President Clinton and former Senator Dole tell what they will do for Blacks

Ebony, Oct, 1996

AS election day--Tuesday, November 5--approaches, African-American voters are mobilizing to play a decisive role in one of the most important presidential elections in American history. The forthcoming election will decide whether President Bill Clinton or former Senator Robert Dole will occupy the White House for the next four years and will determine, by almost all accounts, the future direction of national policy on race relations, employment, welfare, drug enforcement, and the rebuilding of capital-starved inner city areas.

To help African-Americans gain greater insight into the views of the two major candidates, the editors of EBONY asked President Clinton and Senator Dole to respond to 10 questions of vital concern to the Black community, including employment, affirmative action and redistricting.

Both candidates were given the same set of questions, and both responded with answers that provide the campaign's first real debate on racial issues.

We hope the responses will provide crucial information and stimulate our readers and all African-Americans to vote on November 5.

EBONY: It is generally agreed that there has been a sharp rise in racism and an alarming increase in ethnic tensions within recent years. If you win the November election, how will you address this problem?

PRESIDENT CLINTON: Growing up in the segregated South, I regularly witnessed and was distressed by discrimination. The leaders of the Civil Rights Movement were my early heroes, and opposing racism was a major reason why I entered public service. As governor of Arkansas, I fought to repeal all remnants of Arkansas' segregationist past.

I believe we must continue the work of the Civil Rights Movement and build a society that moves beyond discrimination, valuing the contribution of every American. I am committed to ending hate crimes and racial violence, as well as more subtle, but still pervasive, racial divisions.

SENATOR DOLE: I believe we can no longer accept arguments that divide us by race. We all have too much in common and too much at stake to allow division. The things I am talking about--more jobs, safe streets, strong families, a decent public culture--are not racial issues and should not be exploited as racial "wedges." They are the hopes of all Americans. I am committed to this broad mainstream and I will make every possible effort to unify our country.

As president, I will denounce racism in any form as quickly and as harshly as I did the burning of African-American churches. And, as I did then, I will call on the Justice Department, state police and local law enforcement authorities to use every available resource to find and punish those who are responsible for acts of hate.

As I said in my speech to the National Association of Black Journalists, there are problems in America that we can only confront together, as one nation and one people. Together we will define a new civil rights agenda--focused not simply on rights, but on the common needs and rights of every American. To achieve these goals, Jack Kemp and I will, on the one hand, seek healing and reconciliation. On the other, we will aggressively prosecute those who choose to discriminate. My intention is to reunify America by ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to share in the American Dream.

EBONY: Almost everyone agrees that the Supreme Court and other courts across the country have moved to the right on civil rights, affirmative action and other Black-oriented issues since the landmark civil rights decision of the Warren Court. In appointing people to the national courts, will you use an ideological test? Will you consider men and women, Black and White, who have a record of fairness to women, Blacks and other minorities?

PRESIDENT CLINTON: I believe our courts should be representative of society as a whole. As governor, I appointed more women and Blacks as judges than all previous governors in Arkansas history. I have continued that commitment as president, appointing persons with exceptional qualifications.

I am proud of my judicial nominees as president. I have nominated 42 African-Americans to the federal bench--over 18 percent of total federal bench nominations. Over 55 percent of my judicial appointments are women and minorities--the highest proportion of any administration.

I will continue to select for the bench persons with unquestionably good judgment, excellent education and wide-ranging experience.

SENATOR DOLE: No, I will not use an ideological litmus test when choosing judges to serve on the nation's courts. And, yes, I will consider both men and women. My choices will be based on the character and common sense of the individuals, not gender or the color of their skin.

Two major considerations I will look at is whether potential judges are prepared to deal swiftly and roughly with the criminals that terrorize our neighborhoods and with those who practice any form of discrimination.

I find it shameful that law-abiding Americans are often locked behind bars--the security bars on the windows of their homes--while criminals are left free to roam their streets.