[24410] in APO-L
[APO-L] Alpha Phi Omega in the news
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (JimBeKind@aol.com)
Mon Aug 23 20:30:16 2004
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2004 20:30:04 EDT
Reply-To: JimBeKind@aol.com
From: JimBeKind@aol.com
To: APO-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU
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From the Baltimore Sun=20
Ehrlich reaching out to cultivate Baltimore's black voters
Selection of Steele as running mate helps, but doesn't sway all
=20
=20
By Ivan Penn
Sun Staff
July 8, 2002
Rep. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s campaign found increasing support from=20
African-Americans in Baltimore yesterday after the Republican gubernatorial=20=
candidate's=20
decision last week to pick a black political official as his running mate.
The Rev. Frank M. Reid III, pastor of the 14,000-member Bethel AME Church,=20
invited Ehrlich for a second visit yesterday so the congressman could introd=
uce=20
his running mate, Michael S. Steele, an African-American attorney and chairm=
an=20
of the Maryland Republican Party.
Although the invitation to return to the church was not an endorsement, Reid=
=20
urged his congregation to vote for the candidate who will best serve=20
Baltimore, regardless of party affiliation.
"For Baltimore, this election is extremely important, so we want to back out=
=20
of the stereotypes" of political parties, Reid said as he introduced Ehrlich=
=20
and Steele at his 9 a.m. service. "I'll be getting calls from people all ove=
r=20
the city, asking me if I've lost my mind. But what else is new?"
Later in the day, Ehrlich and Steele responded to another invitation, this=20
time to a crab feast at Martin's West with members of the Alpha Phi Omega=20
fraternity, which drew a crowd of more than 1,500 African-Americans. And som=
e in the=20
crowd received Ehrlich with open arms.
"I am going to vote for Mr. Ehrlich," said Sencerray Thomas, a 48-year-old=20
Baltimore resident. "Personally, I don't think Kathleen Kennedy [Townsend] w=
ill=20
make a good governor. Plus we'll have the first African-American lieutenant=20
governor, which is a good thing."
While Ehrlich sees such support as signs of increasing momentum for his=20
campaign, he still has a tough fight in winning over enough African-American=
voters=20
to elect him to the State House. When asked yesterday whether they would vot=
e=20
for Ehrlich, some black Democratic voters said they would not cross party=20
lines.
Democratic state=20
That's a problem Ehrlich has been working hard to overcome in this largely=20
Democratic state, where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans two-to-on=
e.=20
In the past two Maryland gubernatorial elections, African-American voters=20
overwhelmingly backed winning Democrat Parris N. Glendening.
But the Republican gubernatorial hopeful has been working feverishly to=20
overcome a GOP voter registration deficit and the early strengths of Lt. Gov=
.=20
Kathleen Kennedy Townsend's candidacy - millions of dollars in her campaign=20
treasury, strong support from the state's political establishment and the De=
mocratic=20
Party's strong hold on Maryland politics.
Ehrlich said he believes increasing numbers are listening to his message, as=
=20
he and Steele work to convince people, minorities in particular, that the GO=
P=20
is for all people. That message appears to have won a boost with last week's=
=20
announcement of Steele as Ehrlich's running mate.
"Some folks responded to our campaign pre-Michael," Ehrlich said yesterday.=20
"Some folks responded post-Michael. And some folks are dissatisfied with the=
=20
Democratic Party's choice. Clearly there's momentum."
Support from residents in Bethel's Druid Hill neighborhood, in the heart of=20
Baltimore, would strengthen Ehrlich's position. Ehrlich already received the=
=20
endorsement of state Sen. Clarence M. Mitchell IV, who represents that commu=
nity.
At Bethel yesterday, Reid told his congregation he intends to invite Townsen=
d=20
and Ehrlich back to the community after the primary election to discuss=20
issues with the candidates. Townsend attended services at Bethel a week ago.
As the service was ending, Reid called Ehrlich and Steele to the front and=20
laid his hands on them. "God said, 'Pray for Mr. Ehrlich and Mr. Steele,'" R=
eid=20
said. "Prayer is not partisan."
But Michelle Shaw, a 36-year-old member of Bethel, said she was not persuade=
d=20
to vote for Ehrlich.
"Everybody needs prayer," Shaw said. "That's all I can say. He needs prayer.=
"
Shaw said she's a Democrat and will not vote Republican.
