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Bush Skips NAACP, Kerry Promises Dialogue
President
accused of
dividing
America by
race, wealth
(AP) - Democrat John Kerry,
taking advantage of a spat be­
tween the NAACP and the White
House, accused President Bush
of dividing America by race and
wealth, and promised as presi­
dent to represent “all of the
people.”
“The president may be too busy
to talk to you,” Kerry told the
partisan crowd at the NAACP
c o n v e n tio n in P h ila d e lp h ia
Thursday, "but I have news for
you: He’s going to have plenty of
time after Nov. 2.”
Bush rejected an invitation to
address the NAACP. He has not
spoken to the civil rights group
since the 2000 campaign, when
the NAACP National Voter Fund
ran an ad that portrayed Bush as
unsympathetic to the dragging
death of James Byrd in Texas.
Since the campaign, leaders of
the NAACP have called Bush an
illegal president, compared his
anti-abortion views to the Taliban
and called his trip to Africa a
photo-op. A Bush spokesman
blasted the NAACP on Thurs­
day.
T he p re sid e n t “ has m any
friends who belong to the NAACP
and respects their proud history
o f cham pioning civil rights,”
W hite House com m unications
director Dan Bartlett said. “Dif­
ferences of opinion and oppos­
ing views are o f course part of the
national debate. Yet the current
Presidential Candidate John Kerry greets NAACP delegates.
leadership of the NAACP has
clearly crossed the line in parti-
sanship and civility, making it
impossible to have a construc-
tive dialogue.”
“ D e sp ite
the
c u rre n t
leadership's intolerant views.
President Bush will continue to
reach out to m em bers o f the
NAACP and African-Americans
from across the country,” he said.
Bush a d d re sse s the U rban
L eague, a n o th e r c iv il rights
group, this week.
NAACPchairman Julian Bond
poked fun at Bush for refusing to
address the group because o f its
criticism.
“If he d id n 't go anyw here
people criticize him, he’d never
leave home,” Bond said, drawing
laughter.
In Washington, B ush's edu­
cation secretary. Rod Paige, took
aim at Bond and NAACP presi­
dent Kweisi Mfume for what he
called "hateful and untruthful
rhetoric about Republicans and
President Bush.” At the conven­
tion, NAACP officials have de­
scribed some black organizations
as mouthpieces of white conser­
vatives and have said Bush’s
education law disproportionately
hurts minorities.
When Kerry took his turn on
stage to the soul anthem "We are
Family,” he said, “I will be a presi­
dent who is truly a uniter, not one
who seeks to divide one nation
by race or riches or by any other
label.”
He noted the high unemploy­
ment rate for blacks, and said Bush
had not done enough to improve
education, the economy and civil
rights for all Americans, includ­
ing blacks.
In a foreign policy tracked
closely by blacks, Kerry said as
president he would use “the full
weight of American leadership”
to help stop genocide in Sudan.
A spokeswoman said that could
include military force, but not as
a first step.
African American is Keynote Speaker for Dems
Delegates nearly
40 percent
minority
Whoopi
Goldberg
Goldberg Angers
Corporate Sponsor
(AP) — The Slim -Fast diet
d rin k com pany has dum ped
W hoopi G oldberg from its ad­
vertising because its executives
were unhappy with rem arks the
com edian made at a recent po­
litical rally that mocked P resi­
dent Bush.
“We are disappointed by the
m anner in which Ms. G oldberg
chose to express herself and
sincerely regret that her recent
rem arks offended some o f our
consum ers. Ads featuring Ms.
G oldberg will no longer be on
the air,” Slim-Fast general man­
ager Terry Olson said in a press
Barack Obama, Illinois state
senator and the D em ocratic
nominee for U.S. Senate, will
deliver the keynote address at
the 2004 Democratic National
Convention on Tuesday, July
27, before a delegation com ­
prised o f nearly 40 percent mi­
nority representatives.
“Barack is an optimistic voice
for America and a leader who
knows that together we can build
an America that is stronger at
hom e and re sp e c te d in the
world,” said Democratic Presi­
dential candidate John Kerry.
“He understands the importance
of building an economy that lifts
can take under the leadership of
John Kerry and John Edwards,
and I am ready to work with
them to make it happen.”
Obama will talk about his hope
for America and the new direc­
tion for this country the Kerry-
Edwards ticket offers. He will
speak to the need for a stronger
America that puts jobs, families
and communities first. He will
also highlight the importance of
Americans dedicating their lives
to serving their community and
their country.
According to statistics com ­
Barack Obama
piled by the Democratic National
up families and expands oppor­ Convention and look forward to Committee, 39 percent o f the
tunity, and I’m honored that he sharing with America the hopes 4,341 delegates to this month’s
has accepted the invitation to and dreams o f so many people convention in Boston are minori­
deliver the keynote address.”
throughout Illinois that I have ties. More African Americans,
“I am honored and humbled to met during this campaign,” said Asian Americans, Native Ameri­
deliver the keynote address at Obama. “America is excited about cans, and Hispanics will attend
this year’s Democratic National the new direction our country the Convention than ever before.
release.
Goldberg participated at a re­
cent Democratic fund-raiser at
Radio City Music Hall in New
York. At one point in a speech
mocking the Bush administration,
Goldberg used his surname as a
sexual reference.
The event raised $7.5 million
fo r th e Jo h n K e rry -J o h n
E dw ards p re sid e n tia l tick et.
Both Kerry and Edw ards at­
tended, but neither com m ented
about the jokes m ade by the
celebrities tow ard Bush.
Slim -Fast Foods is based in
W est Palm Beach, Fla.
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