Ehrlich/Steele's Unique Appeal

Baltimore Sun ^ | 11/12/02 | Allegra Bennett

[Coop]

Had the Democrats chosen an African-American running mate in Maryland's race for governor, I never would have had my head turned by Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. and Michael S. Steele.

The Democrats needed to form a bond in three geographic areas key to a win, and had solid candidate potential in former Baltimore Mayor Kurt L. Schmoke, Prince George's County Executive Wayne K. Curry, veteran Montgomery County Council member Isiah Leggett and Clarence W. Blount, a senior respected member of the state legislature. None was selected. It seems that no matter how accomplished he is, a black man can get no respect. So when Congressman Ehrlich chose the telegenic Mr. Steele as his lieutenant governor, he got my attention.

In a color-struck society such as ours, a black guy and a white guy teaming up and calling each other friend raises either a warm feeling of hope or a brow of suspicion. In this instance, you had a smart, confident white guy from Arbutus who failed the NAACP's legislative decency test and a smart, confident black guy from Prince George's County who failed the "Is He Black Enough?" test. They are both Republicans. Suspicion was very high. I had to at least look.

Who were these guys? How serious could they be about winning in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1, where an African-American had never been elected to statewide office, where black Republicans are treated as non-persons, and where the white state Senate president feels comfortable calling the black candidate an Uncle Tom in public?

No, those two couldn't be serious. Besides, if any political party was going to be the first to select a serious black running mate in this state, it was the friends of black folks, the Democrats. When the time was right, of course.

Unfortunately, the time was not right this time for the party for which I have been a loyalist for 38 years...

[Coop]

No problem at all. Regards

[Coop]

Did you know that Michael Steele is a Pro-Life practicing Catholic?

I did not, thanks. I like that guy more and more. :-)

[HoosierFather]

Thanks for the data. Leading up to the election, KKT was not pulling 90% of the black vote. So, when black voters in MD get into the polling booth, they appear to go into auto-pilot and pull the Democrat lever. Thus, any progress by Ehrlich-Steele with the black vote in MD was in fact minimal, only a few percent at best. Too bad! Maybe after 4 years exposed to Ehrlich and Steele, more blacks will be be influenced.