Why the NAACP has reason to be wary of John McCain

July 16, 2008

In about two hours, John McCain will speak to the NAACP’s annual convention. Given his record, it’s going to be a pretty tough sell.

If politics is the art of persuasion, John McCain has his work cut out for him in Cincinnati on Wednesday.

In the late morning, the Republican candidate for president will walk into the same exhibition hall at the Duke Energy Convention Center full of African-American voters from the NAACP who, on Monday night, gave Barack Obama a rapturous arm-waving, foot-stomping welcome; and, who, come November, will deliver their votes as well.

And McCain will try to convince them that he is a better choice for president.

According to prepared remarks released this morning, McCain will tell the convention, “After decades of hearing the same big promises from the public education establishment, and seeing the same poor results, it is surely time to shake off old ways and to demand new reforms.”

Putting the message aside, there can be little doubt that McCain is an awful messenger. If anyone needs to “shake off old ways,” it’s John McCain — his record on race relations and the concerns of the African-American community is abysmal.

Keep in mind, the NAACP publishes “legislative report cards” every other year, chronicling lawmakers’ ratings on the group’s congressional priorities. In the most recently published report, McCain received a 7% rating — tied for dead last in the Senate. He also received failing grades from the NAACP in every report card of the last decade.

But it goes much further. McCain opposed a day to honor Martin Luther King — at both the state and federal level. McCain, at least for a while, supported the flying of the Confederate flag in South Carolina, praising it as “a symbol of heritage.” He’s even praised Bob Jones University.

The McCain campaign would probably respond that these positions are in the past, and it’s not fair to judge a presidential candidate on his record, except for the good parts. But let’s also not forget how McCain has treated minority communities during this campaign.

Last year, for example, the NAACP invited McCain to speak. He declined. The NAACP held a forum for all the Republican presidential candidates, and McCain didn’t show up. PBS hosted a Republican presidential candidates’ debate at historically black college in Baltimore, and McCain didn’t show up to that event, either. The Congressional Black Caucus Institute organized a debate, co-sponsored by Fox News, and McCain didn’t show up to that event, either.

But today, McCain will tell the NAACP that he deserves the group’s consideration. Once again, McCain is counting on public ignorance to get him through the campaign.

Once again, McCain is counting on public ignorance to get him through the campaign.

Once again, the MSM will make a silk purse out of ,in this case, a jack asses ear…

  • I’m sure the SprinkleMedia will tell us how brave McCain is for even going there, and/or how some obscure person there said really mean things about McBraveman, in order to get more sympathy votes from the people who won’t be stuck in the long lines for the one broken machine on November 4th.

    Sprinkle on, media whores.

  • I don’t think his target audience will be the people he’s actually speaking to today.

    Agreed. This is like the 2000 Republican convention, where every minor black official was trotted out on stage. The point isn’t to win over black voters; it’s to convince suburban white moderates that the Republicans aren’t racist and they can vote for the GOP with a clear conscience.

  • Agreed. This is like the 2000 Republican convention, where every minor black official was trotted out on stage. The point isn’t to win over black voters; it’s to convince suburban white moderates that the Republicans aren’t racist and they can vote for the GOP with a clear conscience.

    I think so, too, but like every other tightrope he’s had to walk during this campaign, it’s an either-or situation for him. The reason he stayed away from every event sponsored by a black organization is that it was crucial to prove to his base that he has nothing to do with black people. Now, he’s trying to woo white moderates while holding onto his racist base.

    It’s like trying to get moderates while embracing the religious right’s platform or going full-steam ahead with Bush’s foreign policy. It cannot work. He cannot do both.

  • Great analysis TR; I think you’ve got it dead on.

    Myself, I wonder if we’ll see any Perot-level gaffes. Remember “you people” and “your people”?

  • McCain: I was opposed to the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday before I voted against it. But today, in light of the fact that I’m running a flailing campaign for president, I think it’s OK.

    And that’s all the man needs to say. It will certainly be a cakewalk for the seasoned politician.

  • On a related note: I’m in advertising and I’m working on a direct mail piece for a large regional hospital. I’m using stock photography and thought I’d found the perfect shot of a kid about to have his X-ray taken. I just got word that, because the child in the photograph is African-American, they’d afraid it might offend some of their older patients. The hospital itself “doesn’t have a problem with it,” they’re just trying to ward off the possible backlash.

    Were they not responsible for 48% of my annual billing, I would have asked them three things:

    1] Do you have any real evidence that a photo of a black child in a brochure will cost you any business whatsoever?

    2] Are you aware that there is a good chance that teh next leader of the free world will be African-American?

    3] What year do you think it is?

    I’m only telling you guys about it because I’m heartbroken and feel like I’m shaking hands with the devil.

  • McCain has adopted children of color so he’s probably hip to the non-offensive lingo. I’m betting that he won’t be telling them they need to raise their kids better like Obama does. In fact, his Sister Souljah moment might be when he says he LIKES her lyrics.

    Haik and TR are right, he’s going there to get some politie applause to show independents that he’s moderate and well-liked by all.

    Barbecue Rules: Whether it’s the media or the kids BBQ is the centerpiece. If you wanted face time with Dad, you approached him as he stood over a sizzling grill. (“You can have an audience with him because he doesn’t want to leave the meat,” Andy said.)

  • McCain has adopted children of color so he’s probably hip to the non-offensive lingo.

    Something tells me he’s not.

    Barbecue Rules: Whether it’s the media or the kids BBQ is the centerpiece. If you wanted face time with Dad, you approached him as he stood over a sizzling grill. (”You can have an audience with him because he doesn’t want to leave the meat,” Andy said.)

    God, what a sad portrayal of family life–to get your dad’s undivided attention, you have to catch him at his barbecue shrine. And then he goes and leaves your mom–and you–to prove that “children do better with two parents.”

  • The McCain campaign would probably respond that these positions are in the past...

    For McCain the past means twenty minutes ago.

  • Brave little McCain, bearding the Black Panther in its den! Of course it’ll play well with the white suburbia. Whether it’ll play *better* than Obama’s call for personal responsibility… who knows. I know that *that* played extremely well in my own, white, suburbia (can it be called “suburbia” when the “urb” in question is all of 3.5K “strong”?).

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