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Black Republicans Are Scarce at the GOP Convention
Published by Pamela Gentry on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 at 5:12 pm.
By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Producer
(ST.PAUL, MINN) Sept. 3, 2008 – Black Republicans are scarce on the opening day of the Republican National Convention, but those high profile members of the GOP are who in attendance are making the rounds and touting the virtues of the GOP for African Americans
Former Pittsburg Steelers wide-out, Lynn Swann, who ran for governor of Pennsylvania in 2006, told me, more Blacks would be Republican if they compared their conservative values to those of the GOP. He believes they haven’t examined what the party stands for and therefore aren’t giving the Grand Ole Party a chance.
“Who are you, what do believe in and how you act on that belief, if more Black Americans would ask those questions, they would find the answers in the Republican Party,” Swann said.
The convention this year has only 36 African American delegates, about two percent according to a study by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Research. That’s a mere 1.5 percent of the total 2,380 delegates on the convention floor. Here in St. Paul the party is witnessing a significant drop in Black delegates compared to 2004, when 167 of the delegates were African American.
David Bositis, a senior political analyst who keeps an eye on the political trends of African American voters, noted the minority delegate count for both conventions. In contrast, 24 percent of the delegates at the Democratic National Convention were African American, or 1,087 of the more than 4,500 delegates.
Ken Blackwell, former Secretary of State in Ohio, defends his party and his presidential candidate Sen. John McCain’s outreach efforts to Black voters. “My impression and perception is John McCain has gone where others who have headed up the ticket have not,” he said.
Blackwell cited Sen. McCain’s appearance at the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., anniversary in Memphis and his speeches before the National Urban League and NAACP conventions as proof he was making an effort to reach out to African Americans. But McCain hasn’t been as available to Black media outlets.
BET News has had a request in for the senator since October 2007, for an interview. His press office has said his scheduled has not permitted time to make it happen. The request is re-introduced once every month or so, and the most recent e-mail response from Charles Adams, who is with the campaign, says; “Pamela, We will definitely keep you guys in the mix. Right now we don’t have any availability in the schedule but will certainly let you know if something opens up. Wish I could give you a better response but that’s where we stand. Thanks”
BET is covering the RNC, while other Black media outlets decided not to because access to top party leaders is limited and interest is slight from the Black community.
Very few African-American voters consider themselves Republican. “This low level of black attachment to the Republican Party is now almost five decades old,” Bositis said.
Olounwa
You do understand what sellout means.It is another way of saying submissive negro.Put it like this, Rice is a sellout,understand now ?
YEP, A GOOD CHRISTAIN WOMAN WHO’S DAUGHTER HAS BEEN KNOCKED UP BY A SELF ADMITTED “REDNECK”LOL!!
NO COMEDY WRITER COULD HAVE PUT THAT ONE TOGETHER .!! THE TALK SHOW HOSTS LIKE JAY LENO ARE HAVING A FIELD DAY.. LOL!!
Patrick
I don’t know your age but I’m convinced you have dementia since you keep repeating yourself over and over and over.Do you have the abilty too change subjects and move on ?
well, its neck and neck at the moment.. we hope for the best for america but if it chooses the worst so be it…
AMERICA MUST COME OUT AND VOTE.. THE APATHY THAT THE YOUNG USUSALLY FEEL TOWARDS POLITICANS HAS TO BE PUT ASIDE FOR THIS ONE.. ITS JUST TOO IMPORTANT TO BE IGNORED.. THE REPUBLICANS ARE PRAYING FOR RAIN …..
JFFFNN I DONT KNOW WHAT A SELLOUT IS AS I DONT RECOGNISE THIS TERM ..BLACKS DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE A COMMON VALUE SYSTEM AND THEY DONT HOWEVER, RICE IS A GREEDY LYING OIL EXECUTIVE THATS HER JOB AND SHE IS A MAMMY COS SHE LIES AND COVERS UP FOR HER BOSS.AND THE WAY SHE WAS WEEPING BUCKETS OVER THAT ARIEL SHARON WAS DISGUSTING.. WHERE WAS SHE WHEN KATRINA WAS TAKING HER PART OF AMERICA DOWN..?. BUYING SHOES IN NYC THATS WHERE SHE WAS?. I HAVE NO TIME FOR HER.. ENRON CAN GO AND EAT DIRT AND TAKE HER WITH THEM…
Money twisted sense of Christianity priveledge xenophobic few = Republican party
Lets see if we fall for the same McBush this year.
