Thunder on the Left

"In his first speech to the N.A.A.C.P. since taking office in 2001," says the New York Times , "President Bush acknowledged on Thursday that 'many African-Americans distrust my party,' and defended his record on domestic issues, including education, prescription drug coverage and Hurricane Katrina.

"The 33-minute speech was an exercise in bridge-building, intended partly to strengthen ties between Republicans and black voters and partly to reassure moderate white voters with a message of reconciliation. Though Mr. Bush received a standing ovation when he called on the Senate to renew the 1965 Voting Rights Act -- it passed unanimously hours later -- a somber silence fell over the room as the president discussed his policies on education, jobs and housing, which polls suggest are unpopular with blacks.

"The president was booed when he raised the topic of charter schools and was also interrupted by a heckler who shouted about the Middle East."

Says the Chicago Tribune : "It is the renewal of the president's frayed relations with the African-American community that weighs on the minds of Bush's aides these days--with midterm congressional elections nearing, the president's approval ratings sagging and his party's prospects in question.

"And, judging from the reaction of rank-and-file members of the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization after Bush ended a five-year hiatus here, the president still has a long way to go."

Michelle Malkin is unhappy with the speech:

"What a squandered opportunity. Bush could have hit back hard at the race exploiters who shamelessly accused him of hating black people and suppressing black votes and causing Hurricane Katrina.

"As for the lingering existence of racism, the President could have used his platform to excoriate NAACP leftists for doing and saying nothing while liberal bigots relentlessly attack minority members of his administration and the Republican Party.

"Could have. But didn't. You learn not to expect so much from a White House more concerned with La Raza, CAIR, and the NAACP than with its own base."

Eric Deggans of the St. Petersburg Times has an interesting column on war videos being posted on YouTube. Time's Ana Marie Cox tackles the subject from the perspective of soldiers uploading videos.

And while I recently wrote about politicians putting their video messages on YouTube, the Los Angeles Times has found a different wrinkle:

"Donnie Fowler has seen the future of American politics. Pull out your cellphone and you can see it as well.