By SHANNON McCAFFREY
WASHINGTON (AP) - Endorsed by 1992 independent presidential candidate Lenora Fulani, Pat Buchanan promised Thursday that his Reform Party campaign for the White House would reach out to minorities.
Fulani, who is black, disagrees with the conservative Buchanan on social issues such as abortion and gay rights. But both believe the two-party political system must be shaken up.
Fulani will serve as a co-chairman of Buchanan's campaign and will seek support for his candidacy among minority voters.
``We're going to integrate that peasant army of his,'' Fulani said. ``We're going to bring black folks and Latino folks and gay folks and liberal folks into that Army.''
Buchanan said Fulani's support ``sends a new message that this coalition is open to all.''
``The traditional conservative message has a great resonance with many African-American folks,'' he said.
Despite the endorsement, Fulani said she would support a primary between Buchanan and New York developer Donald Trump, who also is considering a Reform Party run.
``I think it would be great and exciting,'' she said.
Buchanan and Fulani said they were putting aside their differences on social issues to unite on policy matters such as economics and government reform. Both agree that many people have not shared in the country's economic boom and should band together to break the two-party stranglehold on the political system.
``In traditional political terms, Pat Buchanan stands for all things that black progressives such as myself revile,'' Fulani said. ``In traditional political terms I'm certain that he would say the same thing about me.''
``So how did we get to be standing here together with me endorsing his candidacy? Because we have a common in interest in overthrowing the traditional political terms,'' she said.
Joining Fulani as co-chairmen of Buchanan's campaign are his sister, Bay, and Pat Choate, Ross Perot's vice presidential candidate in 1996.
AP-NY-11-11-99 1618EST