If we do prepare for that 10 dollar gas because of our new war with Iran and our continued imperialistic and isolationist approach to foreign policy.
Olounwa
The young people are surly interested in this election because of the fiasco in Iraq.They don’t want too be killed for the sake of oil. At the rate things are going conscription is on the horizon,thats why more young people are for Obama/Biden.
TO BE HONEST, THE AMOUNT OF BLACKS WHO ACTUALLY GET OUT AND VOTE WILL DEPEND ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS IN PLACE TO GET THE OLD, INFIRM, OUT TO THE POLLS.. IT WILL DEPEND ON THE NETWORK OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHO ARE PRO-ACTIVE AND AVAILABLE TO BE HANDS ON FERRYING PEOPLE TO AND FROM THE POLLS.. THE YOUNG, WHO SUPPORTED OBAMA THE ACTIVISTS WHO WERE OUT THERE WHEN IT SEEMED HOPELESS WILL BE NEEDED TO GIVE IT THAT ONE MIGHTY PUSH FORWARD TO GET TO THAT MOUTAIN TOP.. OBAMA IS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH BECAUSE HE CUTS ACCROSS RACE BOUNDARIES AS A BLACK MAN.(HALF BLACK) HE CAN DO WHAT OTHERS HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO … HE HAS GOT WHITE AMERICA ON BOARD BECAUSE HE IS REACHING OUT TO ALL NOT JUST SOME..THATS A VERY GOOD THING..THATS WE HE HAS BELIEVERS NOT ONLY IN AMERICA BUT ALL OVER THE WORLD.. NOV 2008 … DONT BE LATE… !! MAKE THAT CHANGE.. GOD, WE NEED IT !!!
From a Spiritual Perspective-God is making this nation put aside the hatred thats still deeply rooted and hidden in our hearts, for the blacks that think racism has died down, please use wisdom, Martin Luther King used wisdom, and we must go back to his standards, The one thing i have learned, is that we have to stand for whats right and refuse to turn around, because our country is at a very critical standpoint at this time. I think if Palin becomes VP (which i strongly disagree with)the Presidency will eventually be here’s which will be a female president,in which some has stated “will never happen”, and when Obama/Biden do win, an African-American will be the president, in which no one in this world would of thought would happen, so if you look at it, we have no choice but to repent
and love one another. The entire USA needs to repenT, especially the people of God. If my people, who are called by name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face, turn from her wicked ways, then will i hear from heaven and heal there land and forgive there sins.
Patrick,
Please don’t fall for the Rupublican hat track. Surfacing a couple thousand more barrels per day into our oil supply will barely make a dent into worldwide price oil. The price of energy is tied to every energy market in the world. Also can you tell me how we are paying for the 10 billion dollar per month tab that is the Iraqi war? Who is paying for that? Bush is leaving this country a massive dept financially.
I wonder how many black folk actually research the republican party?Or the democratic party for that matter? When ever I ask a black person why are they democrat all they say is because the democrats care about black people.(lol. yeah sure they do.) Then I ask them what research they have done on the democratic party or what exactly have the democrats done to help black people besides the civil rights movement and then most of them either stare at me or simply do not have an answer. Then I ask why they don’t like republicans and someone always says they only care about the rich and themselves. Then I ask them why do you feel this way and what exactly have they done to only benefit themselves and they still don’t have an answer. I’m starting to think that black people just devoutly follow the democrats partly because our political views are stuck in the 1960’s or because our bias for the two parties doesn’t allow us to see what each party truly stands for. I think this sad that we limit ourselves to one party. Doing that just stifles progress in our community, which is probably part of the reason why the black community has a lot more problems now then it did 40 years ago.
