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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.
dclark,
Palin is not being judged based on her daughter’s pregnancy she is being judeged based upon her poor judgement and lack of real experience. She is NOT the right person so be a heartbeat away from running the country. We don’t need religious fanatics making decisions for America. Her and McCain’s judgement is very flawed. Her’s for abusing her authority, throwing her kids under the bus and accepting the position as running mate in the first place. His judgement is flawed for chooseing such a woman at the last minute to get points on his side (not in the best interest of the country). Neither one of them is ready. Her experience is being a mayor of a very small town and governor or a very remote state that desparately want to separate from the US. I could go on but why bother…it’s so ridiculous. Oh and Obama’s experience…he’s worked in the South Side of Chicago community, he’s worked in the senate and he’s run a very successful campaign organization to date. What’s more he’s in it for the country NOT for fame or recognition. He doesn’t single out any races and want to help ALL Americans.
The Republican party is NOT reflective of the diversity in America. Those of you “Black Republicans” where were you? I did see your faces. you so proud to represent the black republicans why did you not put your money where you big mouth is? Black Democrats showed up at the DNC but Black Republicans did not show up at the jRNC. What’s up with that?
The Democratic party has been holding down the African Americans sice the early 60’s. Making them believe that they are victim’s, and the government will take care of them. “Vote for me and I will give you stuff”. By and large the Black community has bought into this. So has every other “victim class” in society.
Here’s a news flash; 95% of whites are not predjudiced. The more politicians on both side’s can divide us by skin color, or ethnicity, THEY WIN, and the LOSERS are US; the Americans who pay their wages and enrich their friends with our dime are being robbed. Oh wait. If your a victim you don’t pay any taxes! So I guess you should vote for the guy who promises you everything. I will vote for the guy who will make my country better for EVERYONE evn the “victims”.
Double Standards: BET and TV One apparently decided that with Obama already pulling 90-95% of the black vote, they needn’t bother turning any precious airtime over to McCain. In fact, all four nights of the Democratic convention aired on both networks. The GOP convention didn’t air at all. Yet, with less coverage, McCain set a new ratings record.
Candace and Cherie:
Yeah you both think as individuals…individual J A C K A S S E S !!
Stick to your comic books girls.
GO OBAMA/BIDEN 2008!
Willie joe,
How sad that you have to call names because you have nothing intelligent to say. What a childish way to react to someone you disagree with…and you’re telling me to go read a comic book.seriously how old are you,12! Please.
CANDACE
Take your blinders off if you want to understand the real deal. This is not a game, this is not a class assignment in school, this real life. This is an emotional and political issue that will effect the lives of all Americans. Take off your rose colored glasses. Forget about the money you may loose (taxes), forget about maintaining the line between your current life style and where you think other Democratic blacks are (beneath you). What will your money do for you when America becomes a THIRD WORLD NATION (BECAUSE REPUBLICANS DON’T KNOW HOW TO NEGOTIATE ONLY FIGHT AND BULLY, THAT ARMY MENTALITY), WHEN MCCAIN/PALIN ARE RUNNING YOUR PERSONAL LIVES WITH THEIR “VALUES” NO SEX ED, NO ABORTION, ETC…WHEN THERE ARE ONLY THE VERY RICH AND THE VERY POOR, WILL YOU BE COMFORTABLE? AND so COCKY AND ARROGANT? AND STILL WHINNING ABOUT OBAMA IS A SOCIALIST CANDIDATE? WHEN MCCAIN DIES AND PALIN IS LEFT TO RUN THINGS (LIKE SHE RUNS HER HOUSE)? WHAT WILL YOU DO WHEN THE ONLY PEOPLE WITH OIL ARE THE RICH OIL BENEFACTORS (AND YOUR AIN’T ONE OF THEM)? WHAT WILL YOU DO LITTLE GIRL???
Lol.Willie joe you have some serious issues. You sound like a crazed conspiracy theorist. Ok, calm down, think before you talk, stop acting like you know what I’m all about(cause you don’t know me), and try to explain your reasoning as to why you have the concerns that you do. Ok little boy???
Jeeeeesh…
dclark great post.
Sing it Willie Joe: “Glory be to Obama!” Your new massa.
Obama has no real experience. What the world is a community organizer?
Someone that could not get a real job.
Calling on phones, walking door to door, begging for money.
Then he was elected to the State Senate where he voted present instead yes or no.
Then he was elected to the US Senate where he immediately started to run for president.
No way! No Obama!
McCain-Palin 2008!!!
To Justicated: Where did you come up with all these lies about Sen McCain and Gov Palin. Obviously your for Obama and I totally respect that, however there is no need for these lies!
John McCain- Justicated, he did not crash the “5 million dollar plane” it was shot down.
He did not cheat on his former wife, i dont know where you got that information from?
Sarah Palin- Its funny how you put the blame on Gov Palin for her daughters pregnancy. Are you kidding me!? What world do you live in, i guarantee you have a family member or friend that had a baby before they were married and you think its always the mothers fault?
She is not the youngest Governor!
