Obama Meets With Black Caucus To Discuss Priorities

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama reassured members of the Congressional Black Caucus that he's on their side and will do what he can to support the group's left-leaning agenda, lawmakers said Thursday after an hour-long session at the White House.

Nearly all the group's 42 members attended. Noticeably absent was Illinois Sen. Roland Burris, Obama's replacement who is fending off calls to resign.

The lawmakers _ all Democrats _ said the reception was a welcome change from the tenure of former President George W. Bush, who held several cordial meetings with black lawmakers but rarely agreed with them on substance.

"There is no comparison," said Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland. "(Obama) basically assured us that having been a member of the Congressional Black Caucus ... that he gets the issues and will do everything he can to work with us."

Lawmakers said they presented Obama with a wish-list covering a broad range of topics, many of them economic issues affecting their districts.

They pressed Obama to focus on hiring more minorities to federal jobs and helping small and minority-owned businesses get government contracts. They also discussed creating a health-care safety net and addressing medical disparities among minorities.

Lawmakers expressed continued concerns about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and proposed forming a national task force for improving education in low-income communities.

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas said the caucus made its priorities clear but is "not unrealistic about what a president can do."

Cummings said some of the proposals don't involve additional money. For example, he said Obama talked about using the bully pulpit to encourage minorities to get more health screenings.

Although Obama was a member of the caucus during his Senate tenure from 2004-2008, he has never had a particularly close relationship with the group. Accommodating its full agenda could cause problems for the president's effort to build a moderate political coalition.

But caucus members said it's their job to make sure he remains focused on the hardships facing their districts, many of which are poor urban areas with high unemployment.

"Everybody's pulling together," said Rep. David Scott of Georgia. "We've got a huge problem, a momentous crisis here with this economy ... we're all on the same page."

Burris' spokesman said the senator did not attend the White House meeting because he needed to vote on a bill giving the District of Columbia a vote in the House.

Comments

[joceeco]

It is sad to see that White people are really showing their A$$es, because Obama met with a group of Black people. He meets with his Black Wife, Black Mom-in-law and those two beautiful Black daughters of his everyday, so get use to seeing lots of black for the next four to eight years folks. The last 43 Presidents met with all white groups all of the time and no one said a thing about that. He will probably meet with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus soon, as well as the 99 White people of the Senate, Which will be all White, after they kick Burris' a$$ out. Black people do not plot to get rid of White people, so you guys have nothing to worry about. Whatever Blacks ask the President to do for their communities,will benefit all Americans. Blacks have never sought or desired anything that does not benefit every American. Whan our ancestors sought freedom from slavery, it was because they believed that no man should be enslaved, when our Black ancestors sought freedom from Jim Crow, it was because they believed that no man should be treated as second class citizens. When civil rights legislation was enacted on behalf of Blacks, all men benefitted from that legislation. Affirmative action benefits women, Hispanics, Latinos, Asians and Blacks, so you see we never ask for anything that might oppress another group of people, because we are an inclusive people.

[Tanyars5]

your are on point here......­so true......­...many white people are becoming unhinged..­........to bad

[KDay]

W hite folks don't like to be reminded that Obama is a Black Man.

[Tanyars5]

hahaha...
anythime he is on TV you can't help be reminded..­...I luv it...I luv it.....I LUV IT
I luv the the Black President of the US.....PRE­SIDENT BARACK OBAMA.....­.
I luv the CBC....go CBC go.......

[steamboat]

76% of the voters in November were white.....­It appears you need something to talk about and if you don't have it, you'll create it.

[SignedSealedDelivered]

as a former clevelander, my parents (married black parents yes patrtiotoh) saw to it that my six siblings and i finish high school and college. my brothers are engineers and i have two sisters who are social workers, one is a nurse, one is a teacher and i work in diversity for colleges/u­niversitie­s. my dad was a truck driver and my mother stayed home to watch all of us. he was a former marine.

across the street from us was a family where the dad died early from diabetes..­.his job offered no health insurance but he was a hard worker. now, ms. b, a single mom of 6 had to work. she was able to keep her house, but her kids were unattended. 1 is dead, 3 are in jail, 1 went to the army and one, her only daughter, was gang raped and impregnated as a result. she kept the child along with the varied mental health issues that followed. i give you this story to let you know, patriot, that the black story/community is diverse and not simple defined as people who don't complete education or provide stable homes. this may be the result for PLENTY of my people, but there are MANY reasons why. please, think before you write...

by the way, though my father worked, we still lived next door to a house that was raided and eventually found to be a crack house.

