South End News: Wilkerson campaign tarnishes her legacy

Sue O’Connell, MySouthEnd.com Contributor | October 1, 2008

The choice in the primary race between incumbent state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson and winner Sonia Chang-Diaz was one of experience versus change. A clear choice and a clear message. The race remained interesting with Wilkerson’s call for a recount of votes cast in some of her strongest wards, an understandable request given Chang-Diaz’s narrow 228-margin of victory and the ridiculously low voter turnout. And certainly, Wilkerson isn’t the first candidate to launch a sticker campaign in hopes of winning the general election after losing a primary.

Unfortunately, Wilkerson’s quest to hold on to her Senate seat has taken an ugly turn. At a Sept. 23 forum where she announced her intention to run a sticker campaign, her supporters used strategies straight out of Karl Rove’s playbook.

Strategy one: if you say something enough times people will think its true. The "something" is that Dianne Wilkerson is the only candidate representing communities of color in the 2nd Suffolk District Senate race. When queried about Chang-Diaz’s ability to represent the district, Jean McGuire, executive director of the Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity, Inc. (METCO), told the Dorchester Reporter, "This is the first time in a long time we will not have a senator who is a person of color," and "There are white Hispanics and black Hispanics," and "[Chang-Diaz] is not a person of color." What must Chang Diaz’s father, Franklin Chang-Diaz, think of this characterization? Dr. Chang- Diaz is a veteran of seven space flights (including three space walks) who became the first Hispanic American in space. Being of Hispanic descent was "of color" enough that this historic first didn’t happen until 1986. For the record, Sonia Chang-Diaz is of Hispanic, Asian, and Caucasion descent.

Strategy two: speak in code. Boston City Councilor Chuck Turner referred to Chang Diaz as "someone from another community." This is the type of phrase that makes every community think of Chang-Diaz as an alien from that other community. I can only imagine which community the mostly African American audience took this to be.

Strategy three: chutzpah. The Rev. Miniard Culpepper noted "some powerful folks that put money into this election to make sure Dianne was defeated." Powerful folks like Governor Patrick, Mayor Menino, Senate President Therese Murray and U.S. Sen. John Kerry? Or powerful organizations like the Boston Teacher’s Union, SEIU Local 509 and MassEquality? Actually, all of the above worked on behalf of Wilkerson, not challenger Chang-Diaz.

Senator Wilkerson was poised to move to the next chapter of her career with grace, be it in another public sector position or life in the private sector. If her campaign proxies continue with their message of divisiveness a lasting injury will be dealt to all of our communities regardless of whether Wilkerson wins or loses, and that will stain her record. Wilkerson should issue an apology to Chang-Diaz for allowing misleading statements about Chang Diaz’s ethnicity. Wilkerson should call Chuck Turner, Jean McGuire, and Rev. Culpepper together and remind them of her record of unifying communities of all colors, genders, and sexual orientations. She should tell Turner, McGuire, and Culpepper to focus on voter registration and getting out the vote.

We expect more from you and your campaign, Senator Wilkerson. Don’t divide us.