WP: GOP Makes 'Top Priority' of Converting Black Voters

[kskiska]

Party Hopes Bush Focus on Minorities Can Win 25%

It was a historic moment for the Grand Old Party: At the 2000 Republican National Convention in Philadelphia, black conservatives took center stage, delivered speeches in prime time, raised their voices in a gospel choir and locked hands with the white men who, by an overwhelming majority, run the party.

By the end of the convention, the future national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, and secretary of state, Colin L. Powell, had emerged as black conservative stars, and a concerted effort by Republicans "to invent new black leaders" -- as former House speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) once put it -- was well underway.

Now, as the 2004 presidential election unfolds, Republicans want to convert that focus on black appointees into black votes. Their goal, they say, is to win 25 percent of the black vote, which the party has not come close to doing in nearly 30 years.

"If we get African American votes, are in deep trouble," Gingrich said in a recent interview. In presidential elections, roughly nine of every 10 black votes are cast for Democrats.

To win hearts and minds, the GOP is planning a campaign featuring television and radio ads touting President Bush's reaching out to the African American community and elements of the Republican message that appeal to a wide swath of black voters, such as support for school vouchers.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28836-2003Dec24.html

[Erika]

1. What Garbage

Trent Lott and Strom Thurmond both showed us the concern that Republicans have for blacks. Bush paraded a few blacks at the convention but then killed programs to aid minorities as he held up the few black administration elitists as a sign he cared.

[Zeke]

5. GOP Scum.

The GOP runs congress and has not a single black man or woman in their congressional caucas---not one black member!

They're all white!

The GOP lies to black voters parading Crying Condi and Fool Powell---they're appointed, not elected!

The GOP goal is simple: get black voters to vote for an all white party who will legislate against everything black voters want and need.

[leesa]

28. They don't even LET black people vote.

Voter purges in Florida. Trick calls discouraging people from voting by telling them they will be caught for fines or giving different dates or locations for voting. I don't think the GOP can disguise their bigotry against blacks.

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

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[Melodybe]

19. Good Luck, not one black person I know likes Bu$h

Not one, they are all proud to be democrats.

Bu$h personally came to campaign for Haley Barbour, and he is a complete racist. On his campaign signs read the words "Keep the flag (which has the rebel stars and bars in the corner) change the Governor." He won, too BTW. One of my old professors has a photocopy of Barbour's fraternity picture from his college yearbook. He was an Alpha Sigma Sigma (an ASS he he he) and the caption underneath (I shit you not) says the fraternity is "dedicated to preserving the white race."

Black people know that the repubs are shit.

[rocktivity]

26. Vote your Groove Thang

From the Moveon.org 30 Seconds To Bush Contest

I've always suspected that the Dem party establishment fears that if they embrace the minority vote too closely, it will turn off the white voters.


rocknation

[Capablanca]

2. Democracy at work

I find this a healthy part of the political process and a good thing for minorities and for the Democratic Party. In my humble opinion the Democratic Party has taken the black vote for granted.

Competition keeps everyone on their toes and leads to a more creative environment to win votes. Moreover, instead of token spots for blacks in leadership of administrations, committees, and judicial nominations, competition will lead to better opportunities for minorities.

The party that best represents the real needs and interests of the voters will prevail. We have nothing to fear from the pubs if we believe our party is a better home. We just might have to work a little harder to prove it.

[Erika]

8. Capa, The GOP Panders for votes.

Are you one of them (GOP) who believe pandering is the way to go. Democrats aren't. We believe in voting for all people, not specific groups.

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

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[TiredTexan]

13. They use the fine print in the "Leave No Child Behind"

legislation to gain access to black teenagers in high school so they can recruit them. Sadly, blacks are recruited not into the GOP, but rather into the military. There, they are perfect cannon fodder for their betters.

Recruiters target the minorities, who serve and die in far higher numbers than us Caucasians.

You are full of hogwash.

[wingnut]

29. "who serve and die in far higher numbers than us Caucasians."

Sorry, but that is incorrect.

Black Americans are slightly overrepresented in the armed forces as a whole, but are actually underrepresented in combat arms.

Check out the work of Professors Charles Moskos and John Butler, especially the excellent book, "All That We Can Be."

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/gergen/may97/race_5-20.html

[mbperrin]

30. Their GOAL is 25% of the black vote - that's

quite a bit of service, all right.

Lessee, Civil Rights Act 1964 - Dems
Voting Rights Act 1964 - Dems
Brown v Board of Ed - Dems
"If Strom had been elected Prez, we could have avoided a lot of trouble" - Pubs

There's your 25%!

[TankLV]

3. "black conservatives took center stage"

and every single one of the "black conservative GOP" was on stage - all 5 of them! Imagine that!

The rest of the audience was 100% white, 90% men.

Wow - talk about the party of "inclusion"!!

I believed it!!

Looked like a lot of "darkies" entertaining their "massa" agin!

Sigh.

[cosmicdot]

4. maybe in another 200 years, they'll go for the full American demographic

they shouldn't have to recruit

[TiredTexan]

6. This is a bigger danger than you might think.

I have a friend at work who is black, and very religious. We discuss politics quite a lot, and she told me that when Bush comes to town, he comes to the very large black churches and hands out money through the faith initiatives. Many of her friends in those churches have been instructed by their pastors to vote republican. She is very distraught because several of them are going to vote for Bush because they think it is the Christian thing to do. There was a cartoon in the Black Commentator about this. I'll try to post it, but being a novice, may not succeed. Here goes:

http://www.blackcommentator.com/69/69_cartoon_greedygut_pop_up.html

[pinto]

10. I agree. B*shco will play the faith card, short term while leaving people

out of meaningful legislation.

Any black Dem's on line? I'd like to hear your take(s).