Doing the right things=20
Nathaniel Dowell, a 55-year- old Baltimore resident and church member, said=20
Ehrlich is doing all the right things in his effort to reach African-America=
n=20
voters, but he said he believes convincing Baltimore's black Democrats is go=
ing=20
to be tough.
"It's very smart on his part," Dowell said. "He should be able to touch all=20
segments of the community.
"Do I think he's going to be able to move the members to vote for him?"=20
Dowell asked. "That's on each member's part to decide."
Working the crowd at the crab feast, Ehrlich seemed to find many more strong=
=20
supporters.
Chris Blake, a member of the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity, said he invited=20
Ehrlich and Steele to the feast to introduce them to "over 1,500=20
African-Americans."
Shaking hands and giving hugs, the Republican pair found a warm reception.
"I would consider voting for them, but it's really going to come down to the=
=20
issues," said 44-year-old Baltimore resident Michael Graham, a registered=20
Democrat. "The older I get, the more conservative I get. The Republican issu=
es=20
appeal to me."
Roy L. Caster, a Baltimore resident and president of Alpha Phi Omega, said=20
his organization is not endorsing a candidate. But he thought yesterday's cr=
ab=20
feast was a good opportunity for Ehrlich to meet people in the community and=
=20
show that he is a viable candidate.
"Right now I'm not 100 percent sure that Kathleen is as strong a leader as w=
e=20
need at this point," Caster said. "Right now I'm leaning toward Bob."
Copyright =A9 2004, The Baltimore Sun=20
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<DIV style=3D"LINE-HEIGHT: 150%"><CITE id=3Dsource-credit>From the Baltimore=
Sun</CITE> </DIV><BR><FONT id=3Dheadline size=3D+2>Ehrlich reaching out to=20=
cultivate Baltimore's black voters</FONT><BR><FONT id=3Dsubhead size=3D+1>Se=
lection of Steele as running mate helps, but doesn't sway all</FONT><BR><BR>
<TABLE cellSpacing=3D0 cellPadding=3D0 width=3D150 align=3Dright border=3D0>
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<TD bgColor=3D#ffffff><FONT face=3D"Arial, Helvetica" color=3D#000000 size=
=3D1><BR></FONT></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><SPAN id=3Dbyline>By Ivan Penn</SP=
AN><BR><SPAN id=3Dtitleline>Sun Staff</SPAN><BR><BR><SPAN id=3Ddate>July 8,=20=
2002</SPAN><BR><BR>
<DIV id=3Dtext>Rep. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s campaign found increasing suppor=
t from African-Americans in Baltimore yesterday after the Republican guberna=
torial candidate's decision last week to pick a black political official as=20=
his running mate.<BR><BR>The Rev. Frank M. Reid III, pastor of the 14,000-me=
mber Bethel AME Church, invited Ehrlich for a second visit yesterday so the=20=
congressman could introduce his running mate, Michael S. Steele, an African-=
American attorney and chairman of the Maryland Republican Party.<BR><BR>
<HR>
<BR>
<P>
<HR>
<BR>Although the invitation to return to the church was not an endorsement,=20=
Reid urged his congregation to vote for the candidate who will best serve Ba=
ltimore, regardless of party affiliation.<BR><BR>"For Baltimore, this electi=
on is extremely important, so we want to back out of the stereotypes" of pol=
itical parties, Reid said as he introduced Ehrlich and Steele at his 9 a.m.=20=
service. "I'll be getting calls from people all over the city, asking me if=20=
I've lost my mind. But what else is new?"<BR><BR>Later in the day, Ehrlich a=
nd Steele responded to another invitation, this time to a crab feast at Mart=
in's West with members of the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity, which drew a crowd=
of more than 1,500 African-Americans. And some in the crowd received Ehrlic=
h with open arms.<BR><BR>"I am going to vote for Mr. Ehrlich," said Sencerra=
y Thomas, a 48-year-old Baltimore resident. "Personally, I don't think Kathl=
een Kennedy [Townsend] will make a good governor. Plus we'll have the first=20=
African-American lieutenant governor, which is a good thing."<BR><BR>While E=
hrlich sees such support as signs of increasing momentum for his campaign, h=
e still has a tough fight in winning over enough African-American voters to=20=
elect him to the State House. When asked yesterday whether they would vote f=
or Ehrlich, some black Democratic voters said they would not cross party lin=
