Congressman Frank criticizes Mass. Democrats for lack of black candidates By Glen Johnson BOSTON (AP) - U.S. Rep. Barney Frank chastised his fellow Massachusetts Democrats for failing to support blacks for high office as he announced his endorsement of Deval Patrick, who is black, in his campaign for governor. The Newton Democrat noted that this year it is the Republicans who have nominated blacks from their party for the governorships of Ohio and Pennsylvania, as well as a U.S. Senate seat in Maryland. ’Were Deval Patrick lacking in ability, or wrong on the issues, this would not count for anything," Frank said in a statement. ’But given the impressive qualities and insight he brings to this contest, then as Democrats I believe we should take into account the consequence of continuing a policy in which no African-American is ever nominated by us for any office higher than state Senate, as a matter of both fairness and enlightened self-interest." Frank, an openly gay member of Congress, said Patrick ’best understands the importance of an ongoing commitment to fairness," which he said includes ’one very relevant factor, which everyone in the state understands but which too many are uncomfortable in discussing: race." He added: ’The problem of racial discrimination has been and continues to be one of the most serious faced by American society. We have obviously made enormous progress, but 300 years of slavery and legally enforced segregation - buttressed by a diminishing but still present racism - cannot be entirely overcome in a few decades. Deval Patrick understands the bitterness of unfair discrimination, and to his enormous credit, he has spent much of his life fighting against this discrimination," not just for blacks, but gays. Patrick was the top civil rights official in the Clinton administration's Justice Department and had previously represented minority groups in class action lawsuits against predatory lenders. In announcing his endorsement, Frank became the third of 10 members in the state's all-Democratic House delegation to declare his support for Patrick, a political newcomer. Reps. James P. McGovern of Worcester and Michael E. Capuano of Somerville have already endorsed Patrick. Attorney General Tom Reilly, who along with businessman Chris Gabrieli is also seeking the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, has received the backing of Reps. Marty Meehan of Lowell and Richard E. Neal of Springfield. Frank said he admired the abilities of Reilly and Gabrieli, but his focus was breaking a string of victories that has allowed the Republican Party to hold the governor's office since 1991. ’There is one skill possessed by our string of Republican governors and lieutenant governors that I grudgingly acknowledge: their ability to blame others for the consequences of their own actions," Frank said in his statement. ’It should be clear by now that any `change' that a Republican governor could bring would be an example not of reform, but of much needed self-improvement."

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