[Logansquare]

27. Ah, the faith-based initiative: a new way to buy votes?

Ingenious! A little payola for Jesus.

[pinto]

7. here's a good example of Carville's point re: hype vs substance

[Erika]

9. If Bush was a Christian....

And if he truly believed in Christ as his greatest philosopher, we wouldn't be in Iraq. If he truly believed in Christ he would not reward the rich with more dollars paid for by cutting services to the poor and needy. These principles Bush follows are anti-Christian and Christians need to know that. Who cares about their color? If Bush wishes to pander, so be it. It's a cheap ploy.

[mistertrickster]

11. "Converting" them to what? Rich, white men? Because that's the only

way that African Americans would be silly enough as a group to start voting Repuke . . .

The party that gave us Strom Thurmond, Jeb Bush, Newt Gingerich, et al? I don't think so . . .

[pinto]

12. interesting use of the word in the headline, wasn't it?...n/t

[emanymton]

14. Don't Miss The Point!

The GOP has the money and the media. The GOP will use a media blitz campaign ($200 million can buy a lot of votes) to target minorities and "sell" their candidates like they sell cigarettes and beer. The people will "buy" the lie and the Democrats will find themselves out in the cold.

The Democrats have to stand for themselves, fight the good fight using truth and offer the people hope. It will not be easy.

The GOP's challenge is real. _They_ know what they are doing. Do you?

[Erika]

15. Are they going to sell Lott and Thurmond, or Gingrich?

Racists and womanizers. But more than that is that the standard of living is being cut dramatically for the lower income and middle income as Bush continues to build the income of the most wealthy. He is in a war...The war against those most in need. And he's not on their side.

[davidinalameda]

16. and Bushie is going to use homophobia to do it

probably more African-Americans oppose gay marriage than any other ethnic group

perfect issue to unite the white fundies and the black churches

[Melodybe]

21. Hopefully people will be smart enough to take the money and vote Dem

anyway. That is what I'll advise folks to do.

[moondust]

17. Watch what they do, not what they say.

Judge their record, not their bullshit.

[emanymton]

22. The Threat Is Real!

The GOP believe they have a solid base of support of their party and are making their move against the Democratic party's base.

Condoleezza Rice, and Colin Powell are positive and successful role models. The media blitz will sell them 24/7 as Republican; follow the leader, be like them and join the Republican majority. The people will 'buy' the line of goods.

Given a choice between "The Shrub" and a "shrub wanta be" the people will not vote. The vote is up for grabs.

The Democrats must offer hope of positive change. The GOP can be beaten. But never underestimate what $200 million can buy.

[Malva Zebrina]

23. Bush has the money and if he is bribing pastors with it by

passing it off as a faith grant, then , I think this method has a chance of suceeding. Doesn't say much for the unethical pastors, but I suppose a church that is needy and a pastor who wants to keep it going,(and his/her job) will be tempted by the carrot on a stick bobbling before his/her eyes.

Taking the money and then voting Democrat--hmm, well sneaky LOL

except that once the money is taken, it puts that church under the auspeices of the government--it is tax payer money , so sooner or later someone is going to demand some sort of accountability--and they not be, necessarily, of the same religion. What a mess that would turn out to be if George keeps going around bribing churches in this manner.

In almost every photo we see of George and Georgette, there are the token black kids, or persons. I think photos are one way to use the propaganda, as many people will glance at a photo but not read the column. I was shocked to read somewhere that the illiteracy rate in the US was 20% so more than one person is going to be influenced by pictures.

[0007]

24. 'Tis time for Harry Belofonte to emerge again and bitch slap..

that lying Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell.

The only way the black will vote for this cabal is if the fix is in!

[candy331]

25. Sure Republicans will

get some black votes just as Democrats will get some repug votes this go around, but it will be a small percentage. Blacks who are doing well will look at the repug party and some will choose to vote repug. My thought is what are the Dems going to do to stop the small percentage of blacks that will continue to seep out?

[0007]

31. That's an easy one! Point out the 2000 election where Florida

pisses on the blacks.

[goforit]

32. Isn't this OLD news?

Saw this here a week ago.

[missile_bender]

33. Post article reads like a White House press release

It really is very funny.

The Washington Whore, I mean Post, really sucks. The first two paragrpahs must have been lifted word for word from a War Party press release.

I notice they didn't mention the flack the GOP got into for trotting out all those tokens.

And how dare the reporters call Majette "moderate" after the way she smeared McKinney? Oh, well, they probably think Gingrich is a moderate, too.

I see they were all over Gingrich and were happy to quote him. Really funny how they quoted him supporting a racist comment he made in 1983! "--"It is in the interest of the Republican Party and Ronald Reagan to invent new black leaders, so to speak. People who have a belief in discipline, hard work and patriotism...." Yeah, not like those lazy, undisciplined Negroes who vote Democratic.

And the reporter completely missed the point about Trent Lott. The issue is not what Lott said. It's what the his party stands for. Blacks are glad to hear Lott speak the truth, because they know where they stand. More insidious are folks like Majette who sell out her people.

http://www.unembedded.com

[trogdor]

34. That makes even less sense...

...than Howard Dean going after the votes of dudes who sport rebel flags on the backs of their pick-em-up trucks.

Disclaimer: I am a staunch supporter of Howard Dean, and if he can reach white Southerners, my hat's off to him. In fact, I think the good doctor might have more luck with white Southerners than Bush might have with Blacks. All our nominee would have to do is say, "hmm, let's take a look at these Black court nominees, shall we?" Think Dennis Miller, pre-GOP conversion.

I could probably come up with five minutes of knee-slapping material on Clarence Thomas alone, but W didn't nominate him for shit (although he did give him his unreserved endorsement).