Michael Steele on the Democratic Party and Being Black

Posted on June 17, 2008
Filed Under Racism, Donkeys (D), Elephants (R) |

Imagine how race-based politics will play out if Steele instead of McCain was running against, let’s say… John Kerry. Something tells me African-Americans (who are overwhelmingly Donkeys) will get a headache.

Comments

5 Responses to “Michael Steele on the Democratic Party and Being Black”

  1. abdul-halim on June 21st, 2008 6:42 pm

    I’m not sure what you are getting at. African-Americans are overwhelmingly Democratic because the Democratic party does a good job of convincing most Black folks that they are better off under Democrats than Republicans.

    It might be challenging but not impossible for a Black Republican to make such a case for himself. Someone like Clarence Thomas or Alan Keyes doesn’t have much of a chance but Steele and Colin Powell are more moderate, in favor of Affirmative Action and, Powell has definitely been critical of Bush’s foreign policy.

  2. Drima on June 22nd, 2008 6:59 am

    Colin Powell *could* have a good chance because indeed he is a moderate. However people like Steele (whom I like along with Powell) are seen by many Black folks (the overwhelming majority of whom are Democrats) as “sell-outs” or so-called uncle toms (as are the majority of African Americans who are Republicans are also perceived).

    Thing is, will someone who is viewed as an “uncle tom” have a chance of getting the black vote if he was running for president?

  3. Ron on June 22nd, 2008 7:38 am

    I am an africanamerican republican and i am no sellout.

    africanamericans are more tolerant than you think and would support good republicans especially in the black belt.

    salaam

  4. Drima on June 22nd, 2008 8:44 am

    I am not saying you are Ron (just in case you misunderstood).

    I won’t claim to know the political dynamics of what’s discussed herein better than you. All I’m saying is this:

    1) The overwhelming majority of African Americans are Democrats.
    2) Many in this group (most?) *perceive* African American Republicans (who make up a small minority of Black folks) to be out-casts, so-called sell-outs or “Uncle Toms”, (which I think is stupid anyways).

    As far as my humble understanding goes, that’s how I see it. Am I wrong in this?

  5. Roman Kalik on June 22nd, 2008 7:41 pm

    Many things change in the political spectrum of the US. Once upon a time, the black vote was overwhelmingly in the favor of the Republicans, until the age of the New Deal. A lot of voters shifted - heck, the Democrats used to hold sway in many Southern areas, from what I’ve read.

    Things change. The slave liberators of yesterday became the complacent enablers of the segregated reality later on.

    The thing is, much has changed since then, too. But too many people seem to hold on to past labels, labels that are now decades old, which prevents them from seeing just how deep the changes have become - and just much they can change them yet further.

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