9/1/08 Sacrament Observer
Historically, African Americans support Republican Presidential candidates at a much lower rate than they support Democratic candidates, especially since 1960. In all likelihood John McCain will have a significantly low black voter turn out for several reasons.
A. McCain is running against Barack Obama, the first black nominee of any major party. B. McCain doesn’t have that great of a political relationship with blacks, many associate his candidacy with him not supporting Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday. C. Some blacks will look at McCain as an extension of George W. Bush, an unpopular President within the African-American community.
There are 208 more participating African American delegates than in the 2004 convention. That is 23.9 percent more black delegates than four years ago. This year, almost one quarter of the delegation was African-American. More black delegates are women (594) than men (485).
There are 41 states with more black delegates this year than in 2004. Several states had significant increases including Massachusetts with an increase of 75. Colorado and Connecticut both increased by 71.4 percent. Virginia had an additional 58.1 percent and Indiana added 50 percent.
Only two states had no black delegates as opposed to six states in 2004. The five states with the largest percentage of black delegates were Mississippi (68.3), Alabama (61.7), Louisiana (59.7), Georgia (58.8) and South Carolina at 50 percent.
In addition to a rise in black participation at this year’s convention, there was also a higher number of blacks in convention leadership roles. Atlanta mayor, Shirley Franklin served as the convention’s Co-Chair, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick was the Co-Chair of the Platform Committee, Alexis Herman served as the Co-Chair of the Credentials Committee, Lottie Shackelord was the Democratic National Committee Vice-Chair and the 2008 Democratic National Convention CEO was Leah D. Daughtry.
According to the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, 80 percent of African Americans have identified themselves as Democratic since 1980. Until Franklin Roosevelt’s introduction of the New Deal, many African American’s supported the Republican Party. The significant shift came in 1964 for Lyndon B. Johnson’s Presidential bid and in support of the party’s pro-civil rights stance.
Resent surveys note that the main concerns for African American voters are high gas and energy prices; along with health care and the war in Iraq.
According to the Census Bureau’s 2004 voting and registration report, there were more black than white voters in Georgia, Mississippi, Illinois and California. For many states that had more whites than blacks voting, the difference was very small.
About a week before the convention, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick said, “The convention will be in perspective of the campaign. This is our campaign and our opportunity to change the course of the country. American people want change delivered by a President who is not afraid to do it. There’s a hunger for change and that transcends party.”
The Obama campaign started with the slogan “Change you can believe in,” but the effort has grown into change you can actually see. “Twenty-five percent of elected Delegates for this convention are African-American,” says Shirley Franklin, “that’s five percent more than in 2004 and a whole lot of percentages more than in 1960.”
