The mild racism of “other things being equal, I’ll give the nod to one of my own” is not the problem in this country. It’s when other things aren’t equal and you still pick your own that is real prejudice. Obama plays a dangerous long-run game in hopes of a short term gain. He has stripped the magazine of most of its articles, making it much harder for supporters to defend him. They will defend him now – they feel they have little choice – but making it more difficult for them in an effort to pump up the turnout gives them more reason to defect.

Think of it this way: if you were an intelligent black person who is generally liberal; supported Obama with pride without major policy objections because you thought he was exactly the sort of serious, intellectual public servant you thought should be encouraged; and were prepared to go to bat for him against unfair criticism, how do you feel when he keeps doing this Huey Long/Adam Clayton Powell/David Duke Us/Them thing? How long before you start to realise “Obama’s making me look bad?”

Meanwhile no one seems to notice that political affiliation is the new racism. Funny how high-minded and tollerant liberals have no problem accepting assumptions, generalizations or any charge lobbed against a Republican. I’m surprised they still serve them in restaurants.

The productive schools you name are in the “one or two” (I should’ve written “few”) colleges that are private. They are all self-segregating, nevertheless. That their graduates are admitted to professional schools in the numbers you cite is more a tribute to “diversity” than to achievement. My medical alma (a non-public) revels in its new-found diversity; 55% of this year’s entering class is white, I mean Caucasian.

Outcomes based on diversity instead of merit prove zip.

That depends. I know of a school principal who was so bad that 40% of the staff signed a greivance against her one year. Her contract was not renewed. She went on to get a Ph.D — those who can’t administer teach?- and now teaches at a historically black college with a graduation rate of less than 20%. Sounds like an example of the Peter Principle.

Graduation rates at historically black colleges are lower than for flagship state universities, for a variety of reasons. The graduation rates are improving. While historically black colleges produce about 20% of blacks with bachelor degrees, they produce a disproportionate proportion of black STEM graduates.

Nine of the top ten colleges that graduate most of the African American students who go on to earn Ph.D.s are HBCUs.

More than 50 percent of the nation’s African American public school teachers and 70 percent of African American dentists and physicians earned degrees at HBCUs.

Over half of all African American professionals are graduates of HBCUs

In 2000, Xavier University in New Orleans individually produced more successful African American medical school applicants (94) than Johns Hopkins (20), Harvard (37), and the University of Maryland (24) combined. Two other HBCUs also placed in the top ten producers of medical school applicants, including Morehouse (33), and Spelman (38).

Spelman and Bennett Colleges produce over half of the nation’s African American women who go on to earn doctorates in all science fields; more than produced by the Ivy League’s Seven Sisters combined (Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Radcliffe, Smith, Wellesley, and Vassar Colleges).

HBCUs significantly contribute to the creation of African American science degree holders: agriculture (51.6 percent), biology (42.2 percent), computer science (35 percent), physical science (43 percent), and social science (23.2 percent).

HBCUs produce 44 percent of all African American bachelor’s degrees awarded for communications technology, 33 percent of bachelor’s degrees awarded for engineering technology, and 43 percent of bachelor’s degrees awarded for mathematics, and and social science (23.2 percent). [ the last one I am simply quoting.]
Seven of the top eleven producers of African American baccalaureates in engineering were HBCUs, including #1 North Carolina A&T State University and #2 Howard University.

The top three producers of African American baccalaureates in health professions (#1 Southern University and A&M College , #2 Florida A&M University and #3 Howard University ) were HBCUs.

Eight of the top nine producers of African American baccalaureates in mathematics and statistics were HBCUs: #1 Morehouse College, #2 South Carolina State University #3 Alabama State University, #3 Spelman College, #5Southern University and A&M College, #6 Tennessee State Unversity, #7 Hampton University and #9 Howard University.

The twelve top producers of African American baccalaureates in the physical sciences, including #1 Xavier University of Louisiana , were all HBCUs.

There may be something in the atmosphere at a historically black college that encourages students to pursue more challenging majors.

http://www.thinkhbcu.org/hbcu_facts.htm STEM information.

http://www.jbhe.com/preview/winter07preview.html graduation rates

He appeals to blacks to support him? How about appealing to Michelle?

Doesn’t this idiot realize the people he needs are the undecided voters? Moving black support from 98 to 99% doesn’t help him. (Yeah, I know the counterpoint is that he’s making a GOTV case, but my point remains.) He’s scratching where it doesn’t itch, but is apparently too stupid to figure that out.

“Smartest guy in the room.” Right.

YOU ARE IN AN OVAL OFFICE. YOU ARE BEHIND A DESK. YOUR APPROVAL HEALTH IS 55%. YOUR CONGRESS HAS 31% HEALTH. UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE FOREST IS 8.9% YOUR FRIEND AT HARVARD IS ARRESTED BY POLICEMAN.

>CALL POLICEMAN STUPID, PLAY RACE CARD

I’M SORRY, THAT DID NOT WORK. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO?

>BEER SUMMIT, BLAME BUSH

YOU ARE IN AN OVAL OFFICE. YOU ARE BEHIND A DESK. ON THE DESK IS A TELEPHONE AND A TV. THE TELEPHONE RINGS. IT IS COPENHAGEN. YOU DO NOT GET THE OLYMPICS FOR CHICAGO. A PEASANT ON TV FROM CHICAGO CALLS FOR TEA PARTY REVOLT. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO?

>NATIONALIZE HEALTHCARE

I’M SORRY, THIS NAME WILL NOT WORK. DO YOU WANT TO CALL IT SOMETHING DIFFERENT?

>REFORM HEALTHCARE

YOU WILL NEED A CONGRESS AND SENATE TO “REFORM HEALTHCARE” IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

>TELL CONGRESS TO REFORM HEALTHCARE

YOU ARE IN AN OVAL OFFICE. YOU ARE WITH GENERALS. AFGHANISTAN IS GOING BAD. IRAN IS BUILDING NUCLEAR BOMBS. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO?

>PLAY GOLF

YOU ARE IN AN OVAL OFFICE. ON THE TV ARE TOWN HALLS. AT THE TOWN HALLS ARE PEASANTS. THEY ARE YELLING AT YOUR CONGRESS. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO?

>ATTACK PEASANTS

WITH WHAT?

>MEDIA

WHAT WEAPON?

>RACE CARD

THE PEASANTS ARE NOW ANGRIER. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO?

>ATTACK PEASANTS

[etc.: see rest at his website; it’s hilarious]

Excuse my mean-spirited, suspicious mind.

“Blow himself…”

Yes he can!