Black Political Zone

Kerry Healey is perhaps the Republicans' example that the Willie Hortonish ad campaigning is not going to work anymore. After putting out several ads associating African American Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate Deval Patrick with rapists, she has seen her polling numbers drop and her unfavorability soar. The Boston Globe quoted the Rev. Jeffrey Brown of Cambridge, MA on the ad:

"When I first saw it, the effect for me as a black male, it just killed me," Brown said yesterday. "It's the kind of race-baiting ad that plays to the worst fears of suburban America. It has crossed the line, as far as I'm concerned."

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