Bush: NAACP hostile to me

Miami Herald ^ | Jul. 10, 2004 | WILLIAM DOUGLAS AND AMY WORDEN

[sandlady]

Is it valid to drop the word "venerable" in an "unbiased" news article?

Depends on what the meaning of the word "is" is.

[Let's Roll]

"Does he expect special (ie unequal) treatment?"

Yes.

[sharktrager]

But the world lives on sound bites, and that sound bite is too easy to use to make him look bad.

[cyncooper]

The decision not to speak was a far cry from candidate Bush's appeal to the NAACP four years ago when he conceded at its convention in Baltimore that Republicans hadn't always gotten along with the group.

As President Bush pointed, it is the NAACP that has been hostile toward him.

[cyncooper]

I wouldn't wring my hands too much over it if I were you. I am confident it will not play out as you predict.

The natural question one would ask is "like what?" and when they hear they would agree with the president.

President Bush has not established his new tone for nothing. Now we are going to see it pay off. People know he is not a whiner and reaches out to people. With his decision not to attend and statement of why, they will be inclined to side with him.

[pickemuphere]

I understand where W. is coming from, but I think this was a fairly weak way to ameliorate the situation. That is, refusing to speak is an easy but ultimately ineffective solution. I would have rather seen him go the convention, stand up in front of these people, and let them know the gosh-darn truth.

This was a perfect opportunity to sidestep the NAACP media filter.

[Becki]

President Bush said Friday that he declined an invitation to speak to the NAACP's convention in Philadelphia because of harsh statements about him by leaders of the venerable civil rights group.

Venerable????

Becki

[sharktrager]

There is no such thing as a natural question. That assumes fair treatment.

Instead, liberal commentators are going to go on about the President sounding like a crybaby because, out of context, that is exactly how it sounds.

I have seen Freepers jump all over libs for these kinds of comments.

[cajungirl]

I liked what and how the President said. He reaches out, doesn't get angry and rant but let them know they went over the line in a very simple way. He is a man who will not be abused and disrespected. He did it exactly right.

[sandlady]

I agree! He doesn't have to use a lot of flowery words that mean nothing to make a point!

[cyncooper]

We all know what liberal commentators will say. They'll make it up if they have to. I was talking about the effect.

Point to President Bush on this one.

[cyncooper]

That is, refusing to speak is an easy but ultimately ineffective solution. I would have rather seen him go the convention, stand up in front of these people, and let them know the gosh-darn truth.

They know the gosh-darn truth and don't care. They have an agenda and there's no reason President Bush needs to attend their functions and grant them more credibility than they deserve.

[tobyhill]

Send Dr. Rice, General Powell, Dr. Paige, etc.. to talk about self-responsibility and respect.

[sandlady]

...there's no reason President Bush needs to attend their functions and grant them more credibility than they deserve.

Render them irrelevant. As previously stated, there are other voices of African-Americans who truly want to be rid of the hostile posturing that the NAACP, Jesse Jackson, etc. perpetuate.

[dano1]

Good for W. No one in history has done a better job of promoting African-Americans to national leadership in government, and that's great, but W. doesn't owe the NAACP a damm thing. The following piece from the 12/14/2000 WSJ Opinion Jouinal shows why.

"We watched it on television, in that sordid ad run by the NAACP (another tax-exempt outfit) focusing on the rear bumper of a pickup with a chain attached to the hitch with the voice-over of the daughter of James Byrd saying that by not signing the hate-crimes bill Mr. Bush made her feel "like my father was killed all over again."

I hope we continue to make progress with civil rights and that African Americans come to participate fully in all the benefits of our society. But the NAACP has lost all credibility as far as I can see.

[af_vet_1981]

''We're not fools,'' he said. I think he's realizing how he's lead the NAACP into irrelevancy. Desperation is not pretty.

The NAACP should ask Muammar Ghaddafi for advice.

[not2worry]

It would have been interesting if Condi Rice would have spoken to the NAACP on behalf of President Bush.

We would have seen what the NAACP's true colors were!

[sandlady]

Now that's an idea!

[cyborg]

Ooooooooh wow what a thought