Today, I witnessed history as the fifteen electors appointed by the state Republican Party and elected by the people of Georgia cast their votes for John McCain and Sarah Palin. To quote Georgia elector John White, “The November 4th election did not elect a president. Until we finish our business here today, this election is not over.”
Well, that business is now completed and we can finally close the book on the never-ending story that was the 2008 presidential election.
Now I must admit that as I walked onto the floor of the state Senate, my presuppositions of the Georgia GOP included the expectation that the state’s 15 electors would be a bunch of old, overweight, balding white men. It surprised me to learn that of Georgia’s 15 electors, six were women and three more were minorities (African-American, Asian-American and Latino).
I was surprised because what I saw today ran contrary to everything I’ve ever heard about the Republican Party.
I was always told that the GOP was racist; that they didn’t like black people. I was always told that the Republicans were sexist; that they wanted to keep their women in the home doing the only two things that females are good for, housework and bedwork. I was always told that Republicans were xenophobic; that they wanted to keep Jose from coming across the border.
In short, the Republican Party that I saw in the state Senate chambers today did not reflect the Republican Party that existed in my mind for most of my life. I expected a bunch of good ol’ white boys ruling the roost. Instead, I saw them in the minority.
It was an eyeopener and no mistake.
So while I look forward to a vigorous campaign in 2010 and (hopefully) beating the brakes off you guys, I have a new-found respect for the GOP because today I saw fifteen Republican electors that truly looked like Georgia.
{ 12 comments }
Andre,
I hate to break it to you but you’ve been duped by the vast right wing conspiracy. The people you saw today are the phony electors we sent to stand in proxy for the old white guys.
Buzz forgot to add his disclaimer, clarifying that he was paid by the old white guys to say that.
Andre, you’re not the first one to walk into a group of Republicans and be surprised that the GOP isn’t just a bunch of “white men.” This interview on 94.9 Dave FM back in 2006 points that out along with the fact that apparently I am adorable.
http://www.buckheadyr.org/radio.htm
Six percent of Georgia’s electors are African-American, and that’s representative of the state? Really?
its kinda hard to breakdown 15 folks into a perfect demographic reflection, but considering what andre claims to have been expecting, any diversity would trump none–and the list of dem electors had obama won the state is not exactly “representative” either so it cuts both ways…
That was all the diversity of the GAGOP.
I think the concept that any group like this, or participants in a political party, would follow a quota system is foolish. Given only about 5-10 percent of the black vote actually goes Republican, the representation among our electors is actually well above the statistical representation one would expect.
That being said, I have always questioned how it’s the GOP that’s racist because a huge majority of black voters CHOOSE to vote for the Democrats. Aren’t they the ones who are showing a blatant bias? Is it political beliefs (the socialist/government handout mentality), misunderstanding of the parties (Lincoln was a Republican and the Civil Rights legislation passed because of Republicans), ignorance (GOP is racist and Democrats have always loved them), or a bad habit (like drugs and alcohol abuse)?
I know that outreach at many levels has been less than successful. Objectively, the GOP message should resonate at a much higher level among these voters than it does.
Today’s posting by Andre was paid for by the GA GOP minority outreach program
How many of these electors were UGA grads?
Well, Six were women, so we know they weren’t Tech grads…
I guess Michael Steele, Herman Cain, Melvin Everson, Gary Franks, J.C. Watts, Melvin Evans, Karen Handel, Cathy McMorris, Susan Collins, Sarah Palin, Elizabeth Dole, Sue Everhart, Olympia Snowe, Mel Martinez, Vernadette Ramirez, Sora McFarlane, etc., etc., etc., did not exist in the “Republican Party that (you) saw.”
I appreciate that you now see the light, Andre, but it didn’t just appear yesterday.
While you’re all dewey eyed, try to think back to all diversity you saw in the GOP national convention in Minneapolis.
Comments on this entry are closed.
{ 1 trackback }