Obama Courts Black Voters on Clinton's Turf

Nov. 30, 2007 — -- Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., hosted a fundraiser Thursday night at the famed Apollo Theater, a venue with historic and symbolic significance to the black community.

The $50-a-ticket fundraiser, dubbed by the campaign "A Night at the Apollo," was sold out with a club capacity of 1,400 people. The Apollo is the most popular club in the nation for black musicians, hip-hop artists, performers and comedians.

Obama was introduced by comedian and actor Chris Rock, who told the audience they'd regret and be embarassed if they voted for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y.

"You'd say, 'I had that white lady! What was I thinking?" Rock said.

Appealing to the mostly black audience, Obama said he's running for president because, "I'm tired of reading about Jena, I'm tired of reading about nooses, tired of reading about Justice Department that doesn't understand justice."

"The only reason I am standing here today is because somebody, somewhere decided to stand up for me when it was hard," Obama said.

Clinton's Home Turf

It was Obama's first campaign visit to Harlem, on the home turf of his rival Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and just blocks away from former President Bill Clinton's Harlem office.

For some Harlem residents, Obama's visit wasn't enough to get their support.

"We love Billy ... we would definitely support Hillary Clinton," Harlem resident Herbert Matthews said.

"Obama now, we never seen him out here, for him to come out of the blue because it's primary time and now we need the votes, we're not with that, we need people that are here to support the people here in the community," he said.

The visit comes at a time when the leading Democratic candidates are locked in a vigorous battle for black voters.

"Clinton still has an edge and a lead in the black community," said Donna Brazile, an ABC News consultant and former Democratic strategist.

"For now, he's competing on her territory because she's widely viewed as someone who has championed civil rights, who has been on the front lines and along with former President Bill Clinton has fought to open wide the gates of opportunity for African-Americans," she said.

Clinton Leads in Black Support

Black voters are one of Obama's most loyal groups, according to a November ABC News poll. However, he still trails Clinton nationally among black Democratic likely voters; she has 47 percent support and he has 39 percent.

With the first vote in Iowa little over a month away, Obama's Apollo appearance shows the battle is intensifying.

"You can't beat the symbolism of him at the Apollo in Clinton's home state," said Democratic strategist Paul Brathwaite. "It shows there's a vigorous campaign going within this community."

While former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., trails the two front-runners in terms of support among blacks, his campaign is banking on Edwards' Southern roots and "Two Americas" message to win over black voters in the early voting state of South Carolina.

"Edwards won South Carolina last time by 15 points," Jonathan Prince, Edwards' deputy campaign manager told ABC News. "So, we're very confident we can win South Carolina."

Mobilizing Black Church-Goers

Last weekend Obama appealed to black worshippers at a Baptist church in Iowa to vote for him, casting his campaign in historic and civil rights terms. Clinton attended a Methodist church nearby, greeting church-goers in the lobby.

Clinton was recently endorsed by influential ministers in South Carolina who may help mobilize church-going African-Americans to the polls in the early voting state.

At the Apollo, Obama will appear alongside a dozen or so ministers, elected officials and community leaders from Harlem.black voters as his voting base early on, suggesting he could mobilize unregistered black voters like no other Democrat in the 2008 race.

"I think he has a strong base in the African-American community that in some states is going to be very, very helpful," David Axelrod, Obama's senior campaign strategist told the National Journal magazine in August.

Sense of Identification

"No one brings the kind of background and history that he does," Axelrod said, "no one brings, I think, the sense of identification with people who are struggling to be heard."

With the make-or-break Iowa caucuses a little over a month away, the rival candidates have been trying to gain the edge with Democratic voters, publicly sparring on such issues as health care, education and foreign policy.

Saturday all eight Democratic presidential candidates will appear at the Iowa Brown and Black debate focused on minority issues -- the first minority debate since PBS's June debate at Howard University.

The Apollo appearance will likely generate buzz for Obama's campaign among younger people.

A November ABC News poll shows Obama's support among likely voters is concentrated to the under-40 crowd.

Brazile said Obama's appearance at the Apollo could help him close the gap between him and Clinton among black voters.

"Across the country, black people will hear that Obama showed up at the Apollo Theater," she said. "That's huge, and it's important for his campaign as he tries to close the gap with Sen. Clinton in the closing days."