The GOP and the black vote

The Republican Party spent much of the ’60s opposing the Democrats on civil rights legislation, affirmative action legislation and race-based quotas. This gives the Democrats the benefit of the doubt on race-related issues. The Republican Party continues to suffer from the credibility gap to go toe to toe with the Democrats on the race issue. They continue to lose this dramatic battle every time.

President Bush, during his two terms in office, made a considerable attempt to build bridges to the black community. His grassroots support for school vouchers and the diversity of his own Cabinet should have proclaimed to black Americans that they are part of the Republican Party. President Obama could care less and is held to an entirely different standard about selecting blacks to join his Cabinet, nominating blacks to a seat on the Supreme Court and secretary of State. What other president would have been given a pass by the mainstream media and civil rights movement after tossing Susan Rice under and over the bus? But black America's distrust of the Republican Party runs deep and may now be deeper. The psychological scars won't just fade away.

Can anyone give insights into what the GOP must do to start the process of gaining and maintaining the trust and support of the overall black community?

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