es.<BR><BR><SUBHED><FONT size=3D+1><B>Democratic state </FONT></B><BR><BR></=
SUBHED>That's a problem Ehrlich has been working hard to overcome in this la=
rgely Democratic state, where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans two=
-to-one. In the past two Maryland gubernatorial elections, African-American=20=
voters overwhelmingly backed winning Democrat Parris N. Glendening.<BR><BR>B=
ut the Republican gubernatorial hopeful has been working feverishly to overc=
ome a GOP voter registration deficit and the early strengths of Lt. Gov. Kat=
hleen Kennedy Townsend's candidacy - millions of dollars in her campaign tre=
asury, strong support from the state's political establishment and the Democ=
ratic Party's strong hold on Maryland politics.<BR><BR>Ehrlich said he belie=
ves increasing numbers are listening to his message, as he and Steele work t=
o convince people, minorities in particular, that the GOP is for all people.=
That message appears to have won a boost with last week's announcement of S=
teele as Ehrlich's running mate.<BR><BR>"Some folks responded to our campaig=
n pre-Michael," Ehrlich said yesterday. "Some folks responded post-Michael.=20=
And some folks are dissatisfied with the Democratic Party's choice. Clearly=20=
there's momentum."<BR><BR>Support from residents in Bethel's Druid Hill neig=
hborhood, in the heart of Baltimore, would strengthen Ehrlich's position. Eh=
rlich already received the endorsement of state Sen. Clarence M. Mitchell IV=
, who represents that community.<BR><BR>At Bethel yesterday, Reid told his c=
ongregation he intends to invite Townsend and Ehrlich back to the community=20=
after the primary election to discuss issues with the candidates. Townsend a=
ttended services at Bethel a week ago.<BR><BR>As the service was ending, Rei=
d called Ehrlich and Steele to the front and laid his hands on them. "God sa=
id, 'Pray for Mr. Ehrlich and Mr. Steele,'" Reid said. "Prayer is not partis=
an."<BR><BR>But Michelle Shaw, a 36-year-old member of Bethel, said she was=20=
not persuaded to vote for Ehrlich.<BR><BR>"Everybody needs prayer," Shaw sai=
d. "That's all I can say. He needs prayer."<BR><BR>Shaw said she's a Democra=
t and will not vote Republican.<BR><BR><SUBHED><FONT size=3D+1><B>Doing the=20=
right things </FONT></B><BR><BR></SUBHED>Nathaniel Dowell, a 55-year- old Ba=
ltimore resident and church member, said Ehrlich is doing all the right thin=
gs in his effort to reach African-American voters, but he said he believes c=
onvincing Baltimore's black Democrats is going to be tough.<BR><BR>"It's ver=
y smart on his part," Dowell said. "He should be able to touch all segments=20=
of the community.<BR><BR>"Do I think he's going to be able to move the membe=
rs to vote for him?" Dowell asked. "That's on each member's part to decide."=
<BR><BR>Working the crowd at the crab feast, Ehrlich seemed to find many mor=
e strong supporters.<BR><BR>Chris Blake, a member of the Alpha Phi Omega fra=
ternity, said he invited Ehrlich and Steele to the feast to introduce them t=
o "over 1,500 African-Americans."<BR><BR>Shaking hands and giving hugs, the=20=
Republican pair found a warm reception.<BR><BR>"I would consider voting for=20=
them, but it's really going to come down to the issues," said 44-year-old Ba=
ltimore resident Michael Graham, a registered Democrat. "The older I get, th=
e more conservative I get. The Republican issues appeal to me."<BR><BR>Roy L=
. Caster, a Baltimore resident and president of Alpha Phi Omega, said his or=
ganization is not endorsing a candidate. But he thought yesterday's crab fea=
st was a good opportunity for Ehrlich to meet people in the community and sh=
ow that he is a viable candidate.<BR><BR>"Right now I'm not 100 percent sure=
that Kathleen is as strong a leader as we need at this point," Caster said.=
"Right now I'm leaning toward Bob."<BR><BR><!-- ART CREDITELIZABETH MALBY :=
SUN STAFF<br>
<br>
ART CREDIT--><!-- CUTLINE TEXTChris Blake (left) and Michael Graham (right)=20=
meet Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. during the Alpha Phi Omega crab feast at Martin&#=
39;s West. Ehrlich's running mate, Michael S. Steele, is in the backgrou=
nd.<br>
<br>
CUTLINE TEXT--></DIV>
<P><CITE id=3Dcopyright>Copyright =A9 2004, <A href=3D"http://www.sunspot.ne=
t/" target=3D_blank>The Baltimore Sun</A></CITE> </P></BODY></HTML>
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