Summary

NAME: US CAMPAIGN 150704N TAPE: EF04/0715 IN_TIME: 11:19:05:22 DURATION: 00:02:36:07 SOURCES: APTN/ABC DATELINE: Philadelphia/Washington DC - 15 July 2004 RESTRICTIONS: Part No Access Internet SHOTLIST: ABC - No Access Internet Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1. Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry walks through crowd shaking hands 2. Kerry walks on stage, hugs National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) President Kweisi Mfume and Chairman Julian Bond 3. SOUNDBITE: (English) John Kerry, US Democratic presidential candidate: "Now, I want you to know I'm honoured to be here. I understand, listening to Julian (Bond, NAACP Chairman) and recognising what has been going on, I understand you've been having trouble getting some speakers (laughter). So I want to thank you for the invitation. Some people may have better things to do, but there's no place that I'd rather be right now than right here in Philadelphia with the NAACP." 4. Kerry at lectern 5. SOUNDBITE: (English) John Kerry, US Democratic presidential candidate: "I will be a president who truly is a uniter, not one who seeks to divide one nation by race, or riches, or any other label. And you know something, the president may be too busy to speak to you now, but I got news for you, he's going to have plenty of time after November 2nd." (Applause) APTN Washington DC 6. White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan walking to podium 7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Scott McClellan, White House press secretary: "The president has many friends who are members of the NAACP. This president has been an inclusive leader who has set a positive tone for this country and he has a proven record of working to improve the quality of life for all Americans and a proven record of reaching out to all Americans. I think it really is disappointing to see the current leadership continue to repeat the hostile rhetoric they have used which really shows that they're not interested in a constructive dialogue. Nevertheless, the president is committed to continuing to reaching out to the African-American community and committed to continuing reaching out to NAACP members and he will do that based on his record and based on his vision." 8. McClellan leaving White House briefing room STORYLINE: US Democratic presidential contender John Kerry has accused President Bush of dividing America by race and riches. Taking advantage of a White House feud with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Kerry declared himself a leader of all people as he addressed the crowd at the annual convention of the NAACP. Bush skipped the convention to protest against the NAACP's criticism of his policies, but plans to address another influential black organisation, the Urban League, next week. White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters that the current leadership of the NAACP had clearly crossed the line in partisanship, making it impossible to have a constructive dialogue. President Bush hasn't spoken to the NAACP since the 2000 campaign, when the group's National Voter Fund ran an advert that portrayed him as unsympathetic to the killing of James Byrd, a black Texas man who was dragged to death behind a pickup truck by white men in 1998. Since the 2000 campaign, which ended in the Florida ballot fiasco that angered many black voters, the NAACP has called Bush an illegal president, compared his anti-abortion views to the Taliban and called his trip to Africa a photo opportunity. Kerry's address to the NAACP in Philadelphia on Thursday was tailored toward the supportive - yet sceptical - black community.