Urban League head disappointed in campaign

WASHINGTON, Dec. 25 (UPI) -- The head of the Urban League said Sunday that Washington will have to face up to issue of the income gap in the coming elections.

Urban League President Marc Morial said the recession had hit African-Americans particularly hard and changes in the unemployment rate did not address the problem of downward mobility in wages.

"The unemployment rate does not tell the story of anxiety many people are experiencing," Morial said on NBC's "Meet the Press so. "I think there is the sense of 'will it get better? Will my condition in life, and my family's condition, really improve, no matter what happens in the election of 2012?'"

Morial contended that the presidential election was thus far avoiding necessary discussions about the future of the United States but was instead focused on the solidification of partisan political bases.

"I hope that when issues are joined, when the Republicans nominate someone and the president is head-to-head, there will be a real debate about the future of the nation," Morial said.