Mitt Romney’s Shocking Statement About Blacks
by Raynard Jackson
Katie Couric: “You
said if you were to have run this time [for president] it would have been a very
different campaign, how so? How would it
be different this time?”
Mitt Romney: “I would
spend a great deal of time taking my message to Hispanic Americans and to other
minority groups in this country, African Americans, Asian Americans and
describing why it is that conservative principles are best for them and for
their families, that’s something I wish I would have spent a lot more time
doing…
We would have taken ad dollars as well and responded to some
of the attacks that came our way, some of them by the way were below the
belt…there were things that were said in some of the ads that came against us in
Hispanic media but also in English media that were not accurate and we should
have fought back harder against those things, and shut them down and made it
loud and clear that those things were wrong….but I will be talking with our
nominee about the mistakes I made and suggesting things that he or she ought do
differently than I did…. but the real thing that I wish I had done differently
is make a greater effort at communicating to minority voters in this country the
policies that I think are right to help minority families and that’s without
question the biggest mistake I made in the campaign.”
The above exchange was taken from an interview Katie Couric,
of Yahoo News, recently did with former presidential candidate Mitt Romney. Over the past two years, America has begun to
see the Mitt Romney that should have been shown during the 2012 elections. If the “real” Romney was shown, he would be
president right now.
I was very critical of Romney’s 2012 campaign for president
in my columns. I criticized his campaign
for the dearth of Blacks on staff. The
couple of Blacks they finally added to the campaign were totally in over their
heads. They did more damage than
good. They had no authority, power, or
connection to the Black community.
Blacks are totally disillusioned with Obama and the
Democratic Party. Blacks are begging the
Republican Party to give them a reason to vote Republican in the next
election. Philosophically the Republican
Party is in synch with the Black community on issues like family values,
traditional marriage, lower taxes, education, and
entrepreneurship.
Blacks simply don’t believe the Republican Party want them
involved in their party, philosophy notwithstanding. Republicans are horrible when it comes to
messaging toward the Black community.
The biggest shock in Romney’s interview was that he would have spent
money in Black media if he had decided to run again.
To this day, none of the would be Republican presidential
candidates have any Blacks on staff, as a consultant, or as an advisor. They all “talk” diversity, but it is never
backed up by their actions. It’s not
enough to go to a Black university, with an all-White staff, and lecture
students about Civil Rights.
I have had the privilege of spending some intimate time with
Romney at the Utah home of our good mutual friends Scott & Karen
Keller. Romney is one of the most decent
people you will ever meet. With his
recent TV appearances, America is even beginning to see that Romney has a great
sense of humor to go along with all of his intellect.
Right before the eyes of the American people Romney is
metamorphosing from a caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly. He is becoming an elder statesman within the
party. Quietly as it’s kept, there are
many people from all levels of the party seeking Romney out for his guidance and
counsel.
If all those would be Republican presidential candidates are
smart, they would heed Romney’s advice regarding the Black community. They should hire “real” Blacks for their
staff now; not Blacks who want to remain invisible or have disdain for their own
community (ala Obama). They should fully
utilize the Black press—there are 205 Black owned newspapers in the
U.S.
How can anyone take a Republican seriously about wanting to
be president in 2016 when his staff looks like 1916? I have made a commitment not to vote, give
money to, or raise money for any Republican candidate whose staff doesn’t
reflect America.
And to Romney, it’s not too late for you to engage with the
Black community. The Black community is
open to the message you have to share, especially regarding
entrepreneurship.
The poet George Bernard Shaw once stated, “The reasonable man
adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt
the world to himself. Therefore, all
progress depends on the unreasonable man.”
So, to Mitt Romney I say, please be “unreasonable” enough to
join me in my 25 year battle to make our Republican Party look like
America.
Raynard
Jackson & Associates, LLC is an internationally recognized political
consulting, government affairs, and PR firm based in Washington, DC. Jackson is an internationally recognized
radio talk show host and TV commentator.
He has coined the phrase “straticist.”
As a straticist, he has merged strategic planning with public
relations. Call RJA to discuss how they
can get you to the next level of your career.
