Description:
Kevin White (Mayor, City of Boston) holds a press conference to discuss his victory the previous day in the mayoral election. White discusses his potential role as a national spokesman on urban issues. White says that he has no plans to assume a national role. White predicts great success in his next term; rejects Boston's reputation as a racist city; guarantees the safety of all citizens in the city; discusses the city's affirmative action program as it relates to his administration; and says his administration will not tolerate racial violence.
White notes the community's responsibility to speak out against racial violence; discusses the recent shooting of Darryl Williams (African American Jamaica Plain student). White talks about former city employee James Kelly (South Boston Information Center) and the need to be sensitive in making appointments to city jobs.
White discusses the city's poor racial climate, and assesses the extent to which he is responsible for it, and his belief that other cities are more racist than Boston.
White talks about his support base in the mayoral election and about his opponent, Joseph Timilty. He discusses the US Senate race and notes that he has not been asked to endorse Edward Kennedy (US Senator) or any other candidates.
White expresses confidence in the vitality of the city and talks about his priorities for the next term, including tax reform and the development of the North Station area.
White is very relaxed and has a good rapport with the media.
0:00:11: Visual: Kevin White (Mayor, City of Boston) walks into a small room where a press conference will be held. He greets the members of the media informally, saying "Hi everybody." He jokes with the media about having forgotten his tie. White sits down on a couch. Microphones are set up on the coffee table in front of him. White says that he is pleased about his victory. A reporter asks White if he and Henry Maier (Mayor of Milwaukee) will join Dick Hatcher (Mayor of Gary, Indiana) as national spokesmen for urban issues. White says that he will speak out on urban issues as he always has; that he has no plans to assume a national role. White adds that there are mayors in other cities who will become influential and make themselves heard. He mentions Bill Green (Mayor of Philadelphia) and Don Frasier (Mayor of Minneapolis). Another reporter asks White if he will be eclipsed by these new urban mayors. White makes a joke, "the old gray mare, he is what he used to be." White says that he will speak out on national issues which affect Boston. A reporter asks what the next four years will bring to Boston. White says that the next term will be the greatest of his terms as mayor. He mentions that Bob Ryan (Director, Boston Redevelopment Authority) is optimistic about new building projects. A reporter comments on Boston's reputation as the most racist city in the nation. White says that Boston's reputation as a racist city is not correct. He notes that he cannot rid the city of racism and hypocrisy. White guarantees that people of all colors and nationalities will be able to walk the streets safely by the end of his term. A reporter asks White if he will hire more African Americans to key positions in the city administration. White says that there is a good affirmative action program in place; that the African American community supported him in the election. White says that racial violence will not be tolerated in the city. He says that the residents of Charlestown helped to apprehend the youth involved in the shooting of Darryl Williams (Jamaica Plain student); that the residents of Charlestown did not want to be seen as harboring racist criminals. White says that his administration will not tolerate racial violence.
0:06:24: V: White notes that the Charlestown Business Association held a press conference within hours of the Williams shooting; that they condemned racial violence in the press conference; that people in the community need to speak out against racist violence. White says that he will enlist his supporters in the neighborhoods to speak out. A reporter asks White if he will be more sensitive about whom he puts on the city payroll after the "Jimmy Kelly affair." White says that he is always sensitive about whom he puts on the city payroll; that the media will always disagree with his hiring decisions. White notes that James Kelly (South Boston Information Center) resigned from his city job; that he was not fired. The reporter asks if it is a good idea to have Kelly representing the city by holding a city job. White says that he was not willing to fire Kelly in order to court African American voters during the campaign. White says that he wanted to be elected on his record, not for his ability to play upon the emotions of voters. White adds that Kelly was qualified to do the job for which he was hired; that hiring Kelly was not a mistake. White says that he does not want to fire city workers because of their beliefs, even if their beliefs are unpalatable.
0:09:32: V: A reporter asks White if he feels responsible for the poor racial climate in the city. White says that he cannot change it all by himself; that he has never ducked a crisis. White adds that the city will not come together until more people become active; that the voters need to elect good people to the Boston School Committee and the Boston City Council. A reporter asks White how Boston got its reputation as a racist city. White says that racism is a national problem; that problems in Boston get more media coverage than problems in other cities. White mentions that there are severe racial problems in Detroit and other cities; that many affluent communities are very racist. White says that Boston has lived through busing and has learned from it; that there are racial problems in Boston; that he does not think of Boston as the most racist city in the US. A reporter asks White about low voter turnout in the election. Jump cut on videotape.
0:13:14: V: White says that he expanded his political base in this election; that he did not lose support in areas where he has always been popular. He expresses confidence in the vitality of the city. White says that he has not been approached for an endorsement of Edward Kennedy (US Senator) or any other candidates for US Senate. White jokes with reporters about not needing to talk to the media now that he has been reelected. A reporter asks White about his priorities for the next term. White talks about tax reform and the development of the area around North Station. A reporter asks White why he did not attend Kennedy's announcement at Faneuil Hall this morning. Jump cut on videotape.
0:15:16: V: White talks further about the race for the US Senate. A reporter asks White to analyze the campaign strategy of Joseph Timilty (former mayoral candidate). White says that he does not like to pick apart the strategy of an opponent. White says that both he and Timilty knew that Timilty had a good chance to win the election. A photographer focuses on White and takes his photo. A reporter asks if he will lay off workers from the city payroll. White deflects the question with a joke. He has a good rapport with the reporters. White closes the press conference. He commends the reporters on their professionalism, saying that they treated both him and Timilty fairly. White and the reporters prepare to leave the room. White speaks informally to Sharon Stevens (WGBH reporter) and others.
Date Created:
11/07/1979
