Kerry's News Event Also a Campaign Event

photo credit: Kimberly Whitfield Sen. John Kerry shakes hands with audience members after speaking at Unity 2004.

When Sen. John Kerry spoke to about 5,000 journalists at the Washington Convention Center, many of them put away their pens and pads and listened instead. A news event also became a campaign event.

Kerry, who spoke at Unity 2004, the Aug.4-8 conference for journalists of color, took the opportunity to reiterate his talking points as Democratic presidential candidate.

“This is the most important election of our lifetime,” Kerry said at the conference that hosted workshops, speakers and a career expo. “Everything is at stake.”

Acknowledging the diversity of his audience, Kerry pledged to tackle community problems such as the unemployment rate among black males, immigration laws and Native Americans being “left behind.” He vowed to appoint Native Americans to key positions in the White House if elected.

The presidential candidate also discussed health care, civic responsibility and education, but visibly connected with the audience when he addressed diversity in the news media and the lack of resources available to inner city schools.

“Fifty years after Brown (v. Board of Education), we still see two school systems: one for the well off and one for the left out,” Kerry said.

Media professionals in the audience seemed to embrace Kerry. Some felt out of place as their colleagues expressed themselves in ways that are taboo in the newsroom.

“Usually, journalists try to be objective, but we are also citizens,” said Jonathan Bethely of the Chronicle-Tribune in Marion, Ind. “We also believe in what we believe in. A good idea is a good idea, whether you are a Democrat or a Republican.”

Kerry’s “stronger America” platform echoed earlier speeches. But that didn’t seem to bother many people, especially not Sharon Scott, acting editor of the Washington Post National Weekly Edition.

“It was a good speech, but a bit repetitive and I wondered if he could get away without talking about Vietnam.”

Being careful not to call his opponent by name, Kerry criticized Bush’s response to the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, when Bush continued reading to schoolchildren as he was told of the attacks by an aide.

“I would have told the kids very nicely that the president has something important to attend to,” Kerry said.

Kerry also responded to a question about the recent comments made by comedian and philanthropist Bill Cosby, who said of some young lower-income blacks, “"They're standing on the street corner, and they can't speak English."

“I understand exactly where Bill is coming from,” Kerry said. “People in the community have to accept responsibility,” but he also said government needed to empower community members.

Some audience members appreciated Kerry’s responses during the question-and-answer period. Scott approved of Kerry’s answers to questions that she said mattered: “That’s what he needs to do to get across to the average voters that aren’t as savvy as we are.”

Alexander M. Ford and Bravetta Hassell are students at Hampton University.

Posted Aug. 5, 2004