Bush Aims to Connect With Black Voters

[maddezmom]

DETROIT - President Bush (news - web sites) tried to sow doubts among black voters Friday about their longtime alignment with Democrats as he sought to win over a group that overwhelmingly opposes him.


"Does the Democrat Party take African-American voters for granted? It's a fair question," Bush told the Urban League's annual convention. "I know plenty of politicians assume they have your vote. But did they earn it, and do they deserve it?"

~snip~

He did not mention his opposition to affirmative action in a case that touched off opposition in Michigan and nationwide.


In January 2003, Bush asserted that a program of racial preferences for minority applicants at the University of Michigan was "divisive, unfair and impossible to square with the Constitution." He took a position against the program in a Supreme Court case and did it on the birthday of civil rights hero Martin Luther King Jr.

~snip~
more: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=536&ncid=536&e=10&u=/ap/20040723/ap_on_el_pr/bush

[leesa]

1. Too funny! I certainly hope Kerry hammers his rich man's preference

that allowed him to go to college despite not qualifying.

[rocktivity]

32. Does the REPUBLICIAN party take black voters for granted?

That's an even fairer question?

:headbang:
rocknation

[snippy]

2. Did he mention his campaign in the 2000 South Carolina primary?

Or the republican association with the CCC?

[fob]

3. Connect With Black Voters?

You mean he's expecting to BOTH black republican votes this time?

[napi21]

4. I just saw the shrub "almost" hugging Jesse Jackson &

shaking hands and talking for quite a while with Al Sharpton. Very conveniently, the camera was showing the back of shrubs head, so I couldn't see his facial expressions. I must say, Jesse and Al weren't smiling.

I would have loved to be able to see the shrubs face! I believe a lot in reading feelings via mannerisms and expresssions.

[bif]

23. Jesse was practically beaming!

http://news.search.yahoo.com/search/news/?c=news_photos&p=george+bush

[Frances]

5. Did anyone ask him about voting problems in Florida?

[maddezmom]

6. AFP- Bush urges blacks to break with Democrats

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1506&ncid=696&e=2&u=/afp/20040723/ts_alt_afp/us_vote_bush_blacks

yeah...good luck with that shrub. LOL

[EEgrad2003]

7. He's got some nerve...

Has HE done ANYTHING to earn not only the African-American vote, but the votes of the common people. He did care when his brother's state threw out the voter rights of regular African-American citizens as well as convicts?

[stanwyck]

8. Did he mention how the GOP

in Michigan (from the mouth of State Senator Papageorge) wants to "suppress the Detroit vote"? Or how Katherine Harris, Bush's campaign manager for the state of Florida and, how convenient, the Secretary of State for Florida, did "suppress" the, how would Papageorge put this..."urban" vote?
How can black conservatives justify the disenfranchisement of voters by the GOP?
Making deals with the devil.

[EEgrad2003]

9. He's not concerned...

..if African-Americans vote for him, as long as he can create enough of a doubt in the minds of African-Americans so that they NOT to vote PERIOD.

[Gman]

10. Vote for me eventhough we're knocking as many of you off the voter rolls

as fast as we can. Maybe African-Americans can apply to their secretaries of state by stating since they intend to vote for Bush, they can have their name stricken from the purge lists.

This country is so far down the toilet...

[liberalmuse]

11. Perhaps he's right...

up to a point. Perhaps the Democratic Party does take black and other minority voters for granted, but the Republican Party treats them with utter contempt. Who am I kidding? The Republicans now in power treat ALL Americans, except for the ultra-rich, with utter contempt. That said, what the fuck kind of drugs is this guy taking? How does one get so delusional? It's a slap in the face to anyone with half a brain anytime Bush or one of his junta opens their mouths.

I do believe Democrats should try harder to understand the unique problems minority communities face in this country, and to at the very least begin to address them. Within another 50 years, the U.S. is going to have a HUGE 'minority' population. Let's start now!

[Connie_Corleone]

12. Black voters and the Democratic Party.

“Blacks are gagging on the donkey, but aren't yet ready to swallow the elephant."

Actual Bush quote from his urban league speech.



:eyes:

[Mace]

25. I heard that

I believe it was a quote from one of his best friends. First thing that popped in my mind was a sexual reference.

Maybe it's just me.

[Yupster]

31. I think a lot of people took it that way

After some snickers, Bush said, hey that was a quote from a long time ago.

[maddezmom]

33. CNN has shown this clip over and over today

with his Beavis and Butthead laugh :eyes:

[hatrack]

13. Bush couldn't connect with blacks with two tin cans and a spool of wire

nt

[DinahMoeHum]

14. In your dreams, George. You wish. Bwahahahaaa!!

While your brother's GOP knocks them off the voting rolls.

:kick:

[Tommy_Douglas]

15. I kind of agree with one point...

The DNC hasn't done enough for the black vote and I think they do take it for granted. Mind you as bad as indifference is the republicans only offer total class warfare against the blacks in this country.

[fearnobush]

17. I agree, we really need to take up core issues with in the Black community

not just lip service.

[sangh0]

24. Higher employment rates, higher rates of home ownership,

increased numbers with health insurance, lowered rates of unemployment, crime, drug abuse and teen pregnancy, all of which occurred while Clinton was President.

Can you explain how all of this is considered "taking black votes for granted"?

[LordActon]

16. lol

He should be more concerned with his white protestant base never mind going after other ethnic groups. Maybe he and Rove have drunk too much of the racist-far-right kool aid that believes that blacks have smaller brains and are easier to manipulate.

