Arizona Leader: McCain Has "Zero Relationship" With African Americans

Politico:

Oscar Tillman heads the Phoenix area branch of the NAACP and is a former statewide president of the group. He has been a leader of Arizona's small, tight-knit African-American community for decades.

So it comes as something of a surprise to learn the name of one person, over all those years, with whom he has never spoken. It is the state's senior senator better known these days as the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.

John McCain, said Tillman, "has pretty well zero relationship with the African-American community that I know of."

Read the whole story: Politico

Comments

[PhoenixtheUndying]

So we have constant mistakes, no knowledge of the economy, an evil bit of temper, no relationship with blacks, and the fact that he's so old he remembers a war my grandfather served in. Yeah this won't work.

[the964kid]

This is exactly the same non-relationship that most republican politicians have with the black communities across america. Republican policies do not appeal to blacks on many levels, and it's very telling that Mccain doesn't even try to have any dialogue what-so-ever with the black community. Mccain, like Bush, and like most republicans, by-in-large only represent conservative white people. How can Mccain possibly represent all of America when he refuses to have a conversation with so many of the country's citizens? All you have to do is look at who is standing behind Mccain every time he gives a speech - he's old and tired just like his style of politics. A Mccain administration would be tired and old-world, and clearly lack diversity. This is one more reason we MUST HAVE change in 2008 - a lot of us are tired of only a portion of U.S. citizens being represented by our leaders.

[hoopesaz]

Isn't that the problem with McCain? He's not really a "relationship" guy. I'm a republican (and live in Arizona) and I can't stand the man. And I don't really love his policies. I like Obama as a person, but don't love his policies either. And I don't like Clinton as a person and I don't like her policies. So, I'm stuck. I may just sit this election out. How frustrating.

[robXdion]

Maybe you should just vote for the person you like?

Obama 08

[dvdpt]

hoopesaz
Obama can not do any worse than what Bush has all ready done to this country.
Change is what this great country needs.
Hillary always was and stll is corrupt.
Remember somebody voted for Bush !

[tiredofhillary]

Dems, whether they lie or not, will speak to and work for the AA vote. This is a big problem with Repugs. This is why the party as a whole is considered racist by many.

it doesn't take anything but time to court the AA vote. Sen. McCain, evidently will rely on the backwards white voters and maybe some hispanics. Until the party as a whole decide that the AA vote is important, they will continue to lag in support and keep the label of a racist party.

[Shanti]

The only reason Mc Pain apologized for voting against MLK day, is he is a pander who wants the votes of AA. I am sure Strom Thurmond would endorse him if he were alive. He reminds me of the Sheriff in a small Southern town that pretends to be unprejudiced and all the while he secretly belongs to the Klan!

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Don't overthink this one: McCain has done his homework.

In Arizona, if not nationally, there are more crackers than blacks.

It's politics, Repuke style.

[EinChicago]

Not to put too fine a point on itb, but this matters, why? AA voters are usually overwhelmingly dem and make no real difference as "swing voters". Th equestion will boil down to who can win over the swing voter hispanic polulation which is much larger and traditionally split between the Dem and the GOP. Saying McCain has zero relationship with AA is like saying Obama has zero relationship with white southerners. It makes no difference because neither group was going to switch party alliegence. General elections are ALWAYS won in the middle. The margins always cancel each other out and are largely irrelevant to the results.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

I take it you think one-time swing states (e.g. OHIO) have no black voters.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

I'm sure there are more white southerners supporting Obama than blacks supporting McSame.

Last shot: You know there are no blacks in the swing / uncommitted / center HOW exactly?

Other than that, I don't think hispanics are going to "cotton" to someone who is pro-fence. Just a thought.

[FogBelter]

I think there is a bigger issue here than whether or not African Americans are swing voters that will flock to a McCain Candidacy, that is that a Candidate that has no relationship with a specific group of Americans he also desires to be President of is troublesome.

We are the United States of America not the U-Whited States of America ... a President should have relationships with groups across the spectrum of American citizenry ... not just the dominant group he feels comfortable with.

[robXdion]

You're WRONG on many levels. And either arrogant or ignorant, which is it? But it does go to his character as a person in whether he'll reach out to those he doesn't really have to. As a president, that is an important trait considering he will be president of ALL Americans and not just white Americans. And this line of your......­"Saying McCain has zero relationship with AA is like saying Obama has zero relationship with white southerners. It makes no difference because neither group was going to switch party alliegence­."........­is just dumb and misses a reality of American life. Obama HAS to have relationships with whites. Its inescapable as a black person not to. And that carries over to white southerners. Look at the Georgia Primary. But McCain doesn't have to have a relationship with blacks if he doesn't want to. And his previous stance on MLK Day proves this. He says he didn't "see how it was so important". Can you not see this?

[FogBelter]

Poppycock! He allowed a negro to hold his umbrella for him outside the Loraine Motel on the 40th anniversary of the MLK assassination ... that must mean something!

[Syco]

LOL
Basically reinforcing GOP hates black unless they are enslaved

[filo]

Zero relationship? He's probably afraid to go to an African-American neighborhood without some Blackhawk helicopters and a few hundred troops.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

McSame would rather go to Baghdad with a kevlar vest than buy a hot-dog on a corner in Harlem.

[robeson]

"How can you say that when he has some black babies," GW Bush.

[KMan1]

Oye vey!

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

That's "oy" to you, pardner. ;-)