Lessons from 'Mayor Pete's' South Bend racial crisis
Can Buttigieg recover? He's a relative unknown on the debate stage, especially among black voters. A Hart Research poll in May for the Black Economic Alliance found only 21% of African Americans were enthusiastic about or comfortable with him -- and almost half said they had never heard of him. That makes his debate performance crucially important to his national appeal, but he also needs to shore up his support back home so his constituents will have something besides complaints to tell reporters about him.
With that in mind, here are a few things that he and his fellow candidates would be wise to remember:
First, sound like you really care. Buttigieg roared from obscurity into a high national profile largely because of his interesting biography and a clear, persuasive speaking style that sounds downright soothing next to the high-energy, unpredictable style of our incumbent president.
But this son of two college professors must also avoid the "professor" syndrome, a label of gentle mockery used by supporters of Obama whenever the famously cool former law school teacher's coolness sounded too aloof.
Mayor Pete can draw from his own biography to help black voters, among others, get acquainted with him. His successful reelection after coming out as gay is well known. Ironically Obama and Joe Biden's support for same-sex marriage helped reduce some of the animosity he might face from conservative black churchgoers. But he also has been eloquently outspoken about his belief in the importance of religious faith as a moral compass, offering a liberal alternative to the religious right.
His experience as a Navy Reserve lieutenant who served seven months in Afghanistan offers important avenues to connections with black military veterans too.
But, just as important, he needs to mind his day job as mayor in a racially divided city. Charity, as the old saying goes, begins at home. So do politics.
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(E-mail Clarence Page at cpage@chicagotribune.com.)
(c) 2019 CLARENCE PAGE DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
