To: PROLIFE who wrote (867 ) 3/10/2004 8:11:46 AM From: JakeStraw Read Replies (2) | Respond to of 1483 Remark by Kerry stirs criticism The Washington Post WASHINGTON - The head of a civil rights and legal services advocacy group wants Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry to apologize for saying that he wouldn't be upset if he could be known as the second black president. "John Kerry is not a black man -- he is a privileged white man who has no idea what it is in this country to be a poor white in this country, let alone a black man," said Paula Diane Harris, founder of the Andrew Young National Center for Social Change. Last week, Kerry told the American Urban Radio Network: "President Clinton was often known as the first black president. I wouldn't be upset if I could earn the right to be the second." Kerry's spokesman Chad Clanton said: "This was intended as a light-natured remark about President Clinton's strong legacy with African-Americans. It is a legacy that John Kerry would like to build upon if elected president. John Kerry has a record of fighting for civil rights and as president he will continue this fight." Harris also criticized civil rights leaders who "sit back and ignore these types of comments, a practice that further insults African-Americans." The Kerry campaign asked Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., who is black, to weigh in on the issue. He said Kerry's remark shouldn't be taken as a jab at blacks. "Kerry was simply stating that he wanted to follow in the footsteps of Clinton in addressing issues that are important to African-Americans," Meeks said. The Andrew Young National Center for Social Change, based in Harrisburg, Pa., provides legal services to the poor.dfw.com