REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION:

Black, proud of Obama, but voting her conscience — for McCain

Sam Morris

Nevada delegate Lorraine Marshall applauds Wednesday after the singing of “America the Beautiful” at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn.

By Lisa Mascaro

Thu, Sep 4, 2008 (2 a.m.)

Winning the West – RNC

History hits home as Obama accepts (8-29-2008)

St. Paul, Minn. — Thirty-six.

That’s how many black delegates are reportedly at the Republican National Convention this week.

Lorraine Marshall of Las Vegas is one of them. She is the only black delegate in the Nevada delegation. But she doesn’t feel alone.

As she takes her seat among the 2,380 delegates, she sees only those who share her values and show her kindness, she says. She doesn’t look through the prism of race here.

Her world was literally more black and white last week.

When Sen. Barack Obama accepted the Democratic nomination for president in Denver, Marshall watched with great pride on TV at home: she saw a black family, with a loving father, mother and young daughters.

In recalling Wednesday what she saw, her eyes brightened. “You just had the warmth of this family unit ... that black family unit,” Marshall said, seated in the lobby of the St. Paul Hotel where the Nevada delegation is staying this week.

“As an African-American, I am very, very proud of his accomplishments. It is historic.”

But.

And there is a but.

Marshall will not be voting for Obama this fall. She will be voting for Arizona Sen. John McCain.

The 53-year-old human resources executive is against abortion. It is perhaps the single most important issue in her political universe.

She could not, would not, vote for a candidate who did not share her view — even history’s first major party black candidate.

When McCain told the evangelist Rick Warren that he believes life begins at conception, Marshall, again watching TV, cheered out loud.

“It’s a core value of faith that’s the most important to me,” she said.

Family and black friends give her “You’re what?” looks when she tells them she is voting for McCain. They give her a hard time.

Another black delegate, an alternate from Arizona, told a funny story this week about having to fess up to his golfing buddy that no, in fact, he was not voting for Obama. Then he gently broke the news, as he put it, to 150 in-laws at his wife’s family reunion.

Marshall, who came with her family to Las Vegas from California when she was in high school, said her loved ones have come to understand her spiritual conviction is stronger than their political arguments.

Marshall wasn’t always a Republican.

Ten years ago, the registered Democrat took a long, hard look at her political choices and decided Republicans “better aligned with my faith.”

At the time, her now 31-year-old daughter was just beginning adulthood. Disabled with cerebral palsy, her daughter inspired a special commitment to protect what she calls the sanctity of life.

Marshall returned to Las Vegas after college on the East Coast and made a home with her husband.

USA Today reported this week that a think tank has surmised there were three dozen black delegates in St. Paul. Marshall was disbelieving. There must be more, she said. She had met many of them.

The Republican National Committee could not immediately provide the numbers. It said 13 percent of the delegates are from minority groups.

The Democrats counted 1,087 blacks among the 4,440 delegates last week in Denver.

Edward O. Willis, the black alternate delegate from Arizona, said blacks have been part of the Democratic Party for 200 years. “It’s going to take some time to undo that.”

Marshall thinks that as historic as Obama’s nomination is, other blacks will follow. She believes she will see it again in her lifetime.

“One day, we will have the right one for me. I’m OK to wait.”

Discussion: 12 comments so far…

By KDR81

9/4/08 at 9:24 a.m.

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Actually, African American politics really started with the Republicans. The first elected African Americans to the Senate and House were both Republicans.

Joseph Hayne Rainey http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Rain...

Hiram Rhodes Revels
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiram_Rhode...

The reason why most African Americans vote Democrat today, is because Democrats have been very good at mobilizing them as a mass movement...ie getting them to forsake their individuality and tie them to a group identity...then promise that group a whole bunch of things they really don't have to worry about delivering.
By trumpeter

9/4/08 at 9:29 a.m.

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I am happy that Lorraine Marshall is voting her conscience and for McCaine. She should praying hard that she does not loose her job nor experience serious health problem under McCaine Administration. The bankrupt philosophy of every body to himself which the McCaine group espouses is what has almost brought this country to its knees.
By gqbossing

9/4/08 at 10:10 a.m.

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Ironic when you tell someone you aren't voting for someone their reaction is:

Family and black friends give her “You’re what?” looks when she tells them she is voting for McCain. They give her a hard time.

They are putting race ahead of everything else. Seems pretty shallow to me of an entire race who preaches discrimination that they would only vote for a guy because of his race even though the guy grew up in Hawaii and overseas, not in the innier cities, south, industrial north or other local communities where most black folks historically live (this is finally changing).
By jfnance32

9/4/08 at 10:32 a.m.

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Be careful...the Obama crowd called the first black president, Bill Clinton, a racist.
By texexnv

9/4/08 at 10:59 a.m.

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Oh, puhleeze, KDR. At least tell the whole truth on Rainey from the same source you reference: "The vacancy had been created when the previous incumbent, Benjamin F. Whittemore, was censured by the House for corruption and subsequently re-elected, after which the House refused to seat him."

