December 23, 2002
BACK OF THE BUS:
Matsui to Lead House Democratic Campaign (Associated Press, Dec. 23, 2002)Rep. Robert Matsui of California was named Monday to head the House Democrats' campaign organization, the first Asian-American to serve among the party's top leaders.Matsui will try to win back control of the House for his party by attracting new candidates for 2004 and raising money for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
Nancy Pelosi bypassed the black Congressman, William Jefferson, who'd long been touted for the job, thus ensuring that there will be no black faces in the Democrats' congressional leadership. Posted by Orrin Judd at December 23, 2002 7:00 PM
Perhaps the Democrats are thinking that if they did put a black man or woman in a position of power, they might have to debate with a black Republican from the Bush Administration, and that would of course lead to either the verbal shellacking of the Dem, or the Dem being quickly reduced to declaring the black Republican a "traitor to the black race" - neither of which is a good thing for the Dems, and so they carefully avoid such confrontations until they have a majority again. (That's one theory, anyway...)
Posted by: Just John at December 23, 2002 7:20 PMSo your theory is the Dems think none of their blacks are competent?
That explanation for leaving blacks out of leadership positions is sure to appease their black constituents.
PJ - Why not? Sure seems to have worked every time it has been tried.
Posted by: Bruce Cleaver at December 24, 2002 9:12 AMBoth parties will be even up in percentage of
blacks in leadership, no?