ambassador to china and the impact of running for president on his family. tonight at 10:00 p.m. on c-span. >> watch more video of the candidates. see where reporters are saying and track the latest contribution with c-span's website. it helps you navigate to the political landscape with to intercede and facebook updates and links to c-span's media partners. all last season and. -- all at cspan.org. >> good morning, and welcome to "newsmakers." we are alive today to talk about the jobs situation. our guest is congressman emanuel

cleaver. thank you for being with us. in our studio here in washington, two journalists, jonathan alan and cut -- peter ralston. congressman, thank you for being with us. i want to ask you for about the last few months when congressional black caucus members have been openly critical of obama, and especially focused on the lack jobs in black commities. do you think you will have accomplished anything yet in terms of getting specific action from the it ministration? >> the main reason for the five- city stop and our jobs there is

that we have been able to get jobs for some individuals who so desperately wanted those jobs. some of them stood in line from 4:30 a.m. until the late afternoon. in atlanta, we had over 5000 people turned out and 12 had to be taken to the hospital because there were overcome by heat. we do think that the administration saw what we saw, but more significantly, the enti nation saw the pair are people who are in excruciating -- entire nation saw that there are people who are in excruciating pain because of the job situation, and it might be healthy for them to get involved in helping not just african-americans, but i think they would prefer to do it in a way where they dealt with, for

example, the long-term unemployed, or individuals who live in certain tracks, certain census tracts. but to be sure, i think we were successful in getting the attention of the nation and the white house, and congress. >> congressmen, and just wanted to ask you, because of that attention, i think one of the things that has been highlighted is the tension that african-american voters feel betwn wanting to be pportive of president obama -- a lot of those voters are democrats, obviously, and proud to have a president who is the first african-american -- but the unemployment re for african amicans is sometimes twice what it is for whites. do you expect there to be more open criticism from members of the congressional black caucus? our constituents saying -- are

constituents saying that they will give you room to do that without having a backlash against members of congress who are critical of the president? >> first of all, we're celebrating our 40th year as the congressional black caucus. when i speak to those who were around 40 years ago when the congressional black caucus was formed, charles rangel and john conyers, they remind me, and i'm glad they do, that there has never been a president who reached the oval office who did not receive strong criticism from the congressional black caucus. president obama has received less stinging criticism from members of the caucus, but these members represent a constituency, and i think they may have made a decision, and

that is, i'm going to represent my constituency and try to remain as faithfulo supporting the nation's first african- american president as i can. when you try to do that, you're walking between the rain ops. that is not easy to do. however, i do think members of the congressional black caucus believe that they would be negligent if they did not say that we believe there is a need to give attention to the african-american population in this country where you find 15.9% unemployment. i think most people, economists and sociologists, believe that number is probably in the upper- 20's. when you consider individuals who are under-employed, discourage it and quit looking. yes, there is some tension, but

yes, there is some tension, but the tension is only because members want to help the president in a way that we could convert stumbling blocks into stepping stones. we can criticize the policies of the president without attacking somebody-ness.s the president is a good man, but because he is a man, a human beings, some of his policies from time to time may n meet with the expectations of african-americans, whore part of the american population. >> why should this president do more to target african-american communities? he has to worry about independent voters who are

fleeing him in the polls. he has to worry about hispanic voters. he has a lot to worry aut politically. politically. what are the ways that the cbc and congressional civil rights leaders can put pressure on him? what are the political consequences for him? consequences for him? >> you just hit it. i think if things are not changed in terms of how african- americans believe they are receiving some help and attention from washington, i do think that the president will still get 90%-95% of the black vote. the question is, 95% of what? the key right now is turnout. to some degree, a think we have someiscouragement in the ranks of african-american

voters. they're not going to vote for the republican candidate for a number of reasons. they're going to vote for the president. but i just had a middle-class, african-american woman who i have a great deal of respect for tell me she was not going to vote. she told me she was disappointed. my response is, you will be more disappointed if you do not vote, because your lack of voting will actually enhance and encourage people whose political philosophy is antithetical to the things that you believe and want. i do think that the president will get a large nber of voters, but there is one thing i need to remind you. the president has given targeted attention to the hispanic community, and he should,

because they are a part of america and they deserve some attention because they have some unique problems and some unique concerns. what members of the congressional black caucus are saying is that so do we. i would hope, i really, really would hope that this nation has grown past this neanderthal position where, if he is going to give attention to african- americans, we're not going to vote for him anymore. i would love to believe, and i embraced the notion that america is not there anymore. if we are still there, i think we are in trouble. >> is there a way for you to put pressure on white members of congress, particularly senators, gubernatorial candidates, to be pay more attention -- to pay more

