FINANCIAL TIMES: Democrats cannot take African-American votes for granted

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The writer is professor of sociology at Manchester university Back in 2004, at a brunch at the Georgetown home of a senior Democrat operative, surrounded by the architects of John Kerry’s campaign, in a moment of indiscretion, I raised the N-word — Ralph Nader. Mr Nader was the Green party candidate who had stood in the 2000 presidential election when Al Gore narrowly lost to George W Bush. The vote was so close it was decided by the courts. For this, the Iraq war and the erosion of civil liberties, those in the room blamed Mr Nader, who netted more votes than Mr Bush’s margin of victory in Florida and New Hampshire. What was their plan to deal with Mr Nader in 2004? I asked.