Bush And The NAACP

[Maggie1]

That's nice. But with 293 Million constituents, you can't meet with each one.

And why should we really be surprised? Politicians pick and choose their audiences all the time. Invitations are declined all the time.

This is true. I am certain he declines invitations all the time. So why is the fact that he did'nt want to meet with the NAACP being made such an issue? Should every President change their plans and address the NAACP everytime they are invited? I just don't understand why it has been made out to be such a big deal.

 

[ThatGuy]

This is true. I am certain he declines invitations all the time. So why is the fact that he did'nt want to meet with the NAACP being made such an issue? Should every President change their plans and address the NAACP everytime they are invited? I just don't understand why it has been made out to be such a big deal.

Leaders of the Baltimore-based group are upset that President Bush has no plans to attend the convention. Bush spoke at the 2000 NAACP convention when he was a candidate but has declined invitations to speak in each year of his presidency, making him the first president since the 1930s to skip it, officials said.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/07/12/naacp.convention.ap/index.html

 

[Maggie1]

So he is the first President since the 1930,s to skip the meeting. What is the significance?

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

I guess he holds a grudge against them

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=703&e=1&u=/ap/20040715/ap_on_el_pr/kerry

"Bush has not spoken to the NAACP since he was campaigning in 2000. He was angered when, during that race, the NAACP National Voter Fund ran an ad that portrayed Bush as unsympathetic to the dragging death of James Byrd in Texas. "

The president "has many friends who belong to the NAACP and respects their proud history of championing civil rights," White House communications director Dan Bartlett said. "Differences of opinion and opposing views are of course part of the national debate. Yet the current leadership of the NAACP has clearly crossed the line in partisanship and civility, making it impossible to have a constructive dialogue. "

 

[Salome]

given Bush's lack of communication skills there is never a possibility to have a real constructive dialogue
so why would that stop him now?

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Link for the transcript of Kerry's speech today to the NAACP, w/ some not-so-subtle digs at Bush

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=129-07152004

 

[BVS]

So he is the first President since the 1930,s to skip the meeting. What is the significance?

This nation still has divisions amongst racial lines, things are significantly better, but there are still divisions. When the need for a group like the NAACP is no longer needed in this country then you can say so what, what's the significance, until then it's a slap in the face of those millions of Americans who are trying to bridge a gap. They don't agree with all his policies but they invited him, they made a step and he just made a step backwards.

I believe this type of thing will cost Bush the election. He has no abilty and has become scared of open discussion that all he is doing now is preaching to the choir, and I believe some of his choir have lost faith in Bush. I've heard many republicans say this will be the first time they vote democrat because of Iraq, being too much "big government", etc. We saw how close the last election was...if he lost enough of his base and has no ability to reach out beyond his base, I think he's screwed. We'll see, this is just my opinion.

 

[nbcrusader]

Viewing the NAACP as solution to race relations is perhaps no longer valid.

NAACP Hasn't Advanced Anything in a Long Time

Last week, for the fourth year in a row, President Bush declined the NAACP's invitation to speak at its annual convention. Predictably, NAACP President Kweisi Mfume railed that the Bush administration failed to recognize the nation's oldest and largest civil rights group as being significant or important in any way.

The sad thing is, the Bush administration's attitude toward the group is justified.

 

[BVS]

Viewing the NAACP as solution to race relations is perhaps no longer valid.

NAACP Hasn't Advanced Anything in a Long Time

I've never viewed it as a solution just one of the many pieces. And I think you're fooling yourself if you think Bush is turning down the invites because he recognises some shift in their relevance.

 

[deep]

Viewing the NAACP as solution to race relations is perhaps no longer valid.

NAACP Hasn't Advanced Anything in a Long Time

John H. McWhorter.

The Reparations Racket

America has already made amends for slavery

McWhorter opinions on the NAACP are not valid to me. Here are more of his anti-black remarks dressed up.

So, I don't accept his argument or the positions he seems to take.

 

[BostonAnne]

Link for the transcript of Kerry's speech today to the NAACP, w/ some not-so-subtle digs at Bush

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=129-07152004

That was a great speech!

 

[Maggie1]

This nation still has divisions amongst racial lines, things are significantly better, but there are still divisions. When the need for a group like the NAACP is no longer needed in this country then you can say so what, what's the significance, until then it's a slap in the face of those millions of Americans who are trying to bridge a gap. They don't agree with all his policies but they invited him, they made a step and he just made a step backwards.

I believe this type of thing will cost Bush the election. He has no abilty and has become scared of open discussion that all he is doing now is preaching to the choir, and I believe some of his choir have lost faith in Bush. I've heard many republicans say this will be the first time they vote democrat because of Iraq, being too much "big government", etc. We saw how close the last election was...if he lost enough of his base and has no ability to reach out beyond his base, I think he's screwed. We'll see, this is just my opinion.

I don't think not attending an NAACP meeting is making a step backwards in racial relations nor making the gap in divisions bigger. I think its time to move on and get over it.

 

[Angela Harlem]

He's still a tool though. If I were a professional public nuisancee, I'd follow him everywhere with an airhorn and scare the shit out of him when he least expected it. A'la Jackass.
Hours of fun.

 

[BVS]

I don't think not attending an NAACP meeting is making a step backwards in racial relations nor making the gap in divisions bigger. I think its time to move on and get over it.

Well obviously Bush feels the same way you do. He's already over it and will probably move on to meet with the white people who have money and vote for him.

 

[nbcrusader]

Kerry tried to make it an issue. He's moved on to meet with the white people who have money and vote for him.

 

[ThatGuy]

Can Kerry not meet with more than one group of consistuents?

 

[ILuvLarryMullen]

that was a wonderful speech , thanks for posting it.

 

[nbcrusader]

Can Kerry not meet with more than one group of consistuents?

Kerry can meet with whomever he wants. The point is that all his reaching out to the African American community is essentially empty rhetoric as he already has their vote in his pocket. Kerry's actions will be directed towards his wealthy, white contributors.