“The black vote”
Wednesday, Oct 15, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* ABC 7…
In a debate at the DuSable Museum of African American history, candidates for governor vied for the black vote that Republicans are not conceding this year.
“Governor Quinn, in my opinion, is taking the African American vote for granted,” said Rauner.
Rauner told the majority African American audience and panel that blacks had not fared well under incumbent Pat Quinn’s leadership.
“Brutally high unemployment, deteriorating schools, lack of a proper social services,” said Rauner.
I’m not sure how you can accuse Quinn of using an anti-violence program to buy black votes four years ago and still say he takes the black vote for granted. Should he do another NRI or something?
* Tribune…
[Rauner said] the Democratic governor “could have and should have” made Stephanie Neely, the black city treasurer of Chicago, his running mate but threw her “off his ticket” in favor of former Chicago Public Schools chief Paul Vallas.
“African-American families are suffering in Illinois — brutally high unemployment, deteriorating schools, lack of proper social services and rampant cronyism and corruption that’s taking away job opportunities from African Americans,” Rauner said.
The Neely snub definitely upset some members of Chicago’s African-American elite, so that was a good line for Rauner that’ll play well with a small group of folks. I wonder how Neely feels about Quinn and/or Rauner today?
* AP…
Quinn was asked how he’d help build trust among minorities with law enforcement.
He noted his record of trying to clear the clemency backlog of more than 2,500 cases that built up under his predecessor, saying he’s considered cases “based on justice and mercy.”
“That is part of helping ex-offenders who have made mistakes, who have served their time, get a fresh start,” he said.
But Rauner said Quinn has failed on crime, public safety and the prison system, saying the best way to reduce crime is to grow the economy to create jobs.
“We have crime because we have a lack of opportunity,” he said.
Neither candidate actually answered that question, and it’s a very important one in the community.
* But, speaking of “creating jobs,” Mary Ann Ahern reported that some participants in a loud and rowdy protest outside the governor’s debate admitted to being paid to attend. That was confirmed by Natasha Korecki…
Ward is pretty well known in some South Side circles as an agitator.
Ward didn’t say who was paying him, but said it wasn’t the Rauner campaign, even though he had a bus to take them away…
I’m told by one reporter who was there that it appeared Rauner’s people asked the protesters to stop and they complied.
* Meanwhile, Rauner’s campaign is blanketing the interwebtubes with some new YouTube videos of prominent African-American supporters. I’m seeing these ads almost everywhere I navigate today. The full list is here, but let’s just watch a couple of them. Pastor Corey Brooks…
* Rev. James Meeks…
* President Obama will appear with Gov. Quinn this weekend on the South Side. And he had this event scheduled for today…
As part of his Birth to Five Initiative, Governor Pat Quinn will announce an investment in early childhood education in one of Illinois’ most underserved communities.
WHEN: 11 a.m.
WHERE: Gads Hill Child Development Center
2nd Floor
2653 W. Ogden Ave.
Chicago, 60608
- anon - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 11:53 am:
Paid to support Rauner, paid to protest Quinn. I see a pattern…
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 11:55 am:
Saw the Brooks and Meeks ads on TV, cable if I recall. Short term benefit to them, perhaps, but long term, just baffling…
- Nonplussed - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 11:57 am:
NRI $ went through Black Alderman. Don’t you think they will deliver for Quinn in Nov?
Also, Quinn had always been very close to Bobby Rush, Emil Jones, Jessie White, Danny Davis, among others. Those organizations will go out strong for him as well.
Also, and blacks might not like to hear it, but black support in Cook County for Dems has been monolithic.
- Steve - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 11:57 am:
-I’m not sure how you can accuse Quinn of using an anti-violence program to buy black votes four years ago and still say he takes the black vote for granted.-
That program didn’t employ all the unemployed African-Americans in Cook County. It’s highly reasonable for Rauner to say that. Who controls Chicago’s public schools? Libertarians? Pat Quinn is quite comfortable with the Madigan-Burke-Emanuel-union driven status quo in Chicago, Cook County and Illinois. Maybe, Pat Quinn can explain why Chicago lost 17% of its’ African-American population between 2000 and 2010. It must be Republicans thorough domination of Chicago politics.
- Wordslinger - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 11:57 am:
Rauner finally found some black people he would hire.
- Bored Chairman - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 11:59 am:
Sense that Rauner may do slightly better than Brady with the black vote. Not enough to overcome the Chad Effect, though.
