CNN Contributor Martin Blasts GOP: ‘They're Scared of Black Folks'

http://newsbusters.org/ ^ | July 13, 2007 | Matthew Balan

[lowbridge]

CNN Contributor Martin Blasts GOP: ‘They're Scared of Black Folks'

Posted by Matthew Balan on July 13, 2007 - 18:34.

CNN contributor Roland Martin took aim at Republicans on Friday's "American Morning, since Congressman Tom Tancredo was the only GOP presidential candidate to appear at a recent NAACP forum. Co-host John Roberts asked Martin, "what do you make of this idea that nine of the 10 Republican candidates took a pass on this convention?" Martin's response was blunt: "Of course, conservatives won't like this, but the bottom line is, the GOP, they're scared of black folks. I mean, it's as if they can't even talk to them."

Martin, a regular contributor on CNN's "American Morning," and a liberal talk show host based out of Chicago, has been given regular opportunities on the morning show to give left-wing lines about various issues without a counter-balance from a conservative. He continued his offensive by citing President Bush's single appearance before the NAACP in his several years as president, and Rudy Giuliani's "terrible history with black folks in New York" as the reason there was "no doubt he [Giuliani] was going to ignore the NAACP."

To his credit, Roberts followed up to Martin's answer by asking, "Let me just play devil's advocate here. They are afraid of African-Americans, or do they just think that the NAACP has been sort of historically hostile to Republicans?"

Martin's answer:

No, no, because over time, when you look at Republicans in terms of the ability to reach out to African-Americans, that is sort of this apprehension there. Of course, there's history there. The whole southern strategy, Richard Nixon, in terms of trying to ignore black voters, appeal to white voters in the South. And so, that was part of their strategy. Ken Mehlman, when he ran the RNC, he apologized for it.... Republicans have always had a difficulty in trying to speak to African-Americans. And let me tell you, John, issues like immigration, which Republicans are against, nine out of 10 of my callers will be absolutely against it. The issue of education, the issue of gay marriage, there are issues there the Republicans can dialogue on. But you can't continue to say, well, we want to reach out to black voters, we don't want them simply voting Democrat, but then you never talk to them. So, you have to cross that line. And so, frankly, not talking to them makes no sense. That was an opportunity that they lost.

One could predict, however, that the mainstream media, possibly including Martin himself, would have criticized Republicans for using "wedge issues" like immigration and gay "marriage" as a means to reach out to blacks.

The major detail that wasn't mentioned during the segment was the reason why President Bush didn't appear before the NAACP until 2006. When he was a presidential candidate, Bush appeared before the NAACP in July 2000. Just over three months later in October, the NAACP ran a race-baiting TV ad which featured the daughter of James Byrd, who was dragged behind a pickup truck for miles and was murdered. She blasted then-Governor Bush's decision to not support new "hate crimes" legislation in Texas. "When Governor George W . Bush refused to support hate crimes legislation, it was like my father was killed all over again." The media was largely silent in response to the ad.

It goes to show that Roberts was right to ask Martin if Republicans think that the NAACP has been "historically hostile" to the GOP.

[TexasCajun]

Where are the prominent black leaders in the Democrat Party?

...in the back of the bus!

[ConservativeStatement]

I bet most Conservatives appreciate a man of honor and intelligence like Clarence Thomas more so than this flake in the article.

[no-to-illegals]

Go down Moses... way down to naacp land
Tell all those slave masters....
Let my People Go.

Dear naacp....
Let my People Go.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Sure, Tinkerbell, whatever.

Not necessarily afraid of Black People, but not going to play Charlie Brown to the NAACP’s Lucy anymore.

[Trajan88]

Re: "They just see that it is a waste of time to pander to a group that is so narrow minded in their own political views."

You got that right... a king sized pandering exercise by thel left is a cottage industry... case in point: listen to the Hildabeast's Selma speech to the church congregation earlier this year (phony southern accent pandering).

[3AngelaD]

This is CNN. This morning the truly stupid Malvaux woman did a story on the new White House press digs, and asked Helen Thomas if she thinks the President “will keep lying about things in this new press area?” And you can guess the answer.

[bray]

Republicans are Racist, sexist, homophobes, how original.

Pray for W and Our Troops

[vetvetdoug]

They're scared of black folks

No, the GOP, Conservatives, and Republicans in general are not scared of most black folks. They just know the adage that one shouldn't throw their pearls before swine.., especially the ones associated with the DNC, NAACP, ACLU, NOW, CORE, Black Panthers, the Rainbow Coalition, etc...

[bray]

Supreme Court Justice Thomas is one of the Great Minds throughout the history of the Court. If he wasn’t lynched by the NAACP history would reflect that.

Pray for W and Our Troops

[ameribbean expat]

am i apprehensive? sure. i completely fail to understand why whenever black americans want to talk to white people the dialogue inevitably centers around prying open my wallet yet again. Moreover, I compare Black Americans to my friends from Jamaica and the Bahamas who have migrated (legally) to the US and work their asses off, live comfortable middle class lives and still manage to send money “back home” (although they will only return for a visit) every two weeks. They are descended from slaves no less than Black Americans, but their attitude could not be more different. Throw in the fact that they learned math under the British education system and they are way ahead of a demographic group which has enjoyed substantial historical, legal and economic advantages over them. The NAACP is a fraud, and Black America needs look no further than at what their brothers and sisters who have emigrated from the Caribbean have accomplished in a very short time to realize that they have wasted the last 60 years. Tragic.

[MissEdie]

Wish someone from the NAACP would answer your questions, maybe then that organization may gain some credibility with those of us who feel that it no longer has a place or functional purpose in US society.

[Leftism is Mentally Deranged]

So a racist speaks on CNN. No surprise there.

[sten]

BJClinton didn’t even show up and he was supposed to... yet they complain that the GOP isn’t there? sounds like they actually want the GOP there and have started to smarten up a bit regarding the dems.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

At least the headline didn't scream,

"Switzerland is a dagger aimed at the heart of Germany!"

[KC_Conspirator]

Spoken like a person who never hangs around anyone else different than him and makes idiotic generalizations.

[Melchior]

Given the large percentage of the black male population either in prison or who have served time, I would suggest that it is reasonable to assume that black folk are afraid of black folk.

[stm]

It should be renamed The National Association for the Advancement of African Americans. That way it would be NAAAA.

[avacado]

"CNN Contributor Martin Blasts GOP: ‘They're Scared of Black Folks'"

The Bush Admin has appointed into power more blacks than any other Admin prior. The GOP is colored blind. Entitlement leeches and welfare addicts need not apply.

[BenLurkin]