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Could Affirmative Action Shift Election?
Blogging the Beltway: Obama's administration isn't skirting the controversial topic in 2012.
(The Root) -- Every time President Barack Obama has waded into a racially tinged controversy, he has suffered a swift political backlash -- particularly among white voters. His support among this demographic slipped below 50 percent for the first time after he voiced his concerns over the treatment of Harvard professor (and editor-in-chief of The Root) Henry Louis Gates Jr., who is black, at the hands of a zealous white member of law enforcement. Though there were plenty of Americans who shared his concerns, his poll numbers suffered nonetheless.
It would be several years before he would go near another racially charged controversy, and even then he did so gingerly. But when the president called the death of Trayvon Martin "a tragedy" and added that, "If I had a son, he'd look like Trayvon," conservatives were quick to accuse him of playing politics. And for a black politician, being perceived as playing politics with the issue of race can be akin to committing career suicide.
But the president has apparently found a racially charged battle worth fighting for: affirmative action.
The Obama administration has filed a brief in support of the University of Texas' admissions policy, which allows race to be one of many factors considered. The university is facing a legal challenge from Abigail Fisher, a white student who blames the school's consideration of race for her failure to gain admission.
Though President Obama has previously acknowledged that his own daughters enjoy a measure of privilege because of their socioeconomic status and therefore should not be granted an additional leg up in admissions over low-income students, including white ones, his administration is arguing that race still remains a relevant factor in college admissions. In the brief, his solicitor general writes, "Race is one of many characteristics (including socioeconomic status, work experience and other factors) that admissions officials may consider in evaluating the contributions that an applicant would make to the university."
Polls show that a majority of Americans now actually oppose affirmative action, and only 24 percent support its use in college admissions, which makes the administration's move, particularly in an election year, risky. But it's worth noting that these polls may not tell the whole story. A question remains whether most Americans know what "affirmative action" actually means. For instance, when the Washington Post asked for Romney's position on affirmative action, his campaign provided this reply in 2008: "I do not support quotas in hiring, government contracting, school admissions or the like. I believe our nation is at its best when people are evaluated as individuals." He went on to note that he does consider diversity a worthwhile goal.
However, it should be noted that the question did not ask about "quotas," which are defined as "the number or percentage of persons of a specified kind permitted to enroll in a college, join a club, immigrate to a country, etc." Racial quotas are illegal, thanks to the Supreme Court's decision in the Bakke case more than 30 years ago, something I can't imagine a presidential campaign being unaware of.
But focusing on quotas keeps voters distracted from the complicated realities of race in America and how affirmative action plays a role in efforts (not always succeeding, but at least trying) to build a better future and make peace with our past. There are voters who would just as soon forget our nation's past altogether when it comes to race. Expect those voters not to be thrilled with the Obama administration's willingness to wade into the affirmative action waters.
Keli Goff is The Root's political correspondent. Follow her on Twitter.
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Who Is President Obama's Olympic Twin?
Blogging the Beltway: And who's the Lolo Jones of the 2012 race? How the athletes and pols compare.
(The Root) -- The Olympics and presidential elections have more in common than we sometimes acknowledge. Both take place every four years. Both are fiercely competitive. Both cost a great deal of money and take years of sacrifice and preparation to make it to the finish line. International eyes watch both competitions out of curiosity and diplomatic self-interest. But perhaps the biggest similarity: One error can make the difference between becoming a lifetime legend and ending up a long-forgotten footnote in history.
Though he wasn't actually competing in the 2012 Games, Gov. Mitt Romney (who is competing in the 2012 presidential campaign) recently got a crash course on this last point. His gaffe-plagued London trip is considered one of his campaign's lowest moments to date, by both conservatives and critics alike. His earlier-than-usual announcement of his vice presidential pick, Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, seems to reinforce the notion that after hitting rock bottom in London, Romney's campaign needed a dramatic pick-me-up -- fast.
So in celebration of the conclusion of the Olympics, and the fact that this year's games gave the media not only the biggest sports story of the year but also one of the biggest stories of the presidential campaign so far, here is a list of Olympic athletes and their political counterparts, on the campaign trail, on the hill and even in the White House.
Feel free to weigh in with your own suggestions in the comments section.
President Barack Obama and Ashton Eaton, Olympic Decathlete, USA
Michael Phelps may have won the most medals and Usain Bolt may have broken records, but decathlete Ashton Eaton proved that he has the most endurance. Eaton won gold in the decathlon, completing 10 events over two days, among them the long jump, the high jump and the 1,500-meter.
After spending the last three-and-a-half years as one of the most under-siege presidents in U.S. history, President Obama likely feels as if he has survived the ultimate test of political endurance. The president and Eaton share similar backgrounds (black fathers and white mothers). Additionally, both are known for being less flashy and temperamental than some of their counterparts, to the criticism of some of their fans and the relief of others.
Gov. Sarah Palin and Lolo Jones, Olympic Hurdler, USA
Lolo Jones, the darling of the 2008 Olympics, has emerged as one of the most controversial figures of the 2012 Games, accused of falling back on her good looks and charm to compensate for a lack of talent and substance. Sound familiar? Four years ago Palin was the conservative political darling and one of the most famous and influential women on the planet.
