Or Just tired of being a GOP stage prop and not getting any props?
Party officials say they are thrilled with their lineup of African-American speakers at the Republican National Convention this week. The group includes Education Secretary Rod Paige, Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele of Maryland and Erika Harold, a former Miss America. Some Republicans found the explanation for Mr. Powell's absence improbable, particularly since he opened the 2000 convention with a powerful speech criticizing the party for its opposition to affirmative action and is a big draw for the swing voters the president desperately needs to win. Certainly history does not support the White House assertion that national security officials like the secretaries of state and defense do not attend national political conventions. Ronald Reagan's secretary of state, George P. Shultz, attended the Republican National Convention in Dallas in 1984. So did Defense Secretary Caspar W. Weinberger and Jeane J. Kirkpatrick, the United States ambassador to the United Nations, who gave an opening-night speech. The firstPresident Bush's secretary of state, James A. Baker III, attended the 1992 Republican National Convention in Houston, although he had just announced his resignation, effective after the convention, to become the manager of Mr. Bush's ailing campaign. [more
- Pictured above: Colin Powell at the 2000 Republican Convention (8/2/2000). A hushed audience heard Gen Powell declare the following:
- "The party must follow the governor's lead in
reaching out to minority communities and particularly the
African-American community, and not just during an election year
campaign. My friends, if we're serious about this, it has to be a
sustained effort. It must be every day and it must be for real.
- The party must listen to and speak with all
leaders of the black community, regardless of political affiliation or
philosophy. We must understand, my friends, we must understand that
there's a problem for us out there. We must understand the cynicism
that exists in the black community. The kind of cynicism that has
created, when, for example, some in our party miss no opportunity to
roundly and loudly condemn Affirmative Action that helped a few
thousand black kids get an education, but you hardly hear a whimper
when it's Affirmative Action for lobbyists who load our federal tax
code with preferences for special interest. It doesn't work. It doesn't
work. You can't make that case.
- Overcoming the cynicism and mistrust that exists and raising up that mantle of Lincoln's about more--it's much more about than just winning votes. It is about giving all minorities a competitive choice. They deserve that choice. And if we give them that choice, it will be good for our party, but above all, it will be good for America, and we need to work to give them that choice." [whole speech ]
- Colin Powell attacks own party on race [more
] - Powell Cancels Plan to Attend Closing of Athens Olympics [more ]
- Jeb Bush will skip convention [more ]