Finally, how dare you try and say she never gave birth to her youngest child. I cant believe you would say such a thing. All your doing is proving how uneducated and un informed you are about these issues.
COME ON PEOPLE YOU CAN EXPRESS YOUR VIEWS AND OPINIONS BUT DONT BE LIKE “Justicated” AND SPREAD LIES AND RUMORS ON HERE!
PATRICK N WASHINGTON,
READ THE BY-LAWS OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE FOR THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THEN YOU WILL KNOW WHY HE VOTED PRESENT, AND WILL KNOW THE FACTS. I AGREE WITH MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO VOICE THIER OPINIONS HERE. I WATCHED PARTS OF THE RNC CONVENTION OVER90%OF THEM WERE OLD RED WRINKLED WHITE MEN THAT WOULD SCARE YOU IF YOU WEREON THE STREET ALONE.
OBAMA/BIDEN 08
I think that God is moving in a major way at this time. I do not know exactly what will happen, but I will know one thing. The “true” church..the true Christians will be shown. There are people who say that they are for Christ in both Democratic and Republican parties..but both have false teachers and haters. I do see more Christ-like service on the Democratic side. God has shown us in the past 8 years the type of hypocritical nature of the party that make claim to “true Christianity”; the Republicans. What you must understand is that people like the KKK members were so called “Christians”. You also had people who believed in false teachers like David Koresh who called themselves Christiains…these were the extremists and/or the hatemongers. David Koresh followers may not have been hatemongers, but they were brainwashed..and the Republicans are very good at that. When the media speaks of getting the “uneducated” voter demographic, that is a coded word to mean “ignorant and easily led” voter. They do not necessarily mean someone who just happens to not have a college degree. Under the Republican party we have seen many die in a false war, many die in Hurrican e Katrina due to a Republican-led government that was slow to respond (yet we can try to nation build in Iraq), a sickened economy that has not been seen since the last time Republicans ran the country, and even more venom heaped on minorities. When Sarah Palin mocked Obama’s community organizing, my thoughts were, ” Jesus himself believed in community organizing..serving the poor. One of the greatest laws is for us to love one another after loving God. Yes, McCain was a POW…but, it has been confirmed that Vietnam was a farce war…the soldiers did not die for a legitimate war….our country was not in danger of the Vietnamese, therefore, they did not die for our freedoms…our freedoms were not in danger…they died for a war that was a waste..the government wasted the lives of many who fought in the war..and the same is trued for Iraq and even more so, since the war was based on a bold faced lie. If you support Republican at this time in history, you support a lie, you support the death of soldiers in VAIN, you support a sick economy, you support an essence that is not Christ-like. I have seen non-Christian Democratics act more Christ-like than some of these loud Republicans…and some of the people here who support the Republicans. That is horribly horribly sad, and we as Christians need to get ourselves right with God and start to understand that both parties have sins…but the Republicans have more venom..hate and pride are sins that will destroy your humanity. What I saw at the RNC was a further destruction of what is true humanity..it was just a false teacher of it.
ddclark,
Ignoring her daughter’s pregnancy…there are several valid reason’s to question her abiilty to run.
1. Her overall poor judgment in accepting this nomination at this stage of her life:
a. The investigation pending.
b. A family with serious personal issues that need her.
2. Allowing her career aspirations to overshadow the needs of the country.
3. Her affiliation with the AIP (unpatriotic)
4. Her contradictory stance on Bridge to …
5. Several half-truths spoken during her speech.
I could go on but really , there are several reasons to question her ability to be the VP of the US and a mere heartbeat away from being the President of the US.
Christi…
I strongly disagree with you. If you are Christian the democratic party is not the one associate with. they constantly support things and ideas that are the opposite of what the bible teaches. Honestly I feel that people who are true Christians would be able to see that both parties EQUALLY do un-Christian like things.I choose to stay independent for that reason. You talk about farce wars because of all the death that has come from them but you fail to mention abortion.Do you think God or Jesus condones abortion? I thought as a Christian you would mention that. You talk about Hurrican Katrina and how the republican federal government failed to respond. Fair enough, but you don’t mention that the state and local governments were democrat. They could have done a whole lot more than they did(maybe even more than the federal government could have) but they also failed terribly. Not to mention nobody knew that Katrina was going to be that bad, it caught the whole country off guard.So don’t you think that’s a bit unfair to blame the Katrina Catastrophe on one part of the government, because you feel that as republicans they are just more venomous.I’m not sure if Jesus would be that unreasonable. Luckly, both parties and the country in general have learned lessons from Katrina.Even though Gustav was a different storm than Katrina was the new republican state government and the democratic local goverment pulled together and responded efficiently. You talk about brain washing. Politics is politics and politicians are politicians so BOTH sides are good at brain washing. Just as you seem to be blaming republicans for all the country’s woes and deeming then un Christ-like, their are Republicans on the other side blaming the democrats for those same problems and deeming them un-Christ-like as well. Both sides re-enforce the hate for the other side, and I feel they do so at an equal amount. As for Sarah Palin mocking community organizing..I can see how Obama supporters could take it like that and I actually agree with you to a certain extent, but I feel she was more comparing the difficulty of being a community organizer to that of being a governor.In the same way that Obama on CNN compared being a Mayor of a small town to that of running a campaign. both sides make fun of each other because as I said before that’s just politics. I highly doubt that Sarah Palin was trying to mock the ideas or even the works of Jesus by making that remark, I think that’s kind of a stretch.Most decent people believe in helping the poor, even the republicans. You also mention the economy.Despite the fact that the economy moves in a cycle of highs and lows I agree with you that this administration could and should be doing better. But then again the economy has gotten much worse with in the past two years, around the time that the democrats took Congress. Im not saying that the lagging economy is the democrats fault but less face it, the democrats could be doing a whole lot more than they have been. Again same as the republicans. You mentioned war a lot, if you disagree with the Iraq and Vietnam wars I won’t argue with you but the bible says their is a season for everything, even war. I know you feel that this war is unjust…Do you feel the same about the war in Afghanistan?
