Minority report: the frustration of some black and Latino operatives raises the question: how much longer can democrats count on historic loyalties?

IN MAY OF 2004, PAUL RIVERA HAD AN IDEA. HIS PROposal, based on his experience working in three previous presidential contests: Put staff in every market where Hispanic and African American voters were important and spend $1 million to test different base-vote mobilization strategies so that by July, the best one could be implemented and carried out as part of the overall field operation. Rivera, a Puerto-Rican Democratic operative from the Bronx who was the highest-ranking Latino in John Kerry's campaign, took the plan up the ladder.

But Mary Beth Cahill, Kerry's campaign ...

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