CBC Alights Statuary Hall

She also lauded the fallen members of the CBC who recently passed including chairwomen  Stephanie Tubbs Jones, Juanita Millender-McDonald and Congresswoman Julia Carson. Pelosi made reference to the release of a new edition of the book Black Americans in Congress, which is dedicated to the memory of the late Congressman Julian Dixon of California and celebrated the life of CBC co-founder Gus Hawkins

“At a time of economic upheaval and uncertainty when we are fighting to protect working and middle class Americans, Gus Hawkins’ record in Congress can serve as a guidebook to protecting the American Dream,” she said.

Pelosi’s comments were followed by Sen. Reid who mentioned that today the United States Senate finally passed the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crimes Act. “This legislation honors the memory of an innocent 14 year old boy from Chicago, who was brutally beaten to death, for no good reason,” he said noting that Republicans blocked the bill for over a year. “The bill we passed today will give the Justice Department the tools necessary to finally investigate and prosecute fatal civil rights-era crimes still wanting for justice.”

Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-FL), chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation invoked a since of pride calling this a “Spiritual Moment” to stand in Statuary Hall, knowing that the country faces the preface of  the first CBC member to potentially “walk through this chamber and become the first Black President of the United States of America.”

“Today we celebrate 137 years since the first Black person was elected to congress,” said Rep. Carolyn C. Kilpatrick of Michigan, chairwoman of the congressional Black Caucus after the celebration in response to Rep. Meek’s statement. “We are standing on the shoulders from 137 years ago. We are honored, privileged and we must not take it for granted. We have much work to do and the dye is not cast until Nov. 4.”

Meanwhile, during Pelosi, Reid, Kilpatrick and Meeks speeches, Sen. McCain announced on television his intention to suspend the campaign and his desire to cancel the presidential debate scheduled for Friday evening with the intent that the presidential candidates work towards a solution for our country’s economic challenges. He encouraged Barack Obama to follow his lead.

Whether or not McCain took the lead in this effort is a matter of contention. According to a source at Fox News it was Obama who reached out to McCain early Wednesday morning to suggest a similar intention.

Regardless of who reached out to whom, some agree that both Senators belong in session to discuss the $700 billion financial rescue package and others believe that an effective president should be able to accomplish both objectives. In a news conference later Wednesday afternoon Obama responded to McCain saying that he saw no need to cancel the debates.

“The debate should take place as scheduled,” remarked Pelosi to NPR this evening. “We have to be able to do a couple of things at once. That’s what leadership requires.”

After the event at Statuary Hall Senator Sheila Jackson Lee commented that congress should delay a vote until more thorough investigation is made into who will manage the bailout. “I want to make sure that no one who is responsible for this collapse is able to sit on the commission,” says Lee. “I want us to think deliberatively and be thoughtful about what kind of restructuring we want to have. I want us to make sure that we include diversity and if we go forward that we protect community banks in our neighborhoods–[including] the very few African American banks that still exist such as Unity Bank in Houston Texas.

Several attendees expressed the opinion that McCain wanted to suspend the debate because before the bank crisis he stood firmly on the stance that government should not interfere with the free market.

“It was Sen. McCain who said that the underpinnings of our economy are strong. Well these are the underpinnings,” said California Rep. Diane Watson referring to rampant foreclosure rates and the collapse of several financial institutions in the past year.

“I do believe that Barack Obama will be president, but no single entity will get us to where we need to be,” said Rep. Danny K. Davis of Illinois. “There are serious discrepancies in African American life. We have a lot of work to do, but you can’t work without hope. I think James Weldon Johnson was right when he said we are facing the rising sun of our new day begun.”