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Record has minorities giving (Jeb) Bush a new look
St. Petersburg Times ^ | July 6, 2002 | STEVE BOUSQUET

Posted on 07/06/2002 4:16:43 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife

"This is a crazy thing," Bush told a gathering of African-American community leaders Wednesday. "This conservative Republican actually has a better record than my predecessor on many of these issues. I'm not ashamed of that. I'm very proud of it. And I hope all of you will give me a chance."

Crazy? Savvy is more like it. It's one more sign of how formidable a candidate Bush will be this fall.

Two years ago, Bush could not have come within 1,000 feet of Sistrunk Boulevard, the main thoroughfare in Fort Lauderdale's black community, without drawing a picket line.

This was the governor whose One Florida plan ended race as a factor in state contracts and university admissions and led to the biggest, angriest protests Floridians had seen in years. Tens of thousands picketed him. Like the Freedom Riders of the 1960s, they rode buses all night long to protest the end of affirmative action.

"Jeb Crow," they cruelly called him. "We will remember in November."

They meant November 2000. Unfortunately for the Democrats, Jeb Bush was not on the ballot in Florida that year -- though, if memory serves, his brother George W. was.

Another November is drawing near. Jeb Bush is ahead in every poll, sits atop a mountain of money and has a brother in the White House. He's favored to win again without black votes.

Standing before a group that should be solidly in the Democratic column, Bush asserted this week that he merits reelection, or at least a re-examination of his record by black voters.

He declared Florida more diverse than ever. He cited increases in black admissions and contracts under One Florida. He noted that he appointed the first black man to the Broward Circuit Court bench in 23 years, and backed a new law school at Florida A&M, support for historically black colleges, faith-based efforts and an education policy that he said gives every kid an equal chance.

"The record is clear," Bush said.

As if on cue (and maybe it was), the patriarch of one of Broward's largest black churches rose, as if addressing his flock. The Rev. Dr. Mack King Carter said that if what Bush was saying was true, "we have a lot of homework to do." The pastor was rewriting political scripture. Democrats in Broward, black or white, do not vote for candidates named Bush.

The governor's audience was chosen with care by Dorsey Miller, a black Republican from Fort Lauderdale who holds the title of "African-American outreach coordinator" for the campaign.

Democratic Rep. Chris Smith, who backed Bush in 1998, was vilified by some constituents and withdrew his support after One Florida, heard about the governor's visit to his district.

He said Bush is playing a "shell game," exaggerating his accomplishments, especially in education. Although Smith concedes minorities are doing better under One Florida, he says the way Bush implemented it, by executive order, remains a painful memory.

"The emotional wear-and-tear he needlessly put on the African-American community outweighs it," Smith said. "He got rid of affirmative action at the stroke of a pen with a smile on his face."

Back in March 2000, when students and state workers sang civil rights songs and camped outside his office, Bush looked like toast. But as this week's reaction in Fort Lauderdale showed, that was a long time ago. His guests applauded him, then stood in line awaiting the requisite photo with the governor.

The fleeting memories of Florida voters are one more asset in Bush's political arsenal. When was the last time you saw somebody holding a One Florida protest sign?

-- Steve Bousquet is deputy chief of the Times' Tallahassee bureau.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: education
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NAACP's focus shifts to education disparities***The state of Florida did submit an action plan after the deadline, Jackson explained, but NAACP officials were not satisfied with the state's commitment to the issue and decided to file a federal complaint against the state anyway. NAACP leaders are chagrined that Florida Gov. Jeb Bush has refused to support the NAACP's call for a referendum to reduce class size for all public school students.

But Bush has been at odds with the civil rights group throughout his tenure as governor, starting with his "One Florida Initiative," which ended the use of race as a factor in university admissions. The relationship became more strained after the contested Florida presidential election. Bush spokeswoman Lisa Gates has accused the NAACP of playing politics and ignoring the real progress Florida has made in closing the achievement gap. Officials in Ohio and Louisiana, which did not submit action plans, have also defended their progress in closing the achievement gap.***