[Crankie Avalon]

18. I'll tell y'all the same thing...

I told those Urban Leaguers:

"Does the Democratic Party take African-American voters for granted? It's a fair question. I know plenty of politicians assume they have your vote...but what makes them think your votes will even be counted? Were "mistakes" made counting your votes in Florida in the 2000 election? Well, this time we're leaving nothing to chance by institutionating the use of "touch-screen" voting machines with no paper receipts to make sure none of your votes slip through. Problem solved. Mission accomplishered.

You're not applaudering? That's OK. FOX News will just dub the sound effect in during post productionifying.

As far as so-called 'affirmative action' goes, I've got two words fer ya: Compassionated Conpervertism. Us compassionated conperverteds believe in a world where no one will be dependent. We will each strive and achieve and succeed all by ourselves. We will get into Yale University and Harvard Business School with straight C's all by ourselves...we will dodge the draft by being put to the head of an eight year waiting list for the Texian Air National Guard by ourselves...we will be given oil companies to run into the ground and sell our shares of the week before they go bankrupt by ourselves...and we will finally land with our golden parachutes into the Presidentacy of the United States all by ourselves.

My Administragion has a vision where y'all can pull yourselves up by your own bootstraps--like I did.

A bold vision? You bet. But as your great civil rights leader Martin Lawrence Cosby so famously said, 'Dare to dream'--or something like that."

[playahata1]

22. LOL, whoever you are!

Welcome to DU. Perhaps.

[sangh0]

35. Dude, have some respect!

It's Mr Chimp-in-Chief!!

[bagnana]

19. the "Democrat" party

What an asshole. It is the "Democratic" party. He knows it and insists on using the right wing asshole description purposely adopted to be insulting and asshole-like. Asshole!

[Sandpiper]

20. So George, if the GOP isn't the Party of White Racists

Why did you appoint segregationist and klan sympathizer Charles Pickering to the Federal Bench?

Why also is your party friendly with the racist Council of Conservative Citizens?

[stanwyck]

21. and could you please

mention to the crowd all the names of the black GOP members of Congress.
cue crickets.

[LordActon]

26. yeah right.

"Bush Aims to Connect With Black Voters"

No he doesn't. He merely wants a news article in the Detroit Free Press that gets blacks thinking that neither party is for them so why bother voting.

[Demeter]

27. But, But--That's Assault!

Certainly a high crime and misdemeanor!

[maddezmom]

28. here's the TRANSCRIPT

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/07/20040723-8.html

[qwlauren35]

34. Thanks for sharing that.

I read it pretty much all the way through. I'm not sure I'd say it was short on content. It was an incredibly targetted speech, aimed specifically at the types of African-Americans who are leaning toward the Republican party. Entrepreneurs who benefit from Republican tax breaks, church-going moral types who see nothing wrong with a blending of church & state, and "pro-responsibility" types who figure if they could do it, so can everyone else... and whoever can't - to hell with 'em.

It was an incredibly well-crafted speech. I know a large number of black Republicans who will use it as ammo, quite successfully.

Now, the good part is, well there are two.

1.) The sound bites aren't good.
2.) The number of black folks he can really siphon off with this message is relatively small.

But I still think it will do some damage to Kerry.

[justjones]

41. Here's the transcript from his cancelled speech to the NAACP...

Link

[regularguy]

29. He doesn't really expect any Black votes...

he's just trying to appear non-racist for moderate suburban white folks.

[soleft]

30. There were an awful lot of white voters in that audience today

A saw over a dozen non minorities in the first several rows alone. I wonder exactly who was doing the applauding, meager that it was. Of course, CNN reported the applause as enthusiastic :eyes:

[progressivebydesign]

37. I'm sure the GOP had PLENTY of "friendlies" planted there...

.. Do any of us HONESTLY believe that Bush would speak to a group that could possibly turn on him? They HAD to have local GOP interspersed.. it was probably part of the deal. I'm not that familiar with the Urban League anymore.. It's not the NAACP, that I do know.. but beyond that, I have no idea how they lean.

[progressivebydesign]

36. Two words: Willie Horton.

That should remind any person of color of the absolute race-baiting, scumminess of the GOP, and the Bush family.

[progressivebydesign]

38. Okay... WHO set up the posters behind Bush????

I mean that was TOTALLY ROVIAN!!! Giant photos of smiling black families right behind Bush's head for EVERY photo! Seems like a "Mission Accomplished" moment. I'd love to know more about this group.. AND I'd LOVE to know why Jesse Jackson was acting like Bush was his long-long best friend... disgusting. The WHITE House will be all over that photo.. and all of those will be posted on Bush's website, for sure.

[deacon]

39. How? By picking more bigot judges? Give it up GW n/t

[Blue_Roses]

40. OF ALL THE GALL...but then we are talking about Bush here..

"Does the Democrat Party take African-American voters for granted? It's a fair question," Bush told the Urban League's annual convention. "I know plenty of politicians assume they have your vote. But did they earn it, and do they deserve it?"

Yeah, like Bush really deserves their vote...he didn't even show up for Mr. Byrd's funeral while governor of Texas after he had been dragged behind a truck to his death by some racists rednecks. Yeah, Bush really cares about the blacks:eyes:

This is so laughable and he BTW he looks like an idiot even more begging for their vote. What a slap in the face of African-Americans.

[0007]

42. junior should, cuz he can't connect with white or Hispanic voters

[candy331]

43. I know the Rev Ernest Ferrell mentioned in the transcript he is the

President of the Urban league Chapter in Tallahassee(Jeb's neck of the woods) and I seriously don't believe he would encourage any Dem to vote Repub maybe independent. Many Blacks will listen respectfully(remember at one time in the US they had no other choice but to do so) and perhaps applause but they do have a mind individually of their own. Listening respectfully and applauding does not mean one necessarily agrees with what is being said, many times it is just showing respect for the office/person as most people do. So nothing to see here folks, move along.

[drdtroit]

44. Disgusting:

Stay away from my city! :mad: