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But, I doubt it.
GOOD.
it's what he should have done.
Yes, we know.
I actually had work to do yesterday, so I didn't get to say much.
But on McCain's "I was not in love with America until I was deprived of her company," and its comparison to what Michelle said: the two aren't the same.
Did anyone see Elisabeth on Hannity after Michelle's appearance? I'm pretty sure she said she brought up the Rev. Wright issue in the makeup room before the show and got a frosty response. She left it open that possibly it was Michelle who froze her out, but I think it was the ladies who put her on lockdown. Notice how uncharacteristically quiet they were on the panel?
Then EH blathered non-stop about not bringing people on the show to make them feel uncomfortable(RIGHT!) Hannity was clearly disappointed she didn't say what he must have told her to(aka Stephanopoulos). Maybe that's why Michelle reached over and grabbed her hand(because of the posited beatdown that happened in the makeup room)...Michelle, always classy and kind to the lowlife.
The Obama's make people who insult them look so small.
What about the Lars guy raging about how Michelle has a "do-nothing" job, being "extremely fortunate"..etc? What is with all the white exploding heads over this black woman with an Ivy League education??! Where is THAT coming from? Do they really believe you can coast academically and still graduate from Princeton & Harvard?? Well, not if you're poor!
MCCAIN'S EXACT QUOTES:
"I really didn't love America until I was deprived of her Company."
"I was born into America's service. It wasn't until I was deprived of her company that I fell in love with America."
When someone in the audience at a Town Hall asked how he could be proud of his country. McCain responded:
"I’ll admit to you that it’s tough, it’s tough in some respects."
GET IT RIGHT!
Here we have 3 separate occasions where McCain expresses ambivalence about his pride in his country.
McCain has bragged about his low grades and position 5 from the bottom of his class....citing his poor grades and subsequent status as evidence you can make it in America.
First, his family's wealth, then Cindy McCain's wealth greased his way through life. John is an entirely unremarkable man who owes his success to Right Wing America's worship of death. It's no surprise they butt heads with religious fanatics...they are kindred spirits.
Happy Friday!
The "De-blackification" of Barack and Michelle Obama
It shows just how much of a double standard there is for Obama and his family. I have yet to hear on any mainstream media site about her drug issues but earlier this week I was still seeing articles about Obama's "drug use." Obama decided against public financing and now he is taking the heat for it. McCain switches it up on issues that will have an impact for years to come and they are over looked.
I know that this is just the beginning but I cannot wait until this is over. The rules of the game are killing me.
There are certain rules that only apply to Black people. :o)
You know when I became as proud of my country as I am now? During my year in Guantanamo.
Does that mean I hated America before? No.
When you have a life-altering experience-say, being a POW-it alters how you view certain things in life. I think all McCain meant was that his love of country grew a little bit more during his time as a POW, just as mine did among the detainees in Guantanamo.
And, yeah, it is tough sometimes to be proud of America. We fuck up sometimes; we're not perfect.
I do not believe that Michelle's admiration of her husband's ascendancy is similar to McCain's experience. I do not know whether there's been something that drastic in her life that would cause her to say what she did. That's why I think comparing the two statements is wrong.
McCain led a privleged life, there's nothing in HIS life that justifies him saying that he didn't really love American until he was a POW. Michelle said she was "really" proud of her country for the first time in her adult life. I'm still not "really" proud of this country. I think Michelle had more than enough in her life to say what she did.
Disagree. Someone who's had a privledged life, and is then treated like a common criminal for a portion of that life, is going to come back with a stronger appreciation of life outside of the circles he grew up in.
And after that, I'm done with Cindy McCain.
I was willing to cut Cindy McCain some slack on her past, that is until she started casting aspersions on Michelle. When Mrs. McCain did that she lost the right not to have her past deeds scrutinized. Forgive the cliche, but people in glass houses really have no business throwing stones.
The man said he didn't love the country until he was captured and "tortured" for 5 years. That is not excusable.
But I guess you're willing to make any manner of excuses for McCain on this one, so I'll drop it.
Mrs. Obama stopped that. The prospect of white doctors performing a trial with black teenage girls summoned the specter of the Tuskegee syphilis experiment of the mid-20th century, when white doctors let hundreds of black men go untreated to study the disease." (source: New York Times
It's "really" hard to be "really" proud of your country when have a first hand account of black folks being used like Guinea pig ! I think that's pretty TRAGIC!
I watched Elizabeth Hasselback on Hannity & Colmes. I decided to see what she would say.
I wanted to choke her through the TV. She was just rambling on and on about garbege while Hannity was congratulating her for asking the tough questions.
I don't know why she is so obsessed with TUCC and Dr. Wright. As Tim Wise would say, "her whiteness is showing".
---------------
Because the right wing and radical feminists are trying to paint Michelle Obama as unfit to be First Lady based on a questionable quote from a few months ago. They are trying to paint her as an angry black baby mama who shouldn't be held up as a role model.
I don't think too many people would want their role model to be a pill popping home wrecking thief, either, so if they're going to go there with Michelle, they also need to go there with Paris Hilton McCain.
