Bush Doubles Support Among Blacks

I don't think it has much to do with "Ambassador" Keyes:

WASHINGTON - President Bush (news - web sites) has doubled his support among blacks in four years and Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites)'s backing among the key Democratic voting bloc is down slightly from the support Al Gore (news - web sites) won in 2000, according to a poll released Tuesday.

The Democratic presidential nominee holds a nearly 4-to-1 margin over Bush in the poll by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, a Washington-based research group that focuses on issues concerning blacks.

Bush got low marks for his handling of the war in Iraq (news - web sites) and his overall job performance. The Republican incumbent did gain more support than in 2000 from those age 50 and older and those who consider themselves Christian conservatives.

That helped the president narrow the still sizable gap with Kerry among blacks, who preferred the four-term Massachusetts senator over Bush, 69 percent to 18 percent. The group's poll before the 2000 election found Gore with a 74 percent to 9 percent lead over Bush.

Compare to the AP headline, found at Geraghty's KerrySpot:

Poll: Kerry Has Wide Support Among Blacks

Well yes, he does have wide support among blacks. But that's hardly the news, now is it?

Next up from AP: Kerry Has Overwhelming Support in Castro District of San Fransisco; Head-Shop Owners and GLBT Booksellers Give Kerry a 92-8 Edge

Update: Are Kerry-Edwards playing the lesbian-card to shore up support with culturally-conservative black Christians? James Taranto thinks so.