WGBH Radio; The Callie Crossley Show

I'm Cally Crossley and this is the Cali Crossley Show. Black conservatives were largely under the radar until President Obama's ascent to the White House. Though they've been card carrying Republicans since the days of Frederick Douglass today's political scene places them on some interesting ideological turf. Does the right leaning Tea Party seem to white leaning with Michael Steele at the helm of the RNC and Sarah Palin anchoring the newest movement on the block. Where exactly are black conservatives fitting in with the midterm elections behind us. From there we look at what will happen to blue New England's political clout with our representatives mere specks in a largely red landscape. And we kick off the hour with Governor Patrick's nomination of Judge Roderick Ireland to the State Supreme Judicial Court. What will it mean for Massachusetts its highest court to have its first black chief justice. Up next a radio civics tour from the high court to a conservative congress. First the news. From NPR News in Washington I'm Paul Brown. British police say a mail

bomb intercepted last month at an English airport could have exploded in flight over the US East Coast. Scotland Yard says in a statement that the bomb would have gone off on Friday October 29 if it hadn't been found and removed from a cargo plane. Police say forensic evidence shows the bomb was sent from Yemen British and U.S. officials say terrorists hid bombs inside printer parts and addressed them to locations in Chicago. The second bomb was discovered at a cargo facility in Dubai. General Motors reports a profit of 2 billion dollars for its third quarter as Michigan Radio's Tracy Samuelsen reports. Strong sales in North America account for much of the profit. General Motors lost money in Europe but made up for it in China and especially North America. Michelle Krebs is an analyst with Edmonds dot com. She says it wasn't that long ago that North America was weak spot. They're sticking with the formula to keep that kind of keep costs down. Try to make more money per vehicle you know execute launches perfectly and that that's the right formula out of that

everybody goes for that. General Motors will launch an initial public offering of stock in less than a week. Company executives are telling potential investors that GM could make huge profits once the global auto market fully recovers. For NPR News I'm Tracy Samuelsen in Ann Arbor. A Chinese man who was the organizer of a support group in China for parents of children made sick by tainted milk powder faces a two year prison sentence. NPR's Rob Gifford reports on the fate of the man who is a parent of one of the affected children. Jolly and hise child was among 300000 Chinese children who were sickened by baby formula tainted with melamine in 2008. Six children died from the poisoning. Zhao had pushed for greater official accountability and compensation for victims of the scandal. Observers say his sentence appeared particularly severe because the Chinese government had pledged to tackle such health scandals in order to restore consumer confidence. Observers say the case exposes many of the

contradictions at the heart of modern China that the government is allowed to take action. But ordinary people are not. Amnesty International condemned the sentence saying the authorities have imprisoned a man the Chinese public rightly views as a protector of children not a criminal. Rob Gifford NPR News. The federal government is unveiling a new anti tobacco campaign in the U.S. It includes larger warning labels on cigarette packs and ads and they are graphic with images of cancer patients diseased lungs and diseased teeth. By law the Food and Drug Administration regulates tobacco now and it points to more than 400000 deaths in the U.S. each year associated with tobacco use. Officials also say they're concerned about rising teen and young adult smoking rates. This is NPR News. India is in the midst of a political scandal. Top government officials are accused of involvement in a building scam. NPR's Corey Flintoff reports the scandal boiling over immediately after President

Obama's departure from India. President Obama's plane had barely left the runway on Monday morning when prominent heads began to roll. The ruling Congress Party accepted the resignation of the top government official in Maharashtra state which includes India's commercial capital Mumbai. The chief minister. Taliban is accused of involvement in a scheme to illegally build a high rise apartment building on land that was intended to provide housing for military veterans and survivors of India's war heroes. The apartments were allegedly given out to well-connected military officers and civilians. Calvin denies any wrongdoing. India's opposition parties are calling for harsh punishment and hoping the scandal does political damage to the current government. Corey Flintoff NPR News New Delhi. There have been more attacks against Iraqi Christians a coordinated series of roadside bombs blowing up in Christian neighborhoods at least three people are reported killed. The U.S. government says the number of Americans without health insurance is

now nearly 47 million. That is up about seven percent from 2006 but the rate of uninsured that is the number of people uninsured compared to the total population has not changed much. The government says that is because the population is growing and the proportion of uninsured children is down. The Centers for Disease Control report says surveys show a large percentage of people saying they're putting off health care because it's too expensive. I'm Paul Brown in Washington. Support for NPR comes from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation helping NPR advance journalistic excellence in the digital age. Good afternoon I'm Kelly Crossley and this is the Calla Crossley Show last week Governor Deval Patrick nominated veteran associate justice Roderick Ireland to lead the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. Joining me to discuss judge Ireland's

legacy and what it could mean for the state's highest court to have its first black chief justice are Marvin Vinay the executive director of the black and Latino Democratic Legislative Caucus and our political contributor and Darnell Williams the CEO and president of the Urban League in eastern Massachusetts. Welcome. Good afternoon. Afternoon come here now I'm going to start with you because you've been friends with George Ireland for some time. Tell us about him as a person. Well the way I would consider George Carlin not only as a friend but. I know something Mayor a lot of people do not know in Boston is that I attended the same church that he grew up in and know his mother so I know that whatever happens to him in his life if he makes any judicial systems he's judicial decisions and his mother doesn't like it he's going to hear from her. OK. All right right.

