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Bakari Sellers: Clinton Needs to Stop 'Overt' Pandering to Minorities

January 3, 2016

Democratic pundit and Hillary Clinton supporter Bakari Sellers urged Clinton to stop her "overt" pandering to minority groups on Sunday.

"Be organic in your thoughts, and no more pandering to specific groups," Sellers said.

CNN host Dana Bash seemed surprised by Sellers’ pointed criticism of his preferred candidate.

"Wait wait, that’s for Hillary Clinton? Wow. As a Hillary Clinton supporter that’s pretty tough," Bash said.

"Yeah, I mean some of those things were a bit overt," Sellers said. "She has to be who she is."

Clinton’s campaign strategy to woo the minority-heavy coalition of voters that swung for Barack Obama in the 2008 Democratic contest has been criticized in recent days as heavy-handed.

Late last year, Clinton was accused of "Hispandering" to Hispanic voters for publishing an article laced with common Spanish phrases titled "7 things Hillary Clinton has in common with your abuela."

Clinton’s campaign has not-so-subtly emphasized the fact that she could be the first woman president, littering her campaign literature with photos of girls and courting feminist leaders like abortion activist Lena Dunham.

Despite these efforts, Clinton’s favorability among women has fallen, in part due to questions about her trustworthiness and in part due to stiff competition from socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.).

Clinton has also worked hard to repair relations with the black community after they were frayed during the vicious primary fight with Obama in 2008.

This effort has been successful, but Sellers’ comments indicate that minority groups are sensitive about the possibility that they are being used for votes by the Clinton machine.

 

Published under: CNN , Hillary Clinton