The Democratic Party Is The Party Of White Men
By Rich Zeoli
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- I broadcast live from historic Old City Philadelphia where the Declaration of Independence was born and the Constitution was ratified. Our studio is located in the first Congressional District of Philadelphia. While I'm broadcasting, I look right across the Delaware River at the first Congressional district of New Jersey. In both first districts, something incredibly interesting is happening that completely shatters the narrative President Obama, Senator Harry Reid, and Representative Nancy Pelosi use to divide the American people and attack their critics.
Not a day goes by that we don't hear that Republicans are either engaging in a war on women or have racist motivations.
But take a look at these two congressional districts and a very different narrative emerges.
Gary Cobb is an African American running for Congress in the first district of New Jersey. Megan Rath is a woman running for Congress in the first district of Pennsylvania. They are both Republicans. Their Democratic opponents are both white men.
As Harry Reid stands on the floor of the Senate whining that white men won't make decisions for women, a young woman is bravely running against a white guy who has been making decisions for women like her for over 20 years.
As Barack Obama and Eric Holder whine that those who oppose their policies do so because of race, a black candidate is opposing their policies… and his motivations have absolutely nothing to do with race.
But the media is ignoring both of these races because they directly refute the war on women and racist accusations that are so frequently lobbed at critics of the current administration.
But I can't just blame the media. The Republican party deserves serious blame as well. New Jersey Republicans are all but ignoring Gary Cobb's candidacy because he is running against the establishment candidate who, despite being a Democrat, is favored by both Democrat and Republican powerbrokers. Hey, it's Jersey, what are ya gonna do? The irony of course is that Gary Cobb is running against a white guy in a heavily African American district.
And I have yet to see that national stars of the GOP fly into Philadelphia to stand with Megan Rath and help her raise funds to compete with an opponent who is so entrenched in partisan politics he is also the chair of the Philadelphia Democratic party.
Every time some white guy utters the phrase "war on women," Republicans should highlight the contrast between Megan Rath and her white male opponent. Every time Barack Obama accuses his critics of racist intentions, Republicans should highlight the contrast between Gary Cobb and his white opponent. Optics in politics are important when you have a President and a Democratic party that can't go five minutes without accusing someone of either sexism, racism, or the sexist/racist combo platter.
Here's an idea: have African American Republican Congressional candidate Gary Cobb stand on the Jersey side of the Delaware with the city of Camden in the background, a city that under decades of dominant Democratic rule has become the poorest, most dangerous city in America with failing public schools, a crippling African American unemployment rate, and a sad history of corruption that has landed multiple leaders in prison.
Female Republican Congressional candidate Megan Rath can stand on the Philly side of the river with Philadelphia in the background, a city that under decades of dominant Democratic rule has a school system that is tens of millions of dollars in debt, a crippling African American unemployment rate, and a sad history of corruption that has landed multiple leaders in prison.
We can take an aerial shot, turn it into a campaign flyer, and ask just who are the real victims in the war on women and African Americans?