Marshall Shea do you know give us a little more insight about the man that you shaped rock is a kind of a guy where he has not only a warm and inviting personality his wife Alice and the kids are were so immensely proud for him that somebody from Springfield care and accomplish this enormous accomplishment a guy who is balanced. He's the kind of guy you can approach on a very various topic but in fact you will be able to hear and you can see his thinking. And he comes out with a honest and fair assessment of where things really are and I think that's just great I feel so excited for it. They say he's kind of low key and his and his personality would you describe him as such. I would consider he's loaded with jokes just to get to know him. You may be low key from a public person a stand point of view. He would refrain from trying to be center stage and. Being known but what you would know about him as a person is that he's in the room and his presence speaks a lot. But he was not the

kind of person that we run into jumping at the microphone. That's not his style. But in terms of you looking for sharper legal Ackerman and a person who can bring personal life experiences to the table they don't gain the better he's a class act. OK Marvin in making the nomination Governor Patrick saying said we're making history again of course that reference was. He's the first black elected governor here in Massachusetts and he if Roderick Ireland is accepted then he would be the first black chief justice of the supreme judicial court so that's pretty amazing. What do you think about it. I think it's prominent. If we look at you know as I was looking at the makeup of the current Supreme Judicial Court he is the only African-American three hundred years plus history he is the only African-American to sit. That's history in itself. The fact that we have the first black governor to be re-elected. That's history. This this is shaping

reshaping the minds of young African-American children and Hispanics to see that minorities in general to see that you can start from the very bottom and raise your way up I mean if we go back to his history of being a. Being a public defender in Roxbury District Court back in the 70s he started from the ground of learning how to defend those who are out there being charged with whether they were guilty or not not guilty but they were charged with crimes and he saw fit to go out and defend their cases. That is someone who has to understand the system a little bit more in depth I think Darnell described the best when he said his thought and his methodical thinking is basically saying I need to process this thoroughly so that I can make an objective decision. If you look at many of the articles written on him mostly what you will see is that this man actually goes out and listens. He's not he's not pushing the law. He's he's just going to make sure that the law is applied when it's necessary. But he's going to hear individuals out thoroughly so I'm excited about the history I think that every

African American should be excited about it. The Massachusetts cop commonweal should be excited. But more importantly I think this gets a little bit greater because if you look across the country Massachusetts as we know is the leader. And how things are shifting across the board. So what happens in Massachusetts will affect and impact everything else. So the fact that he could do this and yes the question became and I know we'll talk about this. The question came up well five years out from retirement. Five years is plain enough time to make your impact. Let me pick up on something about the historic nature of it. I'm not certain if there are other black or persons of color who are leading Supreme Judicial Court in other states are you aware of anybody else. I'm not aware have any as we speak but I would think that you know Margaret makes a very very poignant statement when you say in the three hundred eighteen year history here in Massachusetts in Massachusetts in 1907 was the first African-American and I think it was governor well appointed him and then

before that was the governor of the caucus and now Governor Patrick. So three governors have saw something in him as a juror's to elevate him so in three hundred eighteen years. Oliver Holmes was the chief justice. If you go back to Herbert Wilkinson now and Judge Marshall also was very class act. To follow in those kind of footsteps in a historical light I think it's just phenomenal It speaks volumes and I think that Rick is well respected and liked throughout the judicial community. So I think what Marvin has said and I'm trying to intimate here is that this is not only a very prudent decision but it has ramifications because Massachusetts is held in such esteem across the country that I think it can have vibrations and other judicial circles. Now let me pick up on you. I have not read one negative thing about him. Currently the governor's council which has to sign off on this nomination is Iowa Democratic in January two Republicans will join the council. Right. I

know they're due to take a vote in December for his nomination so he should be approved before January when there is an inclusion of Republicans but from what I'm hearing across the board you know his his reputation would stand as it was and he would probably get approved anyway in January or. I frankly think that this man you know and like you said there's not a negative thing that we can find about him. I think that speaks to his character his integrity and it speaks to the fact that you know as we talked about earlier his mother's bringing with him has all has been projected throughout his life back in the when he was in high school the counselor said why don't you go to trade school and become a mechanic not a mechanic. Yeah OK. Mom said no we're going to the high school where you can get a college preparatory coursework and we're going to get you into school. He graduated from Lincoln University African-American university black school went on to Harvard went on to Columbia and so forth.

