2004 General Campaign Election - Republican and Democrats
A significant part of the Joint Center's mission is to expand the participation of African Americans in the political and public policy arenas by providing information and analyses on issues critically important to them. No arena is more important than the quadrennial presidential election.
In every presidential election year since 1972, we have produced research that informs voters, policy influentials, and members of the media on important issues from an African American perspective. Our National Opinion Polls and our Democratic and Republican convention guides have been signature products for over twenty years.
For this 2004 election, the Joint Center has expanded its coverage in several ways. We began our coverage of the issues one year early, producing four special issues of FOCUS magazine and five DataBank Briefs on issues critical to African American advancement covering economic well being, education, health, and law and the courts for distribution at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's 2003 Annual Legislative Conference. Next, we sent questionnaires to the two major presidential candidates, asking them to outline their proposed policies in these four areas, as well as the areas of race relations, tax policy, and international affairs.
Blacks and the 2004 Democratic National Convention
Blacks and the 2004 Republican National Convention
The Joint Center has created this special web site section to ensure that the candidates questionnaire responses and our in-depth research and reporting concerning Election 2004 can reach the widest possible audience.
National Opinion Poll: Politics and the 2004 Elections [Download pdf]
2004 National Opinion Poll Snapshots: Politics
Surprising and contradictory results in the Joint Center's 2004 National Opinion Poll Politics show African Americans doubling their support for President George W. Bush, while giving him dismal job approval ratings. Despite the increased support for the president, the poll also shows that Democratic nominee Senator John Kerry still beats President Bush 4-to-1 among African Americans. The poll of 1,642 adults (including 850 African Americans) also covered campaign issues, including gay marriage, health care and terrorism, as well as party loyalty. Click here for quick snapshots from the poll. The full report is available here [Download pdf]
Presidential Questionnaire/Report
This is an updated version of a document that was prepared for a Congressional Black Caucus Foundation forum held on September 10, 2004. This version incorporates material from a completed questionnaire received from President Bush's campaign staff on September 7, 2004.
Presidential Questionnaire [pdf]
Presidential Responses
Bush [pdf]
Kerry [pdf]
Presidential Final Report [pdf]
DataBank Briefs
Wealth and Asset Ownership Among African Americans [pdf]
African Americans, Crime and Criminal Justice [pdf]
African Americans and Education [pdf]
Income and Poverty Among African Americans [pdf]
African Americans and Health [pdf]
FOCUS Magazine Special Policy Issue
Criminal Justice [pdf]
Economic Advancement [pdf]
Education [pdf]
Health [pdf]
Presidential Candidates' Health Initiatives: Implications for African Americans (co-published with Families USA) [pdf]
Focus Interview with Donna Brazile and David Bositis [pdf]
The Black Vote in 2000 [pdf]