[HarlemFreeThought]

"... caucus members said it's their job to make sure he remains focused on the hardships facing their districts, many of which are poor urban areas with high unemployme­nt."

But isn't that we elected the holders of these congressional seats in the first place?

[Tanyars5]

Black voters voted 95% to 98% for President Obama-
Black people in many states stood in line for HOURS so they could vote for President Obama.
President Obama is black, his wife is black and his children are black
I have no doubt in my mind that President Obama is going to make sure that nothing he does is going to hurt his most loyal voters....­.
CBC is making sure that the President is aware of whats going on with the people
I luv President Obama and I luv the CBC.......­.......yea­h!!!!!!!!!­!

[AhnAmuru]

That's exactly the problem - that mentality.

Trying reading "Imperium in Imperio", the source of that defunct philosophy.

Over 50M people came out for Barack. Do not alienate everyone else.

Besides Barack knows better than to indulge such (rap.

[Tanyars5]

What mentality do I have? Why would President Obama do something that would in the future hurt his daughters or wife? Did't GB look out for his people?
President Obama is going to help EVERYONE but I am confident he will not doing anything that would hurt black people....­......

[aquarius64]

The president would be wise not to lap up everything the caucus wants, especially with hiring more blacks in high-level goverment positions. After the Burris debacle, which the CBC unaminously shoved down the throats of Obama, the U.S. Senate, the state of Illinois, and the country as a whole without any serious vetting by them or anyone else, may have the IL state legislature or the US Congress bleed Democrats in 2010. Racial politics is still potent, and harshly throwing Burris out of office now would have led to a bigger schism with the Dems that was is going on in the GOP. I would not be surprised that the CBC's candidate for Commerce Secretary, John Thompson, was shot down because of Burris. This is a big F U to the CBC. Remember, this is a man who dumped his pastor of 20 years when he became a political nightmare and embarrassment. He will not stick by an African American who is a political danger to him, racial loyalty be damned.

Knowing this, I believe the CBC in one voice needs to approach the president with the deference due to a man of his position and speak frankly but civilly about the needs in their respective communities. The president listens in return, work with them as he would with other caucuses to see that those needs are attended through his plans and proposed legislation.

Note to CBC: be careful not to be perceived as the "Congressional Black Crabs" .

[FishOfTheProletariat]

The Burris appointment was not Obama's decision. Other than voice support for the Senate Democratic leadership, he stayed out of that fray. Nobody shoved anything down his throat.

The State of Illinois also had no authority in this matter. The "CNC" as a body, had nothing to do with that process either. How this translates into bleeding the Congress of Democrats in your imaginary future is not explained, and not substantiated.

Your assertion that the Congressional Black Caucus is appealing to the President as an African American on the basis of "Black loyalty," is also unsubstantiated. You also imply that the President is a strictly political creature without loyalty, citing the Rev. Wright debacle, TOTALLY disregarding the FACT that Senator Obama stood behind Rev. Wright despite a maelstrom of media hype, and what is considered one of his defining, and greatest speeches..­. was a DIRECT consequence of the loyalty you assert he does not possess.

When has ANY member of the Congressional Black Caucus been disrespectful to President Obama? When have they not been frank? When have they not represented the needs of their communities?

When did racial and economic justice become a "LEFTIST AGENDA?"

Do you EVER engage your brain, yet alone your heart, before hitting "Post a Comment?"

[Tanyars5]

say what????
congressional black crabs?????

[AhnAmuru]

You seem unable to distinguish between the executive & legislature.

Try reading a little more.

[NCRedhead]

This headline seemed a bit misleading­...sounds like they had a fairly congenial meeting.

[rsprags]

I cannot believe that we are spending time writing nasty notes to each other because the President met with the CBC. He is meeting with different groups; it gives him and opportunity to listen to their concerns, illicit suggestions from them, and empower them to work with other members of the congress on both sides of the political spectrum to get things done in the community. The issues that the article discussed are pressing issues in many communities where there maybe poverty and lack. The poverty and lack include financial, mental, social, and physical.
CBC has not always spoken out on certain issues as they should, however, I think that President Obama's leadership is going to inspire them to a higher level of leadership and empowerment in the congress and in their communities. I think that they need to formulate a plan with the residents and leaders in their communities to address some of the issues mentioned in the article as health education and access to care. I plan to write them a letter and ask them to formulate a plan that follow with in the Recovery Plan and the new budget being formulated s by congress. President Obama need them to present him with solutions and I'm sure he challenged them to move in this direction today.

