- ATLANTA (Reuters) - In a
sign of the difficulty President Bush faces as he tries to win black support
for his reelection, several hundred protesters loudly booed him on Thursday
as he laid a wreath at the grave of civil rights leader Martin Luther King.
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- "Bush go home" and "peace not war"
the predominantly black crowd of protesters shouted from behind a barrier
of buses, as Bush paid tribute to King on the 75th anniversary of his birth.
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- Bush wants to improve his standing among black voters
this reelection year, after winning less than 10 percent of the African-American
vote in 2000.
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- The president was accompanied by King's widow Coretta
Scott King, and sister, Christine King Farris. He placed the wreath, bowed
his head for a few moments, and departed without speaking or facing the
protesters as the boos from the crowd increased.
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- The protesters carried signs with slogans like "Money
for jobs and housing, not war" and "It's not a photo-op George."
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- A White House spokesman defended Bush's visit to the
grave of the assassinated civil rights icon.
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- "This is about paying tribute to someone who had
a tremendously positive influence in shaping the world that we live in
today ... it's a solemn moment, a nice way to honor Dr. King," spokesman
Scott McClellan told reporters.
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- Bush was in Atlanta as part of a two-state swing during
which he also raised $2.3 million in campaign funds, trumpeted a reelection
endorsement from Georgia Democratic Sen. Zell Miller, and promoted government
aid for religious charities.
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- King's birthday is commemorated by a national holiday
on Monday, recognizing his non-violent leadership of the black civil rights
struggle in the 1950s and 1960s.
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- "Today, all Americans benefit from Dr. King's work
and his legacy of courage, dignity, and moral clarity," Bush said
in a written statement proclaiming the annual holiday.
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- Bush faces a stiff challenge in wooing black voters.
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- "Bush's policies contradict everything Dr. King
stood for," said Ann Mauney, a member of the Georgia Peace and Justice
Coalition.
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- U.S. Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, a Maryland Democrat and
chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, criticized the grave visit
as "yet another symbolic gesture that lacks any real substance."
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- "Every policy decision of the Bush Administration
including the war in Iraq, healthcare, jobs, the economy, judicial nominations,
housing, the environment, as well as secondary and higher education, has
done nothing to strengthen Dr. King's dream," Cummings said.
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- Earlier on Thursday, Bush hailed King's legacy during
a visit to the predominantly black Union Bethel African Methodist Episcopal
church in New Orleans. "I'm really not worthy to stand here, when
I think about the fact that ... this is the very place where Martin Luther
King stood, as well, some 42 years ago."
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- He also promoted his program of government aid for religious
charities, which is popular among some black clergy. He announced new rules
that help "faith-based" charities compete for $3.7 billion in
Justice Department funding.
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- Bush raised $1 million at a New Orleans campaign fundraiser,
and $1.3 million in Atlanta.
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