John McCain feels a little frost at Urban League conference

ORLANDO, Fla -- John McCain received a polite greeting at the national conference of the Urban League in Orlando a little while ago, but the room turned decidedly chillier when the largely African American audience grilled the Arizona senator on his new support for Ward Connerly's initiatives against affirmative action.

Shortly after McCain's prepared speech ended and the floor opened to questions, one African American man received cheers when he asked the Arizona Senator how he could support Connerly's proposals.

"Affirmative action is in the eye of the beholder," McCain said. "I think the United States of America has reached a point where we should provide equal economic opportunities for all Americans, and I think Americans have rejected a quota system." And then McCain added, to scattered laughter and hisses:  "The best equal-opportunity employer in America today is the United States military, and I think that Colin Powell is an example of that."

Moments later, Steve Hightower, president of Hightowers Petroleum Co. of Franklin, Ohio, said that the number of black students in universities dropped sharply once those universities banned affirmative action. McCain countered that he wanted to improve education starting from the ground up with charter schools and school choice. "We can improve the education of all Americans, but especially those who live in economically deprived areas," McCain said. He added: "By the way, keep drilling offshore, pal."

Even though other questions focused on McCain's plan to drill offshore for oil or on his health care plan, affirmative action remained a clear undercurrent of the discussion. One black woman introduced herself as a fluent Japanese speaker with an MBA, but noted she was "in an affirmative action program" before asking McCain about how he would improve conditions in U.S. prisons.

-- Nicholas Riccardi

Comments

[Peter]

Why are these candidates wasting so much time pandering., McCain cant get the African American vote so why even bother pandering., He should be courting the evangelicals that trancends race. Stop Pandering, work on your plans to fix these problems that America is facing. Until they come up with solutions to fix our economy. McCain and Obama need better plans to fix our economy, and this energy crisis. The economy and energy go hand and hand. I mean it makes me sick to see these candidates getting side tracked when there are real issues to deal with. Did you see this video of Obama appearing with Ludicris the rapper? I understand that he is just trying to get the youth vote, but we are in such bad shape that candidates really shouldnt take time to pander about. The video is at http://www.TheObamaPlan.com Or take McCain for example. He took time off to have a whos who cook out. Not to mention the infamous viagra video moment. LOL, You can see that video at http://www.McCanes.com I dont think McCain is sharp enough to hold the office. I dont think Obama is realistic enough to hold the office. I guess we are just screwed. Unless you like Bob Barr or Ron Paul, there is alot of online talk of these two teaming up, their is even a website called BarrPaul08 its at http://www.BarrPaul08.com Oh and green. I might be throwing my vote away this year with one of those third party candidates. Unless McCain picks Huckabee. I may vote for McCain then, Because I think Huckabee would have a very positive impact on this countrys economy. I may have even voted for hillary if she had been the dem nominee. Im still not sure who Im voting for, Maybe I will make my decision in the booth.

[fletc3her]

I'm not a McCain supporter, but speaking to the Urban League is not pandering. It sounds like McCain voiced his views, some of which would be unpopular among the people there, rather than trotting out a bunch of proposals geared just for the audience there. I would applaud both McCain and Obama for talking to groups outside their core constituency.

[Slim Parker]

McCain's progress is starting to remind me of Hillary's final self-proclaimed victory, the one she was still bragging about while already being written into the footnotes of history.

Must be hard pretending you're still in the race.