Washington Update August 6
By C. Stone Brown
© 2003 DiversityInc.com
August 06, 2003

Poll: Bush Ratings Rise Among African Americans
President Bush, who received one of the lowest percentages of African-American votes in recent history for a Republican presidential candidate, is gaining support, according to a poll released by Black America's Political Action Committee (BAMPAC), and conducted by American Viewpoint, an Alexandria, Va.-based research firm. The survey polled by phone and Internet 1,800 African-American registered voters from June 9-12 and June 24-26. The margin of error was plus or minus 3.5 percent.
Bush received only 9 percent of the African-American vote in 2000, but according to the poll, 22 percent of African Americans would re-elect the president in 2004. However, as a whole, 33 percent of African Americans approved of his overall performance, compared with 58 percent of the general population.
"Do I think it means much in terms of how African Americans are going to vote? No," answered David Bositis, senior political analyst for the Joint Center for Political Studies, a Washington, D.C.-based think-tank.
"I think it's still very early in the process. I think both … Mr. Bush and whoever is the candidate for the Democrats have a lot of work to do," said Doug Thornell, Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Communications director.
Bositis said although the poll surveyed African-American registered voters, the 22 percent supporting Bush's re-election isn't evidence of any strong movement toward Bush. "The fact is Bush's popularity is declining even within the general population," he said.
"The economic numbers that I have seen in terms of how African Americans are doing isn't good, and there is already a disinclination to vote Republican," said Bositis.
Indeed, African Americans gave the president a poor showing when it comes to handling of the economy. Only 22 percent, according to the poll, approve of the way he is handling the country’s economic situation. The poll numbers reflect the bleak state of employment in the African-American community.
"Unemployment in the African-American community is more than 11 percent, manufacturing jobs are just disappearing," said Thornell.
According to the Department of Labor, the African-American unemployment rate hit 11.8 percent in June, while the national rate was 6.4 percent.
Bositis said, however, there is a high probability that Bush will increase the percentage of African Americans who voted for him in 2004, only because he has bottomed out at 9 percent in 2000. "He got such a small share of the black vote … he got significantly less than Bob Dole who got 14 percent. So would I wouldn't be surprised if Bush got a few more points … he is mainly at the bottom right now, he has no place to go, he's like a student who got a zero on the test," said Bositis.
Democrats Introduce Bill to Protect Minority-Language Media
Sens. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., and Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., introduced "The National Minority Media Opportunity Act" late last week that would prevent media mergers that would create monopolies in Spanish-language television.
"This is basically an information-age civil-rights bill. Our democracy has a long-standing commitment to minority participation in all aspects of our society, and that principle applies to the broadcast industry, too. A diversity of voices is essential to our democratic society," Kennedy said in a written statement.
The legislation is in response to the pending Univision/Hispanic Broadcasting Company (HBC) merger, potentially combining the largest Spanish-language media company, Univision, with the largest owner of Spanish-language radio, HBC, owner of 65 radio stations. There is fear that the combined company would wield too much control over Spanish-language media. The House voted in July to overturn the June 2 ruling to allow networks major television networks to own 45 percent of a television market. The House voted to restore the ownership cap back to 35 percent.
According to Kennedy and Clinton, the continuing decline of ownership by diverse groups and the new Federal Communications Commission rules voted on June 2, allowing for more media concentration, mean that new protections are needed to ensure that Spanish-speaking Americans have access to competing sources of news, information, entertainment and other cultural programming in the broadcast media.
"I'm pleased to join Senator Kennedy in introducing this important legislation. With Americans increasingly dependent on broadcast media for news and entertainment, we need to do everything we can to ensure access to more voices, viewpoints, and local programming. With the declining number of minority owners, this bill comes at an especially critical time," said Clinton in a written statement.
Rep. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., a vocal critic of the Univision/HBC merger, is expected to introduce a companion bill in the House of Representatives.
D.C. Calendar
U.S. House and Senate on break until Sept 2.

Hardly suprising 'Poll' result given the soure...

For those who don't understand, a 'PAC' is a Political action Comittiee, who's primary mission (or reason for existance) is to
'mobilize support' for their Politcal agenda.
In this case, that support is for 'Bush' and the Republican Party.

Would you really expect a 'PAC' who supports Bush, to release an 'apparent' "poll" showing that Bush is loosing?

Use your brain, its all disinformation and propoganda, to suppoort their Political ideology

Marxist Pig,

The 2004 election is going to be a landslide for Bush and you know it.

Colin Powell, Condoleeza Rice... Don't think for a minute that people have not noticed.

I dont doubt you either....
Given the history of Bush family connections to the Nazi's, the Bin Laden Construction Group, the Caryle Group, Gulf War War Crimes, the Republican Party, and an illegal farse of an election in last time...

I have to say, that I have complete confidence that George Bush, with assistance from dear 'ol daddy and his republican pals...
can once again rig the federal election in the US.

George W. Bush won the election fair and square. The electoral college vote system is in place so that states like New York do not have too much power over states like Rhode Island.

Al Gore lost the election, George W. Bush won. It was all by the rules and you need to get over it.

Your conspiracy theories are kooky

I could intervene in this thread, but why spoil a perfectly good fight between two of my least favorite people on this forum?