GOP Disses Latinos And African Americans

Carl P. Leubsdorf, Washington Bureau chief of The Dallas Morning News, asks a question many political observers are pondering: Is GOP determined to avoid minority voters?

Shamefully, the answer is yes. The GOP presidential candidates--pandering to the party's rightwing base, have made it a badge of honor to openly turn down any and all invitations from, and to publicly diss, national Latino and African American groups.

A small but growing list of Republicans believe that an anti-people of color stance by the GOP is unwise. Afterall, the GOP is effe4ctively dissing a third of the nation's residents. Former New York Congressman and Reagan Cabinet official, Jack Kemp, has this to say:

"If we're going to be competitive with people of color," said former Housing Secretary Jack Kemp, "we've got to ask them for their vote."

Unlike many in his party Kemp practiced the politics of inclusion. He really believes that "empowering" people of color and the disadvantaged is a good thing for society. Kemp built bridges to urban communities across the country, and there was no Latino or African American group that Kemp would not reach out to.

Unfortunately, today's smug and mean-spirited GOP has no interest in Kemp's idea of a big tent party.