Editor’s note: Each week, WorldNetDaily White House correspondent Les Kinsolving asks the tough questions no one else will ask. And each week, WorldNetDaily brings you the transcripts of those dialogues with the president and his spokesman. If you’d like to suggest a question for the White House, submit it to WorldNetDaily’s exclusive interactive forum MR. PRESIDENT!
At today’s White House news briefing, WND asked presidential press secretary Ari Fleischer about President Bush’s support for what he calls “affirmative access” policies and whether he applied racial factors to hiring policies when he served as managing general partner of the Texas Rangers baseball team.
WND: The New York Times this morning quotes Linda Chavez, the president of the Center for Equal Opportunity, as saying Sen. Trent Lott has made it difficult for us on the right side of the civil-rights issue to go out and oppose racial preferences. And my first question, does the White House believe this statement from Linda Chavez is incorrect?
FLEISCHER: Lester, as I indicated, I am not going to enter into and comment on every development along these lines. I’ve spoken repeatedly for the last two days about the president’s positions on affirmative access.
WND: Well, she’s not a senator. But my second question I’m sure you can answer. Your explanation of how the president when he was governor advocated affirmative access was interesting and I think well informed, and it shows that you’re well acquainted with this issue. So you can assure us the president never hired players for his baseball team by affirmative access rather than ability alone, can’t you, Ari?
FLEISCHER: At the risk of getting myself in great trouble with the president of the United States, when you take a look at the record of the Texas Rangers during this period of time – (laughter) – Lester –
WND: On ability alone –
FLEISCHER: Lester, I have no idea what you’re talking about. (Laughter.)
WND: Wait a minute. You know exactly what I’m talking about, because you know damn well he did not hire anybody except – excuse me. You know darn well that he never hired any of those Texas Rangers on the basis of their skin. It was just their ability, wasn’t it, Ari? I mean, tell us. Be frank.
FLEISCHER: The president believes in the policies of affirmative access, and he believes that people need to be judged on their merits.
WND: But not for the Texas Rangers, did he, Ari?
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