We talk about how the suburban white women who were Hillary's supporters supported her in part because they saw her in themselves, a long suffering woman who stood by while she was cheated on by her husband, and we're supposed to believe that these same women will cheer on Cindy McCain, the Other Woman?
See, the more they demonize Michelle, the more they'll focus on Cindy and that's not good for Cindy. Already you have people saying "Wait a minute! Michelle Obama is college educated, got married and had her kids in wedlock, but people are labeling her a lazy baby mama, wait a minute, this ain't right, it's racist."
Lay off Michelle Obama, and people will lay off Cindy McCain.
Muzikal --
I have NEVER seen Obama be this champion of blackness, ever. So I can't say he's running away from blackness when he wasn't running to it in the first place. The whole premise of his campaign was that he "transcended race". A big part of why so many white people like him is because he's not this angry, black, fist in the air, running down all the black grievances type of guy. So IMO there's nothing for him to "deblackify" because he wasn't "black" beyond his skin color to begin with.
As far as the "softening of Michelle," this is nothing new. I've been seeing articles for MONTHS with her talking about the girls, Malia's asthma, how the girls want a puppy, etc. All those EBONY "The Next First Couple?" and "Black Love" articles were nothing but "soft" articles.
I personally don't think Michelle is this fist in the air, will cut yo' ass, bitch-betta-move-out-my-way, type of woman anyway. That's something WE project onto HER. Where we think she looks mean and no-nonsense, she is probably thinking about how she hopes Barack put on a clean undershirt or if the girls are being good for Gramma or she'd like to just go home and take a nice bubble bath.
that's just it...she didn't ask any tough questions on camera. Hannity seemed ticked off that Elisabeth was so restrained which is when she said she asked about Wright in the makeup room and because of the response she got, felt she would be making Michelle uncomfortable. Of course, making herself seem like the hero...but, I think it's the other ladies who read her the riot act.
Were you not done being Cindy McCain's number one cheerleader on Wednesday? Again.... I'm blown away by a supposedly black man going out of his way to support this woman who has the entire world supporting her (legal system, corporate media, etc) while tearing down a black woman with character and class who worked to get everything she has. You have to be dealing with some serious issues with black women.
I checked out your blog and felt the same way that you did about the ad. I have to admit that it was more of a feeling (sad, sinking, rejected, neglected, etc.) than a conscious thought. Then, like you, re-watched the ad 3 times. Nope, no black people there...besides Obama.
A friend talked me back from my disappointment. (Thanks, Texas Girl) The verbal message was good and this 1st general ad needed to reach a new audience. It was helpful to see the target strategy map (earlier in this blog) showing the states where the ad will be placed.
My ego is once again in check and my eyes are on the prize. However, if all of his ads over the next 4 months continue to show no cultural diversity...
I'll be a pissed-off-but-still-voting-for-Obama-b*tch come November.
What you've missed is that I've never attacked Michelle. My issues with her have consistently been either:
1. Her failure to recognize how certain things she says could be taken out of context,
2. Obama's staff's failure to recognize the same, and suggest to her not to say them.
Apparently, problem #2 has-or is being-fixed.
Have you ever seen me try to defend the things that Cindy McCain's done? Wait, I'll answer that: no. BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT DEFENSIBLE. Yes, she had the addiction. Yes, she's been involved in shady fiscal dealings. Yes, the beginning of her relationship with John-on the surface-seems suspect. I could lie and say they didn't, but that would make me ignorant to the facts.
My concern-which Kitty and Town both answered-is why this is relevant now.
In short, there are presently no 527 groups with prospects dim for the formation of one. Obama is fully aware of this which makes his self serving statement about refusing federal financing the height of cynical lying.
It shows just how DUMB and disingenuous these "issues" really are.
Yes, McCain most likely mispoke . . . a "crime" no more harmful than Michelle Obama's comment (which I feel was never harmful in the first place).
McCain had a bad choice of words. And while conservative talk radio will likely continue beating Michelle about the head for her choice of words:
"for the first time in my adult life. . . "
The Dems can do the exact same thing with McCain's choice of words:
"I didn't really love America until . . . "
Fact is we all probably have a good idea as to what both McCain and Michelle actually meant when they made those comments. But partisan politics invites us ignore context, empathy and clarification for cheap political points.
Most political "issues" are only as controversial as the opposition makes them out to be. They're in the drivers seat. It's their call.
For example, Hillary Clinton's Bosnia gaffe would have been twice as deadly if Obama chose to pile on and stoke the flames. Likewise, Obama's "bitter" controversy wouldn't have been half as troubling if Hillary didn't jump at the opportunity to tag-team with McCain and smear a fellow Democrat with a common Republican attack, "elitism."
Well, Sean Hannity and Co. had the opportunity to treat Michelle's comment for what it was, a non-issue. But they didn't do that . . . they chose hyperbole instead. It was their choice.
Well . . . now the Dems have that choice as well.
The Republicans can go there if they want, but McCain has already given the Dems enough firepower to use in retaliation. It's an insurance policy. Republicans bring up Rev. Wright's "God d*mn America," and Dems respond with Rev. Hagee's praise of Hitler as an instrument of God. Attack Michelle's patriotism, and the Dems have two comments to fire right back at the Republicans.
It's ALL a distraction. I'd prefer that neither side feed the fire. But so long as the Fox News crowd wants to play dirty, it's nice to know that Obama's got some fire power of his own.
Bottom line: There is no singular definition of "patriotism." Just as there is no singular definition of "American."
McCain's traditional definition is no more "patriotic" than Obama's progressive view of the same sentiment.
Most people understand this. My goodness, even Laura Bush and Mike Huckabee can see that a lot of these things are non issues.
Yes we all know the 527's are coming. McCain insistence early this month that he can't (read:won't) control Rep 527's that will (and have - look at ads run in SC and other southern states attacking other Dems through demonizing Obama)be set up.
Is Obama being calculating and cold? Yes. Did he change his mind on an issue? Yes. Is he wrong? Not really. Anyone who's even been near a campaign will tell you this is the right move. Why? Because if Americans really cared about public financing McCain would have won last time.
Added to this the Rep. and McCain have shown themselves to be far from honest. He's borrowed money against public money (the case is still pending) and he's flipped in an out of private and public financing during these months of Dem primary battle.
My point? I'm glad Obama didn't hand away his huge money advantage which allow him to outspend and bury McCain. Calling this move petty or unimportant displays an ignorance of presidential politics. Anyone who can't see the intelligence in this move is a failing to be objective. Short term bad press in return he gets a tidal-wave of money.
Along with this, the transparency of the O-mans fundraising operation and claim to the largest group of donors ever (and an average contribution near $100) allows for even more deflection. That's Chicago style.
It's not even the addiction. It's what she did to get the drugs which could have been obtained "legally". All this is relevant now because when Cindy - who has received tremendous grace - was given a second chance, she chose not to extend that same grace to Michelle.
That article actually says that they're not coming.
I think what you mean as that - AS OF NOW, NONE HAVE BEEN FORMED!
Who is to say they will not be formed. Is there a guarantee? WHy should Obama take such a risk especially since the RNC has significantly more resources than the DNC to help Bush-McCain.
I will argue that Obama has sid he would consider campaign financing if he is assured that Bushh-McCain would ask any potential 527's to stand doown. I believe a few days ago Bush-McCain indicated that he couldn't referee the 527's. What kind of leader is he? IMO, that was enough for Obama to pull the trigger, in a manner of speaking, and reject public campaign financing.
For those who don't buy this argument, and chose to refer to it as a reversal, or flip-flop, well boo-hoo to you. All I can say is that it's going to be a long hot summer/presidential election cycle and I will happily buy this flip-flop. All $2,300.00 worth. Now that is true public funds, dontcha, think?
Rock on Obama. Cunning and Charismatic! Love this "ish". Man, it feels good to be a Democrat!
T.
I'm no strategist, but.....
I think that we (conservatives), for the last few years, put most of our resources into the War on Terror, and countering the anti-war crowd.
We expected Clinton to be the nominee. We knew that half the country wouldn't vote for her as dogcatcher. We didn't think we would need 527s; the Clintons' dirt was public knowledge.
Instead, we got Obama. Who brought a fundraising army, and told dhimmicrat 527s to hold (but still kept them in his pocket, just in case).
Unfortunately-or fortunately for y'all-in a battle of 527s this go round, conservatives lose.
Cry me a river. LOL!
Anyway you still have a chance to join a winning team. There are a lot of unashamed Obamacons oou there.
I have a suggestion for ya: Why don't both of us go shopping for $2,300.00 flip-flops, after which we can go out and get ourselves $5.27 pedicures?
Peace,
T.
But given the current budget, Republicans still haven't learned to count. So that can't be it.
Of course, all the "clocks" they've come up with have been, and forgive me for finding this both intriguing and hysterical, demands that Obama pay attention to them. Fox News put up a clock demanding that Obama grace Fox News with an interview -- he did. That acquiescence is likely what led the RNC to the same idea, so now they're demanding both that Obama visit Iraq (with McCain! It's a field trip!) and that he allow McCain to tag along with him on his trips around the country, appearing on the same stage.
By all appearances, they're obsessed with trying to get Obama to grace them with his presence. McCain's constant invitations to appear with Obama have been a wee bit pathetic; I've never seen a campaign so insistent on making themselves the opening act for the other party's candidate.
