American Urban Radio Network reporter April Ryan took her mic into the Oval Office for a one-on-one chat with President Barack Obama on his record thus far, focusing in part on how it has affected African Americans.
Obama has been under fire from the Congressional Black Caucus for not doing enough to specifically aid minorities. Some of the criticism has hinged on the dire straits many minority broadcasters find themselves in, and has included requests for the use of stimulus money for loans to see them through the current recession. However, broadcast issues did not come up in the course of the exchange.
Obama repeated his earlier assertion that in his current position he has to work toward fixing the economy for everybody, and that as things improve, everybody will be lifted, including minorities.
Confronted with critical public comments from some such as actor Danny Glover, Obama said he could find many others who would support what he’s done thus far.
He said that the mere fact he and Ryan were chatting together in the Oval Office was evidence of great progress for minorities in the US.
A transcript of the interview is available at the Huffington Post in an article under Ryan’s name. See it here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/april-d-ryan/interview-with-president_b_400142.html
