Bush campaign looks to young black voters

star-telegram/AP ^ | Sep 30, 04 | Genaro C. Armas

[churchillbuff]

Black political leaders such as Jesse Jackson have convinced African-Americans that they are victims who must vote Democratic to erase decades of discrimination, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson contended Wednesday.

The HUD secretary said President Bush's campaign is trying to counter that by focusing on younger black voters, rather than those who grew up during the civil rights era of the 1960s. Those voters have especially "been conditioned that if you are Republican and white, you hate black people, and that's nonsense," he said in an interview with The Associated Press.

Alphonso Jackson, 58, said Republicans are focusing on blacks younger than 40 who are looking "at issues from the perspective of the candidate who best meets my need, just like any other American."

An AP-Ipsos poll earlier this month found that 75 percent of blacks younger than 45 supported Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry, compared with 76 percent of those 45 and older.

The Texas native and Bush friend, had harsh words for Jesse Jackson, NAACP Chairman Julian Bond and NAACP President Kweisi Mfume.

"They have made a living telling black people they are victims," said Alphonso Jackson, a former public housing director in Dallas, who said he switched from the Democratic Party in 1984. "As long as they keep them in victim mode, they have liberals who will take care of them."

Jesse Jackson called the HUD chief's comments a diversion to avoid issues such as the economy and the war in Iraq, and he added that Alphonso Jackson should focus on creating affordable housing.

"His analysis has nothing to do with his job assignment," the civil rights leader said.

Jesse Jackson joined Kerry's campaign Wednesday as a senior adviser and said he would focus efforts on voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts. He criticized Republicans for launching what he called "voter suppression schemes."

Also on Wednesday, Kerry scheduled a "religious summit meeting" with Jesse Jackson and 300 other black religious leaders from around the nation Monday in Philadelphia.

The moves come amid recent polls that show Kerry's support slipping among blacks. Kerry officials said Jesse Jackson will travel to battleground states to energize Democratic support for Kerry and running mate Sen. John Edwards.

A Pew Research Center poll released Tuesday showed 73 percent of blacks supporting Kerry, down from 83 percent in August. Bush's support among blacks was at 12 percent, up from 6 percent. In 2000, Democrat Al Gore captured 90 percent of the black vote to Bush's 9 percent.

In an interview to be published in the November issue of Essence magazine, Kerry said he has made a strong effort to reach out to the black community and dismissed criticism to the contrary.

[LDub]

Bush has my vote AND my boyfriend's!!!!!

[Samurai_Jack]

"His analysis has nothing to do with his job assignment," the civil rights leader said.

I guess that Je$$e Jack$$on is not a big believer in EMPOWERMENT.

[ProudGOP]

An AP-Ipsos poll earlier this month found that 75 percent of blacks younger than 45 supported Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry, compared with 76 percent of those 45 and older.

Wow. What a generational shift.

[Logical me]

"Jesse Jackson joined Kerry's campaign Wednesday as a senior adviser and said he would focus efforts on voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts. He criticized Republicans for launching what he called "voter suppression schemes." Name one effort by the Republicans that they have tried to suppress a single black person from registering or voting. They can not but will lie. CRATS are liars of the highest order. Anything out of the mouth of Jackson has to be taken with a grain of salt. He distorts so bad it makes me sick.