At the rate they're going through them, they're going to run out of clocks, but I suppose since they're so concerned about what Obama does, we might as well return the favor and help them out. Here's some alternative clocks the RNC can run on their homepage:
Days Since McCain Dared Obama To Eat A Bug: 54
Days Since McCain Demanded New Policy Of '5 Do-Overs Per Debate': 12
Days Since McCain "Forgot" One Of His Previous Positions: 0.5
Days Since McCain Demanded Obama Get Off His Lawn: 3
Days Since McCain Mentioned He Was a POW In Vietnam: 0
Days Since McCain Mentioned He Doesn't Like To Use His POW Experience As Political Tool: 0
Days Since McCain Last Praised Bush Policy Of Refusing POW Status Or Any Other Legal Recourse To Detainees: 1
Days Since McCain Toured Iraqi Marketplace With 100+ Troops And Air Support, Declaring It Safe: 445
Days Since Last Iraqi Marketplace Bombing Killing More Than 50 People: 2
Days Since The Republican Party Had An Original Idea: 3,284
(source: Days Since I Cared: Umm... Ten. Let's Say Ten.
by Hunter, Thu Jun 19, 2008 at 07:15:03 PM PDT, Daily Kos)
And $400 hair cuts.
After which, we go dodge sniper fire in Bosnia.
Then we can come back and be proud/in love with our country.
My main point wasn't the 527's. (Though lower level 527's will be attacking and are attacking Dems down ticket).
My point was that politically this move was expected and reasonable. As I said, if people cared about campaign financing McCain wouldn't have already broken rules in the primary run up to no fanfare. The truth? This is about Obama's promise to pursue negotiations.
What has been very apparent is that neither side wanted these to happen. So, I call it a wash seeing as most Americans won't care in a week and Obama will have a huge money advantage. Maybe enough to blunt the bloated RNC which always has more than the DNC, we'll see.
But I'll concede that 537's probably won't be as much of a problem for Obama himself. I think were people aren't focused is down ticket, where if he plays his cards right Obama can bring people along.
I guess teaching critical thinking and inclusive history are out in America. Imperialist: 1 and Truth: 0.
Most conservatives-whether privately or publically-have already written off 2008.
Again, no strategist, but if anyone asked me, I'd suggest that conservatives:
1. fight for the House/Senate seats we can win,
2. wake up on Nov. 5/Jan. 21 and go to work,
3. hope for an "told you so!!" moment between 2009-2012,
4. retake the Congress in the midterms and-if #3 happens-take the WH back in 2012.
I saw the ad too, but it is his national introduction.
I agree with elephantsandflowers:
A friend talked me back from my disappointment. (Thanks, Texas Girl) The verbal message was good and this 1st general ad needed to reach a new audience. It was helpful to see the target strategy map (earlier in this blog) showing the states where the ad will be placed.
As for Michelle's ' image softening', she went on ' The View' because she has to introduce herself to a new general audience.
Michelle is no 'Angry Black Woman'. She's a Professional Black Woman, and she's being insulted every which way. She has to be put forth in as many ways as possible.
that the right is trying to unfairly paint Michelle Obama as an ' Angry, Militant-Want-to-kill-White-people Black Woman'.
The Obamas have to combat that, and programs like The View help with that.
Raised in conservative states and among conservative intellectuals I have to wonder why people aren't talking about reforming the Rep. party? What does it mean to be conservative in 2008?
I feel like conservatism, and maybe this is reading too much Andrew Sullivan, has lost its compass. It seems like conservative just want to chase the liberal ghost in academia (I'm an academic in training), pretend like the overwhelming opening of my generation is leftist indoctrination, or fight two social issues while selling their other principals to the highest bidder.
Maybe it is time to assess what conservatism is given the failures of the recent past.
But that's just my $0.02
During the Democratic primary, Barack Obama was subjected to scurrilous rumors. Now, his opponents are trying to use his wife as a lightning rod in the campaign.
For example, her comments about being proud to be an American for the first time in her adult life quickly became fodder in a GOP attack ad.
The latest attack involved a false claim that there is a tape of Michelle using the word "whitey" during a speech at Trinity United Church of Christ.
No such tape has surfaced.
Attempts made to stereotype her
But that didn't stop legitimate news outlets from allowing the unsubstantiated claim to enter the news stream.
"I mean 'whitey'? That's something that George Jefferson would say," Michelle told a New York Times reporter. "Anyone who says that don't know me."
I doubt that an unsubstantiated allegation that Cindy McCain used the N-word during a rant would have been handled in the same way.
"I think the over-emphasis on Michelle Obama is truly a hidden bias against Obama," said Lee Walker, senior fellow of the Heartland Institute, a libertarian think tank headquartered in Chicago.
"These are personal attacks. They cannot reach him [Barack Obama], so the person they believe they can hurt the most is his wife," Walker said.
"Never in history has a candidate's wife been attacked like this," he said.
Worse yet, conservative pundits are showing an alarming ignorance about the black community.
For instance, Michelle Obama an angry black woman?
Please.
Michelle Obama bitter?
Give me a break.
What woman, black or white, who is married to a man who has been compared to John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. would be bitter?
What woman, black or white, whose husband -- in less than 10 years -- goes from having the family's credit card declined at a car-rental counter to earning $4 million for two books he's written is angry?
What woman, black or white, who at 44, has an intact family, two beautiful daughters, a loving mother and an adoring god-mother, a dependable social network, who lives in a mansion in a great neighborhood, would feel anything but blessed?
No. This is angry:
The black woman who is stuck in a slum building in an unsafe neighborhood, she's angry.
