National Black republicans Stupid Radio Ad

KRISTEN WYATT
Associated Press

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - A national black Republican group is running a radio advertisement accusing Democrats of starting the Ku Klux Klan and saying they have "bamboozled" black voters.

Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, the black Republican nominee for Maryland's open U.S. Senate seat, disavowed the ad Thursday and called for the Washington-based National Black Republican Association to stop running it. In a statement, he said it was "insulting to Marylanders and should come down immediately."

The ad does not mention Steele or his Democratic opponent, Rep. Ben Cardin.

The president of the NBRA, Frances Rice, did not return calls for comment.

It was not immediately clear on which stations the 60-second ad was airing or how long it had been running, although a news release on the group's Web site dated two weeks ago announced its release. The Washington Post reported for a story in Thursday's editions that the ad was running on Baltimore stations.

The spot, a conversation between two women, includes one saying, "Democrats passed those black codes and Jim Crow laws. Democrats started the Ku Klux Klan." "The Klan?" the other woman replies. "White hoods and sheets?"

The first woman also says, "Democrats fought all civil rights legislation from the 1860s to the 1960s. Democrats released those vicious dogs and fire hoses on blacks."

The ad asserts that "Democrats want to keep us poor while voting only Democrat" and, "Democrats want us to accept same-sex marriages, teen abortions without a parent's consent and suing the Boy Scouts for saying 'God' in their pledge."

About the GOP, the ad says "Republicans freed us from slavery and put our right to vote in the constitution."

The national black Republican group was founded a year ago to "be a resource for the black community on Republican ideals and promote the traditional values of the black community," according to its Web site.

Race is a prominent theme in the Maryland race for the seat held by the retiring Sen. Paul Sarbanes, D-Md. Steele, the first black candidate elected statewide in Maryland, faces a white Democrat in a heavily Democratic state with the highest percentage of black residents - 29 percent - of any state outside the South. Cardin fired a staffer last week who made racially charged comments on her personal Web log about Steele, a black campaign worker and Cardin's Jewish supporters.

Several Maryland black Democrats have endorsed Cardin, including former congressman Kweisi Mfume, who narrowly lost the Democratic primary last week to Cardin. But Steele has announced plans to seek the votes of black Democrats and planned to attend a rally Thursday in Baltimore to seek their support.

ON THE NET

National Black Republican Association: http://www.nbra.info

Hear the ad: http://www.trustedpartner.com/docs/library/000143/NBRA%20Radio%20Ad.mp3

Steele campaign: http://www.steeleformaryland.com

Cardin campaign: http://www.bencardin.com


-The National Black Republican Association leans very right in many ways. They have no idea how this has hurt Steele's cmapaign.

I think he will survive but next time they need to ask befor they put out ads like this one. I heard the ads a week ago and posted on them. The NBRA has to understand the geo poltical make up of a reigion where democrats out number Republicans.
Steele needs democratsto win, he needs white and black democrats.

How could the NBRA be so stupid?

In many ways with Cardin now leading by 7 points expect taht numbe to rise.
before they bring ads like this in a campaign.

Steele is trying to get black democrats to vote for him, this ad turns them away. Having two girls talking ghetto at a nail salon is not the way to do this.

The ad was offensive and should be taken down.I had a bad feeling about the NBRA leanings, most black republican candidates need nmoderate support.

That is why I will support the more moderate realistic Black Gop groups..like The Alliance GOP which is much more moderate http://www.alliancegop.com/