For the life of me, I can’t figure out the rationale behind the White House’s decision to decline — for the fourth straight year — the NAACP’s invitation to address its convention.
A White House spokeswoman said Bush had a scheduling conflict, but would not specify the conflict with the six-day convention, which is scheduled to open Saturday in Philadelphia. Bush last addressed the NAACP convention in 2000, as a presidential candidate.
Bush’s decision comes after the Bush-Cheney 2004 campaign and the Republican National Committee have pledged to reach out more to black voters. Black voters have preferred Democratic presidential candidates by a 9 to 1 margin.
He’ll put pictures of African Americans all over his website, but he won’t take a half-hour to address the nation’s largest civil rights organization? I’ve never believed the rhetoric about Bush expanding his political outreach to minority communities, but the decision to blow off the NAACP — making him the first sitting president since Hoover not to address the group — seems unusually dumb.
What, exactly, does he have to lose? In 2000, Bush looked moderate and sensible by speaking to the NAACP as a presidential candidate and striking a conciliatory tone.
“Our nation is harmed when we let our differences separate and divide us,” Bush declared. “So, while some in my party have avoided the NAACP, and while some in the NAACP have avoided my party, I am proud to be here today.”
Did it work? Not really; Bush’s support was about 9% of black voters four years ago. But even if Bush is planning to write off this constituency in November, he could impress swing voters who might appreciate seeing him reach out beyond his natural base. If the audience jeered him, Bush might even earn sympathy points by saying, “At least I tried to reach out in good faith.”
Of course, it’s not just African Americans.
Bush also declined an invitation to speak at last week’s gathering of the National Council of La Raza, the largest Hispanic civil rights organization, for the fourth time. “He has not attended our conventions, as well as our sister organizations’,” said Raul Yzaguirre, La Raza’s president. “Apparently we’re not enough of a priority to merit his time.”
It’s one of those bizarre strategies that I’m thrilled to see Bush follow.