This year? The former Alaska governor had to wait patiently to find out if there would be a speaking slot for her at the Republican National Convention. She also recently fended off criticism from the last Republican vice president about her readiness for the ticket. Today the woman once known for her ability to make or break conservative candidates with her endorsement (remember Christine O'Donnell?) is now more likely to wind up in the news for her wardrobe and eyeglass choices.
Sen. Rick Santorum and McKayla Maroney, Olympic Gymnast, USA
It has been said that how someone handles defeat tells you more about that person than how he or she handles victory. McKayla Maroney's mother has probably reiterated this sentiment more than a few times in recent days. Maroney's sourpuss expression upon losing the gold medal she had her heart set on has eclipsed her silver-medal-winning performance on the vault. Though the front-runner, Maroney proved that that she's human and she fell, ending up with a silver medal instead, and an entire Tumblr devoted to her facial expression on the podium -- an expression that screamed anything but "sportsmanship."
Similarly, since his bitter loss to rival Mitt Romney in the Republican primary, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum has been virtually invisible on the campaign trail and on air, where the Republican nominee could benefit from Santorum's presence, particularly with the political base. It's likely that Santorum knows a thing or two about Maroney's scowl. He's probably been sporting a similar one the last couple of months.
Rep. Paul Ryan and Hope Solo, Soccer Player, USA
Upon helping the U.S. women's soccer team win its third Olympic gold medal in a row, Hope Solo solidified her place as the best goalkeeper in the world. She's known for deflecting shots from opponents not only on the soccer field but on social media as well. Solo infamously got into a Twitter beef with soccer legend Brandi Chastain for the latter's criticism of the current U.S. team's play.
The Romney campaign is crossing its fingers that vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan will be just as aggressive, if not more so, than Solo. The role of any VP pick is to serve as the campaign's primary attack dog. Ryan has already shown that he has shades of Solo in him, with some stinging attacks on President Obama. The verdict is still out on whether or not he will be enough of a savvy goalkeeper and attack dog to lead the GOP to gold.
Vice President Joe Biden and Ryan Lochte, Olympic Swimmer, USA
When a photographer captured Ryan Lochte winking and pointing confidently shortly after winning his first gold medal at the 2012 Olympics, the photo was destined to become one of the defining images of the swimmer's career (along with the one of him sporting a customized "grill" in Team USA colors). They say pictures are worth a thousand words, and this one seemed to say the following: fun, charming, a tad cocky and a bit of a troublemaker.
Vice President Joe Biden has been known to embody those qualities himself and to wink and point for impact, too. But also like Lochte, Biden has struggled to keep his foot out of his mouth and to emerge from the shadow of a much more famous teammate: in Lochte's case, Michael Phelps; in the vice president's case, President Obama.
Gov. Mitt Romney and Stephan Feck, Olympic Diver, Germany
Stephan Feck recently lived every Olympian's worst nightmare. He turned in not only a disappointing performance but what some are calling the worst Olympic performance of its kind -- ever. His Olympic dive was so terrible that it became a media sensation, watched by thousands who simply couldn't believe it was really as bad as everyone says it is. (It is. See for yourself.)
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney can relate. His trip to London was plagued by one gaffe after the other, leading Fox News analyst Charles Krauthammer to quip, "All Romney has to do: Say nothing. It's like a guy in the 100-meter dash. All he has to do is to finish; he doesn't have to win. And instead he tackles the guy in the lane next to him and ends up disqualified. I don't get it."
Keli Goff is The Root's political correspondent. Follow her on Twitter.
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What We Know About Paul Ryan and Blacks
Blogging the Beltway: Four facts provide clues to his thoughts about African Americans and race.
(The Root) -- So far we know this about Rep. Paul Ryan: He is a congressman representing Wisconsin, he's a budget hawk and he is now the soon-to-be Republican vice presidential nominee. We also know that he has no problem attacking President Obama. (His remarks on Saturday included the quip (which I'm paraphrasing), "I have good news and bad news. The bad news? Barack Obama is president. The good news? He won't be in November.")
But beyond that, we know little else about Ryan's thoughts on black Americans and race, but below are a few points that may provide some insight.
1. He thinks electing a black president is "cool."
How do we know? Because he said so. Ryan was quoted as saying, "I love the idea of Barack Obama," he says. "I love the fact that we elected an African-American man as our president. I think that is a really cool thing. I just don't like the ideas coming from Barack Obama."
2. He has a dismal record on civil rights.
For the 2009-2010 legislative session, the NAACP gave Ryan a 10 percent rating. That's out of 100 percent, with 100 indicating one of the absolute best records on civil rights and zero representing the worst. I guess, on the bright side, he didn't get a zero.
3. He celebrates the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday by honoring community activists.
Keep in mind that there were conservatives who voted against a holiday honoring King, so the fact that Ryan does celebrate the holiday annually actually counts for something (even though I recognize that is setting the bar for our elected officials pretty low). According to one source who attended one of these events, Ryan even quotes King, praising the community activists one year by saying that they were "making a 'down payment on the promissory note' America had given to African Americans." (No word on his thoughts on community organizers!) Unfortunately for Ryan, one of this year's honorees declined to accept the award from Ryan, declaring that the policies Ryan supports go against everything King stood for. Oops.
