Huckabee nets endorsement from prominent black conservatives

OneNewsNow.com ^ | January 2, 2008 | Jim Brown

[IssuesOriented]

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee has gained the endorsement of a large coalition of black conservative leaders who say he's the candidate who can best "repair" the nation's public school system and "advocate policies conducive to strengthening families."

In 2002, when running for reelection, Huckabee garnered 47 percent of the black vote in Arkansas. Now, as he seeks the Republican presidential nomination, it appears he is being rewarded for his track record with the African-American community. A group of more than 50 black conservative leaders, including some veteran Republican Party activists and state lawmakers, has announced its support for Huckabee.

One of those backers is Dean Nelson, an ordained Baptist minister who heads the Network of Politically Active Christians. According to Nelson, many conservative black leaders decided to rally around Huckabee in September following his performance in the Republican presidential debate at Morgan State University.

"Since that time, with his rise in the polls, I think more and more African-American conservatives have looked at Governor Huckabee and his credentials and have decided to get behind him largely because he's the only frontrunner who spoke at that event," he says. "As well as the fact that he has so much African-American support from his home state in Arkansas."

Nelson says that support played a big role in his decision to endorse Huckabee. "It was really easy for me to get behind a candidate [who] not only ... has the values or possesses those traditional values like marriage as well as being opposed to abortion, but also ... is able to articulate those values in an authentic way where African-Americans can embrace," says the pastor.

The coalition applauds Huckabee for making 300 "appointments of African-Americans to state boards, commissions and key executive level positions within the Arkansas state government." Among the African-American leaders endorsing Huckabee -- Star Parker of the Council on Urban Renewal and Education (CURE), and the president and vice president of Republicans for Black Empowerment, Donald Scoggins and Lorin Crenshaw.

[wardaddy]

what a wasted opportunity for someone lacking some key positions....in other ways I like him.....but he still gets a D

[rhombus]

One of those backers is Dean Nelson, an ordained Baptist minister who heads the Network of Politically Active Christians

Huckabee popular with Baptist ministers! Gasp! Who'd a thunk it?

[trumandogz]

And why is this in Breaking News?

[ElkGroveDan]

Who cares what color they are?

[July 4th]

This was expected after Ed Rollins signed on to the campaign.

In a breakfast meeting with Washington journalists, Rollins claimed that "street smart" New Jersey Republicans had doled out $500,000 in "walking-around money" to black ministers and Democratic Party activists on Whitman's behalf.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,979635-1,00.html

[Lancey Howard]

[reasonisfaith]

How can you repair the nation’s public school system if you’re opposed to vouchers?

I think Rush just mentioned Huckabee’s opposition to school choice today. Rush also clarified that Huckabee is not a conservative.

[papasmurf]

ZZZzzzz.

Does he have Barber, Watts, Steele? How ‘bout Akinyemi, Williams, or even Keyes?

Wake me up when gets the real Conservative black endorsements. ..

Dollars to doughnuts, those “Conservatives” voted dem.

[RockinRight]

First - who cares what color his supporters are?

Second - Unless I see names like Walter Williams, Michael Steele, Ken Blackwell, Larry Elder, Alan Keyes, or Bob Parks on that list, I don’t believe they’re black “conservatives.”

More like black religious people who are against abortion but like the government tit, just like the whites who support him.

[modest proposal]

liberals do

they know they get their power from patronizing people on the basis of ethinic group

[M203M4]

Bingo.

[RockinRight]

I hate this trend. The MSM does it, libs do it, even we do it ourselves...

We say that religious=conservative and that’s in no way true.

[conservative blonde]

I wish RUSH had clarified that Fred Thompson was the only authentic Reagan Conservative Republican running on the GOP ticket.

[Dog Gone]

I think more and more African-American conservatives have looked at Governor Huckabee and his credentials and have decided to get behind him largely because he's the only frontrunner who spoke at that event,"

Wow, it doesn't take much to get an endorsement.

[sure_fine]

figures

[Cicero]

I believe the statement that they are black leaders, ministers and so on. But I don’t believe that they are conservative, until I see more proof.

A black Baptist Minister? Where do we think all the Democrats go when they want to preach from a black pulpit? That doesn’t mean anything, unless we know who it is.

[Vigilanteman]

Duncan Hunter is better than Fred, who is my second choice. I think Rush is hedging his bets, but I think Fred will surprise many with a strong finish.

[conservative blonde]

I hope you are right. I like Duncan Hunter too but I think Fred had the “better known” aspect. People who saw him on Law and Order felt like they knew him so it was easier for them to accept Fred. Coming into your home on TV a couple of times (or more, re-runs) a week makes you almost one of the family. Whereas, Hunter was mostly an unknown and he certainly isn’t a pushy man so he was harder to get to know and not enough people knew who he was. Also,he was slighted and ignored with the questions on the so-called “debates” on TV.