Biden: Some members of Congress don't know there are 'decent' black business people

By Hazel Trice Edney
NNPA Washington Correspondent

LAS VEGAS (NNPA) ? U.S. Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.), the only presidential candidate to attend the 100 Black Men of America's 21st Annual Conference in Las Vegas two weeks ago, said in a meeting with the organization's executive committee that most members of Congress who have few blacks in their districts "don't know that there is a decent stream of accomplished business men and women in the black community."

Fielding questions from the executives and several members of the 100 about the inability or unwillingness of Congress to pass key legislation for the progress of African Americans, Biden said, "Look guys, most of the guys and women in the United States Congress who don't come from communities with broader black populations; they don't know that there is a decent stream of accomplished business men and women in the black community out there. They don't know it. Y'all are a secret. The only white boy that figured it out was Clinton," he said to jovial laughter from the group. "I'm not joking! I'm not joking!" he said.

Biden, who lives in the 58 percent black city of Wilmington, Del., was addressing the informal small group session on mostly issues of education and health care during the group's 21st Annual Convention in Las Vegas. Speaking more candidly than normal because he apparently thought there was "no press" in the room, he was encouraging the group to raise the organization's profile. The small session was held in the pressroom at the event.

Biden said children often won't do well in life "until they realize something else is out there. They realize it just by seeing it. They figure it out," he sais.

He said among the keys to better quality education is good teachers and longer school hours.

He said his health care plan would have a $22 billion price tag, but would assure that "every single, solitary child in America" has insurance.

Biden's statement about his colleagues' lack of knowledge about "decent" black business men and women was clearly his way of explaining their inability to understand the need for certain legislation. But, it harkened back to his comment about his colleague, Sen. Barack Obama, earlier this year. Black leaders roundly criticized Biden for describing Obama as "articulate" and "clean."

Leading Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama also had been invited among other candidates, but did not attend. The 100 is a non-profit tax exempt organization with 106 chapters throughout the U.S. Chairman Albert E. Dotson Jr. and former chairman Thomas Dortch were careful to state that there would be no endorsement of any political candidates. IRS regulations prohibit 501C3 tax exempt organizations from making political endorsements. But, they are allowed to hold educational forums, such as they did with Biden.

Presidential candidates are being strongly criticized by black political pundits for focusing so much on the war that they appear to be neglecting urban issues and issues that disparately affect black people.

U.S. Rep. John Conyers, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, who attended the organization's convention the day after Biden was to receive the coveted Man of the Year award.

He shook his head when asked if he agreed with Biden's assessment about the members of Congress.

"There he goes again," Conyers said. "'He just doesn't get it."

This is part of the June 20, 2007 online edition of Frost Illustrated.

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