Bob Edgar

President and CEO, Common Cause

The push against voter fraud is mostly a partisan effort to depress minority voting. It's no coincidence that new registration and voter ID requirements are being introduced and supported by Republicans and disproportionately impact African-Americans and Hispanics.

Joe Lapointe

Political and sports journalist

A "large turnout" tends to favor Democrats over Republicans, labor over management, poor over rich. Obama is running for reelection in 2012 and voter turnout again will be crucial.

Mark Anthony Neal

Professor of Black Popular Culture in the Department of African and African American Studies at Duke University

Looking back, some may have believed that Herman Cain was some index of the ultimate limits of post-race discourses. Yet, Herman Cain's candidacy has been shrouded in so much absurdity, that it's hard to see him as anything other than a performance artist.

Dr. Boyce Watkins

Professor, Syracuse University

Ann Coulter, the woman who makes her money with silly soundbites, decided to offend half the world by stating that "our blacks are better than their b...

Earl Ofari Hutchinson

Author and political analyst

Herman Cain's notion that he can get a big chunk of the black vote is intriguing, but a fantasy. Cain, though, is hardly the first to step into fantasy land with the notion that the GOP can grab lots of black votes.

Clarence B. Jones

Diversity Visiting Professor, University of San Francisco; and Scholar Writer in Residence, MLK, Jr. Institute, Stanford University

Those who support Obama should address the real challenge he faces: Re-inspiring those who voted for him, as well as potential new voters, with empirical evidence of those things he has accomplished.

Michael Fauntroy

Professor, Author, Columnist, and Commentator at MichaelFauntroy.com.

For too long, conservatives have blamed Black leaders for Republican failures with Black voters. Herman Cain's view suggests that looking inward is something the Republicans are unable, or unwilling, to do.

Rep. Major R. Owens

Former Member of the U.S. House of Representatives

Has the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) been silent for the last three years? Or has the lazy mainstream media overlooked a strong Black Congression...

Omar Tyree

New York Times best-selling author and journalist

As we now head toward a reelection campaign, where the president asks the people to "Finish what we started," the African-American community is forced to ask itself, which "we" is President Barack Obama referring to?

Dr. Boyce Watkins

Professor, Syracuse University

Since flash mobs are the new fad, perhaps politicians should join in the fun. Political leaders could form a flash mob where they all actually get together and do something for the American people, instead of taking care of themselves and their corporate partners.