Joe Klein's recent mash note to Barack Obama, which Charlie Pierce talks about here, contains some interesting (if banal) reflections on the problems faced by black Democrats. Either they can seek to appeal to other African-Americans, thus jacking up turnout but confining them to majority African-American districts, or they can move towards white voters, which will depress turnout among liberals and blacks. It ain't easy.
But Michael Steele is proving that Republican candidates have it no easier. The Steele path to the Senate relies on heavy white support from Republicans and cutting Ben Cardin's margins among blacks. In the past few days, though, Steele has received some help with the latter that may not be wanted: Mike Tyson, his one-time brother-in-law, happily endorsed him (and then explained to the assembled reporters how he'd like to box women for money) and Don King has hit the campaign trail for Steele (Said King: "I must have an indictment list longer than his awards list."). None of this, I fear, will aid Steele in the white community, where the bulk of his support lies. This sort of thing is on my mind because I received a e-mail today from a reader reminding me that racism has not evacuated electoral preferences:
Ezra: I just voted absentee, straight Democrat. That being said I assure you I will never vote for a woman nor a black for president and I am not alone. If Hillary/Obama ran they probably could not even carry all the blue states and certainly not the South. Perhaps after we are tasken over by the Mexicans voting will change. Evan Bayh of Indiana is the only Democrat with a chance of being elected. Wisdom: He would carry all the blue states plus the red state of Indiana. Hillary/Obama are both from heavy blue states.
And poor Evan Bayh, who has to know that a certain segment of his base is in it for his Y chromosome and lack of melanin. Reminds me of Thomas Carcetti, the white candidate for mayor in The Wire's fictional Baltimore, who ran into a well-meaning constituent with an enthusiasm for Carcetti's plan to wrest Baltimore back from the blackies, and had to smile and nod because he needed the vote, and knew he wasn't running for office with any sympathies for the sentiments.
Crossposted at Tapped
