Oral history interview with K. Cornell Belcher, 2022
Abstract
Cornell Belcher reflects on his career in American politics and contribution to the political career of Barack Obama, which he supported as a leading pollster for Obama's presidential campaigns in 2008 and 2012. Belcher outlines the importance of polling and its application to political campaigning, major events from the 2008 campaign cycle, and the campaign's strategy in key battleground primary s tates including North Carolina and South Carolina. Belcher also discusses his entry into national political life, education as a pollster, founding of Brilliant Corners Research & Strategies, and notable work prior to 2008, which included the development of the fifty-state strategy with Howard Dean, then-chair of the Democratic National Committee. Also discussed are the institutional racism of establishment political organizations, the racist backlash to Obama's candidacy and election, and the significance of racial aversion during the Obama years and throughout American history
Presidents--United States; Public opinion polls--United States; Political campaigns--United States; Election forecasting--United States; Belcher, Cornell; Obama, Barack; National Democratic Policy Committee (U.S.)
Format
oral histories
Genre
Interviews
Date
2022
Physical Description
41 pages
Note (Biographical)
Cornell Belcher is an American pollster and political strategist. He is the founder and president of the polling firm Brilliant Corners Research & Strategies. Belcher served as a top pollster for President Obama's presidential campaigns in the 2008 an d 2012 elections. Prior to his work on the Obama campaigns, Belcher worked as the Democratic National Committee's pollster. He is also author of the book "A Black Man in the White House: Barack Obama and the Triggering of America's Racial-Aversion Crisis"
Note
Interviewed by Nicole R. Hemmer on February 2, 2022. This interview is part of the Columbia University: Obama Presidency Oral History
Note (Provenance)
K. Cornell Belcher, Gift, transferred from Columbia Center for Oral History Research 2023