Bush holds first NAACP meeting of his presidency

AP ^ | 12/21/4 | JENNIFER LOVEN

[SmithL]

WASHINGTON --President Bush met Tuesday at the White House with the outgoing head of the NAACP, the first meeting of his presidency with the nation's oldest civil rights group.

"It was a very frank and a very open dialogue," NAACP President Kweisi Mfume told reporters afterward. "We both have real differences."

The White House did not provide a description of the session, but Bush press secretary Scott McClellan said the president had looked forward to it.

"The president is always open to talking to people who want to work together on our common challenges and our shared priorities," he said.

The meeting came about after NAACP President Kweisi Mfume sent Bush a letter on Nov. 5 congratulating him on his re-election and requesting the chance to discuss challenges confronting the nation, said John White, the group's spokesman. Mfume announced Nov. 30 he is stepping down from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People leadership post.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Bush waited until the guy was leaving bwaaaaaaaahahahahahaha

[BenLurkin]

"It was a very frank and a very open dialogue," NAACP President Kweisi Mfume told reporters afterward. "We both have real differences."

Sounds like it went well.

[ken5050]

W didn't meet with the organization per se..he met with oen guy..the outgoing head..what are the odds that W tries to find a place for Kwaisi in the administration. Kwaisi might, just might, take it..to thumb his nose at Julian Bond....

[Sarastro]

Bush press secretary Scott McClellan said the president had looked forward to it

Like I look forward to a root canal…

[G.Mason]

"The meeting came about after NAACP President Kweisi Mfume sent Bush a letter on Nov. 5 congratulating him on his re-election and requesting the chance to discuss challenges confronting the nation, said John White, the group's spokesman. Mfume announced Nov. 30 he is stepping down from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People leadership post."

Hmmmm ... I can only speculate that Julian Bond took away Mfume's pencil and paper, and he was unable to send a note of cancellation.

[dead]

"We both have real differences."

Yes. Like one of you has a job and the other one doesn’t.

[gortklattu]

I wonder if there was a sole print on the soul man's backside when he left the meeting with W.

[sandalwood]

Bush has generally avoided sit-downs with other established black civil rights groups as well, for instance meeting only rarely with the Congressional Black Caucus. But he has reached out to carefully chosen minority audiences and to civil rights advocates less critical of his policies such as the National Urban League.

But he does meet fairly regularly with the Congressional Red Caucus!

I just love the San Francisco Chronicle. So unbiased.

[rdb3]

President Bush met Tuesday at the White House with the outgoing head of the NAACP...

Subtle slap to Julian Bond, paleo-negro extraordinaire!

[rdb3]

Heads ^.

[Howlin]

Oh, that would be SOOOOO sweet.

Notice there don't seem to be any "photo-op" pictures.

[mlbford2]

I'm sure the conference went something like this:

Mfume: What will you give us?

Bush: Nothing.

Mfume: You are are a racist.

[KJacob]

Kwaisi might, just might, take it..to thumb his nose at Julian Bond

Unless his job would be just to thumb his nose at Bond, remember he still leans rather far to the left.

[ken5050]

Any openings on the US Civil Rights commission?

[Conservative Canuck]

Uh, yeah. Skin color for one. And a philosophy of self-reliance and initiative vs. affirmative action and false entitlement.

[Howlin]

But he has reached out to carefully chosen minority audiences and to civil rights advocates less critical of his policies who are actually interested in HELPING instead of feathering their own nests by being race pimps, such as the National Urban League and CORE.

[dirtboy]

President Bush met Tuesday at the White House with the outgoing head of the NAACP...

Subtle slap to Julian Bond...

That's really what this is about. Kweisi Mfume is resigning, from what I heard, largely because of Bond's strident anti-Bush attacks. One can have differences of opinions with someone and still have a dialog. But it's a fool's errand to meet with someone like Bond who is only interested in demonizing Bush.

[Howlin]

One? Or did he fill it?