Former President Bill Clinton speaks at the Congressional Black Caucus 2001 Annual Legislative Conference in Washington Saturday, Sept. 29, 2001. Clinton received the Congressional Black Caucus Chair's Award. (AP Photo/Hillery Smith Garrison)
In an effusive introduction, Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, the chair of the 38-member, all-Democratic caucus, said of Clinton, ``He took on so many initiatives he made us think for a while we had elected the first black president.'' Later, she said as Clinton took the podium, ``I present to you THE president of our time ....''
Clinton has spoken to the black caucus every year since his 1992 election. Bush, who has not enjoyed widespread support from blacks, was not invited.
But Clinton, who has long enjoyed the support of the minority community, used his remarks to promote national unity. ``We have come a long way from the time when people in our country thought it was all right to kill the innocent,'' the former president said to wide applause. ``Surely we can all stand hand in hand together and say it is not right for anyone ever to kill the innocent[apart from unborn children, eh, Bubba?] and we as Americans, black, white, brown, from every country, from every place, we will stand together.'' .....
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