Florida State Majority Whip Jennifer Carroll wins Award

REP.JENNIFER CARROLL
FLORIDA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, DISTRICT 13

In 2003, Jennifer won election to the State House of Representatives, District 13 and was
subsequently reelected without opposition in 2004. She is the first African-American female
Republican ever to be elected to the Florida Legislature. Currently, Representative Carroll is the
Vice-Chair of the Ethics and Elections Committee and serves on the Finance & Tax, Growth
Management and Business Regulation Committees, in addition to her duties as Majority Whip.

During the 2004 Legislative Session, Jennifer was able to pass meaningful legislation that
protects members of Neighborhood Crime Watch Programs from harassment and intimidation.
She also sponsored the "Live the Dream" specialty license plate which pays tribute to Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr., by using his likeness. The proceeds from the sale of the plate will go to several
worthwhile organizations, including the March of Dimes and the Association of Healthy Start
Coalitions, to help reduce health disparities in low income communities. Jennifer was also
successful in securing much needed funding for library construction in Northeast Florida, as well
as securing statewide dollars for the Boy Scout's Learning for Life program and the Girl Scout's
character education functions.

Jennifer is the former Executive Director of Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs. She was
responsible for the claims and benefits of over 1.8 million veterans. Under her leadership, more
than $63 million in retroactive compensation was awarded to Florida veterans. She lobbied for
the retention of state construction funds for the Bay and Charlotte County State Veterans' Nursing
Homes, and led the generation of two federal matching grant applications that resulted in $15
million in federal funds for these projects. She was also the Chairperson for Florida's Council on
Homelessness. Jennifer sought ways to provide enhanced services toward solving Florida's
homeless problem, particularly within the veteran's community. She also worked closely with the
Federal Department of Veterans Affairs to secure Jacksonville as a site to receive a national
veteran's cemetery.

Jennifer holds a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from the University of New Mexico and an
Honorary Doctorate Degree from Florida Metropolitan University.

Jennifer enlisted in the Navy in 1979, and rose through the ranks from an enlisted Jet Mechanic
to retire as a highly decorated Lieutenant Commander Aviation Maintenance Officer after
20-years service.

Jennifer has received numerous awards for her community service. She was the recipient of the
2001 Center for New Black Leadership Excellence in Leadership Award, 1998 First Coast African
American Women Award, 1996 Clay County Chamber of Commerce Military Person of the Year,
1996 YMCA Black Achievers Award recipient. In 1999 and 2002 she was awarded the "Top 10"
Republican Award from the Clay County Republican Party, and in 2004, "Legislator of the Year"
from the Northeast Florida Realtors Association.

Jennifer is a graduate of Project Blue Print Class of '97 and Leadership Jacksonville Class of
'97. She is a Member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Orange Park Rotary, Paul Harris Fellow,
First Coast African American Chamber of Commerce, member of Florida Metropolitan University
Board of Governor, Clay County Republican Executive Committee, Federated Republican
Women of Clay, dual member of Federated Republican Women of Duval, and dual member of
Duval Federated Republican Women's Club. She is the former Commissioner on the
Jacksonville Mayor's Commission on the Status of Women, a former Board Member of Gateway
Girl Scouts Council, Inc., and also a former Jacksonville Community Council Inc. member. She
was also an affiliate, and former Governor Appointee to the Northeast Regional Planning
Council. Jennifer is also an active member of American Legion Post 0197 and The Fleet
Reserve Association Post 128.

Jennifer is currently a board member of the Jacksonville Waterway Commission and the
Barco-Newton YMCA of Clay County.

In 2001 President George W. Bush appointed Jennifer to "The White House Presidential
Scholar's Commission," where she served until the spring of 2004. In May of 2004, Jennifer was
appointed to the Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission by President Bush.

Jennifer resides in Clay County and is married to Mr. Nolan Carroll. They have three children.

Holocaust Denier Democrat Sen. Mike Gravel 4 Prez

According to the David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies, Mike Gravel appeared as a speaker on his National Initiative for Democracy at the June 2003 conference of a Holocaust-deniers' publication, The Barnes Review [1].

http://wymaninstitute.org/articles/2003-denialreport.php

United States Senator Mike Gravel (D-Alaska, 1969-1980) will announce his Candidacy for the Democratic Nomination for President of the United States.
WHEN: Monday, April 17, 10 a.m.

