VP Joe Biden, Not Obama, to Address NABJ’s New Orleans Convention

11 months ago

Despite changes in minority journalists' alliance, largest group lands newsmaker

Vice President Joe Biden will address attendees of the National Association of Black Journalists at its 37th annual convention and career fair next week in New Orleans, the group announced Monday.

Biden will address more than 2,500 journalists and media professionals, who are expected to flood the Louisiana city’s convention center and hotels, on Wednesday.

Over the years, NABJ has been able to draw Washington newsmakers, including Barack Obama, then a U.S. Senator; Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton; then-Sen. Hillary Clinton; Sen. John Kerry; Secretary of State Colin Powell; and Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, according to a release announcing Biden’s appearance.

[ALSO READ: Why Sharpton Cancelled NABJ Appearance]

Last year, Attorney General Eric Holder and Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington addressed the 36th convention in Philadelphia.

The Biden announcement comes after concerns over the impact of the organization’s decision to pull out of this year’s UNITY Journalists convention in Las Vegas and out of the alliance altogether.

Some NABJ members have questioned if the president would skip NABJ to address a more diverse gathering of media professionals, which now includes Hispanic, Asian American, Native American and lesbian and gay journalists.In election years, the UNITY convention has draw presidents and presidential candidates.

No announcement has been made on whether President Obama will address the UNITY convention.

Attendees of NABJ’s New Orleans confab can expect a range of professional development opportunities and discussion of recent flashpoints in the news, including the 2012 presidential election, the Supreme Court challenge to the federal health care law, the case of slain teenager Trayvon Martin.