- Jocko - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 12:01 pm:
Wordslinger does it again!
Depending on November’s outcome, I think HR might end up classifying them as temps.
- Wordslinger - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 12:11 pm:
Steve, your comments consistently reveal a pristine world view undisturbed by complexity and reality.
You’re really lumping Quinn and Emanuel together, and Emanuel and teacher unions? How is that possible?
- Cheryl44 - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 12:18 pm:
Who controls Chicago’s public schools?
Rahm. You know, Rauner’s buddy.
- Plutocrat03 - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 12:20 pm:
So when the NRI $ goes to the usual suspects, how does it help non-politically connected?
Some day the regular folks will realize that any assistance sent from the government will be intercepted long before it gets to them. What will they do then?
- Enviro - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 12:22 pm:
Rauner supports private school vouchers and charter schools which may appeal to some black religious leaders such as Rev. Meeks and Rev. Brooks.
- Nonplussed - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 12:24 pm:
Plutocrto3: They will vote for the party that at least tries to protect them, not Rauner who wants to expand the sales tax to cover services so that he can make $1M more with a lower income tax (I don’t know how much more his buddy Ken Griffin will make) and pass the pain on to the poorest people who still have to buy stuff to survive.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 12:28 pm:
Diana Rauner is apparently a participant in the event on Birth to Five and praising the Governor.
Doesn’t that really undermine her t.v. attacks on state government?
- Black Ivy - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 12:30 pm:
No kind words from POTUS, FLOTUS, or Madame Secretary can change Governor Quinn’s benign neglect and outright hostility toward Black folks. Let Rauner’s formidable words at last night’s debate serve as canary in the mine - we’re fed up and not going to take it anymore!
- Cheryl44 - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 12:34 pm:
Oh please. We got the mayor we have because lots of elderly black folks were of the impression their president asked them to vote for Rahm. I know this because my black friends and coworkers kept telling their parents Mr. Obama didn’t do any such thing, but their parents didn’t buy that.
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 12:35 pm:
@Cheryl44- Rauner and Emmanuel are not “buddies”. They are co-sophisticates that happen to share a deep admiration for fine wine, investment, and ranching in Montana. Big difference. ~snark~
- Plutocrat03 - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 12:36 pm:
“least tries to protect them”
It is a false premise that the current powers try to help the helpless. All the money seems to go to people who enrich themselves to a far greater amount than the assistance that is given to the needy.
A proper education and decent infrastructure will allow many more people to escape poverty than the current patchwork of handouts.
The fantasy that by taxing only the rich can pay for needed services is rapidly unravelling. How many tomes has this board fondly discussed broadening the tax bas as a response to the revenue deficit? Apparently it is now a bad idea because if come from a Republican candidate.
- Anon - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 12:47 pm:
Rev. Meeks strongly oppose same-sex marriage and he’s prolife. I wonder how he likes Rauner running as a pro-choice candidate who wants to keep marriage equality? I guess there are some religious principles that matter less than charter schools.
- Pot calling kettle - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 12:47 pm:
== But Rauner said Quinn has failed on crime, public safety and the prison system, saying the best way to reduce crime is to grow the economy to create jobs.
“We have crime because we have a lack of opportunity,” he said.==
Quinn missed a huge opening on that one. He should have asked Rauner why he hadn’t focused on investing in and building up the AA community. All Rauner has done so far was drive his old van to the south side and deposit less than a week’s pay in one bank. Doesn’t seem like much of a commitment to me.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 12:53 pm:
Isn’t it amazing how Rauner’s answer to everything is the standard “we’re going to grow the economy and create jobs?”
- Nonplussed - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 12:57 pm:
Plutocrato3: Illinois spends about $36B on education each year. Not sure how you don’t turn that into a “proper education” or how much more you can spend to do that. I went to Chicago Public Schools in the 70’s and 80’s. I went to a school where a large percentage of students were bused black kids. Looking back at it through the lens of a middle age white male, the problem wasn’t the schools.
In 2011, the top 10% paid 30% of their income in fed, state and local taxes. The middle class paid 25%. If you think that is fair, ok. Oh, note that in 2011, the top 10% took in 45% of the nation’s income.
- MrJM - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 1:01 pm:
“No kind words from POTUS, FLOTUS, or Madame Secretary can change Governor Quinn’s benign neglect and outright hostility toward Black folks.”
If Quinn is “hostile” and “neglectful”, how would you describe the billionaire who didn’t hire a single African-American professional to work for and represent his firm?