Officer Considers Legal Action Against McKinney

Officer Considers Legal Action Against McKinney April 12, 2006 WASHINGTON --

The top police union official in the U.S. was in Washington today, urging the police officer who was involved in a run-in with Rep. Cynthia McKinney D-Ga. to take legal action against the congresswoman. McKinney is accused of striking a Capitol Police officer, after the officer failed to recognize her and stopped her at a security checkpoint.

Channel 2 Action News learned exclusively that the president of the largest police union in the U.S. met with the unidentified officer this morning to talk over possible legal action... Full story: http://www.wsbtv.com/news/8646957/detail.html

Counter protesters attacked in Portland, ME

So much For peaceful Immigration rally in Portland, Maine. Counter illegal imgration protester attacked in Portland Maine.

Click Here
"When you promote violence, you get violence," said the Rev. Virginia Maria Rincon, one of the organizers. "Our rally is about promoting a peaceful dialogue."

mz Maria Rincon, Ever hear of free speech?

One of the key organizers of the immigration protests and rallies nationwide, including yesterday's in Washington, is a group whose leaders are tied to the Workers World Party, a Marxist organization that has expressed support for dictators Kim Jong-il of North Korea and Saddam Hussein of Iraq." http://www.washtimes.com/national/20060410-094710-4817r.htm

With the level of corruption in politics, the decay of the educational system and the level of hyper liberalism bubbling from the caldron of socialism & fueled by the flames of Marxism, the battle against our national errosion will be a difficult one.

The enemies are many and they are within, recall what Cicero stated many centuries ago, in 42 B.C.: "A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious.

But it cannot survive treason from within.... For the traitor appears not a traitor..... He rots the soul of a nation.... he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to fear."
The protests being unleashed these past two weeks for all of us to see are a wicked demonstration of the alien invasion identical to the one's that led to the decline and eventual fall of the Roman Empire.

Is the United States next to fall due to this invasion of modern day Huns and Visigoths?

How much more law-breaking and appeasement of these aliens will you tolerate?!

I for one have had it! LIMITED LEGAL IMMIGRATION, YES! ILLEGAL ALIENS, HELL NO! AMNESTY FOR ILLEGALS, NEVER!!

-Samantha

Iran's "Peaceful" Nuclear Research...

Iran's "Peaceful" Nuclear Research...


...will be destroyed. No sense in whining about it, it's going to happen. No one cares what a bribe-taking pedophile has to say and the administration has long since shown itself as being tone deaf to its critics.

The UNSC seems to think the issue is serious and Russian and CHina may veto a use of force resolution but no one is going to bitch too loudly when they wake up one day soon to hear the inevitable news on CNN. Iran's "peaceful" nuclear facilities will be destroyed, including the ones buried 100 feet underground and surrounded by SAM sites.

There are already over 1000 sorties planned with SpecOps support (that may already be on the ground even as you read this).

Of course it's assumed the Iranians will then try to retaliate by closng the Straits of Hormuz thus preventing oil dhipments from the entire region from traversing the Gulf so we'll also strike their naval assets, shore-based missile launchers and sink their subs.

A bit broader than just asset denial. Decapitation strikes against the political leadership is questionable, but the strikes WILL happen. So what's left to debate about?

Sheehan Returns to Protest Near Bush Ranch

Please go away Cindy?

Read on . . . .


Texas (AP) -- Peace activist Cindy Sheehan returned to Texas on Wednesday for another war protest near President Bush's ranch, although he was to spend the weekend at Camp David. The anti-war demonstrators accused Bush, who has spent every Easter at his Crawford ranch since he was elected, of running from them and their message to bring the U.S. troops home from Iraq immediately. http://hosted.ap.org/photos/T/TXLM10204122030-small.jpg

She could hardly look any worse. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v209/timedjumpoff/sheehan_lowellHS.jpg

Liberals Ambush Millitary Recuiters at UC Santa Cruz

Exclusive...Pictures of Democrats bashing our troops !

http://www.indybay.org/news/2006/04/1814788.php

Pictures of Liberal, Democrat moonbats ambusing a military recruiters at UC Santa Cruz.

