Rep. McKinney, the Second Black Presidential Candidate

Cynthia McKinney

Georgia’s former Democratic Rep. Cynthia McKinney is the presidential nominee for the Green Party of the United States and will appear on the ballot in as many as 36 states as the extreme long-shot rival to Democratic candidate Barack Obama and Republican John McCain. Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney is the second black presidential candidate in the November race.

McKinney was defeated in a 2006 Democratic primary in Georgia’s 4th District, this time by Hank Johnson, a former DeKalb County commissioner who thumped her 59 percent to 41 percent. McKinney earned a B.A. In International Relations from the University of Southern California, a Masters of Art in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. She worked as a high school teacher and later as a university professor.

Enjoying the support of 313 of the 541 Delegate votes cast, Saturday, July 12th, 2008, Cynthia McKinney won the Green Party nomination in the first round of balloting at the Green Party’s Chicago Convention. In her thirty-five minute acceptance speech, broadcast on CSPAN, she told those assembled:

But we make history today only because we must. In 2008, after two stolen Presidential elections and eight years of George W. Bush, and at least two years of Democratic Party complicity, the racket is about war crimes, torture, crimes against the peace; the racket is about crimes against the Constitution, crimes against the American people, and crimes against the global community. The racket is even about values that we thought were long settled as reasonable to pursue, like liberty and justice, and economic opportunity, for all. Yes, Sojourner, there’s a lot out of kilter now, but these two women, Rosa and me, joined by all the men and women in this room, are going to do our best to turn this country right side up again.

We will never get a United States that is reflective of different values if we continue to do the same thing. Those who delivered us into this mess cannot be trusted to get us out of it.

That’s why I signed up to do something I’ve never done before so I can have something I’ve never had before: My country, made in the likeness of the values of the Green Party. And that’s why I know we need an opposition party in this country. With over 200 elected officials already, the Green Party can become this country’s premier opposition Party. One thing is clear, Democratic and Republican values are not Green Party values. And honestly, I believe, Green Party values are the values held by the majority in this country. And through our vigorous Power to the People campaign, we will proclaim our presence to every nook and cranny of this country. We are needed now, more than ever.

Rep. McKinney served six terms in Congress and lost her 2006 bid for re-election. Rep. McKinney was the first African-American woman to represent Georgia in the U.S. House of Representatives. She will be joined on the ticket for the November election by vice presidential candidate Rosa A. Clemente, a hip-hop artist and activist.

Rosa Alicia Clemente

Rosa Alicia Clemente is a community organizer, journalist and Hip-Hop activist. Rosa was born and raised in the South Bronx. She is a graduate of the University of Albany and Cornell University. A much sought after commentator, political activist, community organize and independent reporter, Rosa has been delivering workshops, presentations and commentary for over ten years.

Bookmark ChocolateCity.cc