So I think what I'm what I'm trying to make this point to saying is that it does it stop it doesn't it doesn't really matter where you started it's how much you persevered to get where you're going. And he has demonstrated perseverance from every angle possible that to be well respected. And this field of interests across this country that is a that is a highlight of life in itself. In fact he said at the time of nomination my nomination says that anything is possible. This is 65 year old Roderick Ireland. Let me ask this question Margaret Marshall who resigned for personal reasons. Putting him in place to have this appointment. Was a transplant at South Africa. South African residents and she came here made Boston her home run as it uses her home. Now what difference will it make that this guy is born and bred in Boston and New England. I think the difference is that he will be able to longest

serving associate justice on the Supreme Judicial Court. So he's been to be now his second term. So he's been around the track for a minute. Yeah. Their job is to review cases. But it's also to oversee other aspects throughout you did issue arena and so were Roger of Will being bring those experiences and temperament to the table that he'll be able to put his thumbprint on what happens within the judicial circles that are under the purview of the Supreme Judicial Court. So I would not expect. I know you have some folks might say he's going to be judicially activists. That's not the case that's not his style. Not at all what he would do is I believe that he will carry out his role with a. Functional functionality being able to do what's in the best interest of the court and the Commonwealth and his residence so when they walk out of the court as he stated publicly and throughout his life his 33 years on the

bench that they felt that we heard them that they were treated fair in a court and he would do that and I think in a very classy and most fashion so I think that he's got five years and his education and life experiences will say it will be noted. We're speaking with Darnell Williams That was Darnell Williams the CEO and president of the Urban League and eastern Massachusetts. And Marvin Benet our political contributor and also the executive director of the black and Latino Democratic Legislative Caucus on the nomination of Roderick Ireland as chief of the Massachusetts judicial Supreme Court. Marvin what difference will it make that he's born and bred in Boston. I think that is probably one of the most important points because he can understand this from the very I said earlier you can understand it's on the very bottom if you have been without Then you understand the possibilities of someone who has not received yet so. So

in other words he can see this thing from the very beginning. I'm financially fit and I can afford an attorney so I don't have a dollar in my pocket. But I have a case here which I am not guilty of. And so understanding that and processing that. What I've noticed in my research is that after that been able to find one thing that says to me that he is not willing to hear you out thoroughly in your process most times judges are not willing. They've they know the law they have the law set and they will fight according to the law. And they're not open to anything else. What I've read in my research is that this man has literally listened to a case over and over and over played it over before he made a decision and also thought about the ramifications of the decision that he makes because he wants to make sure that the ordinary person feels comfortable with the decision that he makes and that he's not looking to misuse his position as a judge. He's been he's been wrote for 33 years 33 years is a long time. To have been

a judge and to have represented on this front historically now moving into it what I would like to say his transformative position before he decides to retire. I can't think of a greater man he still teaches at Northeastern University as unjust Professor So he's still sharing his knowledge even while he was a sitting associate justice he when he got his doctorate from Northeastern. This man continues to excel at every given moment he's not stopped. I can see a greater case. Kelly I just want to just make sure I understand because when you and just as Marcia made her home here from South Africa and being born here I don't want to say that geography is the driver and that's kind of how I mean experience you know your life experience I got to make a difference right. And so the life experiences I think that if I would say what Rick is and he brings to the court not only his tenure of being sitting as Chief Justice Marshall had ministered her role and now he can

bring his life experiences and expand beyond what she has already accomplished. So I think that his life experience is going to infuse him to be able to say here's how we can continue and maintain the same level of jurisprudence. And yet also bring those life experiences where there will be balance. Now let me just let me push back but just raise this to the two of you because both said that about his employing his life experience and yet being very thoughtful about his how he makes love. Now you know this is what President Obama said he was looking for in a Supreme Court justice when he nominated Sonia Sotomayor and you heard people were not happy with that they said forget that experience stuff we don't want that. We want somebody just going to rule on the law period. So I think that's the challenge that we have I think if you really go back to when Justice Thomas was placed on the Supreme Court that argument came out of the partisan ranks that I would read the law interpret to law

and not law. My life experiences to impact however in her decision. And having come on the heels of a Thurgood Marshall who used his experiences of running in WCPN and Brown v. Board of Education and the impact that laws have had on this nation and the disparate impact. So you want to have a justice who understands not only the law but the impact of the law that it has on this residents all of them. And so when you have someone who can say I can come in I don't want to textbook Judge I want a textbook judge and knows what it's like. And on my way to the court my car broke down because my alternator went but I'm late for court and somebody that's sensitive to that. Not necessarily that's an excuse but that's an environmental reality. So you know I don't want to judge it just knows the law and not know the experience of people and Pat and I think that's where he comes to the table and I think it's going to be a difference in example that this is something I think is important to raise.

He is not afraid to go against the grain. 2006 coat would occur first. PH There was a 6 to 1 majority. He was the one who did not vote for this to uphold the 1913 law that barred non Massachusetts residents from being married here and for those who were to honor gay marriage here. That tells me that he has stopped about this broad appeal. If you were going. If we open that up to allow others from across the country to come in that meant that it was going to flood our systems. He thought about the average person here who had to deal with the traffic who had to deal with the monotony of someone's If you didn't agree with gay marriage and you had to witness it. These are all the factors that I believe played into his decision and he wasn't afraid to go against everyone else on you know on on the Justice Department to say listen I don't think this is the best thing. He was the sole decision so to disinter So I think that that talks about his character. And it also talks about