[AmbivalentGuy]

Infighting like this plays right into the disloyal opposition's hands.
I'll repeat what I said earlier today:

How about we just all press for justice; equality of opportunity -
educational, occupational,et al; the problems of poverty; and
health care.

There are lots of marginalized people. Their exact circumstances
may be different, but the results are similar.

Equality is an inclusive ideal.

[alexanderjcard]

All I see is a race based organization, that obviously a person of different ethnicity like George Bush is not going to agree with. I don't know what they stand for but it sounds like the advancement of one race over another. Which I thought is what the word racist meant.

[gladys46]

Please take a good, long look at the congressional delegation up there in the pix of President Obama's state of the union speech ! What do you see! If you're honest, you'll see a whole lot of white people, mostly white males ... those are white people who basically, honestly represent other white people ... believe that CBC is not just a caucus .. it's a necessary caucus.

[PatriotOH]

Is he going to stress the need for their communities to contribute more in terms of completing education and providing stable homes for their children?

[SignedSealedDelivered]

as a former clevelander, my parents (married black parents yes patrtiotoh) saw to it that my six siblings and i finish high school and college. my brothers are engineers and i have two sisters who are social workers, one is a nurse, one is a teacher and i work in diversity for colleges/u­niversitie­s. my dad was a truck driver and my mother stayed home to watch all of us. he was a former marine.

across the street from us was a family where the dad died early from diabetes..­.his job offered no health insurance but he was a hard worker. now, ms. b, a single mom of 6 had to work. she was able to keep her house, but her kids were unattended. 1 is dead, 3 are in jail, 1 went to the army and one, her only daughter, was gang raped and impregnated as a result. she kept the child along with the varied mental health issues that followed. i give you this story to let you know, patriot, that the black story/community is diverse and not simple defined as people who don't complete education or provide stable homes. this may be the result for PLENTY of my people, but there are MANY reasons why. please, think before you write...

by the way, though my father worked, we still lived next door to a house that was raided and eventually found to be a crack house.

[gladys46]

You are so very ill-informed !

[StillIRise]

Having become more familiar with the predominately white GOP base, particularly those who supported McCain and Palin, I would think that our President should stress, as he has already done, the need for EVERYONE'S community to contribute more in terms of completing education and providing stable homes for their children!

Maybe the GOP needs a "white caucus" to address the dire lack of education and instability in many white families in our nation.

Oh! I forgot! The GOP itself IS a "white caucus!" My bad!

[Syymone]

What do mean when you say "their communities' ? Contrary to popular belief,Black people are not MONOLITHIC and I resent your ignorance on thinking that......­..

There are many people from all ethnic groups that have issues,but the real fact is "The media does not report the issues of other races",and by no means do I say everyone has issues of any race but make no mistake,if the glare was on all races as it is on Blacks,many clueless people would be shocked...­Much of what you perceived is based on deception especially by the media.

As far as I'm concern,I just want a good President,no matter what his race is.I'm a Black person who has never referred to President Obama as soley Black because he's biracial and I acknowledge and respect who he is. I don't want him catering to any one group no matter what group it is........­.

[rsprags]

If OH stand for Ohio in your sign on, many of your cities and counties are having issues as discussed in the article. I think we should be working together rather than degrading each other with angry words. We have an economic crises on our hand and other national securities issues. There is educational disparity and family apathy in all communities across all social and economic levels. The President challenged us all in the other night to get involved with our children and assist others in our communities. ..........­.

[Whinger]

No need to press, just ask!

[SignedSealedDelivered]

this meeting is really no big deal. it's like any other group with an interest. i will say that there are some black lawmakers who are bitter. HRC promised PLENTY OF high level positions to these people for their support. they gave it to her because of her husband. they knew that obama could not (yet) afford to appoint so many blacks as president. they despise the fact that he really made it look easy while they have been "laboring" away in their tiny districts for decades. they are really jealous. I know this because i belong to a black sorority and this was all some people could belly ache about...ho­w they would not be getting the jobs promised to them.

