Bush. Blacks. 2%

I beg to differ with Steve Gilliard on this one.

Of Bush's laughable, and yet not at all funny, 2% approval rating among black Americans, Steve writes:

The problem starts with Florida 2000 and the widespread disenfranchisement of black voters. Jeb's antics there also alienated people as well. But the simple problem is this: Republican racism.

The problem actually started at Bob Jones University, the institution of so-called higher learning that had become a symbol of racial intolerance. Sure, BJU had by then abandoned its official policy banning interracial dating, but Bush grabbed it like a life-preserver after McCain beat him in New Hampshire. He needed South Carolina. He needed the support of conservative whites in order to win South Carolina. He also knew how an appearance at Bob Jones would be received by black Americans. He made a choice to offend blacks in order to win over the voting block he needed. Southern whites knew what that appearance was about: I'm one of you all's. Wink. Nod. Wink.

African-Americans knew what it was about, too. We always know.

Florida 2000 was an outrage, but it was of a piece with the tone that was established during the primaries. Nothing has changed. Remember those ridiculously long voting lines in poor, black districts in Ohio last year. Think that had nothing to do with securing Bush's political fortunes? Think again.

Nope. Bush's lack of concern about the poor, blacks in particular, has always been there and has always been visible. It just took Hurricane Katrina to bring it into the starkest relief.

Oh, and about that 2%. The poll in question has a margin of error of 3.4 percentage points. This means Bush's support among blacks could actually be as low as -1.4%.