An article in today's Washington Post asks whether the same might be said about the current Republican field for president. This comes as a result of their refusal to participate in a debate moderated by Tavis Smiley at Morgan State University that is to be aired on PBS. It's the second such snub in a month. The same candidates (save John McCain) also took a pass on appearing at a debate on Spanish-language channel Univision.
Well, more than a few people inside the party are not happy. Here's former candidate Jack Kemp, who enjoyed huge support in the African American community:
"We sound like we don't want immigration; we sound like we don't want black people to vote for us. What are we going to do--meet in a country club in the suburbs one day? If we're going to be competitive with people of color, we've got to ask them for their vote."Newt Gingrich has dabbled in Spanish, and doesn't like what he's seeing, either:
"For Republicans to consistently refuse to engage in front of an African American or Latino audience is an enormous error. I hope they will reverse their decision and change their schedules. I see no excuse--this thing has been planned for months, these candidates have known about it for months. It's just fundamentally wrong. Any of them who give you that scheduling-conflict answer is disingenuous. That's baloney."Ouch. President Bush took 40% of the Hispanic vote in 2004. Anybody want to lay odds on the percentage a Republican will garner from African Americans or Latinos this time around?
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. DOES ANYONE REALLY CARE ABOUT BLACK PEOPLE? SAME OLD, SAME OLD, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, THE WORLD OWES ME A LIVING, RAG. IT IS SOOOOOOOOOOO TIRESOME.
IRONBLUEEYES at 2:14PM on Sep 19th 2007
2. 1. DOES ANYONE REALLY CARE ABOUT BLACK PEOPLE? SAME OLD, SAME OLD, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, THE WORLD OWES ME A LIVING, RAG. IT IS SOOOOOOOOOOO TIRESOME.
IRONBLUEEYES at 2:14PM on Sep 19th 2007
V -Four out of five racists agree....
Ventrue at 9:13PM on Sep 19th 2007
3. Care about negros how? If they want to join the rest of America, fine. If they insist on ebonics, their own leaders (hijackson and not-so-sharpton), cry about racism (when there's nobody more racist than a colored person), insist on special rights, demand compensation for being brought to a country and having a better life, and on, and on, and on, they can leave. The boat goes two ways. There have been a lot more oppressed people in this country that don't complain--the Japanese and Italians being jailed during WWII, the Irish, etc...
jscotthhi at 7:02AM on Sep 20th 2007
4. Care about negros how? If they want to join the rest of America, fine. If they insist on ebonics, their own leaders (hijackson and not-so-sharpton), cry about racism (when there's nobody more racist than a colored person)....
jscotthhi at 7:02AM on Sep 20th 2007
"Negros"? "Colored person"? Hello....the Jim Crow South called. They want their redneck back.
BTW, jscotthhi....the Japanese complained loudly and successfully enough to be awarded REPARATIONS....y'know that nasty "r" word that conservatives hate so much?
Ventrue at 3:35AM on Sep 21st 2007
5. First, racism is racism, and it's in all, but it is the number one tool used by White America to oppress, and insult non Whites. The Republican Party has become a mirror image of the Germany Nazi party, using the same rules, laws, and reasoning to break laws, and to exhibit disregard for anyone not White. Sadly, many of the respondents here subscribe to that failed ideal
No they don't have to, but in a national democracy, and one where supposedly all have an equal voice, if for no other reason, it would be common courtesy, if not common sense, for any candidate to want to address all citizens.
The Republican Nazi Party clearly demonstrate they have no interest or concern in Afrimericans, and Afrimericans need to except that and act accordingly.
AFRIMERICAN at 9:37PM on Oct 10th 2007
6. Black audiences?
Latino audiences?
Why do they segregate themselves?
Cactus Wren at 1:30AM on Oct 11th 2007