Will sentencing issues surface in the Clinton-Obama battle for black votes?

This front-page New York Times article, entitled "Recalling Civil Rights, Democrats Seek Black Votes," spotlights that the democratic race for the 2008 presidential nomination is creating "one of the most competitive scrambles for black supporters since the Voting Rights Act was passed four decades ago."  In the article, a Clinton adviser says "African-Americans historically align with people based on issues, not personality," and that has me thinking about criminal justice issues in the Clinton-Obama battle for black votes.

As I noted here a weeks ago, neither Hillary Clinton nor Barack Obama has spoken directly on many crime and punishment issues, but there are plenty of back stories in light of their personal and professional history.  Moreover, I think some bold statements about felon disenfranchisement or the crack/powder disparity or the death penalty could really catch the attention of black voters, many of whom are aware and greatly concerned about the racial skew in the operation of state and federal criminal justice systems.  And yet, as Hillary's husband recognized, being tougher on these issues, not being more progressive, seems to be the key to scoring political points with white voters.

For reasons emphasized in some posts listed below, these issues will be worth watching closely in the months ahead:

• Clinton and Obama, crime and punishment
• Major conference on race and criminal justice
• Should criminal justice reform be the new civil rights movement?
• Honoring MLK by asking hard questions
• Race and reform
• Racial disparity and sentencing reform
• New (depressing) report on race and increased incarceration
• Drugs and racial discrimination
• A call for USSC to focus on racial disparity