Number	18112
Subject	Politics
Source	New Republic
State	None
Year	2001
Publication Date	Aug 27, Sept. 3
Summary	The New Republic portrays Robert Johnson, "the billionaire founder of Black Entertainment Television (BET), whose family stood to gain millions if Bush succeeded." The story focuses on how Johnson "played the race card" in political games, where his own business interests were at stake. The analysis reveals that Johnson gathered support by major black leaders to achieve impact on three major issues - demanding an end to the estate tax, transforming the Social Security into a system with individual investment accounts, and encouraging the merger between United Airlines and US Airways. The author concludes that "Bushism and Johnsonism are made for each other; their nascent alliance represents a historic synthesis of the racial separatism of the left and the libertarianism of the right."
Category	General
Pages	5
Keywords	African Americans;television;business leaders;Harlem;United Airlines;US Airways;entrepreneurs;minorities;politicians;campaigns;Bush administration;lobbying
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