What did Minister Louis Farrakhan really say about Democratic Vice Presidential nominee Senator Joseph Lieberman? And why is the white-owned media intentionally misrepresenting his very clear words on the candidacy of the first Jewish candidate for that office?

The following unedited text is excerpted from a one-hour press conference that Minister Louis Farrakhan had Aug. 11 with journalists from white-owned mainstream media and the Black press in Los Angeles during a Million Family March promotional tour stop in the city.

Question by journalist from the L.A. Focus newspaper: My question is: Senator Lieberman was selected as America's first Jewish vice president candidate. Do you feel that that choice was a good choice, and what are your thoughts on a Jewish candidate being selected as the vice president? And do you think Black America is ready for a Jewish vice president?

Minister Farrakhan: See, that ends the press conference (Min. Farrakhan, audience laughter). That's the question that everybody wanted to know. After I answer that question, I guess the press conference is over. (Laughter continues.) When one is chosen to be vice president, really the top consideration should be, should the evil accident of time or something unfortunate happen to the President of the United States, that the Vice President, in his experience and wisdom, should be able to step in and run the country. Most everyone believes that Senator Lieberman has those kinds of qualities. That he could step in should anything happen and run the country well.

Black America would always be ready to receive a Jewish vice president because it has never been a problem for Black people what a person's faith is if that person is qualified. I must say, though, the choice of Senator Lieberman is a great test for the United States of America. Not so much for the Blacks. But it is a test for America. The question should be, is white America ready to have a Jewish vice president who is a heartbeat away from being the President of the United States of America. (Applause, light laughter, cheers).

If America answers that question well, and by well I mean that anti-Semitism would not raise its ugly head, if America answers that question well, then America has indeed matured. I think Rev. Jackson said, I'm not sure. I think it was Rev. Jackson (who said) it shows the maturity of the Democratic Party to chose a member of the Jewish faith to be the vice president. That choice now must be accepted by the American people. Blacks are not a problem. Never have been. Now, if you want to know if Louis Farrakhan is going to be a problem (light laughter), see, those of you who think that I am anti-Semitic, you are so mistaken.

If this man (Lieberman) is qualified, if this man would be fair and just, and as a Muslim, now I have concerns. As a Black person I have concerns. Maybe he will help us to be more comfortable, because he was against affirmative action. A lot of Black people see the public school system as having failed the American people and they are in favor of vouchers. He was not.

I agree with Senator Lieberman when he takes on Hollywood and the filth that is being poured on the American people in the name of the First Amendment. I agree with Mr. Bush who is pro-life, but I think that when John F. Kennedy became the nominee of the Democratic Party, I think he was the first Catholic and people had concerns as to whether he would be more loyal to an edict or something coming from the Vatican than he would to the Constitution of the United States. Mr. Kennedy passed that test. Unfortunately, he was assassinated.

Mr. Lieberman, as an orthodox Jew, is also a citizen, dual citizenship, with Israel. And the state of Israel is not synonymous with the United States. And the test that he would probably have to pass is would he be more faithful to the Constitution of the United States than to the ties that any Jewish person would have to the state of Israel. That's very real. Other people, fearing that they will be called anti-Semitic, may not raise such a point.

I am not anti-Semitic, but I raise that point. And I'll go one step further, and that is this, that I think it was Senator Lieberman who said that the cornerstone of America's foreign policy is the security of Israel. Now, that to me is significant because as a Muslim now, I'm speaking as a Muslim, any Arab or Muslim state that does not agree with the existence of Israel because of land being taken from the Palestinians to carve out that state, and if they seem to be a threat to Israel, then America's foreign policy would lean toward ostracizing or vilifying or maligning those Muslim states. Libya for one. Iran two. Syria three. Arab nations that won't come in and play ball--four. Iraq. Sudan. So that bothers me because I visited all of these countries and I know that they would like a better relationship with America, and I would hope that if Mr. Gore and Mr. Lieberman become the president and vice-president of this great nation, that a just and fair policy would come from the Government of the United States toward Muslim states who may have some disagreement with Israel.

And I think that's fair for me as a Muslim to be concerned. So, if I were Jewish, and I saw a presidential hopeful, I would want to know what their position is on Israel. As a Black man and as a Muslim, I want to know what will your position be with the Muslim states. What will your position be with Syria and the Golan Heights. What is your position with the peace process? How do you feel about Iran? Iraq? Libya? Sudan? These are called rogue states because America has the power to name people and make the name that they call you stick. These are not rogues. They are people that really have a point of view that is never heard in the Congress before the Congress arrogantly calls them rogues. We have never invited them to the Congress to defend themselves.

That kind of thing has to stop and that's why we can't leave it in the hands of Mr. Lieberman or Mr. Gore or Mr. Clinton or Mr. Bush or Mr. Cheney. It's got to be now in the hands of the people of the United States of America. (Applause)