Herman Cain appeared Monday night on Fox News with Greta Van Susteren, and was asked whether he thought he could peel off votes from such usually Democratic groups as union voters and African-American voters. And in response, Cain made a bold prediction.
“Now, the African-American vote, I am confident, based upon black people that I run into, black people that used to call my radio show, black people that have signed up on my Web site to support me — I believe, quite frankly, that my campaign, I will garner a minimum of a third of the black vote in this country, and possibly more,” said Cain, “especially after what the president did recently when he was addressing the Black Caucus. That didn’t go over well with a lot of people in this country.
“My message is resonating, not because of my color but because the message is simple, and it is sticking to the American people in terms of actually making a difference.”
Cain was referring to President Obama’s speech this past Saturday night to the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation dinner, in which he said: “I expect all of you to march with me and press on. Take off your bedroom slippers, put on your marching shoes. Shake it off. Stop complaining, stop grumbling, stop crying. We are going to press on. We’ve got work to do”
Of course, Cain would have a big hill to climb for the goal of one-third of the African-American vote. According to the 2008 exit poll, Barack Obama won 95% of the African-American vote, which made up 13% of the overall electorate. But under other circumstances, black voters have voted overwhelmingly for Democrats anyway –Â as evidenced by the 2004 exit poll showing that they went 88% for John Kerry, and made up 11% of the electorate.
The key exchange comes at the 2:00 mark:
Van Susteren asked Cain, what specifically could he do to win such voters, especially given the cultural pride at Obama becoming the first black president?
“I think that they’re over this first African-American president thing. I think that is behind them,” Cain said. “Here’s what’s gonna do it, Greta: growing this economy. Growing this economy is what’s foremost on the minds of black Americans, Hispanic Americans, all Americans.”
“The fact that my plan resonates — the fact that if we boost this national economy, we’re gonna help the state economy — that’s gonna help the local economy, and that’s gonna help the household economy. And because the unemployment rate for black people is nearly 17 percent, instead of the 9 percent, they’re looking for something that’s gonna boost this economy, and they see that possibility in my 9-9-9 plan.
“That’s what’s going to peel off the black vote, results, not rhetoric.”
