Kerry, Jackson tell blacks to ignore gay 'marriage' issue

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MIAMI -- Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry and civil rights activist the Rev. Jesse Jackson told black voters at a church here yesterday that President Bush's support for a constitutional amendment against homosexual "marriage" shouldn't be enough to earn their vote.

Mr. Kerry attended Mass at a Catholic church in North Miami, and then spoke during services at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Miami , as he and several black Democratic leaders tried to rally black voters.

"How many of you -- someone from your family -- married somebody of the same sex?" Mr. Jackson asked of the congregation of about 500. After nobody raised a hand, he asked, "Then how did that get in the middle of the agenda?"

"If your issues are cancer and Medicare and education and jobs and Social Security and decent housing, then how did someone else put their agenda in the front of the line?" he asked.

Following him a few minutes later, Mr. Kerry urged his audience to try to ignore diversions from the issues Mr. Jackson had mentioned.

"All they're going to do is attack and attack and try and divert, and push some hot button that has nothing to do with the quality of your life on a daily basis," the senator from Massachusetts said.

Both parties wonder how well black voters, who traditionally vote Democratic, will turn out to support Mr. Kerry on Nov. 2. The senator has invested time in the past two weeks visiting churches with primarily black congregations and meetings of ministers.

The issue of banning homosexuals from marrying is a wild card, with polls showing black voters overwhelmingly in support of such a ban.

But Mr. Kerry yesterday said, "Don't let them fool you with these diversionary tactics."

He appeared at yesterday's service with Mr. Jackson and Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee of Texas; Rep. Kendrick B. Meek of Florida; Mr. Meek's mother, former Rep. Carrie Meek; and the Rev. Al Sharpton, who campaigned against Mr. Kerry for the Democratic presidential nomination.