The black woman who is dragging her baby's daddy to court once a month trying to get child support, she's angry.
The black woman who has to rob Peter to pay Paul and still can't pay the gas bill, she's angry.
No one's life is perfect, but the Obamas are living the American Dream.
So, it is ridiculous that the mouthpieces for the GOP are having such an easy go of it trying to stereotype Michelle as an angry black woman.
That's what it means when conservative columnist Michelle Malkin is comfortable calling Michelle Barack's "bitter half," and when the conservative National Review labels her Mrs. Grievance.
What's next? Michelle doing a neck roll with a hand on her hip?
Successful black women don't have to walk around grinning all the time to assure white people that they are happy they aren't on food stamps.
Michelle Obama has paid her dues by getting a first-rate education, marrying the right man, and making the best choices in her life.
Asking her to skin and grin is asking too much.
Because-at least to some conservatives-there isn't anything good that can come out of an Obama administration. Taxes will increase, gas will continue to go up, we won't be any safer, and liberalism will run wild.
Chaz,
You're right. Ask 10 different conservatives to define conservative, and you'll get 15 different answers. We're all confused.
Anyone else notice the way Barbara Walters silenced Whoopie when she talked about black women and the media. The view is supposed to be about honoring the voices of a diversity of women but when it comes to black women it is time to talk about panty hose.
--------------
Funny how Barbra Walters wanted to discuss her disgusting affair with a black man and all its' intimate detail, but it's pantyhose time when it comes to discussing the black woman.
Funny how Barbra Walters wants to discuss the sexism against Hillary Clinton but wants to change the topic to L'eggs or Hanes when it comes to the sexism against Michelle Obama.
And Geraldine Ferraro, I See U.
I saw your ass last night on Hannity trying to throw salt in Obama's game, trying to whip it back up again. You ain't fooling nobody.
Well, Democrats are having an "I told you so" moment right now under Bush. As a matter of fact, I don't think even Democrats imagined it could get this bad. That's why even Conservatives are voting Democrat for the first time.
The only reason the poor and middle class in the USA are anxious about taxes is because for what they pay, they get little in return:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_and_American_economies_compared
I disagree with you. The only way dhimmicrats could be in a "i told you so" moment is if they knew something along the lines of 9/11 was going to go down.
Wait, there may be some truth to that.....
There's a huge responsibility on the next president-whoever he is-not to "blow it" or have another attack on the country under his watch. I think of the two, Obama's target is bigger, because he's been running on the "change" platform (let's be honest, there's nothing about McCain that suggests "change").
If "change" doesn't work...
I am no great fan of Barbara, but what Whoopi was saying about black women in media isn't exactly true. There aren't a whole lot of black women, but the ones there are don't have "one tooth"...or look beat up, which is what she was implying. When it comes to crime reporting, it goes with the territory that many of the women depicted - both black and white - might be poor and not look all that great.
Anyway, why would Whoopi complain about this when she virtually brags about not wearing a bra herself. Isn't she a representative of dark-skinned black women? A woman past 20 not wearing a bra on television is pretty "beat up" if you ask me.
I respect Whoopi's body of work, but I don't get what she's trying to say most of the time.
Ah...so that's what you meant by an "I told you so" moment! You are saying Republicans should hope for a terrorist attack during Barack's term! Well, I'll let that speak for itself.
I guess the right wing is having the equivalent of an anxiety disorder. It's when you risk your rights, economy, lives etc to guard against things that are statistically almost impossible to happen, while ignoring the more immediate, likely dangers.
Apparently it's payback for Barrow, a superdelegate, endorsing Obama at the last minute, and to show the Blue Dogs and such that he likes them too. But what does that show the rest of us down here?
Just wondering how Obama's fans explain his dissing the progressive black woman for the right wing incumbent and stooge of the telecoms... more of the 50 state stretegy, or what?
I've already seen the "don't blame me; I voted for McCain" bumper stickers.
Yes, it's a sadistic thought process. And it brings with it no small amount of racism.
But as a survival tactic, it would-probably-work. The alternative, though, is that if nothing happens, then there's nothing for Republicans to stand on for 8 years vice 4.
Why is crime rising in so many American cities? The answer implicates one of the most celebrated antipoverty programs of recent decades.
A quote of a quote: “Crime is going along with them.”
As long as the Democratic Party has any power, things will keep getting worse...simple as that.
Former vice presidential nominee John Edwards and former Senator Sam Nunn are on a list of potential running mates for Democrat Barack Obama, a congresswoman told the Associated Press today, one day after she met with members of Obama's vetting team.
Representative Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick of Michigan said members of the Congressional Black Caucus she heads asked her to suggest Edwards and Nunn when she met Wednesday with Obama's vice presidential search team. The vetting team, Caroline Kennedy and Eric Holder, indicated the two were on the list, she told the AP.
Kilpatrick said she made several suggestions, including former Vice President Al Gore, Representative John Murtha of Pennsylvania, and Ohio Governor Ted Strickland.
If Obama wants a surefire way to lose all his military support, he'll pick Murtha.
