Posted on 08/02/2008 5:42:26 AM PDT by bocopar
I do want John McCain to win in November. Consider the alternative.
I've personally been told to tread easy and not make the McCain Campaign mad, but there's certain things that need be said, and I'm proud of my tendency of saying things that need be said by those who don't want to make waves.
John McCain's overtures to black groups like the NAACP, and now the Urban League may make for well-needed press, but at the same time, why do Republicans continue to ignore the one group of black folk they KNOW will vote for them: black Republicans?
(Excerpt) Read more at black-and-right.com ...
Black Republicans aren’t the only ones being ignored.
I think McCain deserves credit for this visit to the Urban League yesterday. He stood up for his beliefs, discussed why vouchers are important for education, and did not pander. He actually impressed me with this one. McCain has had a good week.
Agree.
Excellent article! In fairness, I must mention that there are a few black conservative Republicans that have publicly stated that it will be difficult for them not to vote for the first black candidate to have a real shot at becoming POTUS. I can not see how any true conservative, whatever his skin color, could even contemplate such a thing!
Touche.
"We need more pulling the wagon than sitting in it."
(grin)
Thanks for speaking up again, Bob. Good rant.
Unfortunately, there are just not that many black Republicans, despite our desire to believe that there is. (yes, a few notable high profile black Republicans are pundits).
Besides, what would you like McCain to say or do that would make them 'more' supportive ....
Anything McCain could say to black Republicans would also apply to all peoples and ethnicities... so why would he want to single out black Republicans and be perceived as pandering.
Yes, I know he is already attempting to single out Hispanics by appearing before various Spanish groups, both liberal and conservative.
Lastly, I've always wondered McCain or any Republican could do or say SPECIFICALLY that would attract black voters?
Give a speech in an urban setting with an all black audience??
Stand on stage with a black Republican everyone can recognize?
Short of promising programs that specifically targets blacks, I'm not exactly sure what he can do.
I agree. When you get in the confines of the voting booth...alone...people will remember the man.
McCain is the true uniter here. Many of us here are churning inside, but let’s face it...he’s appealing to a wider group than just a few, and this year we need all the votes we can get.
EXACTLY! I don’t vote/not vote for someone because of COLOR! (Actually, I am rather partial to teal. LOL)
Ken Blackwell was a wonderful candidate for Ohio governor, he won the primary, and yet, the Ohio RNC wouldn’t support him, gave him very little financial support because their lap dog Jim Petro, was their “pick”.
So now, we are stuck with “Stricknine”, a lib Dem.
By the way, Ken is a TRUE Black, and I’m as white as this background!
I heard he got a standing ovation at the end of his presentation. Of course, the MSM infobabe made sure to point out that Lord Obama would get a better reception next week. No bias there, nope.
Alia,
I’m sure you may have seen some of the vid clips of his speeches, and he’s being careful. Yes, the things he’s saying are important, but how many of those in that room are going to vote for him?
Contrast that to the great reception you’ll see Obama get today, every hour on the news.
It’s not “pandering” if you meet with your base.
It’s “pandering” when you go meet with people who are hostile to your ideas, purely so you can say you did.
Most likely explanation. The national Republican Party seems to be permeated with terminal stupidity.
Same reason they ignore needles in haystacks?
Ken Blackwell is astute. I wanted him for governor.
Contrast that to the great reception you’ll see Obama get today, every hour on the news.
Even folks in those audiences, McCain is reaching out to, know the prophecies from the book of Revelations, and many even more know the gospels very well.
John McCain, in comparison, is riding into town on an ass. So to speak. ;>
John McCain had his arms and body broken standing for what he believes in.
I hear Obama has changed his mind on "drilling". I guess he realizes he must change his metrosexual image, a tad.
Not sure I agree completely with that.
To me, pandering would be when you go meet with people who are hostile to your ideas and promise them crap that you promised to no one else and that you have no intention of delivering.
I think you MUST go meet with people hostile to your ideas, just to make sure they know, from the horse's mouth, what your ideas are.
You should be delivering the same message when you campaign in the North, the South, at the Urban League, or wherever/whomever!
I did more "liberal" events speaking the conservative position than I did conservative. Why, because they needed to hear the message most. Berkeley, innercity Oakland, socialist megotropolis(es) north of San Francisco.. Liberal radio throughout the state, liberal print and press... It's called "spreading the good word".
It was a pure easy delight when I did stuff with conservatives and Republicans.
By far, the most important way for black Americans to become important to both parties is to become part of political campaigns. That is, volunteer for campaigns at all levels. Become functionaries. Become essential to Republican campaigns.
Political campaigns are crude affairs. If given their druthers, most normal people want nothing to do with them. Most people would prefer even to just give money than to participate. But participants are lobbyists. They have the ear of the candidate.
This works at *all* levels. Local, State and federal. If black people are with a mayor or city councilmen while they are running for office, they can always, always get his attention. They can sway both the candidate to support and oppose important things. Things that matter to the campaign worker personally, and things that matter to his community.
In short, black Americans should make running candidates for office an important part of black culture. They must become known individually as an *essential* part of a campaign. As experts in campaigning.
Look at Karl Rove. He has the ear of the POTUS, day or night. Democrats are terrified of him, his abilities, and his influence. Imagine how different the W. Bush terms in office would have been had Karl Rove been black?
Condoleeza Rice, as National Security Adviser and even as Secretary of State, still has to argue with others to persuade W. Bush what she thinks is best, and what she wants. But *nobody* is going to argue against what Karl Rove says, or he is going to lose.
Rove began his political career in high school. An ordinary high school student who walked into the campaign office of a US Senator and asked to work for him. He was made a “representative for his high school”. Sounds pretty unimportant, doesn’t it?
In twenty years of working for Republican candidates, he now has total access to the President of the United States, who has to listen to whatever he says.
This is how it is done.
But no one gets pandered to like The Latino Republicans. What must they be? 20% of Latino voters at best?
Ken Blackwell didn’t play well with Rockefeller Republicans here in Ohio.
Blackwell would have made a GREAT governor. His 300 page plan was available and it was full of great idea.
Strickland ran as a conservative dem (pro life) and said he’d release his plan after the election.
Hey, Ted, where’s your plan?
All I’ve heard from the dems here in Ohio is a 3% surcharge on gross receipts and a 3.5% employer payroll tax. As a small business owner, I’m not encouraged to expand and grow my business by these prospects!
Bob, I’m getting the idea you are thinking something else. And it’s an excellent thought. I gotta think about this some more; cause I think you have something there. TrueBlackman said something like this month or so ago. I’m beginning to hear that clicking thing. I’m hearing it.
Thanks for your boldness and courage. I hope the Republican Party listens to you and gets the black Republicans more involved. It seems certain that such publicity would help to increase the number of blacks who would have the courage to stand with you.
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