– MrJM
- Nonplussed - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 1:06 pm:
==If Quinn is “hostile” and “neglectful”, how would you describe the billionaire who didn’t hire a single African-American professional to work for and represent his firm?==
Old School Racist
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 1:30 pm:
Nonpplussed:
I wouldn’t call Rauner a racist.
He pours millions into charter schools to try to bust teachers unions, but a minority attending one of those charters apparently has no shot at landing a job with Rauner after they graduate.
He should just stop pretending that his support for charter schools is about ensuring every kid gets a world-class education, regardless of race.
In fact, according to the new study, charter schools have created a two-tier system that is more segregated.
- Jan Bradley - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 1:33 pm:
I recorded the debate and noticed Rauner can’t even say African American… what the heck is
Asfrican American ? And should have been asked how many African Americans he employs. What a goof
- Casual observer - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 1:36 pm:
I agree with Wordslinger. Rauner decides he needs to hire some black folks. But wait, what are they qualified to do? Thugs, that’s the ticket. To staff, hire me the best qualified blacks and let’s “bus” ‘em to the party. It should be insulting to the AA community.
- A guy... - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 1:46 pm:
Not going to go down the crazy aisle here. One thing is for certain: Pat Quinn, and truthfully, the entire Democratic Party, has indeed taken the African American vote for granted. They continue to experience to great a share of human misery every day, be it schools, jobs, crime, etc. They certainly have a right to feel that their loyalty has been under appreciated.
- Wumpus - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 1:49 pm:
Was NRI effectie or did it simply buy influence?
- Wordslinger - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 1:50 pm:
Once again, A Guy speaks for the masses.
Tell us, A Guy: why don’t African-Americans vote like you?
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 2:01 pm:
==“Governor Quinn, in my opinion, is taking the African American vote for granted,” said Rauner.==
Wait, wasn’t Governor Quinn buying African American votes with NRI?
==”[Rauner said] the Democratic governor “could have and should have” made Stephanie Neely, the black city treasurer of Chicago, his running mate”==
Rauner’s picking Quinn’s LG running mate now? Shouldn’t have and couldn’t have Rauner hired a few African American executives?
- A guy... - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 2:03 pm:
=== Wordslinger - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 1:50 pm:
Once again, A Guy speaks for the masses.
Tell us, A Guy: why don’t African-Americans vote like you?====
some do slinger. Are you so utterly blind and stubborn that you disagree that AA votes have been taken for granted? Do you not see the incredible challenges so many face in the communities they have little option to leave?
I am not AA. Can’t even begin to try to walk in their shoes, but I can try to relate as best I can. My daughter in law is AA (sure that shocks you) She’s had an extraordinary number of opportunities to excel and she has.
Through Catholic Charities, I’ve had a chance to help. I wish I could do more. What I do know, is that the policies that have been pursued are completely ineffective. In many cases, they’ve caused a lot more harm. By the time a well intentioned policy makes it’s way to the front, it’s often been so convoluted it’s destined to fail.
I can’t relate to not being able to let my kids play in the front yard, back yard, alley or the street. I can’t relate to gun shots being part of the normal audio track in my world. I can relate to bringing real hope into a hopeless situation and watching people succeed. We need to figure out how do to this a heck of a lot better than we have. Speaking for myself here.
- Wordslinger - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 2:09 pm:
A Guy, I think African-Americans are perfectly capable of making their own voting choices.
For you to decree that theyre making the wrong choices is patronizing.
Again, why don’t they vote like you?
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 2:25 pm:
@A guy:
I think there’s a difference between being taken for granted and policy failures. I’m not sure I’d agree that anybody has been taken for granted, especially in this election. But I could agree that there have been policy failures. I’d just argue one doesn’t equal the other.
- crazybleedingheart - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 2:25 pm:
In my best Jeff Foxworthy tone:
If you think interracial relationships “shock” people in Oak Park in 2014…you might be a redneck.
- Amalia - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 2:52 pm:
Money can buy me protesters!
- A guy... - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 3:36 pm:
=== Wordslinger - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 2:09 pm:
A Guy, I think African-Americans are perfectly capable of making their own voting choices.
For you to decree that theyre making the wrong choices is patronizing.
Again, why don’t they vote like you?===
Again, some do. But the big reason most do not? Because my party hasn’t done a good job of making them feel a part of it. Rauner is reaching out more than anyone else ever has to the AA community. He’s been doing it for years. These aren’t new friends to him. Many are old friends. Rauner has done more to change this party toward inclusion than anyone in our life time on the GOP side. That’s why. Debate it to death. It’s true.
