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

[NeoConDeath]

Republicans do not need the Black/Hispanic vote with the electronic voting machines in play.

[Jane22]

Touche!

[maninla]

AT a crossroads with blacks and hispanics? AT...?

Maybe with Hispanics considering how the GOP got some 50% of their vote and is now "only" down to some 35% (although this is mostly based on the religious "values" of the party versus the political ones), I'd say they still have their work cut out for them if they want to completely kick hispanics to the curb. Although I can't imagine how 50% of any group would vote for a party with no one in it who looks even remotely like them.

As for blacks, well that crossroad has long been passed and was (in my case) a completely non-existent one.

Did I miss something?

[TerryFL]

.

In the Republican 51-49 equation, minorities are part of the 49. Whatever they can peel off via singular issues such as "family values", abortion, terrorism etc. is gravy.

.

[bick]

republicans are just corporate racists.

[matt is right]

highest african american male official in us history: colin powell (R)

highest african american female official in us history: condoleezza rice (R)

second african american supreme court justice: clarence thomas (R)

first hispanic attorney general: alberto gonsales (R)

perhaps the black community should hold itself up for grabs, rather then just being lemmings to the democrat party, the same democrat party that fillabustered the civil rights act. the democrats almost always get around 90% of the black community, yet they have never but an african american on the major party ticket, and if they dont this year, and blacks still turn out, then they are all suckers.

[Andreas]

You mean blacks should vote for a (white) Republican if Dems don't nominate Obama?

Yeah, that would hurt the racists!

[Meah]

Stupid is stupid no matter what race you are.

Colin Powell's big mistake was his silence after the administation trashed him. He was looked to for leadership by his countrymen, and he chose party over country.

[MrWebster]

Every person you listed was appointed. You have to ask yourself why, to at least my reckoning, there are no elected Republican African-American officials in Congress or in any Governor's chair.

Nation wide, how does the number of elected Republican African-Americans compare to elected Democrat African-Americans? Of course the standard right wing answer is that African-Americans are not smart enough to understand that their self-interest lies in voting for white candidates.

[maninla]

Michael Steele, before he ran for the Senate out of Maryland, used to the be highest elected minority member of the GOP.

His title was Lt. Governor.

[Qbear]

and the first LESBIAN African American Secretary of State = Condi

They seem to like their African Americans who are closeted queers such as Robert Traynham Communications Director to BOTH man-on-dog Santorum and now Fred Thompson.

Don't forget Ohio's Ken Blackwell who shorted Black districts voting machines and caused them 8 HOUR lines.
Clarence Thomas and Alan Keyes are hated MORE by Blacks than racist whites,

Admirable members of the African American community that 90% of African Americans LOATHE.

[Changeizgood]

We have a saying from back in the day that maybe you slave owners grandchildren should know. "Don't forget where you come from and give back to the community. Even some middle class wealthy blacks have forgotten that aspect. But then again our spoiled push button programmed youth, (thanks to corporate America's fairytale) don't understand how to share or give back positively.

Black people have been acting like crabs in a barrel for far too long and have just recently awakened to the neglect in our laws to civil rights being assaulted by loose interpretations, changes or evaluating the constituition until it doesn't even represtent what the forefather's intended it to read like.

[maninla]

highest african american male official in us history: colin powell (R)

highest african american female official in us history: condoleezza rice (R)

second african american supreme court justice: clarence thomas (R)

first hispanic attorney general: alberto gonsales (R)

i do love this argument! and it's a fair one to make, and understandable one...one that pales in comparison to this little tidbit:

number of elected black GOP members of Congress in my voting lifetime (1984): 1 (JC Watts, and in typical GOP fashion, black folks had nothing to do with electing him).

this is a bit of a red herring. you know how you always see GOP contenders with black children and then you realize that it's always with people who CAN'T VOTE!!

here's another one for you matt, number of minority GOP members of congress: 0

number of minority Democrats in congress: 40-50

truth is matt, i'd rather have the representation of the people.

none of the people you've mentioned has much in the way of overwhelming support within thier minority community, matt. after all, it's not like Larry Craig represents what all while males should be shooting for.

[TheHandyman]

The GOP candidates are color blind. That means they only care about their base, evangelical Christians and the wealthy elite. The same people who elected Bush. They know that with enough money they can get a few voting machines rigged, get people of color excised from the voter rolls, and then it is but a short hor, skip, and a jump to the loaded neocon Supreme Court where, voila! they will become President!

[Jane22]

Handy!

[spirit729]

Professor West needs to be seen and heard by more people, every single day of every single week, from now until the upcoming elections that will determine so much about how our nation could progress in the years ahead.
I'm a white guy that has always benefited from being white in America. I'm also a white guy that has never seen myself as being of greater intrinsic value than any other American, based upon the color of their skin. I've enjoyed being "the only white guy" in an office of black men and women and also in a warehouse where I worked. I was accepted for "who I am" as an individual person; and my co-workers were accepted for "who they are." This is the essence of equality.
An absurd affection for the "presumed principles" of the Republican Party that I see embraced by some Americans "of color" is as preposterous as its lock-step acceptance by my low-income, rural neighbors that are primarily white. The Cheney/Bush cartel couldn't care less about a single American that doesn't have much cash (the "I've got mine" mentality that seeps into place for too many frail humans).
I'm glad to point out that "the business of America is not business" (with apologies to President Calvin Coolidge for calling him out in such public fashon). The "business of America" is to be a beacon of freedom and equality in this tortured world. Nothing more and certainly nothing less.
Get with the program, Americans-of-color. Get hip to the game, Americans-­a-paycheck­-away from homelessness. If you lend your vote and your support to the likes of Cheney/Bush, you're being played just like a street prostitute by a sociopathic pimp
Dr. West's style of communication can be hard to follow at times, but his heart and his mind are tightly aligned with the best interests of the majority of citizens in this great nation of ours.
Don't play the chump for the Chimp-in-Chief. Kick him and his to the curb while we still can!

