Ex-Supporter Artur Davis Calls Obama ‘Disappointment,’ But Falters On If GOP Will Help Blacks

Ex-Supporter Artur Davis Calls Obama ‘Disappointment,’ But Falters On If GOP Will Help Blacks:
Ahead of the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Tampa this coming Monday, White House correspondent and Washington Bureau Chief for American Urban Radio Networks April Ryan filled in for Roland Martin on the Tom Joyner Morning Show this week and snagged an interview with Ex-Obama supporter and former Democratic Congressman Artur Davis, now a Republican and highly anticipated keynote speaker for the RNC’s opening night. Davis famously supported Barack Obama during the president’s historic ascent to the White House in a speech at the 2008 Democratic National Convention but has since switched his support to Republican hopeful Mitt Romney.
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Ryan wasted no time in addressing Davis’ party defection and speech with the former Congressman who naturally responded with GOP talking points of broken promises to describe Obama’s presidency, “I’m delighted to be there [the Republican National Convention] next week. It’s not a role that I sought,” said Davis. “But it’s something I agreed to do because I do think it’s important for me to talk about what I think has happened in the country in the last four years. It’s hard to make a case that the promise of four years ago has been born out.”
After shifting her focus to the Romney-Ryan ticket, Ryan mentioned that former RNC Chairman Michael Steele has been critical of the pair’s focus on issues important to minorities, such as health care, education, voter suppression, and other socio-economic factors.
In response, Davis ducked the race issue and instead focused on the idea that funding for many programs geared toward the needy are currently ineffective and that the GOP ticket has the best chance in correcting those wrongs, “All programs ought to be assessed by their performance, they ought to be assessed by their efficiency,” said Davis. “But the notion that if you cut a federal program that you’re automatically hurting the interest of the people in that program, I disagree with that.”
Host Tom Joyner didn’t mince words and flatly asked Davis if African Americans would fare well under the leadership of Romney and Ryan should they prove to be victorious this fall. Once again, Davis was evasive in his reply, saying that he doesn’t judge policy based on how they affect one community but said that it was his belief that under GOP rule, the economy would bounce back and benefit Black people.
Listen to the interview here:

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