posted on September 12, 2004 10:15:13 AM new
Kerry Hints GOP May Suppress Black Votes
Sun Sep 12, 8:51 AM ET Add Top Stories - AP to My Yahoo!
By NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - John Kerry (news - web sites) suggested Saturday night that Republicans may try to keep black voters from casting their ballots to help President Bush (news - web sites) win in November. "We are not going to stand by and allow another million African American votes to go uncounted in this election," the Democratic presidential nominee told the Congressional Black Caucus (news - web sites).
"We are not going to stand by and allow acts of voter suppression, and we're hearing those things again in this election."
Kerry has a team of lawyers to examine possible voting problems to try to prevent a repeat of the 2000 election disputes. He also has said he has thousands of lawyers around the country prepared to monitor the polls on election day.
"What they did in Florida in 2000, some say they may be planning to do this year in battleground states all across this country," Kerry said. "Well, we are here to let them know that we will fight tooth and nail to make sure that this time, every vote is counted and every vote counts."
Bush-Cheney spokesman Steve Schmidt said the campaign would not respond to Kerry's "baseless, divisive attacks" until Sunday. "Today is a day of remembrance," he said.
The Massachusetts senator also criticized the president for failing to meet with the caucus since his first month in office and for what he said was a failure to meet the Biblical standard set by the Good Samaritan to help others in need.
Blacks are one of the most loyal Democratic voting blocks, and Kerry needs to bring them to the ballot box if he is to overcome his trail in the polls and defeat in Bush. Kerry opened by joking about how CBC Chairman Elijah Cummings, D-Md., has an easier race ahead than he.
Now will someone explain to me when a Black man or women walk into the polls how they can be stopped from voting? Since a person can register to vote on the day of election with proper identificationthere is no way they can be stopped. Now if they don't have proper identification then they must be turned away. A valid drivers license, Valid State ID, a Bill whether it be electric, doctor bill, or any bill with the name and voting address is also proof. This is with any person Black or White, asian, or any other country. BTW any one can sit at the polls and watch to see what is happening. There are an equal number of Democrats and Republican poll workers. i.e. if there are 8 poll workers 4 have to be democrat and 4 republican and yes it it monitored. They can stay after hours and watch the count. There is nothing to hide. The only problem I see if someone doesn't fill out the absentee ballots properly they are not counted. This is one reason if a voter is in town they should go to the polls and not vote absentee.
posted on September 12, 2004 11:57:44 AM newNow will someone explain to me when a Black man or women walk into the polls how they can be stopped from voting?
IIRC, there were allegations by black voters that when they went to vote they were told their names were not on the list & they were turned away.
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"Bad temper is its own scourge. Few things are more bitter than to feel bitter. A man's venom poisons himself more than his victim." --Charles Buxton
posted on September 12, 2004 01:34:46 PM new
A little hard to believe when you consider various parties do not control polling places. I think this is more Dem think/speak in action.
ie: the law says 2 punches on a ballot and it is invalid, becomes "violating people's rights" because the Gore punch seems heavier than the Bush punch.
In NJ, I wished they ban the Dems from hiring vans and buses and driving around the inner cities picking up homeless, junkies and drunks and bringing them to the polls.
posted on September 12, 2004 01:52:26 PM new
Desquirrel says,"In NJ, I wished they ban the Dems from hiring vans and buses and driving around the inner cities picking up homeless, junkies and drunks and bringing them to the polls."
Uh, DUH! EVERYBODY has a right to vote in America, not just people YOU approve of.
posted on September 12, 2004 01:59:30 PM new
bunni - there were allegations by black voters that when they went to vote they were told their names were not on the list & they were turned away.
Yes, that was the allegation, but it was investigated and found to not have happened intentionally. There were some that had been removed from the voting lists in error....but the investigation found there was no intentional removal.
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This is an area where I have trouble with understanding the democratic side of this 'black' issue. The dems always SAY they're working to not divide our nation while they sprew hatred saying the whites/republicans do.
I don't see that the democratic party has done anything for the 'black's in America.....since the civil rights era. But the dems want that division to remain there for some reason....and to me...they continue to work to promote it - not heal the wounds.
Like why mention black voters at all. They should, imo, just be referred to as simple 'voters' just like the rest of Americans.
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"One thing is for sure: the extremists have faith in our weakness. And the weaker we are, the more they will come after us." --Tony Blair
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"The War on Terror will not be won until America is united. And as long as Democrats target the Bush administration -- not the terrorists -- as the enemy, we are in trouble." --Oliver North
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Those are only two reasons why we need to:
posted on September 12, 2004 02:23:00 PM newDesquirrel says,"In NJ, I wished they ban the Dems from hiring vans and buses and driving around the inner cities picking up homeless, junkies and drunks and bringing them to the polls."
Maybe they should be banned, because either party Dems or Reps are only buying votes.
They offer much more than a ride.
Maybe the DOT should offer free rides to and from, for anybody who have no way of getting to the polls.
But I'm sure Desquirrel is speaking of the ones who wouldn't go if the ride was free.
The ones that need more incentive than a ride!
posted on September 12, 2004 03:29:14 PM new
It's funny to hear republicans talk of voting irregularities especially when we remember the Bush election, the most corrupt in 125 years....with recounts and road blocks to keep black voters from the polls in Florida.
posted on September 12, 2004 04:09:33 PM new
desquirrel:
Actually it was a 3 step process
They forgot the 3rd. important step.
They forgot anyone dumb enough to be bought, into voting Democrat,wouldn't have the brains it takes to punch a Hole in a piece of paper.
They thought a ride to the polls and some 2 Buck Chuck was enough.
posted on September 12, 2004 11:41:55 PM new
"It's funny to hear republicans talk of voting irregularities especially when we remember the Bush election, the most corrupt in 125 years....with recounts and road blocks to keep black voters from the polls in Florida."
It's funny to hear people talk about irregularities when each recount yielded MORE votes for Bush, not counting, of course, the attempt to not count absentee military votes.
When the law says 2 punches invalidates a ballot,"arguing the degree of hang" of a chad, is simply moronic, as is the theory: "this is xx county Fl, of COURSE this was MEANT to be a vote for Gore."
