¹American University

Abstract

A noticeable component of African American political behavior is a tendency to support some elected officials who were involved in earlier scandals. This political forgiveness has also been seen among urban white ethnics, whose political culture tolerated occasional misbehavior among elected officials, provided the officials worked to meet the material needs of their supporters. African Americans have similar expectations of their elected officials, but also forgive errant politicians who have been forceful advocates on behalf of issues that are of great concern to their constituents.