# Romney For President Announces Black Leadership Council. **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 16, 2012, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-for-president-announces-black-leadership-council/634905 "2012-09-16T18:20:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-for-president-announces-black-leadership-council/634905/21 "2012-09-17T05:43:34Z")
Race and class in America is very complex and nuanced. To oversimplify to illustrate the point, Michelle Obama is “whiter” than Lady Gaga. ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-for-president-announces-black-leadership-council/634905/22 "2012-09-17T08:13:32Z")
> [@G-SE](#): > > No. 1/2 + 1/2 != 1/2 , no matter how many times you say it to yourself. How black is the child of two half black parents then? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-for-president-announces-black-leadership-council/634905/23 "2012-09-17T11:28:39Z")
This idea is almost as funny as Democrats claiming to be for the middle class. Maybe someday they’ll actually win the middle class vote. Nah. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-for-president-announces-black-leadership-council/634905/24 "2012-09-17T11:39:36Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > This idea is almost as funny as Democrats claiming to be for the middle class. They are certainly more for the middle class than the Republicans are. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-for-president-announces-black-leadership-council/634905/25 "2012-09-17T12:04:45Z")
Judging by their membership, they should probably hold their meetings in a cabin. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-for-president-announces-black-leadership-council/634905/26 "2012-09-17T12:19:10Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > I’ve been over this once before, but Blacks have been overwhelmingly voting Democrat for the last eighty or so years. Yes, we’ve been over this. From eighty or so years ago until Civil Rights (and the southern strategy), the Republicans typically got a significant fraction of the black vote- 30-40% or so. After Civil Rights and the southern strategy, the Republican share of the black vote went into the toilet. And the southern strategy continued, so it stayed in the toilet. ---
**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-for-president-announces-black-leadership-council/634905/27 "2012-09-17T12:57:21Z")
Again, only in la la land, does garnering-- on average-- 30% of any given demographic over a thirty or so year stretch constitute a “significant fraction”. That such an odd statement, especially when you consider that it’s typically considered a big deal to lose any group by over a five point swing (see: this board in relation to how Republicans do among female voters). Now as a completely rhetorical question, do you also believe the GOP currently garners a “significant fraction” of the overall Latino and Asian vote, too? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-for-president-announces-black-leadership-council/634905/28 "2012-09-17T13:31:26Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > Now as a completely rhetorical question, do you also believe the GOP currently garners a “significant fraction” of the overall Latino and Asian vote, too? Considering the impact of GOP policies on those groups, any fraction of their vote the Republicans receive is significant. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-for-president-announces-black-leadership-council/634905/29 "2012-09-17T13:32:06Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > Again, only in la la land, does garnering-- on average-- 30% of any given demographic over a thirty or so year stretch constitute a “significant fraction”. That such an odd statement, especially when you consider that it’s typically considered a big deal to lose any group by over a five point swing (see: this board in relation to how Republicans do among female voters). Now as a completely rhetorical question, do you also believe the GOP currently garners a “significant fraction” of the overall Latino and Asian vote, too? I don’t think you understand the words “a significant fraction”. What is a significant fraction to your thinking? 50%? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-for-president-announces-black-leadership-council/634905/30 "2012-09-17T13:39:08Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Also seems kinda cold to leave out poor Michael Steele. They could’ve at least put him on as an adviser. Too uppity. Doesn’t know his place. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-for-president-announces-black-leadership-council/634905/31 "2012-09-17T13:41:10Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > Again, only in la la land, does garnering-- on average-- 30% of any given demographic over a thirty or so year stretch constitute a “significant fraction”. 30% doesn’t constitute a significant fraction? What would you consider the absolute minimum number to be one? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-for-president-announces-black-leadership-council/634905/32 "2012-09-17T14:16:11Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > Again, only in la la land, does garnering-- on average-- 30% of any given demographic over a thirty or so year stretch constitute a “significant fraction”. That such an odd statement, especially when you consider that it’s typically considered a big deal to lose any group by over a five point swing (see: this board in relation to how Republicans do among female voters). Now as a completely rhetorical question, do you also believe the GOP currently garners a “significant fraction” of the overall Latino and Asian vote, too? Of course they do- though that “significant fraction”(of Latinos and Asians) may be shrinking. I’m baffled by your statement that 30% is not a “significant fraction”. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-for-president-announces-black-leadership-council/634905/33 "2012-09-17T14:34:07Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > They seem to have adopted the policy of pretending that he doesn’t exist. If this was the old Soviet Union, they’d be airbrushing him out of photographs. I think this is going to bite them in the ass eventually. I understand he’s working on a book. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-for-president-announces-black-leadership-council/634905/34 "2012-09-17T14:47:40Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > How black do you have to be before pointing out mixed heritage is no longer necessary? 3/4? 7/8? 15/16? Comedian Wanda Sykes said it best at the White House correspondents’ dinner: “The first black president.” She then told Obama, “Unless you screw up, and then it’s gonna be, 'what’s up with the half white guy, huh?” ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-for-president-announces-black-leadership-council/634905/35 "2012-09-17T14:52:30Z")
In response, Obama For President should create a Cracker-Ass Redneck Leadership Council. ---
**Author:** ![fumster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-for-president-announces-black-leadership-council/634905/36 "2012-09-17T15:50:15Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > I don’t know. A better question would be why if you’re mixed with Black and White you’re considered Black and not White. Because cabs still won’t stop for you. ---
**Author:** ![fumster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-for-president-announces-black-leadership-council/634905/37 "2012-09-17T15:56:40Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > In response, Obama For President should create a Cracker-Ass Redneck Leadership Council. The RNC? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-for-president-announces-black-leadership-council/634905/38 "2012-09-17T16:11:57Z")
> [@boytyperanma](#): > > Well I was expecting it to be an all white council. I have to give Romney credit for going out of his way to find some color, but oh boy did he find some winners. > > Representative Tim Scott (SC-01) First term congressman who refuses to be on the National Black Caucus. He also believes Obama should be impeached for um reasons? > > Representative Allen West (FL-22) One of our favorite Tea party lunatics, with a long list of accomplishments in crazy. > > Florida Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll, I don’t know much about her other then sitting second seat to Rick Scott which in itself is pretty crazy. Rick Scott’s first choice refused the job. Otherwise unlike the other 2 she seams qualified for the position. How did they miss Alan Keyes? He has experience running against Obama. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-for-president-announces-black-leadership-council/634905/39 "2012-09-17T16:13:38Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > I don’t know. A better question would be why if you’re mixed with Black and White you’re considered Black and not White. Because it has always been so, in America. See [One-drop rule.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-drop_rule) ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2012, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-for-president-announces-black-leadership-council/634905/40 "2012-09-17T16:17:00Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Because it has always been so, in America. See [One-drop rule.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-drop_rule) But this rule is racist and should be rejected today. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-for-president-announces-black-leadership-council/634905.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/romney-for-president-announces-black-leadership-council/634905.md?page=3)