And this is the PEACE Marchers.....Peaceful my ass!

Shame on Democrats and the Leftwing.

Four military recruiters hastily fled a job fair Tuesday morning at UC Santa Cruz after a raucous crowd of student protesters blocked an entrance to the building where the Army and National Guard had set up information tables.
Members of Students Against War, who organized the counter-recruiting protest, loudly chanted ....Do not come back. Do not come back.... as the recruiters left the hilltop campus, escorted by several university police officers...



This is a 11 second video filming the military recruiters as they departed from the career center. That day, recruiters were isolated from the rest of the UCSC Career Fair invitees, as a couple hundred students protested and pressured them off campus.

http://www.indybay.org/news/2006/04/1814777.php

Barron Calls Illegal Immigration ..Browning of America..

Online Debate ....VIDEO EXCLUSIVE....

http://www.exposetheleft.com/2006/04/11/barron-oreilly-immigrants/

Barron Calls Illegal Immigration Browning of America, Blames America (VIDEO)

Charles Barron, the man who wants to go up and slap a white man just to feel better appeared on The OReilly Factor tonight to express what he calls the Democratic Party view on illegal immigrants and immigration.

During the discussion Barron constantly blamed America for making illegals want to come here. However the ironic thing is why would the illegals want to come here if it is so terrible?

Barron, a known racist, kept comparing illegal immigration to the lawful, and sometimes unlawful immigration of immigrants in the 1850’s, even though the population then was around 40 million and now it is over 300 million. Barron said that white privileges are going to change and Latino illegal immigration will be the browning of America. So what are these white privileges I hear about? I sure hope one of them is the ability to ignore this guy.

Anyways, I am guessing that if a white guy like me referred to illegal immigration as the browning of America, I’d be painted as a racist, by this big fella.

Republicans Counter Protest Illegals

Members of the Conservative Activist League(CAL) and the Berkeley College Republicans
Its great to know that there was a counter protest to all this Illegal stupidity!

Scholar Shelby Steele to Receive 2006 Bradley Prize

The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation announced today that one of the four 2006 Bradley Prizes to honor outstanding achievement will be awarded to Shelby Steele of the Hoover Institution.

As a Senior Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Dr. Steele specializes in race relations, American social culture, and identity politics. He has written extensively for major publications and has had a profound influence on mainstream attitudes about the roles of education, families, and character in overcoming the legacy of slavery and segregation. Dr. Steele received the National Book Critic's Circle Award for his book The Content of Our Character: A New Vision of Race in America. His most recent books are A Dream Deferred: The Second Betrayal of Black Freedom in America and White Guilt: How Blacks and Whites Together Destroyed the Promise of the Civil Rights Era. In 1991, Dr. Steele earned an Emmy Award, a Writer's Guild Award, and the San Francisco Film Festival Award for his work on the PBS documentary Seven Days in Bensonhurst. In 1994, he was awarded the National Humanities Medal.

"The Bradley Foundation is honoring Dr. Steele for his contributions to the study of race in America and his undying devotion to equality for all," said Michael W. Grebe, president and chief executive officer of the Bradley Foundation. "He has a distinguished body of work that has led to understanding of racial equality in America."

Along with three other recipients, Dr. Steele will be presented the awards during a ceremony to be held at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, May 25. Each award carries a stipend of $250,000.

The selection was based on nominations solicited from more than 100 prominent individuals. The winners were ultimately chosen by a selection committee that included Thomas L. "Dusty" Rhodes, Michael W. Grebe, William F. Buckley, George F. Will, Charles Krauthammer, Terry Considine, Reed Coleman and Dianne Sehler.

"Through the Bradley Prizes, we recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions and we hope to encourage others to strive for excellence in their respective fields," said Grebe.

---

Founded in 1985, The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation is devoted to strengthening American democratic capitalism and the institutions, principles and values that sustain and nurture it. Its programs support limited, competent government; a dynamic marketplace for economic, cultural activity; and a vigorous defense, at home and abroad, of American ideas and institutions. Recognizing that responsible self-government depends on enlightened citizens and informed public opinion, the Foundation supports scholarly studies and academic achievement.

