Another televised American soap opera, and another example of how blacks and whites view the same events differently. While the chasm this time is not as deep or disturbing as it was in the wake of the O.J. Simpson murder trial verdict, it's clear the two distinct Americas are in no danger of agreeing any time soon about what happened in Florida on Election Day, or since. That's nearly double the national average. Eighty-four percent of blacks thought Gore would have won Florida if the votes were fairly counted. For blacks it's anger vs. frustration.
Frustration connotes a sense of neutrality.
Black voters think the election was stolen. By Jeb Bush, by George W. Bush, by the Supreme Court. This is not going to be forgotten. As a voting bloc, blacks were among Vice President Al Gore's most loyal supporters, but analysts and observers within the African-American community insist the election anger runs deeper than partisan frustration over a tough loss at the polls. Instead, its roots are both historical and cultural.