It was Republican corruption that put Rainey in the seat; not his race.

It took the Dems (under JFK and LBJ) to finally give civil rights to ALL people of color almost 100 years later.

http://texex-xpress.blogspot.com/
By mikeg

9/4/08 at 11:23 a.m.

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Good for her! Party of Lincoln, after all.
By jfnance32

9/4/08 at 12:03 p.m.

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Only a few Dems help with Civil Rights.

A majority of Senate Dems and Dems congresman voted against the civil rights.

Almost all the republicans voted for it.

It took the republicans to over come a Democratic led filibuster to get it passed.

LBJ deserves credit for challenging and going against his party.

Something you had not seen or will ever see from Obama on any major issue.

He is a Democratic Party butt kisser and not a leader.
By thebs

9/4/08 at 1:08 p.m.

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Oh, you tolerant, moral Republicans. You'd never say or do anything that could even slightly be tinged with racism.

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/west...

Oh, wait.

Never mind!
By jfnance32

9/4/08 at 1:55 p.m.

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Obama's crowd know a racist when they see one.

There sure did slap Bill Clinton with the racist charge.
By TGIF

9/4/08 at 3:10 p.m.

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It's a great disappointment to know that because of the abortion issue alone, Ms. Marshall will be voting for McCain! Let's take a look at that debate for a moment. There are several things I've never understood about this highly emotional issue.
1) Why is the freedom to choose so wrong? If you don't believe in abortion, you don't have to ever have one. No one is forcing you to. If your individual faith interprets this as wrong, fine, but why interpret these matters for others?

2) How can republicans be against abortion, yet pro death penalty? That has always seemed massively hypocritical. I know they try to rationalize this by saying that a fetus life is innocent, but a human being that has sinned has no right to live. Even though I believe only God (for those of faith) should determine such things and be the judge.

3) Why do republicans have the monopoly on being in tune with Christian beliefs when, although they don't want any abortions to happen in this country, they are the first to take away any kind of funding for children, such as, educational grants, welfare, etc. Sure, they make sure the kid comes into the world but then do nothing to support it! More tax breaks for the rich, more loop holes for the corporations, but nothing for the poor and needy!

I'm shocked how anyone in this environment can ignore the issues of the housing crisis, gas prices (death of electric cars/dependence on oil), economic slowdown, loss of jobs, lack of help to communities in need (Katrina), environmental issues (including the increase in hurricanes) and support of a war that has long ceased to have anything to do with terrorists. I hope we can all smarten up before it is too late. Thank you!
By americanIdol1224

9/4/08 at 10:36 p.m.

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People who vote base upon a single issue are foolish and naive. Abortion is wrong, but Gov. Palin's veiws are extreme.

God help us if somehow John McCain is elected and Sarah Palin is VP. Not that McCain is a bad person, but Sarah Palin would be a heartbeat away from the highest office.
I read a letter from a fellow Alaskan that knows her. Everyone should read it before they think of voting for the McCain/palin ticket.

http://mudflats.wordpress.com/2008/09/04...

We can not afford to gamble or take a chance on someone (like Gov. Palin) with so little experience or qualifications.
By truementor

9/5/08 at 10:28 a.m.

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Lorraine good for you. Mindset here is the problem. I am black and I am not voting for Obama. His views are contrary to my views on many issues. So voting for him will be like voting against myself and my believes. And believe it or not, many blacks are voting for him just because he is black. When you say this, then they say you are racist, but I am black and sometimes the truth is hard to face.

Coming to the economy. I am black and a single mom. America offers opportunities that cannot be found anywhere else is the world. Welfare stink.
Until your mindset changes, you will not be able to the huge opportunities that America offers. I don't have a colledge degree, but I run my own business.

China's economy is growing today faster than even 3 years ago. The amount of oil china uses is growing every day. The population of china is about 1/5 of the world's population. Imagine what will happen 10 years from now. So everyone should wake up from sleep. Oil will never go down again except the world economy collapses. So don't blame others for your problems. Use the resources that are available for you. India's economy is also growing fast and the use of oil is also growing. Can Obama stop the growth of these big emerging economy? I don't think so.

So wake up and start your own business. Have you heard of a man named Oliver Valez. He is a black man who started his business fromt he basement of his house and now he is a multi-millionaire.

Don't tell me you don't have the education, I don't either. Don't tell me you don't have the money. I started my business with $10 and my time to learn how to do it right. My mindset was not focus on welfare. If you focus on welfare, you will not explore the opportunities this country has to offer.

If you are willing to work a little for yourself.
Then take this access code : successmentor and goto http://www.freedom.ws

You know, if you take all the money in the world from the rich and distribute it equally among the poor, you know what, within 6 months, the money will return to the rich. Why, because of their mindset. If you view yourself as a victim, you will remain a victim for life.

You cannot take money from one set of people to give it to another.

Again, Obama said he wants to bring change to washington and the best person he could chose to enable him perform this task, was someone who has been in washington for more than 30years? Give me a break. He is a charismatic guy, but he really would have chosed a governor or at least someone who is not a washington insider.