---

FRESH FROM THE CUBE: Neocon Mid-Term Report Card

http://www.thepeoplescube.com/red/viewtopic.php?t=673 Neocon Oil-Rich Theocratic World Domination Mid-Term Report Card

Watch David Horowitz vs.Ward Churchill Debate

David Horowitz vs. Ward Churchill - Round 1


http://media.yaf.org/latest/03_21_06.cfm

Insulting the intelligence of every thinking American...way to go Churchill!

Duke Rape was it Racsim?

LaShawn Barber has a great take on the Duke Univeristy scandal
her link is below!

http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2006/04/11/fake-rape-duke/

Agent Shoots Self in Foot..Sues Govt

-LaShawn Barber

Last year I stumbled across a video recording of a Drug Enforcement Administration agent who accidentally shoots himself in the foot while demonstrating gun safety before a group of students and parents.

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0411061foot1.html Exclusive Video

Rabbi writes about switching parties

Great Link about a Rabbi who gave up on the Democrat Party!

http://www.thejewishweek.com/top/editletcontent.php3?artid=4944&print=yes

Confessions of a Neocon Rabbi

Get Whitey...is not a Hate Crime!

It seems like hate crimes are only favored for gay man and minorities.

If you are white its okay to beat the shit our of you.

It should not come as a suprise that the NYPD choose to do the
politicaly correct thing and not call the killing of the NYU student a hate crime.

If it were a gay person or an African American the city would be
in an uproar...how disgusting!

Pictures from Illegal Immigration Rally

Thanks to Jeff a New Yorker for these pics!

This is a link to my album of images of yesterday's rally in NYC.

http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i262/bill_iker/Illegal%20Rally/

Note the images labeled "Becker", they feature Brian Becker of ANSWER (Byron York posted one on the Corner). Of possible interest to some here is the image of the group carrying the banner, "Jews for Racial & Economic Justice".

Not pictured: the young woman carrying a shofar. Also note the image featuring a young woman holding a hand-written sign endorsing Ted Kennedy for president!There are also two short videos of the tail end of the rally.

Feel free to copy, publish, or link to any and all; also to resize or crop any and all images.

-Jeff

Yahoo News is Biased as Shit

Yahoo News seems to be having a ball at bashing the administration.
It looks like Howard Dean controls the Yahoo News database.


Everyday its one thing after another.

Next time Yahoo comes asking for Republican help please remind youre
Senator of Yahoo News Biased reporting.

I am sick and tired of Yahoo News manipulating headlines to make the
Democrats look good!

It looks like one of the Deaniancs got a job and wont relinquish power.

Shame on Yahoo News....Shame!

Let it be know YAHOO NEWS is biased as Shit!

Manhattan banks funding terrorists

http://backspin.typepad.com/backspin/2006/04/terrorist_money.html

"Evidence developed in the course of a three-year probe, which has already resulted in charges against other New York-based financial institutions, revealed that about $3 billion that flowed through the account over a two-year period was going to terror groups Hamas, al Qaeda and Hezbollah"

Immigration The Right Solution

THE RIGHT SOLUTION! - Close our borders using technology. Believe me, we do have the technology. Create avenues for them to become US citizens over a three year period. This immigrant must be employeed with a w-2 employer 3/4 of the time. During this three year period of time, ensure that they have police protections and health insurance.

During this three year period, they must pay an additional benevolent tax on each pay check that should be based on their income. Is order for the undocumented or illegal immigrtants to participate in this program, he or she must register his or her residence and report everyone living in the household. And a monthly immigrants account of everyone living there.

These additional taxes will do the following: Cover their health insurance costs; Provide more effective police protection; Provide tax relief, lower insurance cost, and lower student loan interest rates; Provide more teachers to handle the current surge within the classroom; Lower interest rates; Well, you get the point. If they refuse or just doesn't have the ability to succeed in the three year program, then provide them a "free" ticket to their country of natural origin. Since there are children involved, we have to work with the native countries to a build school for every 6000 child under 16 that must return to that country.

