What is Kerry's message to the Afro-American voter?

[TheDonkey]

Help JK supporters.
What is Kerry's message that will woo black voters.
I've heard plenty of his stump speeches but I rarely hear him talk about race or helping those in the black community.

[1a2b3c]

1. Afro-american?

Is that like all the americans who wear an afro?

[stickdog]

4. Disco Stu already supports Kerry! (nt)

[THUNDER HANDS]

10. ROFLMAO

:D

[CalebHayes]

6. Your really white aren't you?

even I know that.

[1a2b3c]

8. You did?

:thumbsup:

[bread_and_roses]

13. I am really white

and I still think it is an important issue. Everyone here is always talking about "the base." Well, the minority community have been among the Dems most loyal supporters. And largely ignored for it. I, too, would like to know what Kerry offers to a group that has suffered most from the insane "Drug War" and the ever-increasing wealth/income gap as well as the oppressions of racism.

[CalebHayes]

2. John Edwards always talks about race... It's in his stump speech.

[stickdog]

3. I am not Bush. Hear me roar. (nt)

[Sweetpea]

5. I think all of the candidates are going to have a difficult time wooing

black voters. Dean attracted alot of the blacks I know. I am black and prefer Kerry myself. I think his voting record is progessive enough that he could be a helpful president.

[Myra]

16. I'm not African American, but I'm heartened by the fact that Clark

repeatedly speaks on issues that concern them, and thereby
concern me: black voter disenfranchisement, affirmative action,
the racist criminal justice system...

I think he's the most sincere of the bunch in that regard.

[windansea]

7. Kerry accepts $2000 donations

that's one of his messages

[rumguy]

9. He's going to reunite NWA (minus Eazy) and take em out on the trail

[KoKo]

11. Suck Up To Me........OR DIE! Compromises Must Be Made!

:shrug:

[gottaB]

12. "I want to be the candidate of the NAACP"

John Kerry has 100% rating from NAACP. That's for the 107th Congress, according to the naacp score card (pdf format).

I believe all the votes that earned him that rating are represented in his platform, but the way he's been presenting it does seem kind of bland. I don't know, I'm not really a Kerry supporter. Still undecided.

[blm]

14. His lifetime RECORD is a message. He doesn't have to CRAFT one.

I think they'll see it.

[bigtree]

15. "What is Kerry's message to the Afro-American voter?"

John Kerry has voted for every major piece of Civil Rights legislation to come before Congress since 1985, including the Civil Rights Act of 1991 and the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987. Kerry received a 100 percent rating from the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People for his work in support of civil rights during the 107th Congress.


Working for African Americans
http://www.johnkerry.com/communities/african_americans/position.html

Create Jobs: There are more than half a million more unemployed African Americans today than at the start of the Bush Administration. The unemployment rate among African Americans has climbed back into double-digits and is the highest it has been in nine years. John Kerry supports efforts that put America back to work and renew our cities through building infrastructure, school construction and modernization, tax credits and cleaning up polluted areas in our country.

Help Small Businesses Succeed: John Kerry would fuel growth in African American-owned businesses by expanding the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) program, which opens doors to federal contracting to many African American businesses, and make start-up and venture capital available to African American businesses. Kerry is the most senior Democrat and former chairman of the Small Business Committee and he led the fight to preserve Affirmative Action in federal Small Business assistance.

Protect Workers Right to Organize a Union: Unions provide workers a voice at the workplace and help them organize to wing better wages, benefits and respect from management. John Kerry has strongly supported the right to organize, helping many workers in his home state of Massachusetts organize unions, including Justice for Janitors in the Boston area in their efforts to organize and win health benefits. Kerry also supports card check and neutrality as the fairest way for workers to choose and organize unions.

Increase Homeownership: Homeownership rates among African Americans have not increased significantly during the Bush Administration and less than half of African American families own their own home today. John Kerry introduced the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act to spur the construction new, affordable rental units for low-income, working families. Its goal is to create 1.5 million affordable, mixed-income developments in areas with the greatest opportunities for low-income families over the next decade. And Kerry championed funding for YouthBuild, which helps at-risk youth obtain an education and take responsibility for their lives and their communities. Over the past decade, more than 20,000 YouthBuild students have built more than 7,000 housing units in their neighborhoods. Eighty-five percent of the students who complete the YouthBuild program either secure a job or go on to post-secondary education.

