[...] Q Okay. Secondly, on the event that's going to be in the East Room today -- I was actually looking at the numbers today, and in 1960, Richard Nixon captured 32 percent of the black vote; in 1988, George Herbert Walker Bush captured 12 percent; Ronald Reagan got 9 percent; George W. Bush captured 8 percent of the black vote in the year 2000. It is the lowest of any Republican presidential nominee since these records were being kept in 1960. And I wonder what prospects you hold out for advancing that at all in this coming election?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, look, I remember having worked for him as Governor. The very first time he ran for Governor, there was a lower percentage of the African-American vote he received. And then after he had been in office and the people saw his record of accomplishment, in terms of providing equal opportunity for all people in the state, those numbers went up significantly, and he received a strong showing in his re-election as Governor.
And I think that if you look at our record, which is what the President will be talking about in this election, it is a record of accomplishment. We have worked to provide equal opportunity and equal rights for all Americans. And the President is proud of his record, and he will continue to reaching out -- reaching out to people from all walks of life and all backgrounds, starting with, in terms of the record, the most important domestic policy initiative in this area that I think people should look at is the commitment the President made to improving our public schools and passing the No Child Left Behind Act. We are now working to ensure that every child has the opportunity to learn and succeed and that parents know how their school -- their public schools are performing. Parents have more of a say in their children's education. We're saying that every child can learn and can succeed. We're not giving up on anyone.
The President is also working to close the minority homeownership gap. One of the goals he set out was to create 5.5 million new minority homeowners by the end of the decade. What we've seen to date is that 1.5 million minorities have reached this dream of homeownership.
So this is about expanding opportunity for all Americans. He's also moved forward to strengthen our economy and provide an environment where people are able to find jobs; people that want to work are able to find an opportunity to work. We've seen that the policies we put in place are working. Small businesses are flourishing, and entrepreneurs, as well.
And so I think look at the record. We're also vigorously enforcing our civil rights laws at the Justice Department. It's a record that is a strong one. And this was the first administration, I would remind you, that banned racial profiling in federal law enforcement. So we'll continue talking about our record, and we're glad to compare that with anyone's.
Q Can I follow up on that topic for a second? Is there, aside from these large-scale efforts to, for example, improve the economy or public education, are there specific outreach efforts that the administration or the campaign is making to the African American community? And would the administration consider that those efforts had failed if, for example, the President doesn't go above 10 percent in the --
MR. McCLELLAN: Absolutely. In terms of the campaign, I'm sure they'd be glad to talk to you about our outreach efforts. The President believes in reaching out to all Americans, and that includes the African American community, as well. I might point out, too, another area where the President has made strong progress is by reaching out to faith-based and community organizations to help people in need and to help those who are suffering. Those who have a proven record -- those organizations that have a proven record of helping people in need. So those are important issues to highlight.
Q Scott, given your long explanation of this event today, should we rightfully interpret this as a campaign event?
MR. McCLELLAN: No, Ed, I don't know where you're getting that from. This is an event to mark a milestone in our nation's history. And this is an event to pay tribute to all those who worked so long and hard to make the Civil Rights Act a reality. There is still more that we need to do to build upon this record and make sure that we're providing equal opportunities for all Americans. But this day marked a day that it was enshrined in our laws. It is something that the President will continue working to build upon through the initiatives I outlined.
Q Scott, as far as who is going to be there today, we heard that tentatively the daughter of President Johnson would be there.
MR. McCLELLAN: I believe that's correct. We'll get you a list of those who will be attending. And I did see her name on the list. So I suspect she will be there.
Q Elijah Cummings -- is Elijah Cummings --
MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, I believe we reached out to the Congressional Black Caucus, and he will be here representing the Congressional Black Caucus.
Q NAACP?
MR. McCLELLAN: Let me get you the list. I don't know the entire list, but I do remember those individuals were on there.
Q You said Elijah Cummings?
MR. McCLELLAN: I believe he is attending.
Q And Robert Byrd or Fritz Hollings? They filibustered it.
MR. McCLELLAN: Let me keep moving, Jeff. [...]
| And that's the part of today's "Press Briefing by Scott McClellan" at the White House that caught our attention
[...] After the Civil Rights Act became law, the change was felt immediately all across America. In 1964, Dale Long was a 12-year-old boy living in Birmingham, Alabama. One day, before the law was passed, Dale and his brother convinced their father to take them to a movie where blacks had to enter through an alley and could only sit in the upstairs balcony. "I could see the look of humiliation on my dad's face," he remembers. A few months after the Civil Rights Act, the Long brothers returned to that theater. As they remember it, they were with a friend. "We went to see a James Bond movie," Dale says, and this time they entered through the front door and sat where they pleased.
The indignity of Dale Long's first experience at that movie theater seems like something that happened many lifetimes ago. Yet, such experiences are within the living memory of millions of our citizens. These past four decades in American life give witness to the power of good laws to prevent injustice and encourage the finest qualities of our national character.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 gives all Americans another reason to be proud of our country. The work of equality is not done because the evil of bigotry is not finally defeated. Yet the laws of this nation and the good heart of this nation are on the side of equality. And as Dr. King reminded us, "We must not rest until the day when justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream." [...]
| That's just part of today's White House transcript "President Thanks Civil Rights Pioneers on Civil Rights Act Anniv"
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