The Making of a Black Female Presidential Candidate
By LMReviews on Aug 11, 2008 in Multicultural History, Multicultural Media
Coming from a family that serves the public, her mother a nurse and her father a police officer, it was natural for Cynthia A. McKinney to enter into the family business. After a roller coaster ride in mainstream politics, the former Congresswoman could no longer follow the Democratic Party’s growing reputation for lip service. Once her last congressional defeat in the 2006 election was official, McKinney left the party to embark on a Green political path more aligned with her crusade for truth and equality. Much like her police officer turned congressional representative father, James “Billy” McKinney, Cynthia’s 12-year relationship with her constituents was contentious and her involvement with supporters was that of the sibling variety. People either loved McKinney or loathed her to the point of targeting her career for a ‘seek and destroy’ mission. Often labeled an opportunist and conspiracy theorist, some say McKinney’s relationship with the public in general and the Jewish community in particular was the most strained.
Cynthia’s activism dates back to childhood. Born in Atlanta, Georgia on March 17 1955, McKinney credits her father’s involvement in the civil rights protests of the era with developing the foundation for her public service. After earning a B.A in International Relations from the University of Southern California and a Master’s degree in Law and Diplomacy from Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in Medford, Massachusetts, Cynthia became a high school teacher and later began teaching at Clark Atlanta University and Agnes Scott College. After a stint as a member of the Georgia House of Representatives from 1988 to 1992, McKinney’s congressional career began in 1992 upon her election to the seat of Georgia’s newly zoned 11th and later the fourth district, which was rezoned to included Dekalb County. She served the heavily democratic zone until 2003 when a Republican crossover ploy put her out of office. The scheme successfully encouraged GOP supporters to cross party lines and vote against McKinney in the Democratic primary within Georgia state law, which allowed anyone from any party to vote in any party’s primary, thereby electing her opponent who was easier to swallow. Because of the political chess game, the GOP was content to witness McKinney’s concession speech while the Democratic Party was resolved to let her go.
The political mainstream thought they had silenced the inquisitor, infamous for challenging Bush and Cheney’s knowledge of 911 events as well as the Democrats soft stance on waging and funding an endless war. With McKinney out of office, no longer would the tough questions be asked or voter fraud be brought to the forefront. Now, political business could run as usual. However, like the boxing opponent who would not lie down, McKinney took her political licks but kept resurfacing with the thirst for truth as her motivator. As a divorced single African American woman, Cynthia was not one to roll over. She reclaimed her fourth district congressional seat in 2004 after the victor of her last political battle decided not to run for re-election. McKinney returned to her post only to resume where she left off fighting for the rights of the multicultured, opposing election manipulation, and requesting the release of records involving the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr, and Tupac Shakur. She also demanded an airing of the facts surrounding the handling of 911 and the Hurricane Katrina tragedy. Ever the seeker for accountability, McKinney presented a case for impeachment of President George Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for their misrepresentation of facts regarding the purpose for the Mission Iraqi Freedom and the War on Terror.
Up for re-election in 2006, Congresswoman McKinney won the popular vote, but did not attain the 50% needed to avoid a run-off. As a result, she lost her seat for the final time. After finishing out her term disillusioned by her party’s lack of resolve, McKinney took up with the Green Party, a move that would take her political career on a new and exciting ride. In July 2008, former democratic congressional representative Cynthia A. McKinney accepted the Green Party’s nomination for President and named hip-hop’s Black Puerto Rican female activist and scholar, Rosa Clemente as her running mate. Set to cement the Green Party’s legitimacy and continue where Ralph Nadar left off, the McKinney and Clemente ticket poised to seek the support needed to acquire federal funding and provide the American people with a real choice outside of the bipartisan tug-of-war that has defined American politics for generations. With a growing momentum that is focused on the issues, and looking to tie up loose ends from the recent past as well as forge a new path for a more prosperous future, McKinney and Clemente’s brand of truth-seeking activism may give substance to the type of change the U.S. is starving to attain.