The Dems have never been challenged by the GOP for affection in the AA community. That’s changing. Last night at least proved some of that.
- A guy... - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 3:40 pm:
===crazybleedingheart - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 2:25 pm:
In my best Jeff Foxworthy tone:
If you think interracial relationships “shock” people in Oak Park in 2014…you might be a redneck.===
I don’t think they are a shock goofy. I think my friend and arduous debate partner from OP might be mildly surprised that my adorable daughter in law is AA more because of me. Not her. Thanks for your absolutely inane comment though. I’m as far from a red neck as anyone a dude like you might know.
- Pot calling kettle - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 3:56 pm:
==Rauner is reaching out more than anyone else ever has to the AA community. He’s been doing it for years.==
Really? Years? How many of the businesses he has owned have set up shop in the AA community?
Less than one week’s pay deposited in one bank one time this summer. That’s his commitment. Impressive.
- justbabs - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 4:00 pm:
Just out of curiosity, wasn’t Quinn with Pastor Brooks when he first raised that pile of money for his takeover of the neglected hotel? I thought I remembered them marching together to celebrate reaching the fundraising goal? Am I mis-remembering something?
- A guy... - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 4:13 pm:
=== Pot calling kettle - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 3:56 pm:
==Rauner is reaching out more than anyone else ever has to the AA community. He’s been doing it for years.==
Really? Years? How many of the businesses he has owned have set up shop in the AA community?===
Do you already know the answer, or will you look it up? Now ask how many schools has he helped, how many students, how many organizations? Get back to us on that would you? Perhaps after the Mensa meeting.
- Wordslinger - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 5:33 pm:
A Guy, You amaze how you act like you know what you’re talking about.
The Trib has Rauner polling 12 percent in the city - North, South, West.
- Mighty M. Mouse - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 8:10 pm:
===Tell us, A Guy: why don’t African-Americans vote like you?====
Word, maybe you should reconsider. AAs vote in their own best interest and A guy… thinks that he does that too. So they DO vote just like him!
- Valerie F. Leonard - Wednesday, Oct 15, 14 @ 9:22 pm:
I don’t know what’s worse–Dems taking the Black vote for granted, or Rauner taking for granted that he would never need blacks for 30 years, as long as he was running a private equity firm and not running for statewide office. It was painful watching him trying to remember names of blacks who were supposedly in his inner circle, or whose judgement he trusts. He couldn’t name any high powered African American Republican businessman.
- steve schnorf - Thursday, Oct 16, 14 @ 12:23 am:
guy, I kinda think I agree with you about Rauner doing more than any high-level R in recent history in terms of reaching out to the black community.. Now to be honest, that’s at least partially true because of how low the bar is set. But most R politicians make at best an every 4 year one time visit to a few black churches, if that, and maybe hit the parade. Rauner’s efforts clearly far exceed that, and good for him.
Now, failing to having any blacks working at his group probably isn’t racist as much as just good old boy patronage, mentors/mentees, etc, but it certainly is a glaring oversight for someone who intended to run for Gov. Setting that aside as probably just an oversight, again not racism on his part, I still see him struggling to hit 20% of the AA vote, don’t you? Too many years of David Duke and our party’s target voter, the under-educated southern white and his mate. Judy will get there, but I think it will be a struggle for Rauner. I can be surprised, though.
- Valerie F. Leonard - Thursday, Oct 16, 14 @ 8:24 am:
GTCR recruits at Harvard, Kellogg, Stanford, U of C and top business schools around the country. These schools have some of the best and the brightest business minds in the world, and significant numbers of African Americans. I’m finding it very difficult to believe that their failure to hire any blacks in their investment ranks to be an oversight. Bruce Rauner has shown the ability to go after what he wants and lets nothing stand in his way. He came of business age when Wall Street firms were bringing in African Americans at record numbers. GTCR didn’t follow suit. Apparently, that was not a priority.
Bruce Rauner seems to be more comfortable hiring black protesters and giving to black causes than he is in grooming them for business and creating economic opportunity.
Even his charter school chain, which serves mostly low income African American students, is notorious for pushing out large numbers of students and charging over a quarter of a million dollars in fines for minor infractions. The only reason Nobel stopped the practice is the media got wind of it, and Rauner was gearing up for a run for Governor.