White House working to court Blacks for Obama (nothing racist about that)

White House working to court Blacks for Obama (nothing racist about that)
Philly Trib ^ | 4/08/11 | Zack Burgess

Posted on Monday, May 09, 2011 12:09:39 PM by Libloather
White House working to court Blacks for Obama

President’s poll numbers could use a boost among African Americans
Written by Zack Burgess Tribune Correspondent
Sunday, 08 May 2011 15:05

When President Barack Obama was elected into office, the pride felt in the African-American community was indescribable. The nation’s first Black president could do no wrong. A savior had arrived. And while he won the presidential election in 2008 with the help of a collection of liberal whites and independents — it’s safe to say it was Blacks who felt as if they were going to benefit the most.

Amazing how things change. 

As Obama prepares to run for re-election, he faces a daunting task, as his poll numbers with African Americans seem to be slipping, which has some believing that the president could be a little concerned. Considering he has launched a website — whitehouse.gov/africanamericans. It appears that the White House is putting forth a concerted effort to address the needs of African Americans ahead of the 2012 presidential election.


“The president knows his base in Black America is shaky,” Tavis Smiley recently said on his radio show. “You can’t play that history card more than one time.”

**SNIP**


But Blacks aren’t the only group sniffing at Obama. Among Latinos, it’s worse. Obama typically averages an approval rating of 65 percent – but, in March, Latino approval of Obama dipped to just 54 percent — almost 10 points. The poll results were based on interviews with more than 15,000 Americans.


“I’m very critical of the way that this president seems to be borrowing from the George Bush playbook."

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