I estimate that only 40 -50 thousand children would have to return. Therefore only 8 - 20 schools would be built at a cost of only 2 million per school. The belevolent tax would easily cover this cost.
Take Care,

Eli

HIPHOPREPBLICAN.COM got this question from a product of the American
Public School Education.

If this statement does not tell you why we need No Child Left Behind enforced nothing
else will.


A 22 Female's letter to Hip Hop Repblican.com

Dear Hip Hop Repblican.com

HipHop is THE MOST EFFECTIVE POLITICAL AND EDUCATIONAL TOOL in young black america today. I've received more education on important black historical figures of all types and black historical references of events from all time eras through the words of Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common Sense, The Last Poets, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Nas, DEAD PREZ, Blackalicious, etc. etc. than I have in either my expensive college preparatory school from which I received an Honors Degree and my experience at a Division 1 college.


A Hip Hop Repblican replis back!

I used to do hip hop, I know what hip hop is and what HIP HOP IS...if you know what I mean.

I am not concerned with what Afrikan B. wanted it to be, or what KRS-1 professes it is, I am looking at the real...and that is that it is an industry taken over and puts the worst of us on display to us, and reinforce for us a negative perception of ourselves. White people tried to do it in the old days, black people today do it better than white people ever could.

I like positive hip hop, or even neutral hip hop. I an even stand some of the materialistic crap, but just like a little medication can heal you and an overdose will kill you, hip hop is at its overdose stage and it is killing us.

-Dell Gines

Everyone's playing Race Card

Cynthia McKinney has decided to use her taxpayer provided congressional website to show the world the abuse she has to put up with by the Capitol Hill police. I urge you to click on the link and view the short clip titled American Blackout Film Captures History of McKinney and Capitol Hill Police by Guerrilla News Network. She put this clip on her website as proof of Capitol Hill police abuse.

What that poor woman has to put up with...

http://www.house.gov/mckinney/


The JEEEEEEWs made her do it!


http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/738062/posts

http://www.nationalreview.com/goldberg/goldberg041202.asp

http://www.grouchyoldcripple.com/archives/000026.html

Answering the Left Wing Moonbst about Iraq War

Many on the extreme left have argued that we were lied to and misled into
the invasion of Iraq.

Many democrats pliicians use this argument as a way
to play dumb about there own vote in supporting the invasion.

Below are some things to ask the next annoying, leftist who
demands an answer from you?

1)First If Bush did lie about WMD's why would he then not lie about
"finding such weapons".If Bush is the lying manipulating son of a bitch,
the left accuses him of bing, then why did he no continue the lie?
He and his cronies cold have put weapons there!
Why would such a sinister, wicked president risk his pride by stating
"We found no weapons over there!

2)Why would Tony Blair and Bush be so foolish as to inolve there nations in a conflict if they knew its rationale wold be exposed as a fraud?

3) Why is it that after two bipatisan panels and the Robb-Sibberman commission investigated the possible manipulation of pre-war intelligence, the democrats stiil
make such baseless accusations?
Let us not forget that the facts exist independently of our understanding of them.
The Democrats have the righ to there opinions but not to there own facts.


4)Another question is if Saddam had no WMD's why did the Clinton administration
make the most severe attacks on Iraq's WMDS?

Where the Democrats and the Clinton administration lie when they made these statement
Without question, we need to disarm Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal, murderous dictator, leading an oppressive regime ... He presents a particularly grievous threat because he is so consistently prone to miscalculation ... And now he is miscalculating America's response to his continued deceit and his consistent grasp for weapons of mass destruction ... So the threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction is real..."
- Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Jan. 23. 2003


"One way or the other, we are determined to deny Iraq the capacity to develop weapons of mass destruction and the missiles to deliver them. That is our bottom line."
- President Clinton, Feb. 4, 1998

"If Saddam rejects peace and we have to use force, our purpose is clear. We want to seriously diminish the threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program."
- President Bill Clinton, Feb. 17, 1998

"We must stop Saddam from ever again jeopardizing the stability and security of his neighbors with weapons of mass destruction."
- Madeline Albright, Feb 1, 1998

