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REP. COHEN WINS RACIALLY CHARGED TENNESSEE PRIMARY BATTLE
Kris Alingod
All Headline News
http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/70118 75362
Aug 8 2008
Nashville, TN (AHN) - Freshman Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) won by a
landslide in Thursday's Democratic primary election. Cohen won after
a highly contentious and racially charged battle with African-American
lawyer Nikki Tinker.
Unofficial results had Cohen leading 79-19 percent, proving that his
rival's controversial TV ad linking him to the Ku Klux Klan had not
fooled voters.
Fliers asking, "Why do Steve Cohen and the Jews Hate Jesus?" written
by a controversial African-American minister who supported Tinker,
were distributed in Memphis during the race.
Cohen, who is Jewish, is favored to win the general election against
independent candidate Jake Ford. He is the first white U.S. congressman
in Tennessee to represent a predominantly black district. Cohen
recently sponsored a House bill "apologizing for the enslavement and
racial segregation of African-Americans." The bill passed last week.
Voters were apparently not bothered by reports that Cohen had assaulted
a filmmaker a day before the primary. The filmmaker, Peter Musurlian,
allegedly attempted to enter the lawmaker's Memphis home. Cohen
says Musurlian has inaccurately reported his opposition to a House
bill condemning Turkey's treatment of Armenia during World War II as
"genocide."
Tinker argued that an African-American should represent the district,
which has 60 percent black voters and only 35 percent whites. Her
campaign, however, earned the ire of even early supporters, including
EMILY'S List.
Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) had also repudiated the "incendiary attacks"
during the contest, and asked Democrats in the district to unite.
Kris Alingod
All Headline News
http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/70118 75362
Aug 8 2008
Nashville, TN (AHN) - Freshman Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) won by a
landslide in Thursday's Democratic primary election. Cohen won after
a highly contentious and racially charged battle with African-American
lawyer Nikki Tinker.
Unofficial results had Cohen leading 79-19 percent, proving that his
rival's controversial TV ad linking him to the Ku Klux Klan had not
fooled voters.
Fliers asking, "Why do Steve Cohen and the Jews Hate Jesus?" written
by a controversial African-American minister who supported Tinker,
were distributed in Memphis during the race.
Cohen, who is Jewish, is favored to win the general election against
independent candidate Jake Ford. He is the first white U.S. congressman
in Tennessee to represent a predominantly black district. Cohen
recently sponsored a House bill "apologizing for the enslavement and
racial segregation of African-Americans." The bill passed last week.
Voters were apparently not bothered by reports that Cohen had assaulted
a filmmaker a day before the primary. The filmmaker, Peter Musurlian,
allegedly attempted to enter the lawmaker's Memphis home. Cohen
says Musurlian has inaccurately reported his opposition to a House
bill condemning Turkey's treatment of Armenia during World War II as
"genocide."
Tinker argued that an African-American should represent the district,
which has 60 percent black voters and only 35 percent whites. Her
campaign, however, earned the ire of even early supporters, including
EMILY'S List.
Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) had also repudiated the "incendiary attacks"
during the contest, and asked Democrats in the district to unite.