Anybody . Contested to rain, its the inside story. Welcome to inside story. Im ray suarez. Public opinion researchers have found a big and persistent gap in black Voter Sentiment on Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. Margin. Bernie sanders was the at large Congress Member then a u. S. Senator from vermont, one of the whitest states in america. So goes the thinking, the map looks good for the former secretary of state. The action this week testing that assumption has been fast and furious. The Political Action committee of the Congressional Black Caucus endorsed Hillary Clinton, Keith Ellison and others endorsed Bernie Sanders. Secretary clinton and her husband the former president , are the fast friends of black america. The daughter of eric garner who died during a confrontation with the nypd, endorsed sanders. Clinton and sanders met in a debate last night in milwaukee. Sanders related the issue with black america as persistent gaps. If you have African American poverty rates of 35 . When you have youth unemployment at 51 , when you have unbelievable rates of incarceration, which by the way, leaves the children back home without a dad or even a mother, clearly, we are looking at institutional racism. We are looking at an economy in which the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. And sadly in america today, this our economy, a whole lot of those poor people are African American. While Hillary Clinton noted that the debate venue was one of americas most racially divided cities. She name checked the local man killed by police and while she largely agreed with sanders economic case she ended up delivering a broader more nuanced view of systemic racism. We have to restore policing that will actually protect the communities that Police Officers are sworn to protect. And then we have to go after sentencing. And thats one of the problems here in wisconsin because so much of what happens in the, Justice System doesnt happen at the federal level, it happens at the state and local level. Hillary clinton embraced her support of president obama this election season. The senator has been a criticallic, sometimes a strong ally, the point he stressed in pushing back. Most African Americans who choose to vote in the primaries vote in the democratic. Florida, new york illinois, while black voters are decided minorities across the south, they are an enormous factor in democratsonly contest in places like georgia, virginia and of course in the coming few days, south carolina. So the stakes are high. For hillary to maintain the advantage, measured in the polls, for bernie, to make a strong pitch to black and brown voters as the weeks wear on to chip away at that gap. Contested terrain, this time on the program joining me on inside story, author, radio host erly rlo Farley Hutchinson. Return to an economic argument. Was he giving enough of a view of the waterfront of what ails black america . I think so. I mean obviously when you really looked, Bernie Sanders ticked it off, Hillary Clinton did it too, but focusing on Bernie Sanders for a moment, jobs, me economy and especially, big question is black youth, young black African American males especially. He went over and over again, citing the almost 50 Unemployment Rate on young African American males. When you zero in on that and throw in the other issues, incarceration, economic issues, visavis housing, health care, so forth, youre paint ook grim picture. Bernie has many times tried to focus everything about African Americans and we happen to be talking about that or any other dispossessed group. It comes back to an economic question. Economic de disadvantage. He is laserring in on that, tying in with his overall message, wealth and inequality, he says im the person to really deal frontally with the crisis facing young black males and overall black america visavis conditions. It is a condition he is trying to resonate in black america and rightly show. Does he ins enough, the complete diagnosis, if you took care of unemployment, if you took care of schooling, wouldnt there still be impediments, roadblocks, stones to stubbl ste on, on the road to equality . This is critical. I speak as a supporter of sanders. But i dont think that he fully gets race. I think that fundamental to the sanders approach is the notion that aorising tide raises all boats. And we have enough of a history in this country to know that that simply is not true. Were on the titanic, some of us are in steerage, some of us are on the main deck. Whether this ship goes down, some of us will go first. I think we need to understand that structurally, we are not just dealing with these Economic Solutions will help us all. Weve been through this many times with roosevelt and others. These are good, im not deny the importance of his proposals but what i am saying is that the structure of racial oppression has to be addressed specifically, and what sanders attempts to do is to take us to refocus towards what we can all work this out together. Whereas, iforts interesting with Hillary Clinton its interesting with Hillary Clinton where i think sanders would be better for African Americans than up clinton, clinton understands the language much better. She is almost fluent in using the language in the descriptions of race. The sympathy many African Americans have towards her its not symbolic. Its not some background. Its that theres something in her language where she seems to get it more clearly than sanders. And thats unfortunate, because sanders is actually advocating a more radical program which i think is really to our advantage. Theres been a lot said this week earl about whether Hillary Clinton deserves the allegiance she still enjoys from African American voters. What do you think of this sort of family argument inside black america . Well, it is an argument, it is a debate but at the end of the day, when you really look at, lets do the numbers and the math for a minute at this point in time, when you look at the polls when you look at the surveys when