Increase in Black Voters
The New York Times just posted an article on increased ‘fervor’ among black voters. “Voters in black neighborhoods were signing up at a pace two-thirds faster than in 2000. In Philadelphia, election officials report the greatest surge of registrations in 21 years, resulting in more than 70,000 new voters added to the rolls since April, with growth heaviest in African-American sections. In Ohio, new registrations in Democratic strongholds, many of them African-American areas, have increased 250 percent over 2000.” African-Americans have historically voted democratic, and the Times even points out that in 2000, “Mr. Bush received one vote from African-Americans for every nine cast for Al Gore, the lowest share for any Republican since 1964.” A large increase in black voters then likely means a large increase in Kerry voters, which is very important in swing states like Florida, Pennsylvania and Ohio.
This topic is politically important, so I can understand why The New York Times would cover it, but this article could also be construed as a further attempt by the media to continue the horse race image of the election. The article doesn’t give that much information but, as with the electoral college article, it builds up the impression of a close, heated competition between Kerry and Bush. Maybe it is that close, but the media is doing this to retain the population’s attention. I don’t think the New York Times is really guilty of this, but I agree jamesfus that this is a clear trend with.
This topic is politically important, so I can understand why The New York Times would cover it, but this article could also be construed as a further attempt by the media to continue the horse race image of the election. The article doesn’t give that much information but, as with the electoral college article, it builds up the impression of a close, heated competition between Kerry and Bush. Maybe it is that close, but the media is doing this to retain the population’s attention. I don’t think the New York Times is really guilty of this, but I agree jamesfus that this is a clear trend with.