The question on affirmative action was addressed to Kucinich. He said, "...If the Supreme Court goes in the other direction, if the Supreme Court goes in a direction of failing to understand this nation has such a distance to go on matters of affirmative-action, then what I will do as president of the United States is to write a series of executive orders that will enshrine affirmative action in housing, in education, in every area of our economy. It’s time for America to stand affirmatively...
Not wanting to miss the chance to address the Rainbow Coalition on the issue, Gephardt chimed in:
I attended the University of Michigan law school. I graduated in 1965. We had about 350 students in the class. We only had one African-American student in that class. His name is Harry Edwards. He’s on the D.C. court of appeals. I filed an amicus curiae brief in this case as a graduate of the University of Michigan law school opposing the president’s position. Since we have had - since we have had affirmative-action, after I left the school, in the last classes since affirmative-action came in, we’ve had 30 and 40 and 50 minorities in each class. Now you just gotta ask yourself what has that meant to improve America? It’s been a gigantic improvement in America because we are giving everybody an equal opportunity. I join with Dennis, when I’m president we’ll do executive orders to overcome any wrong thing the Supreme Court does tomorrow or any other day.