At Press Conference, Bush Says He's Hurt By Charges He 'Doesn't Care' ....

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http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001700507

At Press Conference, Bush Says He's Hurt By Charges He 'Doesn't Care' About Black People

WASHINGTON While his press conference today focused mainly on war and spying issues, President Bush also fielded one pointed question about his popularity, or lack of it, among African-Americans, especially in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. In reply, the president said, “One of the most hurtful things I can hear is, 'Bush doesn't care about African Americans,' for example. First of all, it's not true.”

He also got into a tift with Washington Post correspondent Peter Baker stemming from the recent spy program revelations.

The question on race noted that he had defended himself on this matter previously but “some are still not sold on that.”

Bush replied, “The fact that some in America believe that I am not concerned about race troubles me. One of the jobs of the President is to help people reconcile and to move forward and to unite. One of the most hurtful things I can hear is, 'Bush doesn't care about African Americans,' for example. First of all, it's not true. And, secondly, I believe that -- obviously I've got to do a better job of communicating, I guess, to certain folks, because my job is to say to people, we're all equally American, and the American opportunity applies to you just as much as somebody else. And so I will continue to do my best, to reach out.”