attention to jobs in the african-american community? the president will get the black vote, but will clear mccaskill, bill nelson? are you pressuring them, talking to them at all about how to put some more attention on this issue? >> yes, our executive committee has sat down with senator reid, majorityeader read, and we have discussed in great detail proposals we have submitted on the house side and to the white house. that would allow some attention to be given to the depression- level unemployment numbers in the black community. depression levels. i mean, what group in america with those kinds of numbers could be ignored? but yes, we're putting pressure

on the senate side, and we believe we're getting some support for the things we are pushing. the problem is the senate has those arcane rules, and now you have to get 60 votes to get anything across. it is unfortunate. we have introduced, we, the congressional black caucus, 40 different pieces of legislation designed to create jobs. but the reality of washington, which i hope your viewers understand, is that majority means everything, and because democrats are in the minority in the house, none of our 40 bills are being considered. none of them have traveled to a committee. certainly, none of them have come to the floor. but that is not going to stop us from continuing to push.

this is a major crisis in america. look, i represent a district about 17% african-american. kansas city is not a city with the majority black population. but i am convinced the people of good will understand that you give attention to your sore thumb. if your other thumbs are reasonly ok and you damage your thumb, you need to give some special attention. you try to keep from further injuring it and you also try to keep it. -- try to heal it. i think americans coming independents, democrats, understand that. >> can you give a few examples of what you think the white house and the administration should do now? what should the president say in his speech coming up on jobs

that would be specifically aimed at curing that sore thumb that you are talking about? finally, what assurances are you getting from the white house that the president will talk about this in his speech? >> whether the president talks about it or not -- and i know he has a lot of concerns and considerations -- we intend to submit to the president, based on what we have learned in this five-city tour, some pieces of legislation and some suggestions believe should be included. for example, we believe there is a way to deal with theroblem without dealing with race, temporary assistance for needy families. this program has beelauded by a republican governors such as haley barbour of msissippi. he says it is one of the best programs we could fund. in this program, individuals would be hired by private

entities, and in some cases public entities, and the federal government would pay 80% of the salary, and the employer would pay 20%. the program is designed to last 18 months, after which, we believe that the county would be better -- the economy would be better and those corporations would be able to pay the entire salary themselves. it would cost about $4.5 billion. i think we would have democrats and republicans pushing the legislation if it surfaced. at the same time, we're hoping to get the white house to consider something that frankly, several of our republican colleagues are considering an believe to be a great idea. i met with paul ryan and jeff hinterland. we propose to them that we will

create a legislative initiative that would require that communities that have been persistent poverty for more than 30 years would receive 20% of the grant making agency dollars. that would help us to begin to hire in areas. we never mention the word black. we never mention ethnicity. we talk about the american public. keep in mind that the poost congressional district in the nation, the district has the greatest issues of poverty is not represented by an african- american or hispanic. it is a district in kentucky. it is represented by hal rogers. the poorest district in missouri is not kansas city.

it is not st. louis. it is in the blue hills of missouri, represented by joanne emerson, which most democrats believe to be a fabulously fair, decent and good person. those are just two examples, but there are other examples of how we could begin to deal with this problem. >> we have heard some criticism of the focus on green jobs, rural jobs i particular. are there types of jobs you feel are more helpful to the black community? in essence, are their white jobs that are getting the focus and black jobs that are not questi? >> i am not sure their white jobs and -- >> let me put it differently.

are there jobs that have gotten focus that are more helpful to white communities and jobs that are more helpful to black communities in terms of the focus from the administration? what kind of jobs should the government be trying to create or allow private business to create ? >> the company that had to lay f 10 individuals when the recession started, even if they have become home now, they probably are not going to hire those 10 individuals back because thin have changed. technology has advanced. companies are figuring out that they can in many cases produce more by hiring fewer individuals. this is the point that people are not going to like but it is critically important. we have got to have job training.

not just for african americans, but for sure for african- americans, but for all americans. if we do not, we will get behind. we are in the global economy. we will have got to of a well- trained work force in the united states that -- we have got to have a well-trained work force in the united states that can compete with people in china, taiwan. if not, those people are going to lea our shores and go abroad. we can also take advantage of what i believe to be the growing industry in this country, which is green technology. in the future, we're going to need people who can audit homes, energy audits, where they can come in and find the leaks, not unlike what plumbers to today. they find the leaks, and then the weather is asian person

comes in and whether rises the eatherization person eatherization person comes in and whethe eatherizes te home. those are two jobs we do not have today. we need people who can install solar panels. this ishe wave of the future. if we fail to train the american workforce, we're going to end up having all of the jobs that people could use to further develop this nation going abroad. there are some jobs that we can do now if we can have some equity. if we're able to get a highway bill approved. if we're able to get the transportation tax increase and build our roads and bridges

across the nation, and do it in a way that requires states who receive money to demand participation from all citizens of that state, whether they're hispanic, african-american, and if they fail to do that, they will not have any share in the jobs that will be created by the transportation bill. >> i'm curious if you think there is a fundamental, philosophical divide on some of these issues between african- american lawmakers who have been around a long time and the first black president who is younger and from a different generation than many of you. when he is asked about the economy and the disparities between communities -- is tha the divide you cannot reconcile?

