Barack “Black Eagle” Obama Throws Tribal Leaders Under the Bus

Update: See Kenders’ Musings – Here’s a Thought and Moe Lane – “Obamabus *HUNGERS*!!!!!”

In a much-publicized photo op, in which Barack Obama seemingly reached out to Native Americans in May, while he was desperately trying to cinch the Democratic nomination for Presidency, Obama was “adopted” into the Crow Nation, and given the name of “Black Eagle.”

Behind the scenes, however, it seems getting to acutally meet with the presidential hopeful in a townhall setting will be extremely difficult for tribal members who helped him get the nomination.

Indian Country is reporting:

Before the Illinois senator became the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, he made a pledge to Kalyn Free, founder of the Indigenous Democratic Network, that he would appear at a tribally focused town hall-style meeting. Initial logistics of the agreement called on him to speak at a reservation or Indian-owned venue somewhere in the Southwest before the Democratic National Convention in August if he became his party’s candidate.

Obama’s verbal promise was seen as key among influential Indian political activists, and it played a factor for some Native individuals who threw their support behind his candidacy. The promise even partially influenced the decision of at least one of the four Native superdelegates who will attend the DNC to cast their votes for him. All four Native superdelegates, including Free, have verbally pledged their support to the senator from Illinois.

Now that Obama has all but secured his party’s nomination after a contentious battle throughout the spring with Sen. Hillary Clinton, scheduling the event has become something of a logistical nightmare.

[...]

Free said that some tribal members she’s queried about the two-week window have found the Obama campaign’s position to be ‘disrespectful’…(more)

Basically, since the tribal leaders will be coming from all over the country, they are simply requesting a four-week notice, but Obama’s campaign will only agree to a two-week notice, knowing that will make travel arrangements difficult-to-impossible for most.

Hmm…this harkens to back to another “anytime-anywhere” promise he made to debate John McCain – as long as “anytime-anywhere” was on July 4th, the one day most Americans will be away from their Television sets, and will not be able to watch.

If we didn’t know better, we might actually think that Obama doesn’t want to have to answer the hard questions that are sure to arise in a live townhall question and answer session.

(hat-tip Indianz.com)

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