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Detroit Mess May Hurt Obama

In battleground Michigan, GOP seizing on Dem's support of ousted Detroit mayor

By Nick McMaster, Newser Staff

Posted Sep 5, 2008 3:53 PM CDT

(Newser) – The fall of Kwame Kilpatrick could hurt Barack Obama’s chances in all-important Michigan, writes Keith Naughton for Newsweek. Long before the scandal broke, Obama embraced Kilpatrick at a Detroit event and told a crowd the “great” mayor would do “astounding things for many years to come”—a comment perhaps a little too prescient. Obama has since distanced himself, but those images are already appearing in GOP ads around the state.

Kilpatrick’s absence means he can’t work get-out-the-vote efforts for Obama. Furthermore, while white suburban Detroit voters will welcome the Democrat’s shunning of Kilpatrick, too much criticism could alienate a core of black supporters who feel Kilpatrick is partially a victim of racist forces looking to disenfranchise them, too.

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (2)]

The Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr., right, laughs with Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, left, at the Detroit NAACP's 53rd annual Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner in Detroit, Sunday, April 27, 2008. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

In this 2007 file photo, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama acknowledges the crowd after being introduced by Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick at the Detroit Economic Club in Detroit. (AP Photo)

Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick addresses the media in Detroit, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2008. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

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This Kwame Kilpatrick mess has splattered over onto the Obama campaign at the worst possible time. Kilpatrick's brand of leadership has fed into the worst stereotypes that white voters have about black leaders. - Sam Riddle, Detroit Political Consultant

Michigan voters know that Mayor Kilpatrick's troubles are his own, and that Barack Obama is focused on bringing people together to solve the serious challenges we face. - Brent Colburn, Obama spokesman

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Detroit Mess May Hurt Obama