GOP Makes 'Top Priority' Of Converting Black Voters

The Washington Post ^ | December 25, 2003 | Darryl Fears

[Carthago delenda est]

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, [the Democrats] 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.

[Carthago delenda est]

Yes!!! I've been saying for years that the GOP oughta run ads in black districts pointing out, say, how the Democrats continually obstruct measures to provide minority kids with school vouchers. Make it plenty accusatory - they deserve no better - and ask pointed questions like: "Why are the Democrats so opposed to letting minority families choose the best schooling for their children?"

The dry runs so far have been promising. When Republicans run real ads in black districts - not the spineless kind that say "We're not so bad," but the ones that actually ask for votes - polls indicate that the GOP vote goes up by about three percent. That may not sound like much, but there's also an additional effect: lots of Democratic black voters stay home. That's because they haven't been pilloried with "Republicans are Ku Klux Klansmen"-type attacks; every minute that a Democrat is forced to respond to actual issues is one less minute he can spend calling Republicans jackbooted thugs who want to kick in the teeth of poor black children and haul their parents off to jail.

The bottom line is that Democrats win minority votes through fear - it's all they have. Take that away, and they have to respond to actual arguments. All of a sudden, their usual hypocritical malarkey doesn't work anymore. It's time the Pubbies start acting like the majority they are.

[stevem]

...the future national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, and secretary of state, Colin L. Powell, had emerged as black conservative stars...

Colin Powell isn't conservative.

I'd truly enjoy it if blacks were encouraged and join based on conservative principles. Regardless, I'll believe it when I see it.

[Britton J Wingfield]

bump.

[Always Right]

GOP Makes 'Top Priority' Of Converting Black Voters

Converting? What does that mean, change them to white voters?

[Cicero]

Again and again, the Republican party have tried to lure blacks away from the Democrats by pandering to them and offering "more of the same."

If they are finally serious about offering a genuine alternative to blacks, more power to them.

Colin Powell is not a conservative, but he is certainly conservative in comparison to folks like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson and the black Democrat point men whom Mayor Koch once referred to as poverty pimps.

[MoJoWork_n]

Hmmmm...

Fear, on the one hand, and logic, on the other.

Personally, I think it'd be more accurate to say that black folks, in general (and those that actually vote, in particular) tend to be quite conservative on the social and ethical/religious yardsticks (check poll numbers on gay rights, for instance, or the correlation of church membership to voter registration) but if you're going to talk about anything that involves economics, "affirmative action", "driving while black", or any of the other hot buttons perceived to be "race card" triggers by most Republican conservatives, there's still a pretty big gulf between what's 'inbounds', and what remains 'out of bounds'...

Plus, there are the real estate considerations, with demographics still being mostly "urban", on the one hand, and "suburban/rural", on the other. With all of the territorial conflicts and just plain mutual ignorance that all of that suggests.

[Conservateacher]

Use Clarence Thomas as the model. The most powerful black man in the country by far!!!!

[hosepipe]

[ GOP Makes 'Top Priority' Of Converting Black Voters ]

Oh! I see, even farther left.. more socialist platform.... even more federal giveaways... CHECK!...

[Kay Soze]

Next the GOP needs to try and regain the conservatives.

[freedom44]

ping

[freedom44]

What about Allen Keyes?

[Tennessean4Bush]

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[Captainpaintball]

GOP Makes 'Top Priority' Of Converting Black Voters

In today's world all this means is that they are going to act even MORE like democrats.

[Conservateacher]

I think Allan Keyes is smart, but powerful?

The Judicial branch has become very powerful and influential. Clarence Thomas by far!

[freedom44]

I was fortune enough to have dinner with him, and hear him speak. He supposively didn't even prepare for a speech that lasted over an hour, and was one of the most exciting, organized speech i've ever heard in my life.

He is absolutely brilliant..

[FreedomCalls]

He is absolutely brilliant..

Keyes or Thomas?

[BroncosFan]

Immigration reform, immigration reform, immigration reform.

[Old Sarge]

I concur with both. Waste of time, political capital, and forcing the GOP to turn left and abandon the base again.

[moodyskeptic]

While I don't relish the idea of pandering for votes, it sure would be fun to pile onto Democrat party woes with a big spike in black GOP votes. It'll drive 'em crazy.

My message to RNC: do not hire white geeks to create black ads. Find smart black advertising people, there are PLENTY of 'em out there. Allow them to create ads that make sense to blacks, do this and you'll see serious gains in black GOP registrations. And don't be cheap.

[RandDisciple]

I have always thought that the GOP could make a breakthrough with blacks if they adopted a more libertarian viewpoint on the war on drugs. If they ran ads supporting a change in sentencing guidelines for non-violent drug offenses in black districts I think it would draw a lot of support. Dems cannot do this as they would appear soft on crime. This is a huge issue in the black community. Softening these strict sentences (and pushing school choice)for non-violent users could change quite a few black voters voting patterns. Unfortunately, Ashcroft is threatening judges with sanctions if they don't follow draconian sentencing guidelines, regardless of extenuating circumstances.