It's the waterfall effect. First, the Black Leadership of various powerful organizations such as the NAACP have noticed that Blacks have unlimited opportunities under President Bush (e.g. Secretary of State). Said leadership manages to cobble together the thought that previous Democratic Party opportunities were not available to them.
...then, a single Black leader jumps ship and finds a warm welcome in the Republican Big Tent. After that, two more jump, then still more. The waterfall begins.
We're almost there. Congressmen Ford hasn't missed the fact that Democratic leaders have snubbed him for promotions. Newly minted Senator Obama has already lept over him, as has lilly-White Nancy Pelosi.
Does Kweisi Mfume want an Ambassadorship to Angola? Such a switch could be the start of a waterfall.
Does Donna Brazile want to work for a Party that supports school choice vouchers, or does she instead want to be continually snubbed by the lilly-White New England elites who are frequently winning the Democratic Party's Presidential nominations over the years?
Hmmm...Party of Lincoln or Party of NE White Elites...decisions, decisions...