Rick,
  I thought you'd be interested in the story below from the 
African-American paper The Chicago Defender.  If you like, feel free to 
publish it on the Election Law list.
Morgan

Bush tells CBC he's 'unfamiliar' with Voting Rights Act
by Roland S. Martin, Chicago Defender
January 27, 2005

President George W. Bush met with the Congressional Black Caucus Wednesday 
for the first time as a group in nearly four years, but what CBC members 
said stood out the most was the president's declaration that he was 
"unfamiliar" with the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most 
significant pieces of legislation passed in the history of the United States.

At the conclusion of yesterday's 40-minute meeting, Bush - who attended 
along with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice - was asked by Rep. Jesse 
Jackson Jr. (D-2nd) whether he would support the re-authorization of a 
portion of the Voting Rights Act that must be approved every 25 years (It 
will come up for consideration next year).
"I don't know anything about the 1965 Voting Rights Act," Jackson recalled 
the president saying in an interview with the Chicago Defender.

He said that a hurried Bush went on to say that "when the legislation comes 
before me, I'll take a look at it, but I don't know about it to comment any 
more than that, but we will look at it when it comes to us."

"It was so unbelievable to me that as soon as I walked out, I got Frank 
(Watkins, Jackson's top legislative aide) on the telephone, put 
(Congresswomen) Maxine (Waters, D-Calif.) and Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), 
so that I could confirm what he just said is what I heard," Jackson said.

Rep. Bobby Rush (D-1st) said he recalled the president saying he was 
"unfamiliar" with the Voting Rights Act.

"I was surprised and astounded," Rush told the Defender.

Rep. Danny Davis (D-7th) and Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) could not be 
reached for comment.

White House spokesman Allen Abney did not specifically address Bush's 
statement of being unfamiliar with the Voting Rights Act, but said that 
"there is a section of the Act that is up for re-authorization in 2006, and 
the president is firmly committed to protecting voting rights. He indicated 
today that he would be looking closely at the Act as it comes up for 
re-authorization and certainly take their concerns into consideration."



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