that he's not afraid to not agree. And I think that's important because most leaders sometimes just agree with the rest of the team because it's just the way to go. OK now let me point let me ask a question two ways. The first to you Darnell. He's got four years because he's 65 years old mandatory retirement age is 70. Yes why would he take this on. I think it's because it's an opportune time to say that this is a capstone opportunity for one's judicial career that he will go out on top of his game. Great point and that excellent way to demonstrate that Hey guys I've been on the bench for 33 years. I have shown that I've served the Commonwealth to the best of my ability. This is an opportunity for me not only because I don't think he was seeking history to do this but the opportunity presented itself and I would just borrow a young quote to say that I'd rather

be prepared for an opportunity that never comes. Then have an opportunity come and I'm not prepared. Great Rick Arlen is prepared to take advantage of this opportunity. If you have four minutes I'll still be Syria lobbying for four years I say go for it Rick. OK I want to I want to ask you about the political side. Very good very good. I mean let me ask you from a political standpoint I want you to answer this question politically. OK. What how does it benefit Deval Patrick he's got this is a guy with only four years he could have maybe nominated somebody younger who would be there long after he's gone. Perhaps because it benefits Governor Patrick because he is able to say that not only was he willing to take the risk and invest but he took the risk and invested on a superstar. This gentlemen is the premier judicial judge across the country. If we look at him again we go back to his stats his stats are impeccable. You are not going to lose making an investment by putting nominating this gentleman as your next

chief justice. There's no way possible. When he was when it came down to the press conference where the announcement came he got up there and a reporter asked him So what do you think about moving you know beyond what you want you're what you're nominated and you're accepted what's your next step he said. Can I just enjoy this moment. Just enjoy. This is my bag you know and that's telling me that he's not concerned about later down the line just yet let's get there. Let's take care of what we have in front of us right now. So I think that this was a wise decision because he also says it also says that I have enough respect for you not to just sit in the seat but to manage it. To to to set some new rules and balances to it and to make sure that when you depart it is in a small transitional place that we don't have any question marks. C is different from when somebody is retiring and somebody is walking out the door and it's already set in advance.

When someone is retiring it's the media. But when somebody is actually is already designed when they start when they're finishing you already know how to prepare for your next move. So we already have an advance notification it says when his time expires. We're already looking for who we're going to select. Out of these others five or six characters or who else is going to come aboard to join them. OK I would just say quickly because I know our time is evaporating. Is that if I look at President Obama and I look at George Washington and all the presidents in between there are African-American children across America saying that one day I can aspire to be their chief justice Master Chief Justice of Massachusetts with Roger I go to Rick Karlin Roger Allen. There's an opportunity there with Supreme Court justice. So to my hair there were Latino children now to look in the sand back to where I could be one day if I if I focus in on education hard work and I play by the

rules and I try to strive for this high achievement in life regardless of I don't have two nickels in my pocket in America is possible. That's what it says to me that this is the epitome of what America has has preached as advocated as written in all of our documents and now it's personified. And this particular judicial nomination and I hope and pray that the governor's council will come for reconciling. Well at the risk of going past this one moment Marvin I need to ask. Delusion sorry. What is Governor Patrick's next move because he has now one more point to make to that judicial council. Yeah there's a seventh justice that needs to be appointed correct. So any any word on the street about who that might be and what are the political ramifications of his selecting. I don't know. Another person of color. Well there are any names that have popped up just yet that appear as if they

could you know be potential candidates if you will. But I think that he is going to I think he's not he's demonstrated that he's not afraid to make a choice out of the box and he's not afraid to also think about you know what is the next step. Even when he nominated it. You know for the nomination of Roger Ireland he stated this is not about him being the first black. That was an important point to make. I'm not here for you know to capstone history. I'm here to present the right candidate. So I think he's going to look for a candidate that actually demonstrates enough leadership and has done it brought across Massachusetts that will not only have similar I would say I actually have a similar background just as Ireland and I'm already saying he's already been confirmed. There it is. But I think that he's going to find somebody a like mind who has experience to bring to the court because if you look at the rest of

our you know current associate judicial court system judges I should say. Question is which one of them other then Roger Ireland has enough life experience to carry them through this process. We need life experience more in a system because there are too many. They look like us they are going before the court and being found convicted because someone didn't understand their circumstance and got caught up in the incident. And so I think that this will help. I would respond to the question by saying that the governor has had a couple of candidates who had to withdraw from the Supreme Judicial Court nomination process. OK coming before the governor's council. So I would hope that the selection process is slow and methodical and that the campaign contributions etc.. So do we want to run into that again. But I think in terms of adding to the team there Marvin is addressing I think that they need to not look necessarily do we bring another person of color onto I bring a Latina

So I bring a woman etc. etc. I think they need to look and say what is the current composition of the court and what are we missing by elevating Roger garland up and what do we need to do in filling that hole and then looking at the pipeline of folks that are out there that can fit that bill and then go and then whatever and two or three candidates that they fit that profile Those are the ones that they should search and on and I think that they're already doing that. No names have surfaced to my knowledge correct but I would hope that whoever they do they will make sure that they are on solid on solid ground like Rick is you know OK Marvins already said he's going to be the chief justice and you do you agree. This is Massachusetts. I will wait to the governor's council vote. He says you never know. OK guys enough my story and I'm sticking to it it was one. All right Robin we're done with you. Tally

