Clinton8217;s anti-racial drive on rough patch

In a flurry of television interviews, Clinton sought to dispel his critics8217; argument that the campaign he unveiled on Saturday, which revolves around having Americans speak out before a presidential advisory board, will be a lot of talk about race with little or no official action.

Where Clinton is most likely to feel the sting is on affirmative action programs that give preferential treatment to minorities, such as in job hiring or university admissions.

Critics say the President was absent on that issue during the most inflamed moments of the debate over California8217;s proposition 209, which eliminated race-based admission policies in the state8217;s university system.

8220;Where was the President when the issue was engaged?8221;Conservative William Bennett asked on CBS television. He was not going to anger anybody in California by coming out on the wrong side, or the right side, so he was silent. That8217;s not political leadership.8221;

But Clinton, in an interview on CNN, said the overall problem of race is much more complex than the affirmative action debate.

8220;There are other issues here,8221; he said, and having Americans voice their opinions about them before the advisory board will give the President the information he needs to try to solve the problems.

8220;I believe about eight in 10 Americans would think that was worth doing,8221; Clinton said on CBS. The presidency is still an effective bully pulpit.8221;

A CBS news poll released on Sunday indicated that 58 per cent of Americans believe racial problems are beyond the President8217;s control, up from 46 per cent four years ago.

Sixty-six per cent of blacks and 53 per cent of whites said they think race relations in the United States are generally bad.8221; Twentysix per cent of blacks, said race is important, but so are other issues. And 53 per cent of whites said Clinton is taking on racism to guarantee his place in history,8221; while 47 per cent of blacks said he is doing this because he really cares.8221;

The poll was conducted by telephone June 10-11 with 1,021 randomly selected adults. It had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

The White House said the poll results reflect the problem that Clinton identified and things may change once people begin talking. The President believes, first and foremost: get people involved in this discussion,8221; said White House spokesman Josh Silverman.

The President8217;s initiative is built around a year long series of town hall meetings by an advisory board, which will offer recommendations the White House will compile into a report on coping with the country8217;s new multiracial, multiethnic reality.