____________________________________________________________________


Congressional Black Caucus Cocktail Reception Honors John Kerry
http://gallery.johnkerry.com/gallery/cbc

Hundreds of "African-Americans for Kerry" from throughout the country descended upon our nation's capitol the week of September 22nd in a mobilized effort to work as Kerry Whips during the 33rd Annual Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Foundation Legislative Conference.

The successful whipping effort was led by 75 African-Americans from John Kerry's home state of Massachusetts. Proudly adorned with Kerry buttons, Massachusetts "African-Americans for Kerry" attended braintrusts and receptions throughout the week spreading the Kerry message, whipping up support for their native son.

The culminating event was a reception in John Kerry's honor Co-Hosted by CBC Foundation Conference.

____________________________________________________________________

Press Releases

January 23, 2004 - Bush is Out of Touch With Americans
http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/releases/pr_2004_0123.html

January 19, 2004 - Message From John Kerry Commemorating Martin Luther King's Birthday
http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/releases/pr_2004_0119.html

January 16, 2004 - Statement from John Kerry on Bush’s Recess Appointment of Charles Pickering
http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/releases/pr_2004_0116e.html

January 16, 2004 - Kerry Receives Endorsement of Del. Donna M. Christensen of U.S. Virgin Islands
http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/releases/pr_2004_0116b.html

January 11, 2004 - Kerry Offers Plan to Celebrate, Strengthen and Enhance America’s Urban Centers
http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/releases/pr_2004_0111b.html

January 10, 2004 - National African American and Latino Leaders Organize to Help Kerry Win Democratic Nomination
http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/releases/pr_2004_0110e.html

December 31, 2003 - John Kerry Emphasizes the Possibilities for 2004
http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/releases/pr_2003_1231c.html

December 06, 2003 - Prominent African American Leaders in Virginia Form Committee to Support John Kerry for President
http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/releases/pr_2003_1206c.html

November 25, 2003 - Kerry: "I have Fought for civil rights And equal opportunity my whole life"
http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/releases/pr_2003_1125c.html

October 10, 2003 - Kerry Proposes Ways to Reduce Burden on Small Business by Lowering Health Care Costs
http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/releases/pr_2003_1010b.html

__________________________________________________________________

News Clips

December 29, 2003 - Kerry pledges more accurate elections
http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/clips/news_2003_1229b.html

October 03, 2003 - Kerry Against Bush Majority on High Court
http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/clips/news_2003_1003.html

August 22, 2003 - Looking ahead, Kerry to use carrier as campaign launch
http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/clips/news_2003_0822.html

April 27, 2003 - Ford Decides Early to Endorse Kerry in Race for President
http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/clips/news_2003_0427.html

_________________________________________________________________

Speeches

October 03, 2003 - Remarks by John Kerry-The Case of the Bush Majority vs. Justice and Opportunity
http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/speeches/spc_2003_1003.html

September 05, 2003 - Announcement Speech at Faneuil Hall Rally
http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/speeches/spc_2003_0903.html

September 02, 2003 - Kerry Announcement Speech
http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/speeches/spc_2003_0902.html

August 28, 2003 - Remarks by Senator John Kerry -
"Fight for our Economic Future”
http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/speeches/spc_2003_0828.html

January 20, 2003 - Remarks as Prepared for Delivery, Martin Luther King Day
http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/speeches/spc_2003_0120.html

September 22, 2002 - Congressional Black Caucus Veterans Braintrust
http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/speeches/spc_2002_0922.html

September 08, 2002 - 2002 NAACP Legislative Mobilization Conference
http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/speeches/spc_2002_0908.html

[sandnsea]

17. Unify

I think he wants to unify people and present issues in a way that acknowledges everybody has problems. He believes in Affirmative Action and has said so repeatedly, but also wants to remove the perception, I repeat perception, that white people are being treated unfairly because of Affirmative Action. YouthBuild was a program from Harlem that he added to legislation a long time ago. It's in something like 46 cities now. Early Childhood Education programs. Economic plans targeted to inner cities. He's said it's wrong that we have more young black men in prison than college. That people come out of prison with the same problems they went in with. The unfairness of the drug laws. It's just he has a tendency to address these issues as problems that everybody IS concerned about and not as just "black" issues. He's reaching out to those disaffected white southern voters subtly, but also reaching out in a way that black voters should be able to relate to. I hope so anyway.

[Freddie Stubbs]

18. Number One:

Don't use the term "Afro-American." It's kind of a throwback to the '70s.