Hosley and we've been discussing the nomination of Justice Roderick Ireland to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. My guests were Marvin Vinay the executive director of the black and Latino Democratic Legislative Caucus and Darnell Williams the CEO and president of the Urban League in eastern Massachusetts. Up next it's a look at what the election results mean for black Republicans We'll be back after this break stay with us. With. Support for WGBH comes from you. And from Davis mom Andy Augustine PC attorneys at law. At Davis mom they make your business their business on the web at Davis mom dot com. D A V I as M A L M dot com. And from Boston private banking

Trust Company Boston private bank provides private and commercial banking and investment management and trust services to individuals and businesses. You can learn more by visiting Boston private bank dot com and from the New England mobile book fair in Newton. For 53 years. New England's independent bookstore. The New England mobile book fair find them online at any book fair dot com. That's an e-book fair dot com. The writer Lynn took care of the farmhouse and was a young mother of four when her husband urged her to pick up the guitar and start singing. I cooked her lazy on the next FRESH AIR The redolent talks about her life her music and a new tribute CD. Join us. This afternoon at an eighty nine point seven WGBH. Hi I'm Brian O'Donovan host of the 9.7 WGBH and I just want to remind you that tickets are now available for all 10

performances of this year's Christmas Count. So make sure to reserve the best seats in the house while they're still available. You can purchase your tickets on line at WGBH dot org slash. Everybody posses the world he has been from he's wrong in my life. Coming up at 3 o'clock on eighty nine point seven. WGBH. I'm Kelly Crossley and this is the Kelly Crossley Show in the aftermath of the election we're taking a look at the relationship between blacks and the Grand Ole Party. Joining me our political strategist Robert fortes. Welcome back Robert. Thank you it's great to be here. So first your reaction you must be thrilled. I am glad you made it up.

I was thrilled about the national especially with the elections of Tim Scott and Allen West. I was super thrilled thrilled locally but you can ride on that for a minute. Let's let our listeners know who they are. The last time I spoke with you this was before the primaries there were thirty two black Republicans running across the nation and that was as I said before the primaries that went down to 12 and then in the general election to people those that you just mentioned Tim Scott and Allen West just won Allen West is from Florida and Tim Scott from South Carolina. So we have two black Republicans being the first by the way elected since Reconstruction in the south. You know this is amazing yeah. What do you think that says. I think it says that our country as is our history continues to progress and move forward. And you know I think we're going to be seeing a lot more of that.

You know it would be interesting if it comes out of the South. You know my mother and grandmother always said to me that you know after the civil rights movement in the 60s in the 50s in the 60s look to the south for for a lot of progress. Because that's where my Jordi of the major action took place. And up north you know a lot of what was going on a lot of work which was sort of under cover so a lot of work didn't get done nor so I wouldn't be surprised if we see a little bit more coming out of the south in that regard. OK so now let's those two guys one are very different in some ways they're both Republicans but one Tim Scott from South Carolina as well. Morewood Do you recall a traditional Republican you know sort of been with the platform. You know everything that you guys say all along straight down the line. But Allen West is a Tea Party candidate. Some people may be surprised by that.

He is what you know like a lot of support for the Tea Party. I know he did. Thank you all but what Allen West just your right to you know had already been an elected official right. You know in the state legislature down there in South Carolina and Allen West campaign was really fueled by the Tea Party some of his campaign videos on YouTube. So if I had he had this momentum this wave as they have been calling it of the Tea Party they really helped him get elected down there. But interestingly enough of the two saying that he wants to join the Congressional Black Caucus I thought that was interesting. Allen West it should be noted has taken a stand against he wants to abolish the Department of Education and the IRS just to give people a sense of his Tea Party credentials that's where he's coming with the moment. Yeah. But having said that he is open the Congressional Black Caucus which some may not know is the gathering of the Black Congressional members and traditionally they've been all

Democrats there was a moment when J.C. Watts who was the last black Republican in office was well he didn't join but he was in Congress. And they there were some some comment about whether they would invite those members of the Congressional Black Caucus invite these two members they have and Wes says he wants to go and shake it up. Yeah he did. I think it would be great for both both Allen West and for the Congressional Black Caucus. Yeah. You know to go in to sit at the table and have some sort of different perspective about what was happening in the nation and what's happening in communities of color. Right. And he's a moderate. Most of those members are moderate to liberal and obviously he's not so that will be interesting. Here's something that I've been you know just reading all across the board about you know the impact of the folks who won and we're talking you and I about African-Americans because you are an African-American Republican. But a lot of Latinos won. Yes well a lot a lot. I mean in terms of numbers

what do you think that means. How should we read that as well. Well first of all I think it's fantastic that you know the party the Republican Party specifically is always taking hits for not being inclusive with minorities. And in the Tea Party in general which just took a lot of hits is being called racist that our party and the Tea Party movement is responsible for a lot of people of color being elected Latinos in New Mexico and Nevada. Congressional seats as well as well as Nikki Halle who is an Indian-American governorship in so on and so forth I think overall I don't know if it was eight nine or nine people of color elected in this past election. I think it's just a terrific statement. Again I think you know speaking not as a partisan but as a man of color. I just think it's important to have people of color in both parties you know and as broad as way as we can can make it you know putting

