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.
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!
"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.
Same reason they ignore needles in haystacks?
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?
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.