Pres. Bush spoke truths, but was NAACP really listening?

Cheers to President Bush for finally accepting an invitation to speak in front of the NAACP. I don't fault him at all for refusing to do so in the past as his words have been twisted in every possible way by the NAACP and leaders in the "Black" community. It wasn't long after his previous appearance that attack ads were aired with the backing of the NAACP and those leaders that helped to further stereotypes and impressions that George W. Bush is nuthin' but a hater and he weren't gonna help no Black man (or woman).

Still, the President accepted the latest invitation and by most accounts seems to have done a good job in his speech. Good enough that most main stream media hasn't bothered to really even comment on it. (That's where/when you can tell that the President has done well, when the MSM can't be bothered to address the news at all since they know it would be considered a positive thing).

The summaries of the speech in the Washington Times included the President's quote "I want to change the relationship" [ with the NAACP and persons of color ], and the Presidents statements that he wants to work with Black leaders on issues where they agree on goals. Areas singled out included homeownership, education and AIDS (among others).

I'm glad to see the President acknowledging that the Republican party hasn't done an adequate job of working with minorities, saying about the recent history of the GOP interaction with Black voters "a tragedy that the party of Abraham Lincoln let go of its historic ties with the African-American community." Part of that problem does lie directly in the hands of the Republican party and its leadership. Most certainly the party hasn't been as friendly to Blacks and other minorities as they could be, or at the very least hasn't communicated well at all with the Black community to help work through issues where the Black community and the GOP share similar goals and differ only slightly on how to achieve the goals.

The Washington Times article on the speech notes it was interrupted once by a heckler associated with perennial whack job Lyndon LaRouche, but otherwise things seemed pretty positive.

There was a note that when President Bush talked about school choice -- something that should be a big positive for the Black community (and which should offer most families the option to help get better educations for their children) -- there were smatterings of applause along with some booing and head shaking by others in the crowd that continue to buy the Democrat/liberal schools of thought about education: throw more money at the problem in all areas, rather than demanding results and perhaps closing failing schools or handing control of them over to others that can make the necessary changes and fix the problems.

Sadly, even as the speech was under way, there were news headlines saying that Senator Obama was telling the Black community not to be hoodwinked by anything the President may say, and the usual cast of clowns -- including Jesse "Shakedown artist extrordinaire" Jackson and Al Sharpton -- said of course that they want to see results and generally don't expect any from this President.

Will things perhaps improve in the relationship between the GOP and the Black community? Maybe. It really depends a lot on both groups though, doesn't it?
3,334 views 11 replies
Reply #1 Top
On this one I will give odds, or at least some predictions on numbers... Even with the speech by President Bush, I expect that the Black community will do it's normal job of voting as a block for Democrats in the coming election. If more than 10% of the Black community votes for any GOP party member I'd be completely amazed.
Reply #2 Top
said of course that they want to see results and generally don't expect any from this President.


Meaning handouts?
Reply #3 Top

It is a long slow process.  But as more and more Blacks open their eyes, they will realize 2 things.

1 - The democrats have been taking advantage of them.

2 - The Republicans do have their best interests at heart.

Reply #4 Top
Good enough that most main stream media hasn't bothered to really even comment on it. (That's where/when you can tell that the President has done well, when the MSM can't be bothered to address the news at all since they know it would be considered a positive thing).


It was in all the newspapers and on cnn, fox, and msnbc. What main stream media are you referring to?

Sadly, even as the speech was under way, there were news headlines saying that Senator Obama was telling the Black community not to be hoodwinked by anything the President may say


All Obama was doing was urging Bush to press congress to hurry up and get the civil rights voting act passed in the senate and signed. He didn't say not to believe Bush, he just said actions speak louder than words.
Reply #5 Top
If more than 10% of the Black community votes for any GOP party member I'd be completely amazed


Even Lynn Swann?
Reply #6 Top
It was in all the newspapers and on cnn, fox, and msnbc. What main stream media are you referring to?


For the Washington Post it rated an article stuffed inside on page A-6, and not even a complete transcript (or a good portion of it) the speech. So, tell me again how the MSM was more than happy to tell us all about it?


Regarding this:
All Obama was doing was urging Bush to press congress to hurry up and get the civil rights voting act passed in the senate and signed. He didn't say not to believe Bush, he just said actions speak louder than words.


Would that be the same Voting Rights Act that did get passed yesterday? That *was* on page 1 of the Washington Post as headline (top of the fold) news. Of course you had to dig into the second part of the article to find some of the problems with it discussed in depth -- issues like the invalidation (via federal courts) of requirements that Georgia had passed that would have helped eliminate voter fraud by requiring voters to present state recognized identification before they could vote.

Obama was shooting off his mouth because he could and because, like other liberals/Democrats, he didn't want the President to gain even a second of traction for anything he may say or do to help the NAACP membership and potentially steal them away as a voting block that can be counted on for the Democrats.
Reply #7 Top
Even Lynn Swann?


He might be an exception to the general rule, but then again some people would say he was traded a long time ago in exchange for Larry Bird
Reply #8 Top
Even Lynn Swann?


He might be an exception to the general rule, but then again some people would say he was traded a long time ago in exchange for Larry Bird


Ken Blackwell, Michael Steele?
Reply #9 Top
Michael Steele


Steele is anything but a given. He is very much being seen as a sell-out to the white man, or at least that seems to the be whispering that he's been facing and complaining about. I'd love to see him win the Senate seat, and he would be a great person for the job, but if he wins, I would still be willing to say it won't come with a lot of support from the Black community.
Reply #10 Top

Steele is anything but a given. He is very much being seen as a sell-out to the white man

Excuse me.  As I am not a native of that state.  But let me tell you thaT he is the epitomy of the FREE black man,  And your state, because it did not seceed, is the epitomy of the new slave state.

Reply #11 Top
I watched that speech, and I gotta say I have never heard a more hostile, more indifferent crowd than the NAACP. They weren't actually booing, but in places where Bush really got going... there was zero response. And that lack of responsiveness spoke volumes.