- Apr 8, 2013
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I've been reading numerous articles lately about why Pete Buttigieg has like literally zero support among African Americans (one poll says he is a statistical zero among AA voters in SC, for example.) I've heard numerous explanations attempted, but all are illogical for one reason or another.
One posited that they don't dislike Buttigieg so much as they really like Biden. The reasons they like Biden do make some sense, but this isn't a logical explanation given that other candidates not named Biden are doing better with black voters than Buttigieg.
Another links it to comments he made in 2011 which some blacks think are offensive. The problem is those comments only came out three weeks ago and he already had zero black support prior to that.
Another says he is considered a product of "white privilege." Yeah, but then why is Biden not also a product of that same white privilege?
Yet another links it to his demotion of a black police chief in South Bend. But the police chief had engaged in illegal wiretapping and was facing federal criminal charges. Arguably, the demotion saved him from being prosecuted. And in any event, this singular episode is nowhere near as concerning as Harris' regressive record as AG in CA. While Harris didn't do great with black voters prior to dropping out, she still did better than Buttigieg.
The last one I read hilariously suggests that Buttigieg is too white because his skin is "pasty." So if he gets a tan his numbers among black voters will improve? LOL
These explanations sound like the media thrashing around looking for "reasons" other than homophobia because they don't want to say that homophobia is a bigger problem among blacks than other ethnic groups. When they address the issue at all, it is to quote Al Sharpton saying that homophobia in the black community is overstated but offering no comparative polling data to back it up.
Here's one. In 2008 we passed Prop 8 here in CA which banned gay marriage in one of the most progressive states in the country, at a time when about half the general population of the country supported gay marriage. It barely passed only because 61% of CA blacks voted yes, and 52% of Hispanics, but whites voted no by a 5 point margin. And I would expect blacks in CA to be more socially liberal than blacks in say, SC.
Black voters aren't the only issue, either. I know more than one white democrat who doesn't want to vote for Buttigieg in the primary because of other people's homophobia. My wife is from the mid west, and she says the white working class union voters are culturally conservative and will never vote for a gay candidate. She thinks he can't win the swing states so she'll likely vote for Biden, even though she thinks Buttigieg is a superior candidate and would make a better POTUS.
All of this has nothing to do with his weak support among younger voters which is about him not being far enough to the left. Biden also has the same issue.
So is the country not ready for an LGBT POTUS? If so, it's pretty sad.
One posited that they don't dislike Buttigieg so much as they really like Biden. The reasons they like Biden do make some sense, but this isn't a logical explanation given that other candidates not named Biden are doing better with black voters than Buttigieg.
Another links it to comments he made in 2011 which some blacks think are offensive. The problem is those comments only came out three weeks ago and he already had zero black support prior to that.
Another says he is considered a product of "white privilege." Yeah, but then why is Biden not also a product of that same white privilege?
Yet another links it to his demotion of a black police chief in South Bend. But the police chief had engaged in illegal wiretapping and was facing federal criminal charges. Arguably, the demotion saved him from being prosecuted. And in any event, this singular episode is nowhere near as concerning as Harris' regressive record as AG in CA. While Harris didn't do great with black voters prior to dropping out, she still did better than Buttigieg.
The last one I read hilariously suggests that Buttigieg is too white because his skin is "pasty." So if he gets a tan his numbers among black voters will improve? LOL
These explanations sound like the media thrashing around looking for "reasons" other than homophobia because they don't want to say that homophobia is a bigger problem among blacks than other ethnic groups. When they address the issue at all, it is to quote Al Sharpton saying that homophobia in the black community is overstated but offering no comparative polling data to back it up.
Here's one. In 2008 we passed Prop 8 here in CA which banned gay marriage in one of the most progressive states in the country, at a time when about half the general population of the country supported gay marriage. It barely passed only because 61% of CA blacks voted yes, and 52% of Hispanics, but whites voted no by a 5 point margin. And I would expect blacks in CA to be more socially liberal than blacks in say, SC.
Black voters aren't the only issue, either. I know more than one white democrat who doesn't want to vote for Buttigieg in the primary because of other people's homophobia. My wife is from the mid west, and she says the white working class union voters are culturally conservative and will never vote for a gay candidate. She thinks he can't win the swing states so she'll likely vote for Biden, even though she thinks Buttigieg is a superior candidate and would make a better POTUS.
All of this has nothing to do with his weak support among younger voters which is about him not being far enough to the left. Biden also has the same issue.
So is the country not ready for an LGBT POTUS? If so, it's pretty sad.
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