you are talking about the south or any other part of the country for that matter, where you have a substantial black voting block or population, Hillary Clinton by heads and shoulders over Bernie Sanders. In south carolina, 75 to 80 of the African American vote in that state, by the way theyre the majority of the voters, democratic voters in south carolina. When we talk about does she deserve it, thats almost a bogus question bogus argument thats put forth by some. The fact is when you look at politics its not about who deserves anything. Its who can deliver. And when you look at Hillary Clinton, or the clintons in general over time, the reason that she has quote unquote the strong support among African Americans, a the tradition of the clintons, b the history of the clintons acknowledge c the fact that hillary has in fact and i think bill made a point about the language. She does understand and has understood, she has been very close over time fighting the battles, whether its education, health care, racial justice. Shes been there she understands in fact what many African Americans are saying and what they want. So all of these factors coming together i think really paints a picture for hillary of someone who at least has an understanding. Because shes been there over time, and tradition, of what many African Americans not only want but are thinking and saying about the bigticket issues of the day. Berniebernies really on the lg curve when it comes to that. Hes got a lot of ground to make up. Hes trying to do it. Hes making a mighty effort to do it but the gap is too great at this point. Contested terrain, clinton and sanders, stay with us. Its inside story. The only Live National news show at 11 00 eastern. We start with breaking news. Lets take a closer look. Youre watching inside story. Im ray suarez. The resume, the outlook, the history. As Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders look for advantage among black voters, contested terrain this time on the program. Bill fletcher jr, and earl are Farley Hutchinson is with me. Bill fletcher what is going on and does it matter . It does matter. I think its good, we need a debate. I was against a coronation. This is exciting because it really is encouraging people to think outside of the box. We have people that are excited about the idea of a more dramatic transformation of the united states. A discussion unlike anything weve had. Not even in the obama first election was there this extensive discussion. So i think that there is good. I think that the problem not only good as a debate is always good right. But is it good to have two heavy hitters fighting over black votes . Absolutely because all too often we get taken for granted. Latinos get taken for granted. This is basically saying no you cant take these groups for granted. And that is exciting, raze. And sexciting, ray. This needs t. Whats happening during this endorsement gain, when the political differences become personalized, when you start having innuendo, suggest something about the intention of one of the other candidates this becomes very, very dangerous and i think the people have to step back. We have to focus this on a political debate. Which of these two represents the best direction for this country, the best direction for African Americans, the best direction for latino americans. Thats where the debate should rest. But earl, while black politically involved people are hark this all out do the rest of us get to look on and see some of the tribal lines, the generational lines, the regional lines, do the contraction show in a does the cracks show in a which others dont get to usually see . All the points you make on the questions you know, generational, age, regional, income all of these things i think are now coming to the fore. What you do have, bernie obviously his big big big man are mantra, wealth and income inequality. Debate. Wall street has never been put on the spot like its being put on the spot, were hearing Something Else thats interesting the whole debate within the democratic and the Republican Party. A term that i never thought i would hear before conservative populism. Thats almost an oxy more on. Whoxy oxymore ronymoron. The age factor, you have got two individuals that are over the age of 65. Obviously, hillary, 67, bernie, 74. Youve got two individuals that essentially are very liberal by any standards but yet when you really look at it, a sitting senator and a form he secretary of state. I mean former secretary of state. I mean establishment types. A third thing that is important, these individuals would represent not only the establishment but a establishment that has influence power and even wealth. All of these things are make people think and they are lumped into the same pot. This is a great thing. Not only for the democratic party, Republican Party that may be another matter but i think the american people. Bill, one of the most interesting parts last night was when one of the pbs anchors asked, well gee, arent white people in a position to feel angry disaffected alienated as well . Its rare to hear a american politician make a class based argument based on classes, rather than a ethnically or racially based argument. It is absolutely. And this speaks to something very interesting thats happening. Where sanders is winning the support of white workers, poor white workers, i dont mean all, obviously, but a significant base, this is this is what makes and it relates to what earl was saying. This makes this election season very, very different. One of the reasons i blee that thbelievethat the race issue nee discussed differently has to do with the other part that earl was raising. The right wing populism that you see in people like trump or cruz that are basically saying to white people, you were betrayed. These other demographics are growing on you. He this are taking from you. They are taking from you. This right wing populism is focusing the anger and the influence traitio frustratioy from what, sanders is saying, wawferlts