Hot on Facebook

Guy Buys $123 Safe on eBay, Finds $26,000 Inside Seller tries to get half the cash back, fails »

Obama Wants Voter-Rights Official Sacked

Said voter ID laws don't hurt minorities; they 'don't become elderly'

By Katherine Thompson, Newser Staff

Posted Oct 20, 2007 7:52 AM CDT

(Newser) – Barack Obama wrote to the Justice Department asking for the dismissal of John Tanner, the head of its voting rights division, in the wake of Tanner's assertions that voter ID laws primarily hurt old white people, because "minorities don't become elderly the way white people do. They die first." Obama called the comments "erroneous, offensive and dangerous," but Justice is standing behind Tanner, reports the AP.

Tanner dug himself into a logical hole in his address to the National Latino Congreso on October 5, arguing that "anything that disproportionately impacts the elderly has the opposite impact on minorities." Black Americans do have shorter life expectancies than whites, by about five years, but are still well represented among the ranks of the country's senior citizens, the AP notes.

[Images (4)]

[Videos (1)]

John Tanner, chief of the Justice Department's Voting Rights Section addresses members of the Georgia NAACP, as they kick off their annual Civil Rights Advocacy Conference and State Convention Thursday,... (Associated Press)

Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., talks to attendees of a town hall meeting in Reno, Nev., on Thursday, Oct. 18, 2007. (AP Photo/Nevada Appeal, Kevin Clifford) (Associated Press)

This is an example of the proposed ID card that New Haven Mayor John DeStefano is proposed the city adopt as seen Monday, June 4, 2007, in New Haven, Conn. The Board of Aldermen is ready to vote on a... (Associated Press)

Presedential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama answers questions from the crowd gathered at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, NV, Thursday, Oct. 18, 2007, during a town hall style meeting. (AP Photo/Scott Sady) (Associated Press)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

Minority Voters 'Don't Become Elderly, They Die First (megalopolisuk (YouTube))

View larger videos >>

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next »

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

America Risks a Return to 'Jim Crow Voting Laws'

States are rigging the 2012 election: EJ Dionne Jr.

(NEWSER) - After electing its first African American president—thanks in part to a surge of new voters—the US is in danger of seeing “a subtle return of Jim Crow voting laws,” writes EJ Dionne Jr. in the Washington Post . New laws being passed here, supposedly to prevent voter fraud, would be condemned as “election-rigging” in an emerging democracy—but here in the US no one is saying a word. Voter fraud is not a real problem, Dionne alleges, it’s an imaginary problem serving as an excuse for the GOP to wage war on the right to vote. More»

US Files Suit Against Arizona Immigration Law

It says civil rights abuses could result

(NEWSER) - The Obama administration filed suit today against Arizona’s controversial new immigration law. The Justice Department is challenging the law's constitutionality, arguing that state laws can’t trump federal ones when it comes to immigration, thanks to the "preemption" doctrine, notes the Washington Post . More»

GOPers Smell Impeachment in Sestak Job Offer

Repeated calls to Holder to appoint special prosecutor

(NEWSER) - Republicans are calling for the attorney general to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Joe Sestak's claims that someone in the Obama administration offered him a high-ranking job to drop out of the Pennsylvania primary race against Arlen Specter. And they've already used the “I” word. “It's very clear that allegation is one that everyone from Arlen Specter to Dick Morris has said is in fact a crime, and could be impeachable,” Rep. Darrel Issa tells Fox News . More»

Nine House Dems May Flip to 'Yes' on Health Care

Three of them are about to retire

(AP) - Nine House Democrats say they have not ruled out switching their "no" votes to "yes" on Obama's health care overhaul, brightening the party's hopes in the face of unyielding Republican opposition. The White House has tried to smooth the way for them, showing its own openness to changes in the landmark legislation and making clear that it'll use budget reconciliation to get the law through the Senate if necessary. More»

In Obama White House, Justice Trumps CIA

Eric Holder carves a new, powerful role as attorney general

(NEWSER) - The appointment of a federal prosecutor to investigate CIA interrogations exposed a long-running turf war between the intelligence agency and the Department of Justice—and demonstrated the substantial clout of AG Eric Holder, who prevailed in almost every dispute with CIA Director Leon Panetta. The New York Times and Washington Post both chart the push-pull leading up to this week's announcement, which began when Justice released largely unredacted memos authorizing waterboarding and other forms of torture. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Obama Wants Voter-Rights Official Sacked