Advertisements on black radio stations denouncing the Democratic presidential challenger, John Kerry, as "rich, white and wishy-washy" began running last week. The ads are largely funded by insurance magnate Patrick Rooney of Indiana, a big Bush backer who sold his company for almost a billion dollars in 2003 when Bush okayed private health savings accounts, which the company specialized in. Rooney, who is white, told The Washington Post: "I have a long history of involvement with and support of the black community," For 21 years I have gone to an all-black church. They finally elected me over other black people to their church board. I'm one of them. He also said "The genuine word from the black community should be heard, not white folks saying for them." Black leaders were incensed. [more
] and [more ] "It's laughable that the Republicans would trot out these paid
Negroes to try to cut into the 92% of African-Americans that tends to
vote Democratic," said Rep. William Clay (D-Mo.) [more ]