Thursday, July 06, 2000
Gore invites AME members to join his quest
Praises Clinton's record on race
By Howard Wilkinson
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Vice President Al Gore waits to speak Wednesday at the African Methodist Episcopal Church conference.
(Ernest Coleman photo)
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Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore, showing the passion of a preacher before an audience of black church-goers in Cincinnati Wednesday night, implored African—American voters to help him “bring America to even greater prosperity.”
“If you believe we can reach that time of greater prosperity, where everyone — everyone — can partake of the feast, then join with me,” Mr. Gore said as about 5,000 attendees of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church conference rose to their feet.
Mr. Gore came to the convention for the first night of an eight-day conference of America's largest black church to make an appeal to the most consistently loyal voter group Democratic presidential candidates have had in recent decades — African-American voters.
If elected president, he said, he would support affirmative action programs, end “racial profiling” by police agencies and push for tougher “hate crime” legislation.
Mr. Gore also touted the record of the administration of President Clinton over the last eight years, saying the administration has been good for African-Americans.
“We have seen the lowest unemployment rate for African-Americans in our history; we have seen a healthy economy,” Mr. Gore said. “There is much more to do. But we have come so far.”
Although the vice president's visit was billed as nonpolitical, AME Bishop Hamel Hartford Brookins, from Mr. Gore's native Tennessee, made it clear the group is behind the Gore campaign.
“Surely we are not crazy enough to go back in the bushes again,” said Mr. Brookins, in reference to GOP presidential candidate George W. Bush.
Mr. Gore also introduced his campaign manager, Donna Brazile, an African-American, to the crowd.
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