Been here done that.
If you've got access, check out this article. Talks about Dean reaching out to black voters. Where does it start, praytell?
In a baptist church, where for once a black dean supporter "doesn't stand out."
But it gets better. When Dean supposedly describes what he has that connects him with black voters how does he respond?
"In a recent interview, Dr. Dean summed up his relationship with black voters the way he had at a dinner with black leaders in South Carolina: "I've got soul."
"I don't know what I mean by that — I wish I could tell you," he said in the interview. "There's something in me that gets it."
I know a whole lot of people who went to B school. I wish to God I knew more who went to J school.
Because, and maybe I'm wrong, I don't think the whole black people spirit soul god thing would fly if people actually were forced to study the intricacies of black life. To reiterate--not all black people go to church, not all black people believe in God, not all churches are political, most black people don't make their political decisions based on what their pastor (if they have one) tells them to.
I recall when Clinton had his troubles, and it seemed like whenever he was down and almost out, he'd go to a black church and everything would like magic, get better. A colleague of mine wrote a paper arguing that in the face of growing economic troubles in the mid nineties (which in itself should burst the bubble that a rising tide raises all boats) black people were blind to the facts because of their intense love for Bill Clinton. I thought that argument was strangely APOLITICAL, particularly coming from a political scientist. But it is par for the course when it comes to black people.
But wait, there's more:
"Since hiring Andi Pringle, an African-American strategist, as his deputy campaign manager, Dr. Dean has spent many Sundays in black churches. He recently told congregants in Detroit, "Its going to be a long time before I go to a white church again." He also has aides devoted to promoting him in the African-American news media and has hired Doug Thornell, the former spokesman for the black caucus, as his traveling press secretary."
Yep. Make a few hires. Put a few black faces in there. I'm all for brothers and sisters getting gigs. And to be fair there aren't enough of us in political advising positions (if Jesse Jackson didn't do ANYTHING ELSE in either 84 or 88 he at least made it possible for black folk to see the inside of a presidential campaign, something we hadn't seen before). But I wonder if Dean really thinks this will make it all better? I bet I know Pringle's answer.
Posted by at November 23, 2003 09:28 PM | TrackBack
I cannot tell you how annoyed I get when I see the clappin' swayin' choir video clip on the news as a prelude to 'the black community' and politics. Damn, Dean is cliche.
Posted by: Cobb at November 24, 2003 12:34 AM