Obama Quietly Moves to Pump Up Black Vote

Latino, black supporters helped conservative Calif. proposition pass

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama's popularity among California's minorities helped pass the state's conservative-backed gay marriage ban, Dan Walters writes in the Sacramento Bee. Blacks and Latinos—94% of whom voted for Obama—turned out in record numbers, and the majority of them supported the ban. The proposition would probably have failed with a more traditional, and more white, makeup of state voters. More»

Early voting big among African Americans

(NEWSER) - Black turnout isn’t just expected to be high this year; according to early voting records, it already is, the Wall Street Journal reports. African Americans account for 36% of early ballots in Georgia, for instance, despite making up just 29% of active voters. In 2004, blacks represented 25% of overall turnout. Yesterday, Atlanta voters stood in line for up to 90 minutes to cast their ballots. More»

Group sets out to register the poor

(NEWSER) - Nestled in the housing bill President Bush signed yesterday is an acronym Republicans don’t like one bit: ACORN. The Wall Street Journal reports that the group is among the many housing-related nonprofits the bill hands cash to, but Republicans grumble that it does more than housing. It’s also co-managing a $15.9 million voter registration campaign aimed at low-income Hispanics and African Americans–in other words, likely Democratic voters. More»

3 of 4 support him, despite racial differences

(NEWSER) - McCain may lead Obama by 10% among white voters, but three of four white supremacists say they prefer the Illinois senator, Esquire reports.

1. The Director of the White Aryan Resistance calls Obama a "black racist," but still supports him because of McCain's economic policies. He "hates the transnational corporations more than any black person."

Could be bad news for Obama, Democrats

(NEWSER) - For the first time in almost 40 years, the number of Hispanic registered voters has plummeted—both nationally, by 5% since 2008, and in important swing states. In New Mexico, numbers have fallen 28%; in Florida it's 10%. Meanwhile, the number of black registered voters has dropped 7% nationally—all ahead of an election in which minority voters could turn the tide, the Washington Post reports. There's only one explanation, says the head of a Latino policy group: the poor economy. More»