1 posted on 07/06/2002 4:16:43 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
I don't think Jeb will draw as many black votes as he did in 1998 on his first successful bid for the Governorship, but he can siphon away enough to deny Janet Reno or long shot Rat candidate Lawrence Mc Bride a victory. Much of the animosity against Jeb appeared to be connected to the perception his brother George stole the 2000 election but 911 took much of the sting out of it. He's one of the few Republicans in the country willing to go into a Rat stronghold. Name me ONE occasion where Reno has tried to address a Pubbie group. You get the idea. Its looking up for Jeb in November!!!
2 posted on 07/06/2002 4:22:46 AM PDT by goldstategop
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
Oh how I wish the black community would wake up and smell the coffee. The GOP ideas will help their community in the long run, but their mistrust always gets in the way of their seeing that. It appears so many of them would prefer to stay on the lib/dem plantation.
3 posted on 07/06/2002 4:39:33 AM PDT by anniegetyourgun
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To: summer
fyi
4 posted on 07/06/2002 10:00:13 AM PDT by Free the USA
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To: goldstategop
I think he will surprise everyone and win more black votes than in 1998 - thanks to vouchers, and the other facts about his record.
5 posted on 07/06/2002 11:41:17 AM PDT by summer
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To: Free the USA
Thanks for the ping on this great article - Gov Bush is one gutsy guy, and it's about time he started blowing his own horn to the black community.
6 posted on 07/06/2002 11:42:15 AM PDT by summer
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
Good post! :)
7 posted on 07/06/2002 11:42:41 AM PDT by summer
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
"The emotional wear-and-tear he needlessly put on the African-American community outweighs it," Smith said. "He got rid of affirmative action at the stroke of a pen with a smile on his face."

BTW, this statement is so bogus it's pathetic. I notice he omits how the black community screamed in the face of Gov Bush at several public meetings he had with them about One FL, not that screaming presented a coherent point of view or anything.

And, "smile on his face" was not what he had when he was forced to quickly and thoughtfully weigh the divisive nature of a potential ballot amendment on this issue, verses his own belief he was doing the right thing in avoiding such a divisive issue in a state like this.

As it turns out -- he did the right thing. And, even some black leaders who opposed him at the time now agree on that.
8 posted on 07/06/2002 11:53:19 AM PDT by summer
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To: Cincinatus' Wife; goldstategop; anniegetyourgun; FreeTally
FYI --

Independent commission: Gov. Bush's One FL plan working
[Jeb's former critics: 'no comment']

9 posted on 07/06/2002 11:55:13 AM PDT by summer
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To: Free the USA; FreeTally
I meant to ping you,Free the USA, and not FreeTally on my post #9! Sorry!
10 posted on 07/06/2002 11:55:57 AM PDT by summer
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To: Cincinatus' Wife; goldstategop; Free the USA; anniegetyourgun
FYI - Here is the true story of how a conservative GOP gov, named Jeb Bush, restored a black law school the black community had been fighting to restore for decades....

'The Jeb Bush Nobody Knows' - Part 9:
How Jeb Helped Inspire Blacks to March as One Florida

11 posted on 07/06/2002 11:58:19 AM PDT by summer
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To: summer
bttt
12 posted on 07/06/2002 11:59:12 AM PDT by Free the USA
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To: SpookBrat; not-alone; livius; Kryptonite; jalisco555; seekthetruth; Joe Boucher; Amore; ...
FYI. Also, check out my essay in post #11 if you missed it the first time around! :)
13 posted on 07/06/2002 12:01:41 PM PDT by summer
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To: Free the USA
Thanks! :)
14 posted on 07/06/2002 12:01:59 PM PDT by summer
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To: All

Gov Jeb Bush on a recent campaign stop in Dem
stronghold, Ft. Lauderdale, Broward County, FL.

15 posted on 07/06/2002 12:03:47 PM PDT by summer
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To: summer
Bush bump!
16 posted on 07/06/2002 12:08:02 PM PDT by MeekOneGOP
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To: MeeknMing
bttt
17 posted on 07/06/2002 12:11:36 PM PDT by summer
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To: summer
bump
18 posted on 07/06/2002 12:45:19 PM PDT by not-alone
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
The sky didn't fall on Florida minorities as Black seperatists predicted when Jeb Bush instituted the One Florida program....

The author is obviously too filled with leftist hate to give minorities and credit for having the judgement to support a candidate on his/her merits.

19 posted on 07/06/2002 12:55:29 PM PDT by cake_crumb
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To: not-alone
bttt
20 posted on 07/06/2002 1:01:13 PM PDT by summer
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