Black Caucus Wants Obama, But Also More Jobs Action

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus told a town hall meeting there is no doubt who the CBC wants to see win the White House in 2012: Barack Obama.

At a packed church auditorium in central Los Angeles, Rep. Karen Bass, D-Calif., accused the media of creating a controversy between the caucus and the president.

"Part of the way that it's been covered, frankly, has pissed me off, because they always want to see us divided," she said. "The Congressional Black Caucus is very clear about who we want to see in the White House the next four years, and we're not going to let them divide us."

But not every member was as thrilled about President Obama's performance.

"His advisers are not advising him correctly," Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., told the audience, referring to a White House jobs plan which many liberals expect to be too small.

"We have to have the president of the United States coming out for the jobs bill that will put millions of Americans to work," Conyers said. "We want the president on our side."

Another Democrat representing California, Maxine Waters fired up the crowd, but steered clear of telling the Tea Party to go to Hell during this event, as she did several days ago. But she did accuse them of distracting voters with "all kinds of issues-about burning the flag, abortion."

As soon as she uttered the group's name, the audience answered with sustained "boos." Later, during Q&A, a member of the audience asked how the Tea Party have so much power.

Waters again restrained herself, joking briefly --"I thought you were going to ask me to repeat where I told them to go." -- but then saying that the Tea Party simply organized effectively.

"They took over the Hill, they spat at our members, they walked the halls, they knocked on doors. They were loud, they were boisterous, they were threatening." She urged the crowd, who was there as part of a CBC-sponsored jobs fair, to follow the Tea Party's example and organize.

Waters also attacked Fox News, calling the network "the enemy," accusing it of trying to "destroy us" and telling the audience to turn it off.

The Q&A portion of the town hall started late because introductions went on for an hour. Members gave the audience advice on how to get hired during the jobs fair Wednesday.

And one more time, Rep. Conyers repeated his appeal to the president. "We're joining you to get you re-elected, Mr. President. We need you there. And we can't keep you there unless we do something about J-O-B-S."