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Bush, who had run on a campaign to reach out to African-Americans, said he didn't understand why he had one of the lowest number of Black votes of any Republican candidate, even though GOP officials say the number of registered Black Republicans is at an all time high. In a concession to the outcome of the 2000 election, Bush promised to make it up by appointing more Blacks and having the White House reach out to Blacks like no administration in the past. Bush lived up to half that promise. With great fanfare Bush appointed three Blacks to high-level White House positions. Then the Big Chill took effect.
Now it seems that the administration believed that just the appointment of three Blacks to high powered White House positions was all the Bush Administration needed to do to mend fences with the Black community.
Not much has changed since the election campaign for the Black press. Despite claims of reaching out to Blacks, reporters and editors from the Black media, from BET, Essence and Tavis Smiley on down to local reporters complained during the campaign that they received little -- if any -- access to candidate Bush, a problem not faced by Telemundo, La Opinion or La Nuevo Miami Herald.
Most Black reporters say the attitude of the Bush administration's press office, compared to the Clinton administration, is down right hostile. Members of the Black press could not only count on a return call from the Clinton White House, even during the darkest days of impeachment and the Lewinsky scandal, but could look forward to regular invitations to cover State visits by Nelson Mandela and other key world leaders and to on-the-record policy sessions with the President, Vice President and top cabinet officials. Black reporters considered these sessions crucial because very few Blacks owned media outlets.
Administration defenders say the Black press should not be put off or offended by the perceived slight by the White House. Pointing out that Bush has never had a cordial relationship with the press in general, the apologists argue that Blacks aren't specifically excluded.
Members of the Black press point out that before joining the administration, Colin Powell and Condoleeza Rice had always been friendly toward the Black media and would make a genuine effort to accommodate Black media interview requests. Black reporters also note that Bush, Rice and Powell have done one-on-one interviews on Univision, Telemundo, Hispanic broadcasting, La Opinion and other Spanish language media.
It's unclear why the Bush administration is afraid to sit down and talk to Black America.
Halfway through the Bush administration, how do Blacks feel about Bush, Rice & Powell?
Many Blacks were distrustful of the administration before 9/11, but Blacks have become even more concerned about their rights as this administration appears to now endorse racial profiling, the passage of the Patriot Act, attempts to revive the COINTELPRO FBI domestic spying program and vicious attacks on liberal Black leaders like Oakland (CA) congresswoman Barbara Lee, Cynthia McKinny and congressman Earl Hilliard. Hilliard recently lost his re-election bid after speaking out in support of the Palestinians.
The current administration has not sought to get the President or his top aides on Black radio or TV programs or featured in Black magazines or newspapers to fulfill the promises made after the November 2000 election scandal. He has avoided the Black media, in fact, and lost the chance to reassure African Americans that they will not be included as targets of post-9/11 "security" concerns.
He has two years to turn this around.
San Francisco, CA, USA - Remember when George W. Bush was "appointed" president by the U.S. Supreme Court, at the expense of thousands of Black Florida voters whose ballots weren't counted in the 2000 election, the closest in U.S. history?
Two years after the election, the Black press still hasn't been able to get a sit down interview. Not with Bush and not with any key Black member of the administration.
But it's proven that the best way to talk to Black America is through the Black media. Black people from throughout the political spectrum listen to Black radio, read the local Black newspaper or subscribe to major magazines like Ebony, Jet, Essence or Black Enterprise. Readers and listeners would be able to form their own opinions about the President and Blacks in the administration. By sitting down with the Black press Bush and administration officials would have an opportunity to clear up misconceptions Blacks may have about the GOP and to push selling points on why Blacks should support the party's policies and even vote GOP the next election.
Chastang III
HARRISON CHASTANG III is news director for KPOO FM , an independent Black owned and operated radio station in San Francisco
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