Who is really supressing the black vote?

Over the weekend 2 weeks ago Senator Kerry was in panic mode. He played the race card way earlier than most Democratic presidential candidates flip that card. Normally they wait till the last week of the election. Kerry flipped it out with this baseless, panicked, obscene, outrageous charge that the Republicans "have plans to suppress a million black votes this year."

Just a question. How would if you could, suppress the black vote? Your quess is as good as mine.

The Democrats have figured out how to do it because they're the ones that always have done it. The Democrats have always suppressed the black vote. The history of voting rights in this country is that the Bull Connors and the George Wallaces of the world are the ones that did it. We have to go back and read their biographies to figure out how to do this. It was the Democrats in Florida during the gubernatorial primary suppressed the black votes down there while they tried to get out the convict felon vote.

Kerry goes on to say in a ,story (9/14) in the Washington Times.

"Sen. John Kerry is losing the interest of black voters after spending several weeks defending his Vietnam service records and responding to attacks from fellow swift boat sailors, but black lawmakers said the Democratic challenger needs to get back to his domestic-policy ideas in order to boost black voter turnout on Nov. 2."

What the Congressional Black Caucus leaders are saying is, "You better start telling people what you're going to give them if you expect them to come out and vote for you, because if you don't start telling them what you're going to give them, if you keep harping on your service over there, that ain't what they're caring about."

Representative Elijah Cummings, Maryland, Democratic, chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) said,

"He cannot let himself get sidetracked and taken off focus by Swift Boat ads. He must stick to the issues affecting African-Americans," said Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, Maryland Democrat and chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC). By and large, he said, "We don't care about swift boats."


"The CBC held its 34th annual legislative conference last week, hosting hundreds of black state representatives, city council members and mayors from across the country. Most shared Mr. Watt's position on Mr. Kerry, saying he has "100 percent" of their support, but not necessarily their enthusiasm."

It sounds like from this that it's Elijah Cummings that's talking about suppressing the black vote. Does it sound like the leaders of the Congressional Black Caucus are threatening Kerry? That the dems are saying, "You better tell us what you're going to give away or we aren't going to show up and vote for you"?

So who is really supressing the black vote? Sounds to me many like it's Elijah Cummings of the Congressional Black Caucus. I don't see any Republicans at this meeting, and I don't see any Republicans at this meeting telling Kerry what he better do or not do to get the black vote. It does seem to me that any talk of suppression of the black vote is coming from the Democratic side of the aisle.