- Oct 7, 2011
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Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney told the NAACP annual conference this morning: "Ive never heard anyone look around an impoverished neighborhood and say, 'You know, theres too much free enterprise around here. Too many shops, too many jobs, too many people putting money in the bank.'" He's wrong there-formr Washington, DC mayor Marion Barry said that earlier this year--but Romney hit the right notes in pitching black voters on a common commitment to free enterprise, reaching past the big-government politics of the bulk of the NAACP's leadership to connect directly with the aspirations of millions of Americans, black and white.
By offering his audience a clear contrast between his policies and those of Barack Obama on an issue that has nothing to do with race, Romney transcended the divisive rhetoric that has surrounded the conference. He did not take the bait offered by Attorney General Eric Holder yesterday, who told the NAACP that Republicans were effectively applying racist "poll taxes" to black Americans through voter ID laws, and seeking to reverse the gains of the civil rights movement. Instead, Romney pointed to the involvement of his father, former Michigan governor George Romney, in supporting protests and legislation during the civil rights struggle. And he ignored the boos that some attendees gave him when he promised to repeal Obamacare.
Romney acknowledged the misgivings some black voters have about Republicans, and asked them to look past stereotypes: "I believe that if you understood who I truly am in my heart, and if it were possible to fully communicate what I believe is in the real, enduring best interest of African American families, you would vote for me for President"...
Read More:
No Pander: Romney Makes Free Enterprise Pitch to Black Americans
By offering his audience a clear contrast between his policies and those of Barack Obama on an issue that has nothing to do with race, Romney transcended the divisive rhetoric that has surrounded the conference. He did not take the bait offered by Attorney General Eric Holder yesterday, who told the NAACP that Republicans were effectively applying racist "poll taxes" to black Americans through voter ID laws, and seeking to reverse the gains of the civil rights movement. Instead, Romney pointed to the involvement of his father, former Michigan governor George Romney, in supporting protests and legislation during the civil rights struggle. And he ignored the boos that some attendees gave him when he promised to repeal Obamacare.
Romney acknowledged the misgivings some black voters have about Republicans, and asked them to look past stereotypes: "I believe that if you understood who I truly am in my heart, and if it were possible to fully communicate what I believe is in the real, enduring best interest of African American families, you would vote for me for President"...
Read More:
No Pander: Romney Makes Free Enterprise Pitch to Black Americans
