Those tensions have erupted at various times in New York in the time since then, most horribly during the Crown Heights riots of 1991 and the Freddy's Fashion Mart protests and subsequent fire of 1995. The person in the middle of both of those incidents was the Rev. Al Sharpton. Meanwhile, there's another wild card in this for the more politically correct Democrats to keep in mind. They're wrong not to confront him. Black columnist Clarence Page had been a semi-regular on the show, but has held back in recent months over the racism controversy.
Black voters have other options.
They could sit out the election. Which would likely rebound to the good fortune of Mr. Bush. Send it along.