Palin is a liar and talks out of both sides of her face while the rest of the GOP just smile, nod and clap. Instead of talking about the REAL issues she chooses to insult Obama with LIES and UNTRUTHS:
PALIN SAID:
“There is much to like and admire about our opponent. But listening to him speak, it’s easy to forget that this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or reform _ not even in the state senate.”
THE TRUTH IS:
Obama has worked with Republicans to pass legislation that expanded efforts to intercept illegal shipments of weapons of mass destruction and to help destroy conventional weapons stockpiles. The legislation became law last year. To demean that accomplishment would be to also demean the work of Republican Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana, a respected foreign policy voice in the Senate. In Illinois, he was the leader on two big, contentious measures in Illinois: studying racial profiling by police and requiring recordings of interrogations in potential death penalty cases. He also successfully co-sponsored major ethics reform legislation.
PALIN SAID:
“The Democratic nominee for president supports plans to raise income taxes, raise payroll taxes, raise investment income taxes, raise the death tax, raise business taxes, and increase the tax burden on the American people by hundreds of billions of dollars.”
THE TRUTH IS:
The Tax Policy Center, a think tank run jointly by the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute, concluded that Obama’s plan would increase after-tax income for middle-income taxpayers by about 5 percent by 2012, or nearly $2,200 annually. McCain’s plan, which cuts taxes across all income levels, would raise after tax-income for middle-income taxpayers by 3 percent, the center concluded. advertisement
Obama would provide $80 billion in tax breaks, mainly for poor workers and the elderly, including tripling the Earned Income Tax Credit for minimum-wage workers and higher credits for larger families.
He also would raise income taxes, capital gains and dividend taxes on the wealthiest. He would raise payroll taxes on taxpayers with incomes above $250,000, and he would raise corporate taxes. Small businesses that make more than $250,000 a year would see taxes rise.
Go Obama!
Trina on September 4th, 2008
Olounwa
RICE = SELLOUT !!! Exactly what don’t you reconize ? The definition is right there.
Candace,
Wake up, honey because you must be talking to the wrong black folks. Get out of the hood, go to universities, coffee shops, churches, speak to homeowners, professors, accountants, business owners, parents of soldiers, etc…don’t make the mistake that the Republicans are making by underestimating black America. We are smart enough to research the issues, learn the candidates and determine who we agree with. And we will drive to the polls and VOTE! Taking along our entire families. Education…it’s not just a white thing.
I am SHOCKED that no main-stream media network are talking this! Well frst of all I want to ask everyone when they look at RNC focus in on C-SPAN it’s te most credible news out their! You also get to have you say so! Second the DNC ahd 23% black americans attend thier convention and the RNC ONLY had 2% of black americans attend theirs!Pamela I think you or someone else should do a report on how black americams are left out the media!The media focuses only on Obama saying that he needs to work hard to get the blue collar white workers and whute females EVERYDAY BUT they DON’T mention that McCain TOO has to work hard to get the black american votes! Black americans are always left out of the media! It’s really not fair!
Seschris,
I’m not from the hood and I go to college. I’m well aware that education is not just a white thing. Why else do you think I’m willing to think critically about the parties and not just vote for the party that is most popular to vote for. Maybe you are the one who shouldn’t underestimate people. Ok so I will ask you. Why do you choose to vote the way you do? I’m assuming you are a democrat,correct me if I’m wrong. what do you like about the democratic party and what do you dislike about the republican party? Please state facts and legitimate reasons to back up your argument.Not just opinion.
Blacks underrepresented? How much are they supposed to represent? 99.9% of them are voting for Obama.
Here’s the thing I find funny. If there aren’t enough blacks somewhere, bet and others start crying like their welfare checks is late. Folks. Blacks are only 13% of the American population….representation anywhere near white representation would be statistical OVER-representation, at only 13%!
Go to school and stay there until you learn something!