"He will use those weapons of mass destruction again, as he has ten times since 1983."
- Sandy Berger, Clinton National Security Adviser, Feb, 18, 1998

"[W]e urge you, after consulting with Congress, and consistent with the U.S. Constitution and laws, to take necessary actions (including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes on suspect Iraqi sites) to respond effectively to the threat posed by Iraq's refusal to end its weapons of mass destruction programs."
Letter to President Clinton.
- (D) Senators Carl Levin, Tom Daschle, John Kerry, others, Oct. 9, 1998

"Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process."
- Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D, CA), Dec. 16, 1998

"Hussein has ... chosen to spend his money on building weapons of mass destruction and palaces for his cronies."
- Madeline Albright, Clinton Secretary of State, Nov. 10, 1999

"We begin with the common belief that Saddam Hussein is a tyrant and a threat to the peace and stability of the region. He has ignored the mandate of the United Nations and is building weapons of mass destruction and the means of delivering them."
- Sen. Carl Levin (D, MI), Sept. 19, 2002

"We know that he has stored secret supplies of biological and chemical weapons throughout his country."
- Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002

"Iraq's search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to deter and we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power."
- Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002

"We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein is seeking and developing weapons of mass destruction."
- Sen. Ted Kennedy (D, MA), Sept. 27, 2002
"The last UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in October of 1998. We are confident that Saddam Hussein retains some stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, and that he has since embarked on a crash course to build up his chemical and biological warfare capabilities. Intelligence reports indicate that he is seeking nuclear weapons..."
- Sen. Robert Byrd (D, WV), Oct. 3, 2002

"I will be voting to give the President of the United States the authority to use force -- if necessary -- to disarm Saddam Hussein because I believe that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a real and grave threat to our security."
- Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Oct. 9, 2002

"There is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is working aggressively to develop nuclear weapons and will likely have nuclear weapons within the next five years ... We also should remember we have always underestimated the progress Saddam has made in development of weapons of mass destruction."
- Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D, WV), Oct 10, 2002

"In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including al Qaeda members ... It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons."
- Sen. Hillary Clinton (D, NY), Oct 10, 2002

"We are in possession of what I think to be compelling evidence that Saddam Hussein has, and has had for a number of years, a developing capacity for the production and storage of weapons of mass destruction."
- Sen. Bob Graham (D, FL), Dec. 8, 2002

GOVERNOR BUSH ENDORSES BLACKWELL

COLUMBUS - Citing the Ohioan's bold agenda for job creation, Florida Governor Jeb Bush today announced his support for Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Ken Blackwell.

"Ken Blackwell understands two of the most important things a governor can do is create jobs and keep jobs," said Bush. "He has a clear and achievable agenda for both."

"Governor Bush has provided governors and future governors with a road map to economic prosperity through government and education reforms," said Blackwell. "We share similar visions for reforming Medicaid and expanding school choice. His endorsement of my candidacy is a great honor."

"Florida has a strong and growing economy because we challenged the status quo and moved forward with bold, brave ideas," added Bush. "Ken Blackwell's strong leadership and courageous initiatives will move Ohio forward."

Governor Bush is the third Republican governor to endorse Blackwell's candidacy. Texas Governor Rick Perry and South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford have previously extended endorsements.

Also, Blackwell has received endorsements from U.S. Senator John McCain (R- Arizona), U.S. Senator Sam Brownback (R-Kansas), former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former U.S. Senator and Georgia Governor Zell Miller, and former HUD Secretary and vice presidential candidate Jack Kemp among others.

He also enjoys the support from Ohio Right to Life, Cincinnati Right to Life, the Republican National Coalition for Life (RNC for Life), Concerned Women for America, The Eagle Forum, Family First and Moms for Ohio.

In addition, Blackwell has been endorsed by the Fulton, Hamilton, Miami and Summit county Republican parties. In January, he reported the highest GOP fundraising totals in the last campaign finance period, out-raising his opponent by more than $700,000 in the last year. He leads all candidates for governor with over 12,000 individual campaign contributors, with an average gift of $167.87.

He enjoys double-digit leads over his opponent among Republican primary voters in five polls released within the last 30 days.

