What is wrong with Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Beauprez?
Doesn’t he realize that running a political campaign means avoiding any discussion of meaningful or pertinent issues? Abortion? Race? What was he thinking?
Beauprez’s off-the-cuff remark regarding African-American women and abortions has him sinking faster than your average Republican congressman. Which is quite an achievement.
The reasons, however, may not be the most obvious.
“I’ve seen numbers as high as 70 percent – maybe even more – in the African-American community,” stated Beauprez on “Colorado Matters” last week. “That, I think, is just appalling.”
No one’s exactly sure where “70 percent” came from, and it was immediately met with giddy condemnation from the usual suspects.
Beauprez quickly sent out an apology to the African-American community “and anyone else who was offended.”
Well, I’m offended. I’m offended that we have a bunch of weak-willed and frightened politicians running around this state posing as leaders.
Apart from an innocent (but politically inopportune) gaffe, Beauprez has absolutely nothing to be sorry about. African-American abortion rates are, as he asserted, “appalling.” The numbers are jarring, in fact. And it’s about time someone pointed it out.
The Guttmacher Institute, where they study reproductive issues for a living, estimated that in 2002, 43 percent of conceptions among black women ended in abortion. That figure is 18 percent for white women. Other groups have higher estimates.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the abortion ratio for black women (495 per 1,000 live births) was three times the ratio for white women (164 per 1,000) in 2002, the last year on record.
Even if you support a woman’s right to choose an abortion, as I do, there should be something deeply troubling about this racial disparity.
Or you’d think there would be.
One might expect Denver’s black leadership – after their dutiful condemnation of the Republican candidate – to acknowledge the predicament on some level. Yet there was nothing. Instead, the usual assortment of professional victims appeared – appropriately wounded.
“I’m offended, and I’m sure others will be as well,” claimed Rev. Reginald Holmes, pastor of New Covenant Christian Church. “It is appalling for him to say that,” chimed in Rev. Paul Burleson, president of the Greater Metropolitan Denver Ministerial Alliance. “I think it’s shameful that an individual running for the highest office in Colorado does not do better homework. It saddens me.”
A quick Nexis search reveals that Burleson and Holmes – neither, of whom, it seems, have ever met a reporter they wouldn’t talk to – have made not a single on-the-record statement addressing the number of abortions consuming their community.
Instead of an apology, Beauprez might have asked these African-American community leaders if they were as “appalled” and “saddened” by the tragedy of these high abortion rates as they were by a slip on a radio show.
Then again, perhaps the political lesson here is to avoid any issue that can get you in trouble.
Perhaps Beauprez should operate a Bill Ritter/Ken Salazar model of campaigning, which means avoiding any topic that in any way might offend any man, woman, child, animal or spirit in Colorado.
Here’s what I mean: Curious to see which pressing issue the Ritter campaign finds newsworthy these days, I turn to the latest press release.
“State must take action on new, safe gun ranges.”
Finally. Someone is stepping up to tackle those critical issues facing all of us.
After this episode, I expect to hear about Beauprez’s unbending support for baby safety seats.
Better safe than sorry.
David Harsanyi’s column appears Monday and Thursday. Reach him at 303-954-1255 or dharsanyi@denverpost.com.
