washingtonpost.com: The Dog Days of July: White House Bites Back at NAACP's Attack

The Dog Days of July: White House Bites Back at NAACP's Attack

Tuesday, July 10, 2001; Page A07

On Sunday, the chairman of the NAACP accused President Bush's Cabinet of being "nearly canine." Yesterday, the Bush White House bit back.

The tale began Sunday in New Orleans with NAACP Chairman Julian Bond's remarks to the civil rights group's 92nd convention. "He has selected nominees from the Taliban wing of American politics, appeased the wretched appetites of the extreme right wing, and chosen Cabinet officials whose devotion to the Confederacy is nearly canine in its uncritical affection," Bond said of Bush.

Asked about the remarks yesterday, White House press secretary Ari Fleischer replied: "I think it's another reminder why it's so important for people in this town to change the tone. . . . And I think that in those remarks, talking about the Taliban wing of the Republican Party, talking about canines, it's unfortunate."

Fleischer's rejoinder was muddled somewhat when he asserted: "Those remarks were not made under Kweisi Mfume's leadership, when Kweisi Mfume was president of the NAACP."

Actually, those remarks were made under Kweisi Mfume, who is still the president of the NAACP and has been since 1995. Bond became chairman in 1998.

Yesterday's exchange was not the sort of message the Bush administration has been hoping to deliver. It was a year ago that Bush spoke at the NAACP's convention in Baltimore. "While some in my party have avoided the NAACP, I'm proud to be here," he said then. "The party of Lincoln has not always carried the mantle of Lincoln. . . . What we need is a new attitude."

But in the election, Bush won less than 10 percent of the African American vote, and polls indicate he has not improved his standing among black voters. This year, Bush sent the NAACP convention a videotaped address. Yesterday, American Urban Radio network reporter April Ryan asked Fleischer why "not one African American civil rights leader has been in the White House."

The press secretary bristled. "I differ with that premise," he said, noting that various prominent African Americans -- albeit not the NAACP's leaders -- have met with Bush in the White House. "I don't think there's an issue here."

-- Dana Milbank