Just a warning.
Are you talking about a statewide race?
Meanwhile, given Obama's radical political roots, his mainstream talk may be a cover for a more leftist agenda that's otherwise unsalable to voters. Whatever the case, we'll grant that this is "change." Just don't call it change anyone can believe in.
A race for a seat in the House.
Wouldn't work for a House seat(either for state legislature or U.S. House)in my opinion...a district isn't large enough to support that kind of strategy; I don't know where this race is taking place, but it'll take more time/money/energy to run the staff than the campaign itself.
one of the reasons behind the 50-state strategy is to increase the Democratic majority in the House(more likely) and Senate. That is why the the Dean's DNC and Obama's campaign is so on-synch...
others will come along, i'm sure, to shed more light on this...
T.
At Obama's Request, MoveOne Will Close its 527
The article says MoveOn will still spend and raise money, but not with the advantage traditionally given to 527s, which means less influence than they could have had if they remained a 527 (somewhat confusing, but interesting nonetheless).
TPM's Greg Sargent says:
"To put this in perspective, MoveOn's 527 raised $20 million for the general election in 2004 -- and at least half of that came from donations over $5,000."
Given today's news, that's something MoveOn can't do this year.
That makes two major third party sources that Obama has shut down in the past month. Add that to his influence over the Dem. Party to ban the DNC from taking lobbyist money and Obama's creating a favorable narrative . . . he's walking the walk.
I'm sure the Republicans will look for inconsistencies. Perhaps it's all window dressing on Obama's part. Or, perhaps it's still more than anything McCain has done to limit the influence of conservative 527s in 2008. We shall see.
We wont just dodge Sniper fire in Bosnia, we will take a trip to Vietnam. You will pilot the aircraft while I strap in real tight. And when YOU crash the aircraft, we will be held as POWs for five years, refusing to return to the US when offered the chance to...
Only then my fellow JJP member, will we actually LOVE our country even though sometimes it's so damn hard to be proud of it!
LOL!
T.
ps. d, I tell ya, there is tell time to jump that sinking ship and come join us...Got a jug of Obambi Kool Aid to cool you down over this long hot summer...
The deals politicians make can make anyone cringe.
Thank You for informing me in regards to that. That is not good. At the end of the day, it will only hinder those in a district where there is a relatively large black population.
I wonder how others fell about that?
Drinking the Kool Aid....
My friend, that's not change you can believe in.
:)
Come on d, Join us...YES YOU CAN!
T.
I'm gonna sit back and think about this one then come back later. He has a press avail at 4.30p in Jacksonvill, FL, so I hope I can hear him defend this...
He's my guy, but geez Obama..WTF????
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0608/Obama_backs_FISA_compromise.html#comments
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/20/155839/542/779/539258
T.
Question for those smarter than I...would Obama's "50 state strategy" be as effective in a congressional race? And if so, how would you go about putting it in place?
---------
I don't see why not. I know the example I am about to use is not a congressional race, but it still applies:
Back in '89, Doug Wilder used a "95 county Strategy" (or however many counties are in Va). He didn't call it that, but he made sure to visit and campaign in every single county in Va. Remember, he only won by about 7K votes. It's very likely if he had written off the counties in the Appalachian/mountain region of Va he would have lost.
A congressional candidate could do the same thing by all the areas of his/her district and getting to know the people, and not just showing up the Sunday before the election kissing babies and gladhanding in church.
I remember there was a guy running for State Senate and he was actually walking up and down the street, knocking on doors, telling folks about his platform. I voted for him because it impressed me that this dude was walking door to door, asking for votes. He did win the election.
I think it can and should be done from the POTUS down to School Board.
Thanks for that; '89 was before I moved to VA, and I was too young at the time to know WTH was going on.
We Don't Want Baby Alex to Go to Iraq
Personally, I think Alex should be treated as young childred were in Sparta. But that's just me.
Obama on absent black fathers
Obama on America's culture war
T.
I don't think it has much to do with race (i.e., Obama dissing a black woman), but it definitely looks like political expediency. Looks like the other guy is just the safe pick for a presidential candidate who's trying to swing Georgia come November.
I was talking to my mother about this yesterday; Obama's biggest trap at the moment is over-confidence. He's gotta be careful. I like the fact that he's on the offensive rather than the defensive (remember our conversations from a month ago). But he shouldn't take unnecessary risks. I don't know local Georgia politics, but this might be an unnecessary political risk when it comes to the black vote in that state.
i am so fed up with these sellout bastards. they're just republicans in democrats' clothing. the constitution means nothing to them, none of them. they're corporate owned, corporate operated and fuck the american people.
well fuck all of them. and screw obama too. that pathetic excuse he gave for supporting the FISA bill makes me physically ill.
There is some comment about this plus links to local press in Georgia here: Political Miscellany 6/20/08.
even i dont believe this as i write, but it still has to get to the senate, right? and then they can strip out the retro. immunity, right? right?
fuck, but regardless, who will be spying on us come November 5th - Obama or Bus\sh-McCain?