Basically your whole post was about how the republicans are less Christ-like than the democrats,and that if you are right with God than you should see how Republicans are generally more hateful and evil than the Democrats. I don’t think so..If you are truly right with God you should be able to see that each party EQUALLY has some attributes that are Christ-like and some that are un Christ-like. I have a hard time believing that if Christ were to come down to America he would be a democrat, or a republican for that matter. My best guest is that he would be neither, at best an independent.
Its not hard to figure out why Blacks don’t flock to the GOP. The answer is simple. They don’t feel welcome. All you had to do was look at the TV screen and you would easily come to that decision. Its not a diverse party. All you saw were white faces. Unlike the Democratic National Convention which was totally diverse with a whole spectrum of hues and colors which truly represented all of America, not just the white ones. Ken Blackwell’s defense of his party, does nothing to attract people of color to his party. Using John McCain’s attempt to reach out and stating that “He’s gone where other GOP leader’s have never gone” really points to the fact that the republicans don’t care much about getting the “Black vote”. That’s why they’ve never really invested in campaigning in black communities. Up until now they’ve been able win elections with only a small percentage of our support. When they talk about America, they’re talking about White America. That’s proven by where they make their investments. When you watched their convention what did you see and hear? A bunch of country and western music, hunters, war hero and cowboy stories. Nothing about the issues that touch the lives of the average black person, let alone those who have fallen below the poverty line. Black republicans can say all they want about their party’s so-called “values”, but what black people care about is how we’re being treated by their party. Its like a white church that touts Christian values and Christian love until they get a black visitor or member. All of a sudden blacks are asking, “Where’s the love man?” Then to add insult to injury, they try to convince us that they do care about us and that we should disregard all that we see, hear and feel concerning their racist, stand-offish reaction to us. There’s a lot of things that we should probably do, but setting aside our common sense shouldn’t be one of them. Somehow it seems that the republicans want us to believe that despite all the signs to the contrary, that they really value and care about black people. Even an eternal optimist would have a difficult time with that. No diversity in their crowds, no diversity in their music, no campaigning in black communities, equals, no trusting you with our votes and more importantly, our future!
None. Yep no blacks except for Lynn Swann. Hmmm
D… they need to put some limits on the length of some of these posts!
So many of these posts are sooo funny though, Thanks for the laughs people!! (lol)
I have to give special props to Drevelyn, George the Dem, Prelshea & Justicated thanks for some Facts to consider. (I hope Candace, Terrence, PNWashington & Kejaun will start their RESEARCH from here)
As for seschris, Rene, Shawn, JoyB, Esther & christi thank you for your intelligently/passionately posted opinions.
Laugh props go to olounwa, jfffn, Khrish, clint & Odi
But some of ya’ll have said some truly ignorant stuff. But I guess we all have a right to our opinions no matter how dumb-assed they may be. Speaking of the Republicans (lol)… The RNC just revealed the truth: that War-mongering, Big-Business Puppets & Liars do not stand for the real US of America!!
**************************************
OBAMA-BIDEN 08!!!
(The CHANGE We Can Believe In!!)
SisG(Ind voting Dem 08!!!)
Kejaun:
All evidence points toward Palin NOT being the birth mother of the down syndrome baby. To say otherwise is to be in DENIAL!
EVERYBODY know that McCain CHEATED on his FIRST WIFE with his SECOND WIFE Cindy.
YOU NEED TO DO YOUR RESEARCH BEFORE YOU CALL ME A LIAR…THIS IS NOT MY OPINION…THESS ARE THE FACTS!!!
SO DO YOUR RESEARCH BEFORE YOU POST A RESPONSE TO ME AGAIN!!!
MCCAIN AND PALIN HAVE SOME SERIOUS CHARACTER FLAWS AND PERSONAL ISSUES THAT MAKE THE BOTH UNQUALIFIED AND UNSUITABLE TO LEAD THE US PROPERLY. DENIAL OF THE TRUTH DOESN’T MAKE IT ANY LESS TRUTHFUL!!!