Why did Kerry say that Bush hasn't met with the Congressional

[Eric J in MN]

Black Caucus?

Apparently Bush has, however briefly.

Was there a particular incident where they wanted to meet with Bush and he refused?

[TheDonkey]

1. Yep, they've asked many times to meet with him and have been rejected

I guess the time her met them in the WH was during his first few months, the photo-op era.

[K rock]

2. I believe during the debate Kerry was referring to

the NAACP. * is the first president not to meet with that group since President Truman. However he only met with the CBC after they showed up unexpectedly to the White House. What an ass.

[hatrack]

4. NPR said they all got on a bus and just showed up at the WH

Bush had not choice but to meet with, however superficial and fleeting the encounter.

[Psst_Im_Not_Here]

3. Here some info:

He hasn’t met with them since the first 2 weeks of his presidency.

Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Elijah Cummings stated on 7/16/03: “Mr. President, I need not remind you that the CBC's requests for meetings with you have gone unanswered for more than two-and-one-half years.”

[bagnana]

5. heard on NPR that the black caucus

tried to meet w/Bush for years and he never took a meeting. Finally they just got on a bus and showed up unannounced for a meeting. He had no choice but to see them or else have his refusal blasted all over the news.

[Eric J in MN]

8. Thanks. I guess Kerry should have said

that Bush hasn't met with them for 2 1/2 years if he wanted to be techncally accurate.

[sonicx]

6. kerry got this wrong but...

the general point stands. he met with black leaders ONCE in 4 years...pathetic.

[Awsi Dooger]

10. Right, the black caucus throw-in was irrelevant

Notice Bush didn't dare mention the NAACP.

Kerry emphasized the basic point. It can't hurt among our black turnout and percentage.

[AP]

7. Looking at each other is NOT a meeting.

If they weren't doing business, talking about each other's issues, it's not a meeting. It's a photo op.

[Eric J in MN]

9. That's a good point, too. I hadn't thought of that.

Maybe Kerry is right that there was no real meeting between Bush and the Congressional Black Caucus, just a photo-op.

[Eye and Monkey]

11. Links

http://www.blackbusinesstoday.com/NAACP%20Heads.htm

<snip>
Mfume scoffs at the excuse that Bush could not fit the convention into his schedule. “My mother always told me you always make time to do what you want to do. Clearly, the President doesn’t want to do this.”

A former U. S. representative from Maryland and former chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, Mfume says he sees the Bush rejection as a pattern of behavior he has exhibited toward Black organizations.

“The fact of the matter is that the president has refused to meet with the Congressional Black Caucus, refused to meet with any real civil rights organizations, did a drive-by at the Urban League conference last year, where he whisked in for 15 minutes and whisked out, refusing to even meet at length with their delegates or their leadership,” he says.
<snip>

http://news.pacificnews.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=aad0b9b6ff7830a704dd4c515bc172aa
<snip>
In shunning the NAACP for the fourth straight year, Bush becomes the first president since Herbert Hoover, who left office in 1933, to spend a full term in the White House without addressing the group, which for many people – black and white – is the nation’s racial conscience.
<snip>


http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/10/20031014-3.html#n
Press Briefing by Scott McClellan
Q Scott, the AP reported from New York that Kweisi Mfume said that while President Bush can cross oceans to meet with black leaders in Africa, he has refused to meet with the NAACP's leaders ever since he became President. And my first of two questions, is this refusal because the President realizes that the NAACP is really a Democrat Party front group?
MR. McCLELLAN: Look, the President meets with African American leaders all the time. He believes in reaching out to --
Q He hasn't met with them.
MR. McCLELLAN: He meets with African American leaders all the time --
Q Not the NAACP.
MR. McCLELLAN: -- from religious leaders to others. He met with Reverend Jackson and the head of the Congressional Black Caucus at the Urban League. He spoke to the Urban League, he met with the Urban League.
Q They said that was not a meeting. They said that was for those people in that picture, that was not a meeting.
MR. McCLELLAN: Can I finish, please? He spoke before the Urban League and met with African American leaders at that event. So he meets with African American leaders all the time.
Q They said that was not a meeting. They were requesting, at that time a meeting --
MR. McCLELLAN: (Moves on to another reporter's question)