my partisan hat back on. I'm absolutely thrilled that you know we have these example of these folks to point to in this in this election. Now some people have suggested that there's two things that might be derived from looking at how the numbers fell for those people who were successful these persons of color particularly African-Americans that the African-American candidates those two elected officials did not gain a foothold in black communities. But in fact they their acceptance in conservative white communities went obviously off the chart show. And in a couple of cases I can remember which one beat back to like sons of great Grand Ole Party folks. TIM SCOTT Yeah the primary he beat back a strong Thurman son. Yeah it's very strong Thurman was in in the Congress for ever and ever and ever and ever and governor before that right. Yeah so a long time political potentials. OK how do you explain that how do you and what do you think about. Did they lose. They do not have a foothold in black

communities but great acceptance in these conservative white communities. What does that mean how should we interpret that. Well I think you know speaking as a black Republican black Republicans still have some work to do and communities of color specifically African-American communities right now when folks find out that you are a Republican it's still an oddity. You know folks look at you like OK you know exactly what does that mean. You know are you not for our interest. So there's a lot of work to do on messaging there within the community that I think doesn't necessarily get done right now whereas in the broader community or in a wider community. There is more of a chance because there is less I would say. You know such strict loyalty to one party that you find in the African-American communities. So there's a lot more work to be done there and hopefully by running continue to run and getting out there working in the community that will change. You know one of the things that I have to say

to all of my African-American brothers who are in the Republican Party who are interested in running for office it's important to stay involved in your communities not just when you're running for office. But after the fact stay involved in communities and organizations like the MWP the Urban League you know or coaching Little League things and things of that nature so that the community can get to know you here where you're coming from and get comfortable with you. One last couple last questions 1. Charlie Baker many of my contributors anyway said never went to the communities of color I mean to some but not the cities and that made the margin of victory for Deval Patrick in the governor's race. Why not just your point about make you get your message across. I think so. I think it was certainly a strategic mistake and one that I probably would have made myself running his campaign at the time. And that's a lesson that I learned. I was on basic black a couple of weeks ago and

I and I talked about him for strategic reasons not going into the cities into communities of color. He you know in his mind he was facing you know not just an incumbent governor but a historical figure. You know Deval Patrick being the first African-American elected governor and then seeking to be you know the because of that seeking to be the first African-American reelected. He you know saw those odds to stack so heavily against him that he probably thought you know there's no chance for me here. I won't you know take up you know what limited time I have trying to make inroads here. But in the end you know considering the margins that the governor was able to run up in those communities it was a strategic mistake and that's you know I definitely wouldn't if I was advising anybody who would repeat hopefully anybody were going forward won't repeat themselves. OK last question to you the last black Republican message. Only at this point I am proud to say that I have not.

There might be one or between one of the family rather come on now. I don't want to. OK all right literally. OK. All right then well we're going to be looking to talk to you in the future about as we see these changes made because this is pretty amazing and historic across the country. Thank you. Thank you so much for coming in Robert sports I'm Kelly Crossley This is the Calla Crossley Show and I have been appreciating having a conversation with Robert Cortes about the rise of black Republicans. Well that is thanks for having me have enjoyed it. OK. Coming up next Wendy Schiller to talk about other changes in politics. Support for WGBH comes from you.

And from Boston Private Bank and Trust Company. Committed to helping successful individuals and businesses accumulate. Preserve and grow their wealth. You can learn more at Boston. Private Bank dot com. And from your New England Toyota dealer celebrating 10 years and three generations of the technologically advanced nature inspired Toyota Prius hybrid. You can learn more at by a Toyota dot com. And from Solomon's collection and finding rugs in Quincy. Now accepting entries from kids ages 11 to 14 for their design a rug contest for the WGBH 2011 auction to download an entry form you can go to Solomon rugs dot com. Next time on the world walking in Egypt's capital it can be unnerving if you're a woman. You get people saying hey sweetie honey and it can be downright dangerous. It's also when they grow up you and but we don't you talk about that. Well some Egyptian women are talking and logging their harassment experiences online harassment of NAPPA of Cairo. Next I'm on the world. Coming up at 3 o'clock here at eighty nine point seven

WGBH. When you visit org right now you can catch up on the day's news listen to a variety of great music and register to win an incredible five nights. In. A way Ira. Kindly donated by 10 and tours. This trip includes plush accommodations at the same point apartments guided tours of some of the most visited sites and a traditional Irish breakfast to help kick start every day. Enter the drawing and learn more about the trip at the org. Join classical music Lora Carlo at the 14th annual Boston International fine art show. It's a benefit for ninety nine point five all classical Friday November 19th from 6 to 9 o'clock at the cyclorama info at WGBH dot org. I'm Cally Crossley and this is the Calla Crossley Show in the aftermath of the midterm elections we're looking at what New England's Democratic gains mean for the region's political

