The Debate at Morgan State: GOP at a Crossroads with Blacks and Hispanics

The GOP debate in Baltimore at Morgan State University, led and moderated by Tavis Smiley, and currently being snubbed by the leading candidates, is a pivotal moment in this election. It is a litmus test for a Republican Party that, in the past, has run away from black voters and only selectively interacted with Hispanic citizens.

At this moment in American history, it is clear that either the Republican Party wisely embraces people of color, or it chooses to be a losing political party in the future. The courage and vision of Tavis Smiley, and his often overlooked but historic Covenant movement, has put the limelight on this dilemma of the Republican Party.

We shall see which choice the Republican Party makes in regard to people of color in particular, but most importantly to their future as a party in the American democratic experiment.

Comments

[nofltwlt]

Blacks and Hispanics should go on record as saying that they would rather kiss a rat's ass than vote for a republican - that's if they haven't been purged already.

[tgood]

The Democrats are the party of Hispanics. The Republican party over the past several years has been the party of evangelical Christian conservatives.

Kind of leaves out the rest of the country in representation, doesn't it?

[CosmicGalaxy]

Thank you Dr. West for helping bring race issues to the forefront.

Democrats need to speak up more about race and income equality in a way that white Americans can understand.

We should engage this debate because you know that the winning democrat will pick a white Vice president running mate from the South.

[stephenstillwell]

I think that the republicans are taking a dive because they have made the big mess and now it is time to blame it on the democrats.

As the control of corporations and the media is not at stake, ceding control of the government at this time, makes good sense.

The history lesson and sniping of these comments illustrates how the illusion of a two party system easily distracts the population.

How about electing congressional representatives at large instead of by district, I could vote for that.

[mamacat]

What with the right wing dirty tricks campaigns, like the initiative to split California's electoral votes, they don't have to pay attention to how citizens vote. The right wing is working very hard to destroy democracy, so they don't have to pay attention to us, the voters.

[Qbear]

Fred Thompson decided to SNOOZE through the African American debate, and the Latino debate, (well he is ancient and his wife a third his age probably taxes all his disposable energy.) It was awfully nice of McBush, Mittler, and Lady Rudy to lay down and play Fred's pillow...who says there aren't COMPASSIONATE Conservatives?

you SNOOZE you LOSE (elections)

[clumberfeet]

"GOP At A Crossroads With Blacks And Hispanics" and crackers like me!

[olivia]

What, African Americans and Hispanics are still in doubt?

I don't think so. I give them more credit than that.

Only the dumbest and the most selfish people are still hanging on to Dubya.

[patco13]

Crossroads? Hardly. The GOP went through that intersection half a century ago and never looked back. It's difficult for me to even believe that anyone even has the remotest inkling that the GOP will ever stand for any minority. One only has to look at Nixon's "southern strategy" to get an understanding. Social programs cost money and don't not allow for tax breaks for the rich pure and simple. I submit Mr. West you are whistling past the graveyard

[Newsaroo]

Who cares? In case you haven't noticed, blacks don't vote for republicans in large numbers anyway.

[willfarnaby]

G angsters
O ccupying war criminals
P erverts

[GayGrandpa]

"against these blatantly racist GOP candidates"

BLATANTLY RACIST? Strong words but I am glad you chose them because someone needs to hold a mirror up to the Republican party and let them see what the people are seeing. The king is naked! And golly gee put some frickin' clothes on ALREADY...from Craig crawling around on the floor of his bathroom stall looking for his wedding ring to Presidential candidates snubbing the Afro-American public...this sucks...the Republicans are not leading forward or backward but rather they are leading us to an ugly place where no one wishes to go...a much earlier uglier America where lands were stolen and people were sold...that is history and God help us all if we let that ugly history repeat itself!

[MacDad]

Jesse Jackson claims Obama sounds "white" - what does "white" sound like? are there bigots in the Dem party? it would appear so

[Hoelder]

They are beyond the cross road already, with their turning down participation.

[justice4juveniles]

After how the blacks were used in the last 2 elections by the Republican Party, how can they for one minute trust a Repulican? I mean, it's ludicrous. Their only hope lies with Barack Obama. Hilary Clinton is the wife of the president who tripled the prison population with fearmongering "tough on crime" policies even though crime statistics had fallen. His punitive platform grew the prison population the most in 2 decades. Blacks are 12% of the pop. but are over 60% of the prison pop. A black man is more likely to go to prison than college. I've always said, both Clintons posed as Democrats very well.
http://www.cjcj.org/pubs/clinton/clinton.html
And I don't think Edwards gives a hoot about black people either, at least it is doubtful. The only one who is going to give a crap about black people at all, is Obama. But he really can't let "anyone" know that he cares because than the white folks will flee, shocker moms all afeard. But wait, I'll bet Rudy cares, he cleaned up NYC nicely. McCain seems like the caring type. Oh, no actually it's the Mormon who actually cares about black people, as long as they are in cages on the top of his car.