http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/13066.htmlBuchanan rationalizes GOP snubbing minority voters
Posted September 30th, 2007 at 4:51 pm
The decision this week by the Republicans’ top-tier presidential candidates — Giuliani, Thompson, Romney, and McCain — to skip the debate in Baltimore focused on the concerns of the African-American community, continues to stir debate. No one seriously believes the “scheduling” explanation, and several prominent Republican voices — Gingrich, Kemp, Mehlman, Watts, and Steele — have taken the candidates to task for blowing off minorities.
On “Meet the Press” this morning, Pat Buchanan, whose tolerance for diversity is less than stellar, argued that the GOP candidates made the right call.
“(L)et me explain it, 90 percent of Republican votes are — in the general election are non-Hispanic, white. That is a higher percentage in the primaries, even higher percentage in New Hampshire and Iowa. These are (sic) what is going to decide this nomination, Tim.
“There is a risk going to this gathering here, and there’s very little reward, in my judgment, in those early battles…. Rudy’s got his own problems in New York with the Amadou Diallo thing, and I can understand why they don’t go down there and get asked about affirmative action. They look at the risks, they look at the rewards, they say, ‘Look, this is going to be decided in the month of January. How does this help me in January and what we’re building for, the Republican nomination?’ (…)
“Tavis, about, I think, 13 percent of the country is African-American. About 10 percent of the votes are African-American and Republicans get about 10 percent of that. And so taking your time out of the critical areas — Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina — does not make sense to me if I were advising them. I would look at the costs, look at the benefits, make the call there.”
You know, all of this might actually make some sense … if you’re willing to assume that white people are completely indifferent to the concerns of the African-American community. Indeed, if you’re convinced that the typical Republican primary voter doesn’t care about the challenges facing black people in the United States, and might even hold it against a presidential candidate who showed up to talk about those challenges, then sure, blowing off minority communities would certainly be the right call.
But therein lies the point: Buchanan’s rationalizing is offensive precisely because it rests on those assumptions. In his words, there’s a “risk” in talking to African Americans about the criminal justice system and healthcare, so it should be avoided, at least until after all the nice white people in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina have had a chance to register a Republican preference.
If I’m Giuliani, Thompson, Romney, or McCain, I’d be tempted to say, “Stay off my side, Pat.”
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