This blog is interesting. I am not party devoted, but what I am is an educated African-American. I recognize that we have had loyalties to both parties grasping and hoping that one of Masters parties will legitimize us and our concerns in some way. My aunt who is a republican and former mayor of my hometown, is the one who turned me off to the party. She was the first AA woman to ever and probably who will ever have such a position in a small TX town. I was organizing a chapter of National Council of Negro Women and ask could it carry her name. She told me know she was running for re-election and to affiliate with something Black would hurt her campaign. I had voted for her prior to this I didn’t this time. Patrick really think more in depth about your position. You are correct this country as well as other Western countries have an individualistic mentality. That means you go for you at the expense of others if need be. As an AFrican-American that shouldn’t be something that you support. You say REps are for low government, well not so. How is telling me what religion I should be, what my family should look like,and to have a baby by a man who raped me low government control? As a Christian I am really offended by the Reps using Christianity as a political tool, saying in so many other words if you aren’t looking like us, thinking like us, and living like us then you aren’t as Christian as we are. Where have we heard that before? These are what Whites used time and time again to justify our enslavement, the taking of our land, the murder and hanging of our ancestors, and the things that we continue to be subjected to now.
Also I find it sad that A White person can stand up and claim to be Christian and we are like “oh this good ole Christian White man or White woman” and we never call them into question. However, Obama had to continously prove to America that he was Christian, even Black folks are still running around doubting that he is. When are we really going to overcome?
I just would like to mention that the reason Gov. Palin’s daughter was holding her brother was because she was hiding her baby bump, not because her family feels that the oldest should take care of the youngest. Gov. Palin’s husband has decided that he will take on the role of Mr. Mom and that is awesome. About time men step up to the plate and give women a chance to break through the ceiling. Anyway, to continue on why Gov. Palin’s daughter was holding the baby, they did not want anyone to see that she was five months pregnant at the time. They wanted the media to have their say first and then they would allow her to show her belly. I also would like to mention that I have a huge problem with Gov. Palin because she is some what of a hypocrite. She preaches abstinence, but apparently her sermon fell on deaf ears in her house. How does she expect parents to honestly accept teaching their teenage children abstinence only in school when her own child did not listen at her own high school where they teach abstinence only. It is not going to happen. I believe that teenagers need to be taught everything, from abstinence to condoms to STDs that can be contracted from making stupid mistakes so they are prepared completely to make their own decisions off of the credible information that has been provide to them. We live in reality not Sugar Plum Valley where everything is wholesome and sweet. Teenagers don’t listen, they don’t care and they think they know everything so the only thing we can do for them is to make sure that they do know everything, about sex, and the consequences that come with their decisions. I also have a problem with the pro-choice option too. I do not believe that the government should be allowed to dictate what I can and cannot do with my body. I do not have to answer to them. The only one I need to answer to about my decisions in life is the Lord and John McCain and the Republican party does not look like God or Jesus. If I wanted to be controlled, I would live in a foreign country where freedom is obsolete, instead I live in the U.S.A. where I am supposed be free to choose what religion I want to practice, what I want to do with my body, what I want to wear, free speech etc. From what I can see, the good Ol’ U.S.A. is heading towards a dictatorship and most of us are going to be looking for a way out. Canada is looking real nice right about now.
JFFNNN WHY ARE YOU RICE A “SELLOUT ” ??. RICE IS JUST BEING HERSELF .. A GREEDY OIL WAR PROFITEER. WHAT IS A SELLOUT ANYWAY?. IS THERE SOME SECRET CLUB THAT ALL BLACKS MUST SUBSCRIBE TO IN AMERICA?. SHE HAS NOT “BETRAYED HER RACE” AS THERE IS ONLY ONE RACE..THE HUMAN RACE..I KNOW MANY BLACK AMERICANS DONT SUBSCRIBE TO THIS IDEA AND A LOT OF WHITE AMERICANS DONT DO EITHER..BUT ITS THE TRUTH.. WE HAVE ETHNIC DIVISIONS WITHIN IT..condilizza rice doesnt owe her “Race”. anything . if she did she wouldnt have spent her time in Nigeria in the early 90’s working against ordinary nigerians to fill the coffers of her fellow americans in enron.. she acts as an AMERICAN pure and simple..she is a NEO CON.. and i hate her accordingly .. as a NEO CON… pure and simple. if obama barack was a NEO CON acting the same way as she has done and continues to do, i would hate him too..