>> the president has a philosophy, and i have heard the rising tide lifts all boats. but there are a lot of people in poor communities who do not have boats, and the rising tide drowns them. we have to be concerned about the least of these. i do not think there is a divide based on age in the american -- african-american community. i was the first african-american mayor of canton, missouri. i understand the thinking goes on around the white use because it went around in my circles as well which is, you know, be careful. know, be careful. stay away from too many african- american events.

if your film in front of the large number of african americans, it will scare the white. i think our nation has moved past that. we improved the african-american and latino parts of our city, and did it to the cheers of the whole city. there are alws going to be people who do not like the black community. that is always going to happen. those individuals will face the president. but what the president can learn is that those people are not going to vote for you anyway. the haters are never going to come to your side, so you try to do what is right. try to do is going to rebuild the fabric of this nation and make us stronger, because everybody is doing well. 1% of the population owns 33% of

the nation's wealth. the average black family is worth 5006 under and $77, according to the pew center -- 56 $77, -- $5677, according to the pew center. >> what is the country need to do to get to a place where there is efficiency with employers and potential eloyees so that it does not take a five city tour to get folks hired who are looking for jobs, and to get employers to hire them if they have openings? >> that is a much more compcated issue, because the corporate community of this nation is holding back approximately $2.5 trillion. they're nervous about spending money. consumers are concerned about

buying right now. there is so much uncertainty in the country economically, the frankly, i understand the reluctance on the part of the corporate community. but a recession is kind of like a wheelbarrow. it is going to sit still until it is pushed. the federal government has got to be the pusher. this whole day -- the day we just had about the debt ceiling and the -- debate we just had about the debt ceiling in the deficit was about the fundamental definition of the nation and its government. are we going to come to the conclusion that t government has no role to play except the military. if that is the case, america will not be america very long. the other side of the argument

is that the government has the response ability to try to get the wheelarrow moving. once we can get it moving, i think things can happen. you do not say that if a pig is skinny, you take away more food and that will make it healthy. you feed the pig. that is what we must do as the federal government. we must be the economy to get it moving again. if we do not, this recession is going to linger and become a way of defining the new economic normal in this country, which is not what we want to do for our children. >> i want to come back to what you said a few minutes ago, which sounded like a fairly stinging criticism of the white

house. you talked about a fear of offending white people being a consideration when you were mayor. have you talked about ts with the president before? >> no. and every african-american office has had to face this. it is not a stinging criticism of the white house. this is the united states, and that happens. now, i am absolutely certain that there are probabladvisers in the white house who are always looking at how the president handles issues related to african americans, because there are people in the population who will interpret that to be ugly and wrong. there has been one member of congress, believe it or not, who

has said that president obama is only concerned about black people. i do not think there many other members of congress who would embrace that, but the fact that somebody would say that publicly could give you release some idea about where we are and the fact there would beome criticism of the president, albeit, i think, people who would never ever support the president. the congressional black caucus understands that we have 42 membs, democrats and one republican. half the cbc is racially mixed, as am i.. we have a unique vantage point, which is we understand that this

whole issue of race is ridiculous, stupid, ignorant. we of to get past this, and one of the ways, i think, is that when african-americans get positions of iluence, to bring the city along with him or her. bring the state along with him or her. bring, indeed, the natn, along with him or her. i do not think it can be done in a haphazard way. i think it has to be strategic, and i believe that president obama can do it. they're probably trying to the drought how to do it, but there are probably people in -- they're probably trying to figure out how to do it, but there are probably people inside who are encouraging him to shy away from it. economic teamnt's

is pretty white. do you think he would benefit from having more african- americans among his senior advisers, particularly experienced with this particular unemployment issue? what is your sense when you talk to his economic advisers of their understanding of the black community issues with unemployment right now? >> this is some african-american presence, but what i am hoping for is that the congressional black caus can present to the president what we have seen and our suggestions for the healing of the u.s. economy and how we create jobs. i would think that using as -- i mean, after all, of the 43 members of the cbc, 40 two of