The first African-American Vice President?

Just a thought. Would African-American voting patterns shift significantly if the Republicans became the first party to nominate a black Vice President?

No-one can blame black people who resent the fact that they have never had a chance to vote for a black candidate for national office in the general election.

In a TV interview this afternoon, Lawrence Eagleberger castigated Dick Cheney in surprisingly direct terms. The current VP is not a popular man. Eagleberger is hardly the first Republican unable to hide his displeasure.

Suppose Cheney left the ticket, citing health reasons, and Bush offered the spot to Condoleezza Rice. (Cheney could continue to run the country under the cover of some lesser office.)

Kerry, in an obvious counter-move, could choose Carol Moseley Braun. She doesn't help carry a state (Illinois is already solidly Democratic), but her presence on the ticket would probably create a sharp upsurge in black voter participation. Alas, the Susan Lindauer pseudo-scandal probably means Braun would cost the ticket more votes than she would bring.

My suspicion: If Republicans had a black VP nominee and the Democrats did not, voting patterns would not change to an overwhelming degree. But just enough African-American Democrats would cross party lines to keep (or rather put) Florida in the Bush column.