Humble Bush Gets NAACP Attention

George W. Bush told delegates of the nation’s largest black civil rights group on Monday that racism is alive in America and that his party should do more to combat it.

“My party, the party of [Abraham] Lincoln, has not always carried the mantle of Lincoln,” Bush said, drawing polite approval from a crowd of about 3,000 attending the NAACP’s annual convention. “Before we can look at the future, we must recognize our past. . . . I’m here because I believe there is so much we can do together to advance racial harmony.”

It was an important appearance for Bush, whose aides wondered beforehand how he would be received by the largely Democratic audience. The black vote has traditionally gone to Democratic candidates, and Bush has been criticized by members of the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People over several issues in recent weeks, including the execution of Texas death row inmate Gary Graham.

But when a handful of people started yelling in protest over Graham’s death, waving signs and calling Bush a “killer,” delegates quickly responded by asking that they be removed from the audience.

Board member Frank Humphrey, standing next to an unfazed Bush, ordered them out, and the crowd stood up, clapping loudly as the governor approached the podium.

Still Bush, who said later he did not want to take the delegates’ polite welcome for granted, amused the audience by poking fun at himself from the beginning of his remarks.

“For those of you who support me--I see a couple here, maybe more than a couple--I hope you won’t change your opinion,” he said over the laughter. “And for those of you who don’t, I hope you’ll give me a chance . . . to tell you what is on my heart.”

Hoping to put a dent in Vice President Al Gore’s lead among minority voters, Bush has been training his attention on traditionally Democratic audiences and painting himself as “a different kind of Republican” candidate.

He was warmly received in recent weeks by members of the Congress of Racial Equality, an organization of conservative blacks, and two Latino groups, the League of United Latin American Citizens and the National Council of La Raza.

And while Bush did not present specific ideas or plans to address racism in his 20-minute speech, many delegates said they appreciated his remarks. His father, former President Bush, addressed the group in 1988, when he called for “a new day” in civil rights gains, and again in 1992, when he lost to Bill Clinton.

But in 1996, GOP candidate Bob Dole refused to speak at the convention, citing a scheduling conflict and later saying he thought he would have received a frosty reception.

“The man is brave and strong to come here, I’ll give him that,” Lamar Johnson of South Carolina said. “He respects us enough to want to meet with us, and that matters. And he seemed sincere. I was pleasantly surprised.”

Bush reiterated his plan to improve failing schools and raise standards for teachers, to fight the “soft bigotry of low expectations” and to ensure that all children have the chance to succeed. He also called for eliminating other forms of discrimination, such as racial profiling by law enforcement officials.

“Discrimination is a reality,” Bush said. “Instead of separate but equal, there is separate and forgotten. Strong civil rights enforcement will be a cornerstone of my administration.”

Bush touched briefly on other issues, such as promising to fight illiteracy among disadvantaged children and a plan to spend $1.7 billion over a five-year period to help low-income families become homeowners.

Some critics have accused the governor of not having a clear plan to fight racial disparities in income, health and education. In anticipation of Bush’s speech, NAACP President Kweisi Mfume said he wanted to hear a better definition of the “compassionate conservatism” theme that Bush will be pushing in his campaign. Many delegates concluded that explanation fell short Monday.

“It’s the same old story now with the governor as it was with his father,” Rita Alexander of Virginia said. “He’s only angling around at this moment because he needs something from us. But we’ll never get what we need from him.”

Gore aides were quick to agree, saying the vice president has “walked the walk” in fighting for black families for more than 20 years. Gore spokeswoman Kym Spell said the presumed Democratic presidential candidate will address the NAACP on Wednesday, but she would not offer details.

“I think all of these constituency groups are smart enough to look beyond the rhetoric and look at the real record of what’s been done,” Spell said.

Bush, however, reminded reporters that he has connected with minority groups in Texas. While he won only 15% of the black vote in 1994, Bush nearly doubled that in his 1998 reelection.

Times researcher Massie Ritsch contributed to this story.