LOS ANGELES (FinalCall.com)�Is white America ready to have a Jewish vice-president, who is a heart beat away from being the President of the United States of America, was the question raised today by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan during an hour-long, morning press conference held at the Radisson Hotel on Aug. 11. "If America answers that question well, then America has indeed matured," he said.

Currently on a nationwide tour in support of the October 16, 2000 Million Family March on Washington, Min. Farrakhan said that the country has to grow beyond its own anti-Semitism and called Mr. Lieberman's nomination "a great test for America."

When asked about Mr. Gore's choice for vice president, Min. Farrakhan offered the context in which a vice president should be chosen. "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, be able to step in and run the country," said the Nation of Islam leader. Most everyone believes that the Connecticut Senator has the ability to step in and run the country if anything should happen he said.

Citing a comment attributed to Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., the Minister said the choice of Mr. Lieberman shows the maturity of the Democratic Party in choosing a member of the Jewish faith to be the vice president. "That choice now, must be accepted by the American people" and that choice is not a problem of Blacks, but a test for whites, he said.

Mr. Lieberman, known for his conservative political views, needs to clarify his commitment Min. Farrakhan said on issues sensitive to Blacks such as affirmative action, charter schools and school vouchers.

Min. Farrakhan reminded the gathering that four decades ago, President John F. Kennedy was the first Roman Catholic to be nominated for president and the concerns of the public then, was whether or not he would be more loyal to the Vatican and the Pope, or to the Constitution of the United States. "Mr. Kennedy passed that test. Unfortunately, he was assassinated," Min. Farrakhan said.

Mr. Lieberman, as an orthodox Jew, is entitled to dual citizenship in both the U.S. and in Israel under the law of return. "The state of Israel is not synonymous with the United States," Min. Farrakhan said. " 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," he said. In addition, the Minister noted Mr. Lieberman's assertion, that the cornerstone of America's foreign policy is the security of Israel.

"Now that to me is significant," Min. Farrakhan said. Any Arab or Muslim country not in agreement with Israel under this kind of assertion may be interpreted as a threat to U.S. foreign policy. "Then America's foreign policy would lean toward ostracizing, vilifying or maligning those Muslim states," he said.

Min. Farrakhan said that he hopes that if Mr. Gore and Mr. Lieberman become the President and Vice President of America, that a just and fair policy would come from the government of the U.S. toward Muslim states who may have some disagreement with Israel. "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 your position would be with the Muslim states," he concluded.

In addition to the Lieberman question, Min. Farrakhan spoke of the moral decay of America, the corporate buy-out of government, and the need to reconstruct the family and the restoration of family values.

He also addressed at length the success of the 1995 Million Man March on Washington and explained the vision for this year's fifth anniversary of that march.

With a million families gathering on the Washington Mall Min. Farrakhan said, armed with a National Agenda addressing policy issues and programmatic plans of action for a new century, it will leverage a new beginning for America, "if America is to survive," he said.