Focus group of Black men slam the Democratic Party's messaging, comparing it to 'pandering'
A focus group of Black male voters criticized the Democratic Party for their messaging to their community, with one participant calling it "pandering."
The New York Times interviewed 11 Black men to share their thoughts about the upcoming election and the current political climate. The participants were asked what the Democratic Party understands least about Black men in the United States.
"It’s the pandering to the Black race, thinking that we are looking for a handout and feeling sorry for us, when we’re capable and culpable," J.D., a 50-year-old coach based in Arizona told the Times. "And I feel like the pandering of ‘all you broken-down people, you need us, and here we are; we’re going to help you’ — it’s not a respectful tone or manner. It’s insulting, actually."
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"I think they’re confused," Khaled, a 50-year-old school principal in Pennsylvania said. "I think they went so far to try to do so many different things, and now there’s more of an independent thought with Black men in this country."
A USA Today/Suffolk University poll released in June found that support for Biden among Black voters has dropped roughly 20 percentage points since the last election in both Michigan and Pennsylvania. In Michigan, the poll found Trump has 15% of Black voters, compared to Biden at 54% of the support from Black voters.
Trump received 9% of the Black vote in Michigan in the 2020 election.
The former president gets 11% of the Black vote in Pennsylvania, according to the poll, which is up three points compared to 2020. A majority, 56%, of Black voters still prefer Biden in the state.
Another member of the focus group mentioned the victimhood that many