorhoods as president. With the Black unemployment rate rising to 15.6 percent, some civil rights activists say Obama could rally the faithful simply by addressing the Black unemployment crisis directly and publicly.”


many African-Americans sat out on Tues- day because they were disengaged. Obama


not only failed to rally women, independents and college students around Democrats, he also failed to fire up his Black base.


Perhaps Black voters didn’t turn out Tuesday


because Obama’s name was not on the ballot. Or maybe Obama hasn’t visited enough Black


neighorhoods as president. With the Black un- employment rate rising to 15.6 percent, some civil rights activists say Obama could rally the faithful simply by addressing the Black unem- ployment crisis directly and publicly.


The collapse of the economy has taken its


toll on families everywhere, and black Ameri- cans are frustrated and angry, too. Many black professionals tell BlackAmericaWeb.com that Obama can’t expect the black vote again simply because he’s black – African-Americans need a legitimate reason to enthusiastically support Obama’s candidacy.


“Frankly, I’m tired of defending Obama,”


one lifelong Black Democrat told BlackAmeri- caWeb.com Wednesday.


Obama is recovering from a strategic body


blow in the form of Republicans gaining at least 60 seats in the House — the largest victory for either party since 1948. The GOP is hoping to capitalize on voter anger toward Democrats and turn Obama into a one-term president.


Republicans are already preparing to repeal


Obama’s controversial health care legislation, and there’s also talk that the GOP wants to abort Obama’s stimulus plan, saying the sweep- ing initiative is driving up the federal deficit.


“Yesterday’s vote confirmed what I’ve heard


from folks all across America,” Obama said Wednesday. “People are frustrated. They’re deeply frustrated with the pace of our economic recovery. They want jobs to come back faster, they want paychecks to go further.”


And African Americans want to believe that


America’s first Black president embraces their concerns during tough economic times.


Obama and Democrats need an immedi-


ate, aggressive, nationwide plan to inspire the Black electorate. With the presidential election two years away, Obama can’t afford to take his message to Black voters two weeks before the election. He must begin to solidify his relation- ship with the Black community today — city by city, block by block.


“So, the question I think that my Republi-


can friends and me and Democratic leaders are going to have to answer is what are our priorities?” Obama asked. “What do we care about?”


It’s a great question — and Black Americans


who stood in line for hours to elect Obama in 2008 deserve a straightforward answer today.


Linda Burgess at The World of Travel See Alaska come alive Linda Burgess at The World of Travel will


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AUTO SHOW ACCESS:


VOLUME 70 – Number 17•• News Briefs


Ford appointed global supplier


communications manager


Angela Spencer Ford has


been appointed to Chrysler Group global supplier com- munications manager. In her new position, she will imple- ment communications initia- tives to support the company’s global supply base.


Ford joined Chrysler Group Angela Ford


in 2000 as communications manager of safe- ty programs. Since that time, she has served in a number of other communi- cations posi- tions, including manager of Safety and Government Affairs, and


most recently as communica- tions manager of Diversity and Human Resources.


Detroit schools set to close


The Detroit Public Schools


plans to close 51 schools, sav- ing the district nearly $19 mil- lion a year.


See Briefs page A-4 Michigan Chronicle to


increase newsstand price In its 70 years of publication, the


Michigan Chronicle has had few price changes. However, due to inflation and the cost of operations, we are forced to increase the price of the paper. Effective Jan. 17, it will be $1. This rate will also apply to the Michigan FRONTPage. Since the 1960s the Chronicle has only increased its price three times.We have maintained the 50 cent newsstand rate for as long as possible, but economic realities have caught up with us.


For 70 years, we have been “the


voice of the community” and will endeav- or to remain so for years to come.


Sam Logan Publisher


INSIDE EDITORIAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . INSPIRATIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .


DIRECTORY OF RELIGIOUS SERVICES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .


SPORTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-6 B-3 B-4 & B-5 C-1 & C-2 HOROSCOPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ENTERTAINMENT. . . . . C-6 D-1 thru D-3 CLASSIFIEDS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DR. KING TRIBUTE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-5 A-3 Also inside


Public rejects


Coleman’s save superintendent


résumé DPS moves to


MANY FEMALE consumers like the extra space offered in the Ford Edge.


Automakers breaking ground with women


By Melody Deniece Moore CHRONICLE ASSOCIATE EDITOR


Fifth Third partners with Vista Maria See page B-1


Get tax credits you deserve


See page B-1 Women are being sought


after by automakers that are creating special features in the latest cars to appeal to women.


From the vehicle’s style to its


color to extra interior space, certain features are attractive to women and car manufacturers are reaching out more to that market.


Courtney Caldwell, founder


of Road and Travel magazine, said automakers are doing so without ignoring male con- sumers.


“(Automakers) have been try-


6 89076 06419 4 www.michronicle.com


ing to make vehicles more appealing, while at the same time not turning off men,” Caldwell said. “The Ford Edge has a huge console that can be


used to put a purse in and it can very easily hide it. It’s just as good as laptop or a lunchbox.”


Caldwell said the Dodge


Caliber has features tailored to what women like. For example, the Caliber has a chilled glove compartment, which Caldwell says women can use to keep their child’s milk cold, while men can keep their drinks cold while tailgating.


The buying power of women


has grown over the last five years and automakers are capi- talizing on it. According to national statistics, women account for 80 percent of vehi- cle purchases.


Ford Motor Co.’s new


crossover utility vehicle (CUV), the Edge, offers features that


See Women & cars page A-4


By Bankole Thompson CHRONICLE SENIOR EDITOR


The Detroit School Board


moved to include Super- intendent William Coleman among a list of finalists seeking the district’s top job, despite objections from a 40-member community advisory committee.


Dr. Connie Calloway of Normandy Public School in Missouri and Dr. Doris Hope- Jackson of Calumet Public School-District 132 in Chicago were the two highly recom- mended candidates for the posi- tion, according to the commit- tee.


Dr. David Snead, former DPS


superintendent, came in third with Coleman ranking behind.


However during a Jan. 4


board meeting, board member Tyron Winfrey made a motion for Coleman to be included in the finalist stage.


“The board was trying to nul-


lify some of this controversy to allow him (Coleman) to come before the board and the com- munity,” Winfrey said. He said it


See Coleman page A-4


DR. RACHEL KEITH (left) and her husband, Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Damon Keith.


Metro Detroit mourns health care advocate Wife of respected judge


Cornelius A. Fortune CHRONICLE STAFF WRITER


Dr. Rachel Keith, 82, a


woman who defied the odds at a time when women had to strug- gle for respect as doctors, died Jan. 4. The cause of death was not known at press time.


The wife of Sixth Circuit


Court of Appeals Judge Damon Keith, Rachel Keith pioneered the way for other African American women to become physicians.


Keith was born in Monrovia,


Liberia, on May 30, 1924 to par- ents who were American med- ical missionaries. The family


returned to America in 1926, and settled in Richmond, Va. She completed her undergradu- ate studies at Houghton College in Houghton, N.Y., in 1943, where she was second in her class.


Dr. Keith completed her med-


ical degree at Boston University School of Medicine in 1949 and began her internship at Harlem Hospital in New York. She com- pleted a two-year residency in internal medicine at Detroit Receiving Hospital in 1953 and entered private practice in 1954.