clout in a national context. Joining me is windy Schiller Associate Professor of Political Science and Public Policy. Wendy welcome back. Good afternoon. Let's just jump right in. New England seems to and particularly Massachusetts went a different way from the nation's THE REST OF THE NATION. Why did the local elections results differ so much from the nation as a whole. Well first of all most will realize New England went further democratic. I mean that the only region really holistically that elected more Democrats than Republicans. I think there's always been strong Democratic roots in New England in the recent political past I think was also a question of candidates and some odd races Rhode Island had a three way race for example. So did Massachusetts and so that really gives a little bit more benefit to the Democrat if the other two candidates look more like each other and the Democrat or the Independent is in place and Chafee goes in a different direction. I also think that there was some resistance to the overwhelming Republican tide in the rest of the country I think New Englanders tend to be more independent more go your own

way. And when they stick with something or somebody or some team they like to stay with that team for a long period of time longer than a lot of other country part of the country. So they don't tend to shift as quickly or radically as other parts of the country do. And yet some of those races were close very very close. The nail biters actually. But usually we had a close race in Rhode Island for example for a congressional district Davis's Illini the outgoing mayor of Providence and he was able to win that race easily and I don't think he felt comfortable about that till well into the morning hours of election night so I think that was a bit of a Connecticut just got decided with a Democratic victory finally by very close margins. And but you love your pick ups for example I mean New Hampshire the two congressional seats went Republican but the Democratic. Governor got reelected in Vermont. The Democrats picked up the governorship so there are some I think it's gonna be attributed to candidate qualities and who they were facing as opposition. I mean voters really were informed this season there was so much political information. I think it was easier to make your name as a candidate. In addition to being party affiliated then it may have

been in other years. Now so how will we be looked upon from the rest of the nation. I mean we know what happened. It is a liability sorry it's a it's a big bill of the I think politically because you don't have any balance I mean you know so the old Ghostbusters who you going to call Will who you gonna call. I mean the House Republicans really are big they're running things they may fall apart in terms of coalition but you know if you're Tea Party versus Republican you'll do fine. We don't have any of those people in the Massachusetts it's still an entirely Democratic congressional delegation even though Barney Frank was supposed to have a scare didn't happen. You know they spent. It was almost almost four million dollars was spent to win that one seat on the Cape. I mean it was certainly a lot of money spent but the Democrats prevailed now the question is who do they work with. They work with Obama but Obama is going to go his own way and President Obama's got to figure out how to stake his own territory and he can't be seen as too wedded or too tied to the liberal flank of his party and that that frankly is most of the New England area. So I just don't know where the leverage comes from you've lost key people you've lost Patrick Kennedy in Rhode Island for example.

You know you've lost Chris Dodd in Connecticut. So you've really lost people who had a lot of clout you know even even when they were in the minority. So now the question is how do you regain that clout and who should do it should the governors you know work closely with Republican governors try to infiltrate that way. The question is how do the delegations really kind of reassert themselves in a very different political environment in Washington. And Barney Frank and others like him who may have won the nail biter races but they've now lost their powerful positions without question and I think Barney Frank did himself no favors he's been around a long time I think he knows better than the speech he gave his victory speech was was really contentious and that's a nice way of putting it. And I think you know he may be angry at some of the rhetoric that's been used in the campaign this year but now housing represent a district I mean how's he going to work with the people who've taken over. I just don't see any any way that he bridges that gap. So I think the question is do you moderate Do you look to people like Scott Brown as the Key Bridge I mean I think the Democrats in the delegation of Massachusetts have to save themselves. We have John Kerry but we're going to have to pay more attention to Scott Brown. We're going to

look to him. But you leave your mayors or local elected officials that need help from the federal government. You've got to go where the money is where the people are where the power is and that's shifting dramatically. So I think it's really important for New Englanders to start thinking OK what do we expect from our members of Congress what do you have for our governors. How are we going to stay represented at the federal level and New England needs help we need help with economic stimulus. We need help with all sorts of things and you know you can't just dismiss the other side you have to figure out how you can get the other side to listen to you now that you're in the minority. I want to know what you think this marginalisation will look like and I want to put it in this context. After Ted Kennedy's death and Scott Brown's election I asked the question you know how would we in Massachusetts get accustomed to not having all the bacon brought home that Ted Kennedy was able to do through the length of term in Congress and his power that he built up in his relationships. I mean I didn't realize Scott Brown was going to be as much a sort of star that he

turned out to be so he's getting a little bit of that. But still now we have fewer people with those positions. What does what does marginalization look like no more bacon for anybody. Well you know you can look at the total number of federal dollars that will come to New England at federal programs or very back oriented on the words they passed years ago and the money starts to flow later on but you'll see a very stark difference in the amount federal dollars that flow to this region and all sorts around this particularly infrastructure. Education even special job training programs the kinds of things that cities need more things than Boston needs for example. However if Scott Brown wants to get re-elected in 2012 intends to run and get reelected he's going to have to work on this he's going to have to try to respond to what Massachusetts wants so I see Massachusetts and being in a better position even than Rhode Island because Scott Brown will have at least a voice that has to be listened to. And Deval Patrick and Lincoln Chafee for example are close to Obama. So in other words the executive branch can filter a lot of money and a lot of programs and a lot of benefits to a region. So it's good to have a president on your side. But I think some of the members the Mausers delegation might think about

reaching out to the Republican counterparts. Barney Frank I don't think but I think other members can sort of say OK what do we have in common with other regions of the country like Illinois Ohio where the speaker of the house comes from Michigan Indiana these are hurting places they have industrial economies that have gone sort of deteriorated and they need the same kind of help in a lot of ways that this region needs. So perhaps we can work together to craft programs that will benefit them and they being the Republicans in those regions of the country and us. Because when you craft a federal program it's usually formula based. So if a form is good for them and target some of the same problems that we have then we would benefit as well. Speaking of Scott Brown one of our local columnist Joe Benton fell in the Herald said to Scott Brown that he should take a cue from what happened nationally. Forget Massachusetts actually because Massachusetts went a different way and that he should concentrate on his national platform and run for president in 2012 which he actually could do since everybody else is moving toward Republicans it seems at this point and he's already he's a star but there's a lot of the heart it's getting to be a crowded guy in a Republican