Remember when we found out that Santa Claus wasn't real? This is one of those days. Can't get everything you want in life, but the Constitution? that I thought was a sure bet. Wrong!
T.
The liberal blogosphere is going nuts...wonder what Obama is thinking right about now
And, how will your actions get you/us toward that goal?
These are serious questions.
I am not against such choices at all, but I am extremely interested in explicit clarity about what the actual goal is and how the action moves toward the goal. I've been thinking a lot about this lately.
Appreciation in advance for any replies!
you all tell me there's some reason to hope. i'm going to bed. i can't take any more of this bullshit.
all week mcclatchy has been telling the truth about the United States of Torture and there's been NOTHING about it on the news.
now the democrats AND the man who had me so inspired sell us out to the sorry piece of shit who has the worst approval rating in history. i just can't believe it. i can't.
i have been arguing all year as to why people should vote democrat, no matter what. if you don't get hillary, vote democrat anyway. if you don't get obama, vote democrat.
but i tell you folks, this just makes me want to give up. this is the last straw. i give up.
(866) 675-2008 [Dial 6, then 0, on the menu]
Obama got his big booty bounce baby! 15 point lead over Bush-McCain according to Newsweek.
Still got your back Obama but I gotta tell ya - that FISA thingy got me all shook up. Trust.
T.
The other night I was in a discussion trying to sort through some of my own (perhaps radically) shifting understanding of what is going on in this country.
And I got to this: People who believe that real serious change is going to come through a powerful radical mass movement really dealing with root causes .... have way more faith than I do in this country. And this is a faith that has not yet been shown to be real. Yes we have had movements. And here we still are with what is going on now.
The thing about Obama is that his faith in the collective "we" of this country seems limited to the kind of change that the collective-we is actually capable of doing in actual practice.
I have differed from him on this same issue, faith in the people of this country as a collective group.
But the difference between him and those who explicitly or implicitly rely on a not-yet-existent radical deep-root movement is that -- so far he is showing in actual practice that his (limited) faith is actually warranted.
So I am considering the possibility that the collective-we of this country is stunted to the point of this being all it is capable of actually doing toward change in a real (non-discursive, solid and grounded) way. And why wouldn't it be? This is the place where I guess I am not as patriotic as people who are relying on a radical mass movement for deep-root-causes change.
I am considering the possibility that people who focus more radical are primarily operating on rhetorical ground only -- talking about what the collective-we cannot (because of its actual limitations) actually do in practice.
This from me with 2 decades of focus, participation and interest in activist/social change work.
This is all unsettled for me, just trying to understand. It's shocking to me, what I find myself thinking these days. But I have to respect where my observations and reflections are taking me, no matter where I end up.
That's one talking point that will not go away. I think many Americans (whites especially) were shocked at what some black churches teach (BLT). Such teachings of hatred would be expected from "Black Panthers" and in many Muslim churches, but not from the BLT church that Obama spent 20 years with.
We always knew Elitist was another way of saying 'Uppity'. No shock.
you continue to rock..LOL
See, right there.
Supposed to work for us? That's the claim.
Here's some of the lies I see flowing in the air around all this:
That in this country the default is leaders accountable to "the people."
That this nation is about "the people" and some benign relationship between "the people" and those in power.
Except: This nation is built on stolen land, murder, forced assimilation, Manifest Destiny.
Except: This nation is built on the backs of slaves.
Except: This nation is wreaking horror and havoc around the globe in the name of democracy.
But, people will say, isn't that last one the GOP's fault -- Bush, Cheney?
In this lie, they are just deviants from the great ideals of this great democracy. Not central actors in a country that has been very consistent in its actions across time.
Obama talks about ideals too. But he seems to have a much real-er sense of what he is part of and dealing with.
I wish I could better articulate what this thing is I am trying to get at here. It's frustrating.
Is anybody really shocked?
Or just gutted because you thought he wasn't a politician really?
Barack's FISA statement pisses me off, but I'll live.
Let's see how he votes on it next week. Or more accurately, lets see if there actually is a vote.
Is that smart?
That link doesn't work.
like you, i'm disappointed but bill clinton 2.0...no, i wouldn't even put obama in the same sentence as bill clinton, not even an upgraded version...obama stands on his own, in a different category...let's reserve judgement until his senate vote next week...i knw we'll nt get everything we want but, man, this stings...
T.
Sorry, the Sister in Georgia against Barrow.
Here's some facts folks.
When few others in Georgia were punching Obama's dance card in Georgia, BARROW DID.
He did more for Obama than HALF of the CBC.
When he needed a voice in February, Barrow stepped up to the plate.
And now, Obama's supposed to throw him over because The Sister is in the race?
I dunno. She might be who WE would vote for. But, sort of interesting that back when, she didn't sign up against Barrow back when it didn't look like Obama would win it all and bring out record Black turnout.
You don't turn away folks who punched your dancecard when you were lonely.
I wish her the best, but sorry, I'd have more problems with Obama turning his back on someone who supported him in lean times.
that's it...as far as i know...
T.
