A kinder, gentler Bush?

Among African-American and Hispanic voters, the party split favors Democrats even more: 65-6 and 40-20 respectively.

The gathering in New York is meant specifically to address this.

The number of black delegates there (167 or 6.7 percent) is nearly double what it was in 2000 - the highest percentage since the previous record set in 1912 (6 percent). By comparison, 20.1 percent of the delegates at the Democratic National Convention in Boston were African-Americans.

"This dramatic increase in African-American delegate participation is a remarkable showing for the Republican convention, and it will be interesting to see whether it filters into the voting booths come November," says Eddie Williams, president of the nonpartisan Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, an organization of black intellectuals, professionals, and elected officials.

"Our polling since the 2000 election has indicated some increasing support for Republicans among younger African-Americans, although as shown in the 2002 midterms, this generally has not translated into more votes for the GOP," says Mr. Williams.

Overall, minorities make up 17 percent of GOP delegates and women make up 44 percent.

Broadening the Republican tent also means giving at least the impression that differences of opinion on important national issues are OK with Bush.

For one thing, there seems to have been a conscious decision at the convention to play down the role of the religious right. While conservatives like Ralph Reed, former head of the Christian Coalition, hold important positions in the campaign, neither Mr. Reed nor such controversial Bush administration evangicals as Attorney General John Ashcroft have major speaking assignments.

In fact, many of the most prominent speakers (including Mr. Schwarzenegger) have publicly opposed their party's conservative platform on such issues as abortion, gay rights, gun control, and the environment. Other important speakers in New York this week - Arizona Sen. John McCain, New York Gov. George Pataki, and Schwarzenegger - are members of the "Republican Main Street Partnership," a group of 69 governors, senators, and members of Congress whose purpose is "to serve as a voice for centrist Republicans."

Many party faithful could be receptive to this outreach. Republican Majority for Choice National Co-Chairwoman Jennifer Blei Stockman points out that 73 percent of Republicans "believe that women's reproductive health choices should be her own and not the government's."

Schwarzenegger extended a welcome to Americans with moderate political inclinations.

"Maybe you don't agree with this party on every single issue," he said. "I say to you tonight I believe that's not only OK - that's what's great about this country. Here we can respectfully disagree and still be patriotic - still be American - and still be good Republicans."

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