More hypocrisy on race

Nate at the Cincinnati Black Blog spotted another instance of Republican affirmative action:

In Georgia runoff, GOP bickering over black candidate's support

The Associated Press - ATLANTA

A runoff election pitting a black Republican against a white one in the conservative suburbs south of Atlanta has exposed how anxious the national GOP is to have a black congressman in Washington again.

Dylan Glenn, descended from Georgia sharecroppers, is telegenic, conservative and polished. He's been endorsed by Republican royalty _ former Reps. Newt Gingrich and Bob Barr, plus former vice presidential candidate Jack Kemp. If elected, he'd be the only black Republican in Congress, and the first sent to Washington from the Deep South since Reconstruction.

But Glenn's never held public office before. Some Georgia Republicans are grumbling that Glenn's getting unfair attention over his more-experienced, white opponent, longtime state Rep. Lynn Westmoreland.

And Reuters says Republicans have found themselves another Black candidate, Andrea Barthwell, to run against Mr. Obama in case their approach to Alan Keyes doesn't pan out.

How many of you would like to pretend that these good people's race has no significance in their selection. I'm willing to bet there wasn't a single non-Black person considered in Illinois (not least because no intelligent white politician will sign on to a guaranteed loss). And you got a snowball's chance in hell of convincing me Dylan Glenn is anything more than a constructed image.

Posted by Prometheus 6 on August 4, 2004 - 12:04pm :: Politics
 
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No Earl you have this one wrong - the idiotic and corrupt leaders of my state GOP, after forcing the current incumbent Fitzgerald to retire, passed on the very wealthy Jim Oberweis who came in second in the primary and could self-finance. Why ? Because Oberweis like Fitzgerald is not amenable to their control. They'd rather lose and be in charge of the gravy train than risk another Fitzgerald poking into their backroom deals with Daley and Madigan's financial supporters.

Then after Jim Edgar took a pass they pressed another state senator Rauschenberger ( who's friendly with Obama) a pretty bright guy who comes from some money to run - he declined because the Chicago Tribune has made it quite clear with Blair Hull and Ryan that they will actively destroy anyone who poses a real electoral challenge to Obama. Same reason Mike Ditka, who would have been a popular, if exceptionally silly, candidate took a pass.

Only after exhausting three real candidates and a novelty choice has the Illinois GOP turned in desperation to finding a Black candidate - the premise being that the Trib then won't be running a scandal circus that will drag down the rest of the ticket. That and the hope that a second black face might prompt the local media to at least report Obama's left-wing voting record ( a serious negative in places like downstate and superwealthy DuPage county, particularly on gun control and abortion).

Obama is not only smart and telegenic - he's lucky. Too bad he's not on my side - though given the incompetence of the state GOP in Illinois they could screw up even if Obama was a Republican

Posted by  mark safranski (not verified) on August 4, 2004 - 1:35pm.

*ahem*

(not least because no intelligent white politician will sign on to a guaranteed loss)

Although I will confess to knowing nothing about Oberweis.

Posted by  P6 (not verified) on August 4, 2004 - 1:59pm.

Oberweis is an eccentric ice cream and dairy millionaire-entrepreneur. He's on bad terms with Bush but he's volunteered to replace Ryan and was rebuffed by party leaders

Posted by  mark safranski (not verified) on August 4, 2004 - 4:43pm.

Why do I get the feeling you libertarian guys tried to slip a guy into the Senate with Oberweis?

Posted by  P6 (not verified) on August 4, 2004 - 5:15pm.

Heh. A good idea but no.

Oberweis isn't a libertarian, his one theme that received a lot of coverage was a " shut the borders to illegals " Pat Buchananesque type pledge on immigration reform ( Illinois has a lot of illegal aliens - I think we're 4th or 5th in the nation). Though my observation is that Oberweis is mainly a rich neophyte who was looking for a way to disntinguish himself from a crowded primary field - I don't think he really knows what he's doing or has any particular principles but he could have afforded to at least run a real campaign. I do admit to liking Oberweis premium ice cream though - sort a cross between Breyers and custard in taste.

I liked Ryan the best of the group for his positive message and prior to the Trib suing to open his divorce files ( any chance they'll sue to open Kerry's ? Not a chance - nor should they) he would have given Obama serious trouble. Ryan also had a ton of cash to run. The race is over now, all Keyes is going to do is clown around and make scarily bombastic speeches about abortion.

Posted by  mark safranski (not verified) on August 5, 2004 - 10:08am.

Ryan was sort of a clown too for setting up that guy to follow three steps behind Obama.

You know, it doesn't sound like Oberweis was a legitimate contender. He'd have made every other minority group as annoyed at the Republican Party as Black folks are.

Posted by  P6 (not verified) on August 5, 2004 - 11:28am.

"You know, it doesn't sound like Oberweis was a legitimate contender"

In a normal state yes but this is the Illinois GOP - the comparison is guys like George Ryan (crook), Rich Williamson( minor federal bureaucrat), Al Salvi( religous zealot attorney) and various no name anti-abortion kooks.

Posted by  mark safranski (not verified) on August 5, 2004 - 11:54am.