4. He doesn't appear to be a fan of the poor.
According to the National Poverty Center, poverty rates for black Americans exceed the national average, with more than a quarter of the black population among our nation's poorest citizens. Ryan's hatchet-heavy approach to budget cuts, particularly to programs like Head Start, would have devastating effects on black Americans, particularly children, living in poverty. Although he is a devout Catholic, it is reported that Ryan's proposed cuts to programs benefiting the poor have even been a source of concern among Catholic leaders.
Keli Goff is The Root's political correspondent. Follow her on Twitter.
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Obama Backs Gay Scouting
Blogging the Beltway: The president "opposes this policy that discriminates on the basis of sexual orientation," the White House said in a statement today.
UPDATED: Wednesday, Aug. 8, 5:57 p.m.: The White House confirmed today that President Obama, who serves as honorary president of the Boy Scouts of America, opposes the Boy Scouts' anti-gay policy. In a statement released to the Washington Blade, White House spokesperson Shin Inouye said, "The president believes the Boy Scouts is a valuable organization that has helped educate and build character in American boys for more than a century. He also opposes discrimination in all forms, and as such opposes this policy that discriminates on [the] basis of sexual orientation."
EARLIER:
(The Root) -- Against the backdrop of the Boy Scouts of America's reiteration of its ban on gay members that has members across the country returning their badges in protest, and a Scouts for Equality campaign pressuring the organization to cease its discriminatory policy, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's campaign has made his position on the issue clear: Just as he said in a 1994 debate, he still believes that "all people should be able to participate in Boy Scouts, regardless of sexual orientation," Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul confirmed to the Associated Press. "[T]his remains Romney's position today," she said.
Scouts for Equality founder Zach Wahls moved quickly to launch a new site featuring Romney among Eagle Scouts, Scout leaders, politicians and celebrities who support gays participating in the Boy Scouts.
"Scouts for Equality is proud to have Governor Romney's support on this issue amid such a polarized political climate," said Wahls. "His leadership is to be commended, and we hope he can set an example of how people with differing religious beliefs can come together to support the Boy Scouts of America's mission to serve our communities and develop tomorrow's leaders, regardless of sexual orientation."
Meanwhile, President Obama, who by virtue of his office is automatically honorary president of the Boy Scouts, hasn't explicitly weighed in on the question of whether the organization should admit gay members.
Does he need to? Everybody knows which side he's on anyway, Richard Socarides, a former Clinton White House adviser on gay rights, told ABC. Rep. Barney Frank, an openly gay member of Congress, agreed, pointing to the president's already stated stance on gay marriage and saying that there were "bigger fish to fry."
Jenée Desmond-Harris is The Root's staff writer. Follow her on Twitter.
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Early-Voting Battle on VRA Anniversary
Blogging the Beltway: Forty-seven years after the passage of the Voting Rights Act, the presidential candidates bump heads over early voting.
(The Root) -- Monday's 47th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act comes against the backdrop of what many see as a nationwide effort to suppress voter participation in America, and a debate between the Obama and Romney campaigns over early voting.
While Romney and his staff have accused Obama of using a recent lawsuit to threaten the ability of military personnel to vote early in Ohio, Obama campaign adviser David Axelrod has retorted that that's not the case, Yahoo News reports:
"What that lawsuit calls for is not to deprive the military of the right to vote on the final weekend of the campaign, of course they should have that right," Obama's top campaign advisor David Axelrod told host Chis Wallace on "Fox News Sunday." "What that suit is about is whether the rest of Ohio should have that same right. And I think it's shameful that Governor Romney would hide behind our servicemen and women to try and win a lawsuit to try to deprive other Ohioans of the right to vote."
Wallace noted that 15 military groups oppose the lawsuit, including the National Guard Association. But Axelrod suggested they are misinformed. "They need to look at the lawsuit and they need to know that that lawsuit stands up for the right of military service people to vote early but it wants that right for everybody in Ohio," Axelrod said. He then accused Republicans of trying to shrink voting participation.
Meanwhile, when it comes to voting participation, one organization, Long Distance Voter, has a single goal: to ensure that citizens of all states are aware of their rights regarding absentee voting (aka "mail-in voting" and "by-mail voting") and early-voting deadlines. It's spreading the word that an increasing number of states offer "no-excuse absentee voting," allowing any registered voter to cast an absentee ballot, and that 32 states and the District of Columbia offer "no excuse" early voting -- meaning that voters in these states do not need to provide a reason for voting before Election Day.
Check out the 2012 Election Calendar (with links to the official election calendars of all 50 states) and 2012 Absentee Voting ID Requirements for your state. Plus, there's a comprehensive resource on how to vote absentee in any state (and in D.C.) at LongDistanceVoter.org. One thing that even Barack Obama and Mitt Romney could probably agree on: Whatever your voting rights may be, you should make sure you know them well before November.
Jenée Desmond-Harris is The Root's staff writer. Follow her on Twitter.
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