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Kerry slow to energize black vote Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/president/2004-10-19-kerry-black-vote_x.htmhttp://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/president/2004-10-19-kerry-black-vote_x.htm
Kerry slow to energize black vote
By Jill Lawrence, USA TODAY
COLUMBUS, Ohio — John Kerry was making promises the other day. That African-Americans would not be deprived of their votes. That his "voter protection dream team" would make sure of it. That 2004 would not be a repeat of 2000.
"I need your help," he told 1,500 parishioners crammed into Mount Olivet Baptist Church. "I need your vote. You can make the difference."
Black voters could indeed make the difference in must-win, closely divided states such as Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Nevada and Wisconsin. But Kerry has been slow to excite them.
The Joint Center for Economic and Political Studies, a leading think tank on issues affecting African-Americans, released a poll Tuesday that found 18% of black Americans would vote for President Bush. That's twice the share of black votes Bush drew in 2000, though far lower than Kerry's 69%.
The poll of 850 African-Americans, taken Sept. 15-Oct. 10, had a margin of error of +/{ndash}3.5 percentage points. Many people were interviewed before Kerry's performances in debates on Sept. 30, Oct. 5 and Oct. 13. In all the USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Polls since mid-September, only 8% of 300 registered black voters supported Bush.
The Joint Center said its results reflect conservative black attitudes (49% said they oppose gay marriage and civil unions) and a degree of ambivalence toward Kerry, a Massachusetts senator who was largely unknown outside his state. At the Urban League in July, Bush said he had banned racial profiling, encouraged small business ownership, promoted faith-based solutions to problems and toughened standards for education.
He asked black voters to consider whether Democratic solutions have worked for them and whether the Democratic Party takes them for granted.
An "African-American Truth Squad," dispatched by the Republican National Committee to build support for Bush in the black community, concluded a four-city tour of Ohio and Michigan on Tuesday.
Kerry has gotten tepid receptions before some black audiences, such as a meeting with about 75 black clergy members last month in Philadelphia. But Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, says black voters like Kerry's increasingly sharp critiques of Bush policies on Iraq, jobs and health care.
He said their attitude toward Kerry "was warm before the debates. With each debate it's gotten hotter and hotter. He's speaking more and more to their concerns." He and other Democrats predict Kerry will beat Al Gore's 90% share of black voters.
The drive to make that happen is in progress on many fronts. Among them:
•The NAACP Voter Fund registered 225,000 new voters in 11 states, six of them swing states. It's holding town meetings and running ads to mobilize voters.
•The Media Fund is running radio and print ads aimed at black audiences in eight key states.
•The Democratic National Committee is sponsoring tours to promote early voting in black communities. The Congressional Black Caucus finished a five-day tour of Florida on Monday. DNC chairman Terry McAuliffe travels the country next week with civil rights activists Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton.
•America Coming Together, an independent group that is spending $125 million on registration and turnout, is running a large operation in urban areas.
The Kerry campaign and the Democratic Party are spending "millions" in a coordinated drive to get out the black vote, said Bill Lynch, deputy campaign manager for field operations. He said it is concentrated in Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, Nevada and possibly Arkansas, with some activity in states such as New Jersey, where "we're not taking anything for granted."
Another major component is a voter-protection program to educate people on how to avoid and cope with problems, and supply legal help at the polls. Lynch said the campaign hopes to have a lawyer at each of more than 6,000 sites in minority neighborhoods.
Kerry and his running mate, North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, are stepping up their efforts to energize black voters.
On Sunday, Edwards spoke at a black church in Daytona Beach, Fla., then went on to Tallahassee for an appearance at Florida A&M, a historically black public university.
Kerry, meanwhile, was here quoting hymns, the Bible and an "ancient proverb" that says "when you pray, move your feet."
"Faith without works is dead," he said, one of his customary indirect digs at Bush. He also referred to "the proclamation of emancipation." Presumably the congregation knew what he meant.
Pastor Charles Booth introduced Kerry by noting that "as a minister of the gospel and since this is a church for Jesus Christ, I am not at liberty to stand and endorse any candidate. However —"
Laughter and applause interrupted Booth's deadpan delivery. Kerry got his own laughs with his opening: "That's the most powerful 'however' I've ever heard spoken."
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