George II's Phony MLK Photo-Op
 Dana Milbank of the Washington Whore Post

Attribution

HOUSTON, Jan. 15 James Moore stepped outside of his home this morning and, seeing
dozens of police cars, instinctively ran back inside. "Then I thought, 'Wait, I didn't do anything,' "
Moore said. He ventured out to learn the cause of the commotion:
Smirk had come to Moore's poor, black neighborhood to commemorate Martin Luther King Day.

"He came to a nice little black school to take some pictures," said Moore, 27, who is black
and voted for Gore. "It's a front. It ain't gonna make no difference."

Moore's anger was echoed by the other curious locals who police kept away from Kelso
Elementary School while Bush delivered his remarks to an invitation-only audience inside.
The scene underscored the delicate mission Bush is on to gain the support of African
Americans who rejected him decisively in the election.

Nationally, black voters turned against Bush 9 to 1. In Bush's own Texas, his support was
even lower: just 5 percent of African Americans. Accusations of black voter
disenfranchisement in Florida only made things worse.

Today, Bush attempted some healing. "As president, my job will be to listen not only to the successful,
but also to the suffering; to work toward a nation that respects the dignity of every single life," he told
the televised gathering of about 100 grade-school children, parents and teachers, most of them black.
"I will remember the promise etched in this day honoring Dr. Martin Luther King."

Bush, flanked by two blacks, the school principal and Bush's education secretary, Roderick R. Paige
cited King's words throughout his 12-minute speech, and he reiterated his campaign pledge to make
sure "no child is left behind."


 

The president-elect used the occasion to speak of education as a civil right.
"The dream of equality is empty without excellent schools," he told the children.
"It is a goal we would work endlessly to achieve."

Kelso, in Houston's Southcrest neighborhood, is surrounded by dilapidated houses,
empty lots and pocked streets. Southcrest Park, bordering the school, has lost its
swimming pool, its baseball field and its bleachers; the rusting sign proclaiming
Southcrest Park is missing several letters. Outside the school, a group of locals
complained about their former governor. "What's he coming to the 'hood for if he don't
want to talk to anybody in the 'hood?" asked Bernard Williams, 21. "He's coming here
to Kelso just to boost his ratings. What's he done for us?"

There was a day-long parade in downtown Houston a few minutes away, but Bush opted for
a quieter gathering. Even the school children, many in school T-shirts, had their names checked
against an invitation list as they passed through the metal detector outside the school auditorium,
which smelled of fresh paint. A pianist played "My Country 'Tis of Thee" while some children on
stage held signs saying "George W. Bush: Integrity" and "Dr. Rod Paige: Commitment."

Gag Me!
They forced those little black children to worship whites-only Smirk and Uncle Tom Paige?

Paige, who introduced Bush, spoke movingly about seeing the 1968 riots while driving
through Memphis and Jackson, Miss., on the day King was killed. Paige, who breezed
through a confirmation hearing last week, recalled King's hope that children would be
judged "by the content of their character, not the color of their skin." Bush, too, spoke of
the civil rights struggle, and about how King "inspired others to face police dogs and
hoses and violence." Bush added: "Our nation is better for it."

Bush's spokesman, Ari Fleischer, said Bush would have attended today's event even if he
"had won with 75 percent of the African American vote." Still, today's commemoration was
Bush's second effort since his victory to repair relations with African Americans. He invited several
black ministers to Austin for a conference on the potential of religious charities. That meeting
produced some backlash from civil rights leaders, who thought Bush was circumventing them.

By tapping Paige and attending today's event with him, Bush was again elevating the
prominence of more conservative African Americans. "He's going to try to let the public
recognize new leaders in the African American community and not be stuck with stratified
leaders like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson," said Gary M. Polland, chairman of the
Harris County Republican Party.

Bush, in his remarks today, continued his tradition of innovative English. Pointing out a state senator
in the crowd, Bush noted: "If I always agreed with [him] you might hold me somewhat in suspect."
The creative phrase followed his recent interview with NBC's Tom Brokaw, in which Bush referred to
Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia as "Anthony" and "Antonio."

After his appearance, Bush flew home to his ranch in Crawford, Tex., where he'll remain
until Wednesday, when he will appear at what his spokesman called a "very large" sendoff
rally in his hometown of Midland. Bush will host an "open house" for the public on Sunday,
Fleischer said, following a night of inaugural balls, at which Bush will be "dancing eight
times the same box step."

"So he will be dancing?" a questioner asked.
"In some people's opinions," Fleischer replied.

Privacy Policy
. .