Party I'll tell you there's a lot of emerging stars Rand Paul is now an emerging star even Jim Dement from South Carolina who's the sort of self-appointed godfather of the Tea Party. He's a star. There's a lot of him still out there. I guess Marco Rubio Well you know to some extent Rubio I don't see him running to 2016 I do think that he has the makings of perhaps the first Hispanic president United States Latino president United States. But I do think that you've got Rick Perry of Texas you've got a lot of people who are lining up to run. So I don't know that it's Scott Brown's time I don't know that he's done enough right now to be the darling that stands out. So I think you've got to you know if you can get reelected a masters in 2012 you can really lay the groundwork you've been formally re-elected in the in a general election. And I think you shown you can help Massachusetts and he comes from Massachusetts I mean I think that you'd want to help your state somehow I don't think it's a good strategy. This idea of forgetting about your state and then coming home in 2012 and saying please reelect me. I don't think his chances for the presidency are super but he may in fact be considered for V.P. which would be good for Massachusetts. So anything that brings

Massachusetts into the universe of Republican consideration right now is a good thing and you can't change people's preferences but you do want the state not to be written off you don't want Republicans to say we're not going there we're not trying we don't care. The good thing for the region is that Limpia Snow is up for re-election in 2012 in Maine and that will help keep some of the focus on this region and hopefully she'll be able to do things that will help the entire region not just Maine. Now a lot of focus of course has been on the change over in the in the house and to some degree the Senate. But I noted that how much turnover was having on the governorships alone. How do Republican governors elected. That seems to me that's the power seat for you know political impact across the nation as well. I don't understand why that's not getting more attention. It's a huge deal you're pointing out. You're pointing out I think the biggest impact of the 2010 midterms is that you had 20 Dems and 22 Republicans going in for the governorships. Now you have 19 Dems 30 Republicans and one independent. So you really set a sea change and state legislatures went with them as well. They redistrict they draw the

new lines for the congressional races. So not only do they cement state power in a time of budget cutting and major policy overhauls at the state level you also have them redrawing congressional district boundaries for the next 10 years. So if they want to pick two Democrats against each other in the same district that's exactly what they're going to try to do. And that will weaken the Democrat Party even further in the house. So you've got state level changes politically. You've got House changes. And for the governor for the presidential race in 2012 Ohio went to the Republicans. Florida went to the Republicans. Pennsylvania went to the Republicans. So all of these are key states in the presidency. It makes the job of re-electing Obama much more difficult. Having said that his approval ratings have actually gone up a point. Since the elections which is interesting and just heard today that more jobs people more people have jobs today than have happened last month. So even though the percentage of unemployment has not gone down there is some movement on that front. How do how and a lot of these races as you pointed out were nail biters.

So how should the folks who won even though it's mostly Republicans interpret their success so as to be able to really serve the constituents because its constituents express their frustration. If they did I think a little bit more responsive to the kinds of programs that help individuals and make the connection between what you're voting for and how it will help your district not just in numbers not just bring home the bacon in terms of money but how does this program make it better for you to get a job. Easier to keep your house make the schools for your kids better make your streets safer. How do these things actually work. Because if Democrats don't connect the dots if they don't make it clear to voters that their programs actually help more voters than the Republicans programs and I see them eroding even further in 2012 they've got to make that connection means coming home facing the music talking you consider it more. But also voting for things that you can tangibly tie back to your district and I think staying local is probably the best strategy and also the best responsiveness for the members of the Democratic Party or in the Congress. And for Obama there's no question if the economy gets better the president will

get some credit. I mean I don't think Republicans can avoid that even if they want to they can avoid that. The president will get some credit and voters may say they like the bounce they'd rather have the Democratic president stay in with a Republican dominated Congress. So the problem is have to decide is it more important to them to capture the White House and enact all of their policies quickly or consolidate congressional power. Because I don't think they can adopt a strategy that's going to do both at the same time. Thank you very much when the sheller. We've been talking about New England's political clout in the aftermath of the midterm elections with Wendy Schiller. She's a professor of Political Science and Public Policy at Brown University. Thanks again. Thank you. You can keep on top of the Calla Crossley Show at WGBH dot org slash Kelly Crossley follow us on Twitter or become a SAN on Facebook today show was into nearby Jane picked and produced by Chelsea murders and a white knuckle beat and Abby Rizzi go to Kelly Crossley Show is a production of WGBH radio Boston's NPR station or news culture.