From the Washington Post:
An internal document prepared by a top Democratic strategist warns that a majority of African American voters in Maryland are open to supporting Republican Senate candidate Michael S. Steele and advises the party not to wait to “knock Steele down.”
The 37-page report says a sizable segment of likely black voters—as much as 44 percent—would readily abandon their historic Democratic allegiances “after hearing Steele’s messaging.”
“Governor Ehrlich and [Lt. Gov.] Michael Steele have a clear ability to break through the Democratic stronghold among African American voters in Maryland,” says the March 27 report by Cornell Belcher, polling consultant for the Democratic National Committee, which bases its findings on a survey of 489 black voters in Maryland conducted last month.
The report, given to The Washington Post this week, drills into a topic that has emerged as a key focus of this year’s U.S. Senate contest in Maryland: race.
In 2002, Steele became the first African American elected to statewide office in Maryland, and he has designed his Senate campaign to cut into the black support that has traditionally flocked to Democrats.
More than a half-dozen Democrats are vying for the open seat being vacated by Paul S. Sarbanes (D), including the former head of the NAACP, Kweisi Mfume.
[My emphases]
44% eh?
Hmmm. Well, I’m no mathematician, but if my calculations are correct (and taking into account that this document likely overstates Steele’s appeal among black voters) that would mean Steve Gilliard—recent defender of Cynthia McKinney’s assault on a police officer (“it’s a black thing, we wouldn’t understand”) and one-time minstrelizer of Mr Steele (“ibid”)—is going to need, let’s see…a shitload of Oreos cookies, particularly if the aim is to “knock Steele down”.
Which, I question that strategy, I must admit. I mean, cookies are fine for symbolism and snacking and the like. But a nice heavy stone would be far better for knocking an Uncle Tom race traitor off his big white ofay horse, I should think.
Not that I want to give these acolytes of “tolerance” any ideas.
****
(h/t Ace, who has more)
Jeff, you know Oreo cookies don’t exist.
Is Bill CLinton, the “first black president,”, a “reverse Oreo,” then?
Why not just throw some slot machines at him. Better, at his backyard.
I’m thinking more along the lines of hockey pucks. They could always paint a thin white stripe around the edge in the middle.
That way they could have the symbolism of the oreo cookie but the felling power of a rock.
I think we have a fine chance for this to be the ugliest, meanest, most vile Democratic campaign of 2006. Wonder what the odds in London would be on that? Don’t the Brits bet on everything?
I don’t know Major. McKinney is running for reelection, isn’t she? Some pretty vile stuff can come out of her mouth.
My favorite quip from that article:
I was just waiting for Bostis to say, “Don’t these uppity negros know they’re supposed to fall in line like they did last time?”
If this election follows the data projections in this article, the Dems reliance on historical identity politics is like a pack of Oreos left open on Michael Moore’s desk: one-minute you thought it was there, the next: devoured by a fat body with no mercy.
What happened to the black negroe’s gratitude to democrats? This is disgusting, this abandoning the sinking ship. Democrats present the best posturing for black negroes and should be rewarded with their vote. I am disgusted by this threatened disloyalty to the cause.
rls,
McKinney is in a safe seat – Steele threatens to take a Senate spot away…
If Keith Butler wins the nomination in Michigan, and with Blackwell running for Ohio governor against both the Democrats and some of his own party (he’s anti-tax while Ohio Repubs raise them with glee), this could be a REALLY ugly election.
No, birdshit.
As for Steele, I’d love to think that he could possibly get 1/3 or more of the black vote, but I’m not getting excited yet. The black votiing monolith’s ultimate and inevitable demise has long been predicted, but it has proven resilient in almost every election. You might remember just a few years ago that Bush was polling amazingly well with blacks, yet his share of the black vote in ‘04 was little more than it was in ‘00. Blacks, it seems and actually like most Americans, will entertain the idea of changing their voting patterns, but when it’s time to cast their votes they stay faithful to habit(also like most other Americans–the “independent voter” who crosses party lines every election is a myth borne of vanity). And with blacks, the impetus to vote Democratic is two-fold. As we all know, the spectre of racism from the “white” party is played up shamelessly and cynically by Democrats and their allies. But also, there seems to be a widely held belief among blacks that both the federalist syste (not to be confused with the federal government itself, which acts more like a central government nowadays) and the capitalist system are intrinsicly unfair to minorities. Personally, I can understand this point of view given America’s history, and I don’t see it changing until the achievments of blacks in a post-racist America aggregate further.
So, to the point about Steele, I seriously doubt he’ll do better than say 1/5 of the black vote, maybe 1/4 depending on his oppenent. History simply doesn’t suggest that the black voting monolith will shatter, but rather that it’ll just wear down over time. At the very best we can hope that some completely unforseeable circumstance or especially charismatic figure could change things quickly, or that the bloc will wear to a certain part, and then break apart quickly, much like a failing dam.
Steve Gilliard and most of the authors of his comments are absolutely nuts. Wow. And did you know Rice used to work for GB 41 but quit since the secret service wouldnt allow her on air force one? Most likely because she was black? And a woman? Who knew?
I’d imagine PG County would love to have one of Their Own in the Senate. 44% isn’t that hard to believe.
Of course it leaves a strong majority of Black voters following the Donkey.
Some day more of them will ask “What have they done for me lately”
Black Man Mired In Identity Politics: “Not be rich whiteys?”
Black Man Mired In Identity Politics: “Sorry, I meant to say crackas. I’m still new at this caricature thing.â€Â
Did you say you’d like to see where wagering stands on this race?
As we speak, it’s not looking good for Steele.
Chairman Me sez:
How about a Condi Rice candidacy?
Maybe. Any luck getting her on the ticket? There is one very practical problem with Condi though, that she’s never held an elected office. She doesn’t really have experience campaigning except on others’ behalf, and she’s never had to push a domestic agenda. I’d love to see her on the ‘08 ticket, but for the above reason the Veep position seems the more logical spot for her.
But either way, the problem for the GOP isn’t that it’s too white, it’s that blacks believe the principles of capitalism and federalism are intrinsicly unfair to minorities. As an argument, it’s easily refuted, but as an article of faith at the core of one’s identity it’s beyond argument. And now that I think about, leadership probably isn’t the solution because the very concept a “black leader” is anathema to conservatives. Conservatives at their very core oppose the sort of self-segregation and pandering. This is the most bitter irony of our troubled relationship with blacks: we can’t accepted by them precisely for our disdain for racialism.
JohnAnnArbor-
Who is Keith Butler in Michigan?
And did you know Rice used to work for GB 41 but quit since the secret service wouldnt allow her on air force one? Most likely because she was black? And a woman? Who knew?
I believe Condi was not allowed on that flight because on a previous AFO flight. Barbara wanted to spice things up and suggested that she, GHWB and Condi share the sofa bed, and Ms. Rice respectfully declined. The prude. A chill wind doth blow.
Pablo the gambler! Tradesports trading on the issue is quite thin…perhaps you don’t understand the concept.
The trading indicates that Steele is judged by those willing to put their money down that he has a 40% chance to win.
Given the conventional wisdom that he doesn’t have much chance at all that is not a very attractive bet but some bettors maybe out of ideological conviction or hope or maybe shrewd anticipation of a more favorable conventional wisdom or actual victory have put their money down.
BTW if you think Libby will be found guilty of lying…you can make the same 40% bet. You would be a sucker in my estimation!
“You are a magnet and I am Steele.”—Walter Egan.
Turing Word: thing, as in, you know, the thing. Come on, you know, that thing we talked about?