Thursday, July 15, 2004
MSNBC makes a reasonably good case for the importance of courting the black vote. What they can't explain - what probably no one can explain - is why George W. Bush is trying so hard to lose that segment of the population.
Yes, blacks are overwhelmingly Democratic, but every 4 years - usually at some point 9-12 months away from a presidential election - one hears Republican strategists musing about cutting into this demographic. They talk about using the voucher issue - which is a potent wedge between the party's secular leadership and inner city African American supporters. Or about values - since many black Democrats are fairly conservative on the values spectrum.
But somehow all that musing never amounts to much. A certain candidate will miss the NAACP convention or go to Bob Jones University and that will be that. Republican musings about the black vote would be more meaningful if they had the foggiest idea about how to get it.
Yes, blacks are overwhelmingly Democratic, but every 4 years - usually at some point 9-12 months away from a presidential election - one hears Republican strategists musing about cutting into this demographic. They talk about using the voucher issue - which is a potent wedge between the party's secular leadership and inner city African American supporters. Or about values - since many black Democrats are fairly conservative on the values spectrum.
But somehow all that musing never amounts to much. A certain candidate will miss the NAACP convention or go to Bob Jones University and that will be that. Republican musings about the black vote would be more meaningful if they had the foggiest idea about how to get it.
