MILWAUKEE-Attempting to revive his campaign after tight funds and low support in recent polls, Democratic presidential hopeful Howard Dean appealed to the black community in Milwaukee, culminating in an appearance at a predominantly black church where he asserted his stance on affirmative action.
\I think the people in Wisconsin ought to have some say in who's president,"" said Dean, who bypassed the seven states holding primaries and caucuses Tuesday to focus on Wisconsin and Michigan.
After an appearance on ""Meet the Press,"" Dean met with approximately 30 members of the Milwaukee black community.
Following the meeting, Attorney Gen. Peg Lautenschlager introduced Dean at a brief press conference at the Hilton City Center. She said Dean upheld the ""proud progressive tradition of progressive participatory government"" by focusing his campaign in Wisconsin.
Dean defended his candidacy during the conference, saying he opposes rhetoric, which is different from reality.
""I stand up for what I believe in,"" he said, adding he does not always say what people want to hear, but said it is better to be honest than to make promises to people that will be broken later on.
He also used the press conference to outline his proposed alternative to Bush's ""no child left behind"" program. He said the real way to ensure no child is left behind is to fully fund special education, increase technical assistance for schools and focus on the
development of children between the ages of zero and three.
When asked what he planned to say at Holy Redeemer Institutional Church of God in Christ, where he would attend a service less than an hour later, Dean said he would decide that when the time came.
As Dean sat to the left of Bishop Sedgwick Daniels at the predominantly black church, clapping and singing with the gospel choir directly behind him, he tried to convince those in attendance he would bring a sense of community back to the country.
Daniels praised Dean for the ""wonderful things he embraces,"" and Dean took the opportunity to voice his opinion on affirmative action.
He explained affirmative action is not always the result of racial prejudice, but the ""unconscious bias"" of hiring people of the same ethnicity as the employer.
""I'm tired of being divided in this country,"" he said. ""I'm tired of being divided by race. I'm tired of being divided by gender. I'm tired of being divided by income, religion.""
Dean also stressed the importance of voting Feb. 17, criticizing candidates who promise to single-handedly bring change to the White House.
""The truth is, the power to change your country is in your hands, not mine,"" he said. ""In two weeks, you have the power to take back the White House.\