“She was well respected in See Rachel Keith page A-4


479 Ledyard ■ Detroit, MI 48201 313.963.5522 ■ Fax 313.963.8788


Mastercard and VISA Accepted


THE LINCOLN MKRconcept vehicle on display at the North American International Auto Show is one of several sedans starring at the show. – AJ Mueller Photography


Detroit auto show revs up with


ion with the GM Style event. The invite-only affair, emceed by Jimmy Kimmel, host of


celebrities, but what does it all mean? W


By Marcus Amick SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE


ell, it’s finally here. After all the anticipation, the 2007 North American International Auto Show kicked off this past Saturday in star-studded fash-


ABC-TV’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” was covered by just about every major network in the city. Dubbed by GM as Detroit’s largest ever gathering of cars and stars, the style show opened with Jay-Z stepping out of a cus- tomized “Jay-Z Blue” Yukon Denali.


HOLLYWOOD BASH The gala featured celebrities strolling


the runway in some of today’s hottest fashion lines, paired with more than 15 GM vehi- cles, including


COMMENTARY


the Camaro convertible concept. Models included Hollywood celebrities such as Carmen Electra, Vivica A. Fox, Nick Cannon, Cheryl Hines, “Dreamgirls” star Jennifer Hudson, Christian Slater, and Detroit native Kristen Bell, star of the CW television network’s “Veronica Mars. ”


Marcus Amick Grammy award-winning R&B artist John Legend per-


formed at the event and former Detroit Pistons star John Salley was also on hand for the affair.


There’d been a lot of buzz about the GM Style event months before the affair among journalists and others hop-


See Star Power page A-4


GOLDEN GLOBE AWARD nominee Jennifer Hudson showcases General Motors’Escalade. – Monica Morgan photo


experts on Monday, Nov. 15, at the Troy Com-


munity Center (banquet entrance), 3179 Liver- nois just north of Big Beaver. Registration and light refreshments will begin at 6:30 pm.


Exclusive discounts and door prizes will be


available to those who attend the show. Space is limited, so please RSVP today to 248-203- 0022 and get ready to make your dream Alas- kan vacation a reality.


If you have ever considered going to Alaska


you don’t want to miss this event! Call, visit or write Linda Burgess at The


World of Travel, 860 West Long Lake Road, Suite 100,Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302; 248-203- 0022 or 888-268-7500;lburgess@askouragents. com.


ubscribe and receive one full year of the Michigan Chronicle to your home or office


CHECK OUT the DriveTime pull-out in the paper and win four tickets to the


2007 North American International Auto Show. January 10-16, 2007 479 Ledyard • Detroit MI 48201 ‘STAR POWER’ 313.963.5522 50 Cents


dialogue, diligence


Dinner,


By Bankole Thompson CHRONICLE SENIOR EDITOR


On Sunday, Jan. 14, all roads will lead


to the Mariott Hotel-Renaissance Center where the Michigan Chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Con- ference, under the leadership of its pres- ident, Dr. Claud Young, will honor the Jan. 15 birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a ministerial dinner.


This will be a gathering of civic and


community leaders and Black clergy. The Rev. Tellis J. Chapman of Galilee


Missionary Baptist Church will receive the Pastor of the Year Award. Rev. Charles Adams of Hartford Memorial Baptist Church will keynote the event.


Frank Taylor,


chairman of the De t r o i t - b a s e d Southern Hospital- ity Group, is the general chairper-


COMMENTARY


son of this year’s celebration. He has expressed concern about how King’s legacy is being honored today.


Bankole Thompson He wants the younger generation to


study King. However, I want to take the charge to


the Black church, unquestionably one of the most powerful and influential groups in our community.


See SCLC page A-4


Nate Shapiro dies


Final services were held Jan. 7 for


Nate Shapiro at the Ira Kaufman Chapel. He died Jan. 3 at the age of 87.


Shapiro, registered professional engi-


neer, was presi- dent of Con- sulting Engin- eering Associates Inc., a Detroit- based firm found- ed in 1956.


He was born in


Detroit, attended Cass Technical High School and Wayne State Uni- versity.


He was an exec- Nate Shapiro


utive board member of the Detroit Branch of the NAACP-Golden Heritage member, and in 1955 received Engineer of the Year recognition from the City of Detroit.


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JANUARY 2007


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