[choirgirl]

I'm with ya! nobody else out there makes as much sense as dr west.

[Jane22]

Love it1

[xrepublican]

Uh.... the Republican Party is at a "crossroads" with the American People in toto - ALL of us.

They have alienated long time supporters from the fiscally conservative, the "family values" "religious right", and "strong military" to the libertarian, minimal government....

They're even losing the rather overly nationalistic, ultra-religious, and frankly prejudiced core that seemed to think that the Republicans could do no harm - ever - and that Clinton was the devil incarnate.

I don't know ANY Republican who states that as their affiliation any more without some type of qualifying or apologetic qualifier.

"I'm registered as a Republican but .....I sure don't agree with what's happening now"... or "I'm not in agreement with what Bush is doing...." or "but Bush is a real ##@$%#$#!"

Most - even those that enthusiastically supported Bush in 2004 - are questioning his behavior and the direction of this country now.

I'm not sure WHO that 30% base is - but then, being in NY, I suspect we're more isolated from the uber-fanatics that still "believe" - the one unquestioning loyalist I knew is furious over immigration - though he's still buying the Iraq propaganda......

[Mark701]

I hate to call the current crop of throwbacks, Republcans. I'm sure Eisenhower would have been ashamed of them all. One thing is certain however, they are terrified. They are witnessing AMerica losing power and presitige on the world stage, mainly due to their own stupidity, a black man and a woman have a serious shot at becoming the next president, they are looking at losing even more seats in the senate and the house, their base is fracturing over issues like abortion and immigration etc. However I think first and foremost they know on some level that the days of white, protestant rule are rapidly coming to a close. Unless they learn to embrace diversity and a more global view of world events, they are doomed as a political party, which wouldn't be a bad thing.

[cardholder]

Mr. West,

I am so glad to see you here. I admire you so much and first heard you on CSPAN a few years back. At that time I wanted to contact you and didn't have and awareness of your connection at Cornell.

What I wanted to ask you was, have you read the book, "The Birth Dearth", by Ben Wattenberg, of the American Enterprise institute. I came across this while doing research for a new product. I was so amazed that this white man, so arrogantly sure of his audience, was blatantly promoting racist policy. (As a woman I felt that this policy was the hidden reason for inciting the anti-abortion campaigns. They need more white babies, you see.)

I have watched Tavis gain in stature and credibility and applaud his wisdom in his choice of mentors.

The question remains when, not if, people of color recognize the true nature of political toadying. That will be a beautiful sight to behold. Then we will deserve to be called the land of the free and the home of the brave.

[PieInTheSky]

Well maybe if everyone pools thier money together you could buy a oil corp. Then either they will listen to you or bomb you. Its a 50-50 chance.

[MrWebster]

The Republicans have done crossed that bridge and blew it up. The modern Republican Party is the party of right wing Protestantism, white natioanlism, ultra nationalism, zenophobia, and militarism. The Republican Party has nothing to do with conservatism and notions like smaller government, etc.

I think we have seen this since Reagan. So long as fundamentally lower middle class and middle class whites see the gop in the terms just listed, then budget deficits, intrustion into private lifes, police violence, corporate greed leading to harm mean nothing.

We saw this with immigration. Bush took a big hit with his base when he stepped over the bounds of race and religion (Catholocism vs. Right Wing Protestantism).

In many ways, the Republican Party is a massive reaction to the last 60 years of a modern world that went beyond their control.

[Andreas]

Hence, reactionary.

[tarantino3]

The Republicans are history ...

snubbing the black/brown voters; shame on you

[sandy69]

Dr. West, you continue to inspire me! You were brilliant on Bill Maher last week. I love Bill and it is always a pleasure to see you on his show. I also appreciate that you mentioned Amy Goodman as one of our bright shining stars in the quest for true democracy.

But, sir, I must ask - what did people of color expect of the rethuglican party? The party of the rich, corporate, euro, nazi, deep south racist hatred of anyone with a dark skin tone?

Winston Churchill who created Iraq out of the three original provinces said "I reserve the right to bomb the niggers" He meant of course the sand niggers- -ragheads - and had no respect of anyone who wasn't Eurotrash and white. What has changed?

[runsfearless]

Please document the assertion regarding Churchill's quote.

[sandy69]

Please document the assertion regarding Churchill's quote.
It came from Noam Chomsky in an interview on Free Speech TV. He was talking about the history of the middle east and HE said Churchill reserved the right to bomb the niggers and I tend to take Professor Chomsky at his word. Fair enough?

[nyu1996]

Dr. West

Good to see you weigh in on this situation. While I am not a Republican, I am disappointed that the top tier decided to snub the Morgan State Debate. Regardless of your party affiliation it is important to understand the other vision. Or lack their of. I continue to be inspired by you Dr. West and you critique of the mainstream and our populs.

Dr. N
Seattle U

[Jane22]

Hey, Homey, I live in Seattle.

[christonabike]

Hello Dr. West,
What a disappointment that the Republican candidates are ignoring this debate. I thought it was the best look at the Democrats yet. (I was also hoping for a few questions from you to the religious.)
I am just stunned by the blatant racism of this decision. Tavis Smiley has a broad audience and he gathered together people of substance, real thinkers and not talking heads.