[Pie7]

Thank you for this little information.

[Actionmac]

x2... many of them were backstabbing SOB's bad mouthing Obama trying to derail his campaign. And all this so called anger will not save many from their own constituents who lobbied them to support Obama and was given their reps. @ss to kiss. They were warned that they would not get the support for their reelection for their behavior.

They should be kissing Obama's @ss to get his support. If they believe he will need them before they need him they better check their districts and see who the up and coming is doing and their message.

As for the laboring in their districts, most have been slumbering in their districts becoming the status quo fat lazy money grubbing do nothings, and that will be their real undoing.

Just call them all Roland Burris.

[RhymeAndReason]

Hate to say it but I think you have a point. By the way it's not just members of the blk caucus that feel that way, there are lots of members of congress who also feel that way--that he made it look easy to get to the white house while they continue to toil in congress. They hate the idea that he came in and after less than one full term became president! But he should be the proof that we don't all start from the same place even if it looks like we do. There are always intangibles that go into the equation.

[NCYvonne]

Bill Clinton met with the CBC regularly. No big deal.

Why is everybody so up in arms because Obama is meeting with them? Oh, I know. It's because he's black. When Obama meets with the CBC it has to be scrutinized and criticized. It's OK that he's a black president as long as he doesn't hang around with too many black folks. Is that it?

[AlligatorShuz]

Bill Clinton treatem the members of the CBC like slaves on a plantation and he gave them peanuts also and they were happy.

[gladys46]

Who told you "they were happy" about Clinton's ignorance !?? President Obama will and can sit with any group! I see no articles that used such coded language as this one does about our President meeting with any white group! What's the inference here ... if CBC wants to meet with the President, is he not supposed to meet with them? Why not !??

[AlligatorShuz]

And they set back and let him do as he pleased. They said nothing when Bill Clinton enacted stiff tariffs on the Caribbean Banana Growers so Bill Clinton's friend of Dole Banana could take over the market. The CBC is not an effective organization. They need to set down and wait in line. If I was Obama I wouldn't meet with them...

[southernsepia]

Ok but .....

[steamboat]

And they especially stayed absolutely quiet when innocent black people were being slaughtered in Rwanda and Sudan and Clinton did nothing. Oh yeah, only as an ex-president has he bothered about the AIDS crisis in Africa. As president he did nothing and the CBC stayed quiet.

[gladys46]

"Wait in line" ... really ! Well that's an interesting suggestion ! Who are they standing behind!?? What "line" are you talking about ... CBC's activism on behalf of AAs is righteous, it's about economics and active political representation just as white's in this country enjoy ! President Obama knows how far we've come but, he also knows how far AAs are still behind !

[StillweRise]

can you break down for me what in God's name your example has to do with ANYTHING that the CBC would POSSIBLY be concerned about?

if you could 'try' to make that make sense, it would be helpful. Also, Presidents 'regularly' meet with different caucuses. There are SEVERAL 'groups' of congressmen who form caucuses for their shared interests. (i.e. bluedog democrats caucus)... educate yourself.

[Mdazes]

The "Black Caucus" want to play the part of the Big Bad Wolf. I wish the Black Caucus would have been concerned when President Clinton compromised with the Republicans "on the backs of the most vulnerable Americans"

Footnote to the Black Caucus: A liberal agenda is a quick ticket back to the minority.

[Knowitall]

The CBC has always been in the minority. That wouldn't phase them at all.

[Mdazes]

I was not speaking about color. The Dems back in the minority will phase millions of people. We Dems know what it feel like to be forgotten for 8 years. I am ready for this country to move ahead and in the right direction.

[gladys46]

Oh Rubbish !!!

[browndoe]

I hope President Obama listens to the concerns of the Black Caucus, and then I hope he makes demands on them to put the interests of all Americans first. The endorsement of Burris, just to have a black face in the Senate, is a step backward. It is a disgrace. Whether he did anything himself or not, he was appointed under a cloud. America needs to clear those clouds. Mr. Obama is thinking about all of us, strategically across the population, well out into the future past the next election cycle. Short term demands look pretty petty right now. I invite the Black Caucus to join him, and generate as many good ideas as you can and to air them constructively to as broad an audience as you can. We need your leadership, not your lobbying. Show us integrity and vision -- the change we need...des­parately.

[eden4barack08]

Well said!