Bush to speak at NAACP meeting

? For the first time in his presidency, Bush plans to speak to the NAACP.

The president had declined invitations to the NAACP’s annual meeting for five years in a row, and has often been criticized in speeches by the group’s leaders. But under new NAACP President Bruce S. Gordon relations have improved.

Presidential spokesman Tony Snow said Bush decided to speak to the group Thursday because of “a moment of opportunity” for the president to tout his civil rights record and mend fences.

Every president for the past several decades has spoken to the group. Until now, Bush had been the exception.