On race: 3 candidates, 3 views

By Richard Chacon, Globe Staff, July 9, 1999

SEATTLE -- Three leading presidential candidates appeared yesterday at a national journalists' convention here and offered contrasting views on race relations and affirmative action.

Former senator Bill Bradley, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for 2000, Texas Governor George W. Bush, the Republican front-runner, and Arizona Senator John McCain, another GOP hopeful, all made brief appearances at the Unity '99 convention of minority journalists and media organizations, which organizers are calling the largest one-time gathering of journalists in the United States.

Two of the appearances drew criticism from convention organizers, who said Bush and McCain had decided to show up only at the last minute.

Because affirmative action is a dominant theme at this year's conference, all the candidates either addressed or confronted questions about whether they support such a policy.

Bush refused to answer questions.

"Affirmative action is common sense," Bradley said at a noontime speech to an audience of about 1,000 people. He added that if he is elected president he will fight attempts to roll back programs that set aside jobs or contracts for minorities. "But if we limit the discussion just to affirmative action, we're missing the broader racial issues that affect the United States," he said.

Bradley, who held a breakfast meeting with a small group of journalists, also pledged to support more legislation against hate crimes, making vague allusions to Bush's opposition to such a bill in Texas.

Bradley also said he would be willing to support an end to welfare-to-work programs when they expire in 2001, if they prove to be unsuccessful at helping poor families out of poverty.

Less than an hour after Bradley's appearance, Bush paid a surprise visit to the convention center. Originally, the governor had declined an invitation to appear at the event, drawing sharp criticism from convention organizers.

When he arrived yesterday, Bush declined to make a formal address or to take questions, although he shook hands with people in a quick walk through an exhibition area. When a reporter shouted out a question about affirmative action, Bush responded, "I am against quotas but I support removing all racial barriers."

Two hours later, McCain held an outdoor press conference with about three dozen reporters on a terrace near the entrance to the convention. He said that despite "an enormous wealth now overflowing in America, lots of people are being left behind." And rather than support affirmative action programs, McCain said, now was the time to provide increased training and education programs for minorities.

Like Bush, McCain drew criticism for rejecting an invitation to speak at the convention and for changing his mind.

McCain called the initial rejection "an oversight," but said that it in no way reflected a lack of interest or sensitivity from him or his staff.

"I don't think this has made me look bad," he added. "I felt it was a good thing to be here."

Vice President Al Gore, who is also seeking the Democratic nomination, is scheduled to address a luncheon today in Seattle.