Star Parker Sees Stars

In the "hard to believe" column, Star Parker sees a black conservative renaissance in the fact that African-American approval rates for Barack Obama dropped from 95% in April to 92% in more recent polling.

I see a new generation of freedom loving, church going black Americans coming on the scene. Many voted for Obama out of racial pride. But their values and aspirations for freedom are causing a change of heart.

Polls go up, polls go down. But African-American voters have actually become more positive toward Barack Obama since his inauguration--not less. When Obama was inaugurated, his favorable ratings among African-Americans stood at 86%. They eventually got as high as 96%, but are now back down to 92%.

I remember back in the 80's when the virulently racist Frank Rizzo still got 5% of the African-American vote--probably from "black conservatives" like Star Parker. Perhaps George Wallace would have gotten 5% of the black vote during his segregationist heyday as well.

That is, if Alabama had allowed blacks to vote.

But the percentage of black conservatives hasn't really increased in any measurable way since then. The Democrats have gotten between 87 and 96% of the black vote since 1984. Perhaps Obama got 96% of the black vote and John McCain only got 4% was a matter of "racial pride." But I don't think so. Certainly, the racial pride was there, but's unlikely that the Republicans would have gotten more than 5 or 6% against Hillary Clinton either?

The best the Republicans have done with African-American voters in presidential elections over the last 25 years is 13%.

I imagine Star Parker would see getting back to 13% as a miracle.

And it would be.