Detroiters Have Suffered Under Neglect Of Democratic Party, Says Political Consultant; 'They've Delivered Nothing To Us'
DETROIT (WWJ) - A well-known Detroit political consultant is calling on Democratic party leaders to resign, saying Donald Trump's win was in part the fault of Democrats who have failed Detroiters.
Former City Hall insider Sam Riddle says Michigan Democrats are to blame for the party's narrow loss in the state and that the Democratic party left its base in Michigan..
Disillusioned residents, he said, paid it back by not voting on Tuesday.
"They make decisions that impact working families, the underpaid in America; I mean everybody that the Democratic party claims to represent, they don't deliver for," Riddle said, in an interview with WWJ's Vickie Thomas on Wednesday.
While President Obama during his campaign promised hope and change to the people of Detroit, Riddle says he, too, failed to deliver on that promise, leaving Detroiters discouraged.
"Eight years ago when Barack Obama took office, 60 percent of the children of Detroit were living in abject poverty. Eight years later, as Barack Obama gets ready to leave office, 60 percent of the children of Detroit still live in abject poverty," Riddle said.
"Now some will say that that's because a recalcitrant Republican Congress, but the reality is that the children of Detroit and urban America have suffered the malignant neglect of the Democratic party that we have blindly been giving our votes to, and they've delivered nothing to us," he said.
Riddle, who has worked in political consulting and on campaigns for over 40 years, predicted back in July that Trump would win the presidential election. He said it was obvious to him that Trump was connecting with voters — "especially the angry white man" —and the Democrats were not.
"Donald Trump had the right message he was just the wrong messenger if you're black in America," he added. "But to white folks, he is the great white savior."
Riddle said he spotted early on the inability of the Democrats to get out the vote even in Democratic strongholds like the city of Detroit. He says fresh leadership is what's needed to move forward.
"The Democrats got what they had coming and no we have to rebuild the Democratic party," Riddle said. "And to rebuild the Democratic party we have to get rid of the current leadership of the Democratic party. They can help us by submitting letters of resignation today."
It should be noted that Riddle, who worked as chief of staff for former City Councilwoman Monica Conyers, was convicted in 2012 for his role in accepting bribes along with his boss. Both Riddle and Conyers served prison time.
