foolmenot.comThese “I told you so’s” are starting to pile up… A couple of days ago I explained why the Gov left out any reference to the November Affirmative Action referendum(NAACP and the Gov). In the article below, Ed Sarpolus, vice president of the Lansing polling firm EPIC/MRA, says:
“leaving the issue out of the speech was politically smart. "She has to appeal to moderate Republicans, who tend to be anti-affirmative action,"
Interestingly, Ed explains the Gov’s political move by saying; “Republicans tend to be anti-affirmative action”, instead of saying Republicans tend to be for the affirmative action referendum. The implication Ed gives by his choice of words leads one to perceive he leans a little left- If this is so, it makes one wonder about how he constructs the wording in his polls. Hmmmm…
Full article follows…
Michigan
Rights director affirms Granholm commitment
February 3, 2006
BY ZACHARY GORCHOW
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
Gov. Jennifer Granholm's top civil rights official told state NAACP leaders Thursday that the governor remains committed to affirmative action. Some of the group's leaders had expressed disappointment that Granholm did not address the issue in her State of the State speech.
As a sign of how seriously the Granholm administration took the criticism, Linda Parker, director of the state Department of Civil Rights, attended an NAACP news conference at Eastern Michigan University where members of the group reiterated their displeasure with the governor.
They were upset that Granholm did not, in her Jan. 25 address, restate her opposition to a proposal expected to be on the November ballot that would end the use of race and gender in government hiring and contracts and university admissions.
Granholm is to meet with members of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People on Feb. 15 at a location to be chosen.
Parker said it was regrettable that activists doubted Granholm's support for affirmative action because the issue wasn't in her speech.
"There is no question about the governor's commitment to affirmative action," she said.
The NAACP's criticism is designed to show Granholm the issue will not be neglected, not an abandonment of political support for Granholm, said Kamau Marable, director of political communications for the Detroit-based Urban Consulting Group.
The governor is up for re-election in November, probably running against Republican Dick DeVos, who also opposes the ballot proposal.
"At this stage, it's early enough that she can make amends," Marable said. "Going into this election, she can't afford to take the risk.
"Detroit is still 80%-plus African-American, and if she disillusions that voting base, she doesn't have a shot at re-election."
Ed Sarpolus, vice president of the Lansing polling firm EPIC/MRA, said leaving the issue out of the speech was politically smart.
"She has to appeal to moderate Republicans, who tend to be anti-affirmative action," he said.
Contact ZACHARY GORCHOW at 313-223-4536 or zgorchow@freepress.com.