et cetera, these other wall street et cetera, if we dont have a discussion about race, this is not about playing nicenice with African Americans and latinos. It is a discussion about race, its a discussion about the way race relates to the reality of white workers as well. Unless we have that, im fearful that they will be trapped in the lunacy of right wing populism. I saw a new coinage in this mornings new york times, better thanie splaining, to switch from hillary to bernie, i want to take a closer look at that. Its the inside story. This is Al Jazeera America live from new york. At 7 00 news roundup. Tony harris gives you a fastpaced recap of the days events. This is the first line of defense. We have an exclusive story tonight. Then at 8 00 John Seigenthaler brings you the top stories from across america. The question is, will these dams hold . And at 9 00 im ali velshi, on target tonight. Ali velshi on target. Digging deeper into the issues that matter. Im trying to get a sense for what iranians are feeling. Welcome back to inside story. Im ray suarez. Contested terrain, sanders, clinton, and black americas primary vote, on todays program, take a look at this excerpt from charles blows column in the new york times. A wellknown east coast newspaper. I cannot tell you charles blow writes, the number of people who have commented to me on social media that they dont understand the support for Hillary Clinton. Dont black folks understand that bernie best represents their interest the argument generally goes. But from there it can lead to a comparison between sanders and the reverend public junior. That sanders is the barack obama that we really wanted and needed to an exasperated black people are voting against their interest stance. Even if black people knew more, understood better, where the candidates stood now and over their lifetimes they would make a better choice, the right choice, the level of conned sens conde condissention is incredible. I understand, yes its there many people are saying over and over again, African Americans or at least selfdescribed that way, they are saying Bernie Sanders is a better fit for black america, whether were talking about everything from the criminal Justice System, wealth, inequality and everything in between, Hillary Clinton, shes part of the past, shes even a war criminal. Over and over again. People not missing, i dont think they are, the fact is you have two americans that are doing the math about African Americans. They understand one thing, youre not going to get very far in this election cycle whether were talking about the south or some key black vote, they understand that we have to put out there what we have done in the past. Not only what we say were going to do but also what we have done in terms of programs and initiatives. So i dont think its co condidid condescending. I dont believe, Bernie Sanders, who has an enviable track record, these are silly terms. We have two quality candidates battling over key fundamental issues and both of them have a track record. I think for many White Sanders supporters what they dont get which i think blow is on theonto, is that sanders hasr positioned himself as a champion of African Americans, a champion of latinos, a champion of native americans. Thats different than being a racist. Sanders is an antiracist but not someone who has positioned himself, who has been seen that this person is with us is not our savior but is our champion of our issues. Problem. This is the lets say the catchup on the part of sanders. If he is not able to position himself as a champion, all the language will be irrelevant. People have to feel and ive used this example many times that struck me in 1988 with jessie jackson, that you have this black minister who would go into kansas and talk to white farmers and they were absolutely in love with him and saw him as their champion. He could go into j main where there wasnt a black person within hundreds of miles and talk to white workers on strike and they saw him as their champion. You dont have the same kind of phenomenon with sanders and thats a strategy problem. The thing that interested me with blows column is he is lamenting, an argument that is not on the merits, okay look at these two people for who they are and make a choice. Whether i see john lewis who is saying, i didnt see Bernie Sanders at the marchs and i didnt know him, sort of to cheapen his civil rights bona fides, from the 1960s, if we could put around the neck of somebody what they did when they were 17, i think uh oh, this is an argument that is not being carried on on the merits. Quick final comment earl. It is something we have to Pay Attention to, but back to what bill said earlier, i think its very, very dangerous even perilous to essentially make this dichotomy between two very energetic, qualified candidates that really have the brevity of a lot of groups at heart. And to poll or pitch one against the other when you are in the same camp, i have to say this, the great danger, you give more ammunition more fire to the other side. And for you . I would agree for most part. I would say we can have strong disagreements. I strongly disagree with clinton on a whole set of issues. But im not going to be personalizing it. Theres no room for personalizing it. We can have our differences. We can say this is the candidate that im for but at the end of the day, comments such as those made by congressman lewis i think are unacceptable. But thats not the last youre going to hear of it . No, its not, its probably going to get worse. I want to thank bill fletcher. And earl oFarley Hutchinson. Join us monday, the signs of the confederate nation and what it has to do with us. Im ray suarez. Good night. A strategic gain for the Syrian Government as it tries to surround rebels in aleppo adding to doubts about the pause in the fighting. Welcome to al jazeera live from doha. Also coming up in the program, the leader of the Catholic Church arrives in mexico after stopping on the way to heal a thousand year old rift