Brother From Another Party: Can a black Republican win in a blue state?

JAMES TARANTO, Wall Street Journal

ANNAPOLIS, Md.--When Michael Steele was running for lieutenant governor in 2002, the Baltimore Sun endorsed the opposing ticket and opined dismissively that Mr. Steele "brings little to the team but the color of his skin." Normally this would be an invidious thing to say about a black politician, but the usual rules of racial etiquette don't seem to apply when it comes to Mr. Steele. For he is a Republican.

He felt his first vaguely political stirrings at age 14, when a summer job turned him into something of a tax rebel. "I was working at Sterling Laundry in Washington. . . . I worked that summer making $2 an hour cleaning toilets, and I was so proud when I got that first paycheck, because I knew how hard I had to work my tail off for those 40 hours. . . . That meant a lot to me when I looked at that bad boy and I saw how much $2 times 40 hours would gross me. But then what I was bringing home--I was a little bit upset about that. So I started talking to people and started trying to figure out, well, who's going to protect my money? Who's going to allow me to keep more of my money? And, you know, this whole FICA thing. What is that all about? Who is this person? Why am I paying these people this kind of dollars?"

Three years later he realized he was a Republican. "Ronald Reagan ran for president in the Republican primary. . . . I was fascinated by Reagan, because Reagan sounded a lot like my mother in terms of speaking to values, speaking to the kind of America that recognized my individuality and my genuineness, to be able to go up there and lasso the American Dream for myself. That spoke to me, because that's what my mother always told me."


Reagan, of course, lost the nomination to Gerald Ford. Mr. Steele turned 18 in October 1976, and "ended up voting for Jimmy Carter in that election." He also worked for Democrat Marion Barry's mayoral campaign in 1978. But in 1980, "when Reagan came back on the scene, . . . it was just like, OK, Katie bar the door. . . . Man, this is what I'm talking about!" He earned a degree from Baltimore's Johns Hopkins University, spent a few years studying at a Catholic seminary, and eventually settled in Prince George's County, Md., where he became the local GOP chairman and later state chairman.

If Mr. Steele is a Reaganite, he is not a doctrinaire right-winger. On several issues he takes what seem to be liberal positions, though he explains them in terms that a conservative can appreciate. He opposes capital punishment, he says, "because I'm pro-life." He tells me he favors a "strong minimum wage," but only "as long as you incentivize employers. . . . They have bottom lines to keep. They have costs that they have to bear." Then he notes that most businesses pay more than the minimum anyway, so that "the idea of the minimum wage is almost a fallacy."

…

As he has made his political case, Mr. Steele has again encountered racial prejudice, often from fellow blacks. When I ask him about this, he teases me: "You're hurtin' the brother here. Give the brother a break!" He then tells me about the "Oreo incident," which happened at a 2002 campaign appearance. "After the event was over, I get up out of my seat. . . . Apparently some folks in the audience thought it was humorous to toss some Oreo cookies in my direction. They landed at my feet." Oreos, of course, are a symbol for blacks who are "white inside." Mr. Steele took it in stride. "I turned to the person next to me and asked, 'Got milk?' We kind of joked about it. It's silly."

Less silly, last October, after Mr. Steele announced his Senate bid, an Angry Left blogger who is black posted a racist caricature of Mr. Steele with the caption "I's Simple Sambo and I's running for the Big House."

What accounts for such hideous invective? "I think for a lot of people, someone like me is considered a threat," says Mr. Steele. A Thursday Washington Post story proves him right. Democratic strategist Cornell Belcher, according to the Post, has produced a 37-page report warning that Mr. Steele has "a clear ability to break through the Democratic stronghold among African American voters in Maryland." Mr. Belcher speculated that Mr. Steele could win as much as 44% of the black vote; by contrast, the 2002 Ehrlich-Steele ticket managed just 23% in majority-black Prince George's County. Mr. Belcher's advice to his party was to hurry up and "knock Steele down."


How can the GOP make the most of the moment? "Be honest. For goodness' sakes, don't go in there pretending to be something you're not. Don't go in there thinking you've got to win the black vote, because you're not going to win it in that moment. This is going to be a long process."