African American voters have a more favorable impression of and generally approve of President Bush more now than in 2001. There is a definite correlation in these increases with the events in response to September 11th. African Americans in the Bush Administration also are enjoying a rise in favorability with Colin Powell in a virtual dead heat with Rev. Jesse Jackson in terms of favorability among African Americans.
The Democratic Party is declining in terms of perception among African Americans with the GOP reaping some benefits in the polling data. However, there must be steps taken to allow this to translate to gains in November.
The issues of concern to African Americans do not differ greatly from that of the rest of the nation. The concerns about the economy, foreign policy and the new threats of terrorism rank highly among all Americans. Therefore, in building a message, a candidate can rely on similar themes in reaching the African American voter base.
It should be noted that the employment of school choice in the message could resonate as support is growing. Nearly half of the respondents stated that they would place their child in a private or charter school if given the choice. It will be interesting to see this preference exercised in a practical sense as a result of the Supreme Court ruling upholding the constitutionality of vouchers.
Ashland, Missouri
(I check to see if this had been posted, but couldn't find that it had...)
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I think Condi, Powell, and Paige should be out on the campaign trail this fall.
Colin Powell is an appeaser, but Jesse Jackson is a weasel.
And no Rev.
Jesse is to Blacks as Yassir is to Palestinians:
That is, an exploiter in saviour's clothing.
Jesse began his career jiving that he was with Dr. King on the balcony of the Lorraine--and wore his Shroud of Turin shirt to "prove it".
Three and half decades of comsymp gangster extorting tax cheating wife-cheating slush funding later, and he is still all jive all the time.
Condoleezza Rice is the sublime.
Jessir Arafat is the ridiculous.