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Posted on 06/30/2005 9:35:37 PM PDT by neverdem
CLARION, Pa. - Lynn Swann, the Hall of Fame former wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers, stood before a nearly all-white Republican crowd at the Holiday Inn here recently and denounced Pennsylvania's Democratic governor, Edward G. Rendell, for failing to reduce property taxes. Then, without prompting, Mr. Swann suddenly turned the subject to race - his own.
"I'm not here to be the poster child for the Republican Party, to say they're being inclusive by running an African-American," said Mr. Swann, 54. "That's not why I'm here. I'm here to win."
Still, to many prominent Republicans, Mr. Swann, a commentator for ABC Sports, is much more than a potentially strong contender for governor in 2006. He is, they hope, part of a new crop of prominent black candidates who could help the Republicans crack, if not break, Democratic domination among black voters in several important states.
In Maryland, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania, black Republicans - all of whom have been groomed by the national party - are expected to run for governor or the United States Senate next year. Several other up-and-coming black Republicans are expected to run for lower statewide offices in Missouri, Ohio, Texas and Vermont in 2006.
It is not clear that local Republican organizations will embrace all of those candidates, and several face primaries. But national Republican leaders have been enthusiastically showcasing those blacks' campaigns, saying that whether those candidates win or lose, the party can still gain if blacks believe that Republicans are seriously courting their votes.
"You've got a Democratic Party which I think has repeatedly demonstrated that it assumes it will win the African-American vote, but doesn't work for that vote," Ken Mehlman, chairman of the Republican National Committee, said. "It takes African-Americans for granted. And I think folks in the African-American community..."
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
I disagree. Swann's race might help a little, very little. His big ticket is that he's a famous football player with a lot of fans. If he were neon orange, I don't think it would really matter.
You can certainly credibly argue that perhaps football isn't the best training ground for a Governor, but I think that status elevates him a lot more then anything else.
Back about the late 60's - early 70's (guess), there were random shootings of whites in San Francisco by a black gang the press dubbed the Zebra Killers.
SFPD warned the public about what to look for, based on the observances of some witnesses to the shootings, who basically saw a car full of black men approach groups of pedestrians or other cars in traffic, and then violently open fire with fusillades from a variety of weapons, then drive off.
SFPD was very alert for suspicious vehicles, that is, slow moving cars filled with male black passengers.
Lynn Swann and a bunch of his friends decided to go low-riding, slowly, through the streets of San Francisco.
Guess what? They got stopped. Swann raised hell at the scene, screamed that his civil rights were being violated, and later sued the City of SF.
As you can see, Swann had a big chip on his shoulder then, the kind, IMO, that doesn't ever go away.
I haven't heard much of him for a few years. I'll never trust him because of that incident in SF.
As others point out, the headline is pretty offensive. It's also stupid...any headline of the form "Party X Does Y To Get Votes" is pretty much a "Duh!" moment...
It's Bush's Fault.
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*****Here at the gubernatorial debate we have Lynn Swan, Hall of famer, Superbowl hero, Pitsburg Steelers legend, and some jacka$$ that is going to dare say something bad about him. Welcome gentlemen........*****
With those credentials anything bad they might say about him, will roll off his back faster than even the Hill/Billy's.
Thomas Sowell's 75th birthday went unnoticed by the RAT run MSM. Lynn Swan woudl be given a ton of publicity if he were a RAT. Of course, we saw how the MSM has treated Condi Rice, et al. How many times has Larry Elder beenon national TV? A bit less than Eleanor "Far Fringe Freak" Clift?
I hope the RAT party starts to be recognized for what it truly is--an organization out to grab power for a party, not power for the people.
We are about 99% sure you can add another name to this list -- J.C. Watts. Yesterday our current Lt Gov Mary Fallin and potential Governor candidate announced she is running for reelection. There is only one person in this State who could have made her not run for Governor, and that is J.C. Watts who is on a tour in Oklahoma to gauge support before he announces he is running for Governor. That's a slam dunk -- Oklahomans love J.C. and wanted him to run in 2002.
Looking forward to his announcement -- he came close at the OK GOP Convention but the people advising him didn't think it was the right time -- not everything in place. He has always given the speech about sacrificing to make things better for America but at our Convention he talked about sacrificing to make Oklahoma a better place and how much he missed being here in Oklahoma -- never heard that before in his speech.
How does Frizzel Gray look for winning the d's primary.
I guess what the NYT is telling me that I'm a racist if I want to vote for Lynn Swann, but a "progressive" if I were to vote for Colin Powell. I respect Mr. Powell for his many accomplishments, but I'm not sure that I would vote for him for an elected office.
I'm happy to vote for those who share my issues and beliefs, even if they don't share my color. Shoot, we only had one color when I was in the Army: olive-drab!
That is good news. If I had any criticism of J.C. it was his stepping away from leadership when he left the House. Yes, I'm putting an obligation on him but God made him special and living up to one's potential is a good thing, sort of a "noblesse oblige" mandate. If there is one thing that disappointed me about Newt is that he stepped away from it all under pressure. Lord knows the man had more than enough reason and that I wouldn't have lasted a fraction as long but it does make one wonder what will happen when the going gets tough again. J.C. did not leave under those circumstances so the same criticism doesn't apply. I am troubled a bit by the idea that he is being handled but I am probably inferring what you did not imply.
He's behind in early polls and in fundraising to Ben Cardin. Mfume has to be considered a large underdog.
Great sentiments on your local candidate, a few changes and they fit mine.
As for Keith ButlerLynn Swann, I'm probably going to vote for him. Not because he's black, but because he's pro-life, speaks his mind, is a good family man, pro-2nd amendment, and is not afraid to talk about border securityoutspoken on the issues of property tax relief and property rights as of late. He's also already involved with the current administration, although only on the President's athletic and fitness council. He's not a good "black candidate", but a good CANDIDATE who happens to be black.
Of course his football status is a plus. Celebrity is always a plus for a candidate these days.
We will have to respectfully disagree about his race helping 'very little.' I believe Swann's color nullifies the argument that would be made in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh 'working class' hoods that he's a racist. Uncle Tom charges don't stick well enough to drag in moderate blacks against a black man. If he were Hispanic he would be charged with racism against blacks, and even that might stick. But just as Clarence Thomas and Justice Brown got through the appointment process, so will Gov. Swann get through the electoral process--barring complete idiocy in the past or sheer stupidity in the future.
AHHHHH!!!!!
How sure are you that JC is running for Governor?!?!?
I love him SO MUCH!!!
That, and wazzhisname needs to be PUNISHED for beating Steve Largent. I was so mad about that. Stupid *$&# independent stealing all of Largent's votes.
Anyhow, I'd actually kinda like to see Largent going for it again, mostly just because I thought he got the shaft in a really weird situation, but JC is the man. I'd be extatic if he runs.
Why would they be able to paint him as a racist if he's white? Or is that just a thing in Phili, paint every R as a racist?
With Mary Fallin announcing she is running for reelection as Lt Governor, the bet is that J.C. is running because she would run for Governor if not for J.C. announcing. My sources are pretty solid so unless something unforeseen happens, J.C. will be our next Governor IMHO!
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