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Washington Prowler

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"When President Clinton was in the White House, we were listened to and we were given the respect a caucus such as ours deserved," says a staffer working with CBC chairman Rep. Elijah Cummings. "This White House has basically ignored us. You would think that on a trip to Africa they would want to draw on the insights and breadth of experience CBC's members have in the region."

Clinton made a point of inviting congressional delegations on a number of foreign trips during his administration. But the Bush White House has pointedly not included similar delegations its overseas trips. Thus far, only White House and appropriate administration staffers have gone overseas with the president.

More broadly, White House legislative affairs staff has been in contact on a number of occasions with Black Caucus members, although given the CBC's far left politics there have been few opportunities for the two sides to find common ground. Even before Bush left for Africa, and before knowing his full itinerary, CBC members were critical of his trip. Some of the animus between the CBC and the White House goes back to that caucus's defense of former member Rep. Cynthia McKinney, who famously charged that the president knew in advance of the 9/11 attacks.

topics:
Nancy Pelosi, Africa