Stories related to: John Lewis

The heat on Hillary Clinton’s black superdelegates is rising, and Rep. Emanuel Cleaver has called on Barack Obama to speak out against “ugly" pressure from his supporters. The Missouri congressman said Clinton’s African-American backers are being "bludgeoned verbally" and told, “You’re not black if you’re not supporting Barack Obama," the Kansas City Star reports. More »

After a month of shifting signals, influential congressman John Lewis said today he’s switching his support from Hillary Clinton to Barack Obama, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. Lewis says he’s unwilling to go against the voters in his Atlanta district—and that Obama “has tapped into something that is extraordinary.” The civil-rights leader irked local African-Americans by lining up behind Clinton early. More »

Hillary Clinton’s African-American supporters may once have thought they were making the safe choice, but now that the black community is rallying behind Barack Obama, her boosters' instincts and loyalty are being questioned, the Washington Post reports. The heat is so high that 25 senior boosters had a conference Friday to rally against what one called an effort to “pester, intimidate, question our blackness.” More »

Hillary Clinton is starting to lose the support of prominent black leaders—and superdelegates— who previously backed her. Rep. John Lewis, a Georgia Democrat who carries great influence in Congress, says he's now tilting toward Barack Obama. Another Georgia Democrat, David Scott, already switched, the AP reports. “Something is happening in America," Lewis said, "and people are prepared and ready to make that great leap.” More »