BWA HA HA HA HA HA
cracks me up.
Know how to tell when Obama is lying? Watch his lips...if they move, then he is probably going to tell another lie.
That logo is fine. If America is going to warm up to a Black man as president, may as well give folks the imagery.
How many days before McCain rips off the idea?
Unsubtle? What choice does he have when the opposition is very unsubtly suggesting Obama is an anti-American Muslim extremist who would start a race war and institute sharia law? Obama has no choice but to hammer the American people over the head with the fact he's neither an alien nor a Marxist. That being said, the ad does an excellent job doing just that.
Michelle Obama speaks to National Partnership for Women and Families in DC today; Deval Patrick too...
T.
For a long time, I used to think it was better to go second when facing off against someone in an argument. Now I think it's much better to go first. I remember several teachers saying that first impressions matter because it is very hard to correct a bad one. There's probably something to that in politics.
So yes, while the ad is a little forceful in reminding people that he's not an America-hating Muslim, it's probably important. I'd bet that a lot of people don't have firm impressions of Obama, and before we let the Republicans smear him as they undoubtedly will, let's play some offense. Perhaps I won't have to fend off my own mother, who is promising me that she's going to print out e-mails she gets at work that spew the same nonsense we've seen for months on end.
The same sort of idea applies for Michelle Obama. The earlier she gets out in front and defines herself, the likelier it is that she'll be more effective in fighting the garbage coming from the Republicans.
Posted by Brian | June 19, 2008 2:23 PM
Yeah, but they were a little snarky about the seal over on the nytimes blog. The last sentence previously said, "Then again, Mr. Obama is not the president of anything." They've since changed it.
See it here.
T.
I think it's a good ad--and a very necessary one. I'm a white male, and I've been an Obama supporter since February, but even I didn't realize until a month ago that his white Kansas-bred grandparents raised him for many years. Once you realize that, it's much more difficult to paint him as some sort of black radical intent on enslaving the white race and appointing Osama bin Laden to the Supreme Court. It may not be subtle, but he needs to hit this point again and again over the next several months.
Posted by Geomancy | June 20, 2008 2:21 PM
“The choice is clear. Most of all we can choose between hope and fear. It is going to be very difficult for Republicans to run on their stewardship of the economy or their outstanding foreign policy. We know what kind of campaign they’re going to run. They’re going to try to make you afraid. They’re going to try to make you afraid of me. He’s young and inexperienced and he’s got a funny name. And did I mention he’s black? He’s got a feisty wife.”
“We know the strategy because they’ve already shown their cards. Ultimately I think the American people recognize that old stuff hasn’t moved us forward. That old stuff just divides us.”
T.
Which ad?
I heard about the FISA thing.
I am also happy that Mr. Dixon took the time out to come and tell us about what is going on in Georgia.
You see, I stopped defending Barack Obama in March/ April. As someone on here wrote, "I learned that there was no Santa Claus".
Good for Obama. Don't let the bastards use 527's to slander you while your sitting their without the resources to respond, see John Kerry, and don't sit back and let them say you are un-American when, by any standard, you are as American as John McCain. (Except, of course, from the stand point of private morality the GOP like to talk about, Obama is a lot more moral because he's only been married once and didn't dump wife number one to marry somebody richer and younger). Being a good guy doesn't mean that you aren't tough and don't play to win. No doubt David Broder and his ilk will have trouble with Obama playing hard ball, but the Broder crew will then turn around and say the Democrats just aren't as tough as the Republicans when it comes to fighting in both domestic and international politics. Don't bring a knife to a gun fight. Sorry Republicans, the Democrats are playing to win this year.
Posted by RP | June 20, 2008 3:14 PM
do you disagree with my assessment of the Georgia situation?
You think he should dump someone who came and supported him early for someome else?
I thought he endorsed him late..
Barrow endorsed Barack on February 28.
That's not late.
The Repub strategists are coming up with more and more bizarre talking points.. They're railing he can't be trusted for opting out of public financing.. Lou said he broke his word..boo hoo.
Tara just a second ago said on CNN that Obama should apologize for the injecting the "epitome of fear" in saying the repubs would paint him as black and scary.
What do you think abotu that ad?
Also, I am not sure of my impression in regards to the Georgia race but i will figure it out once I learn more about it.
He did it in Feb. As I said before, that puts this Blue Dog giving more support to Obama than HALF of the CBC.
Damn shame.
"They’re going to try to make you afraid of me. He’s young and inexperienced and he’s got a funny name. And did I mention he’s black? He’s got a feisty wife.”
“We know the strategy because they’ve already shown their cards."
So he gets it but wants to play the game the old way.
I know the purpose of the Ad. Plus, don't forget, we are political junkies here.We're on overdose of Obama. There's a lot of America that doesn't know about Obama.
The GOP WILL be running on
HE'S BLACK
HE'S BLACK
HE'S MUSLIM
HE'S BLACK
HE'S BLACK
And, if all else fails..
You can't vote for him.. he's UPPITY.
He's got to get out in front of that.
Or, he'll be the Scary Black Muslim that wants to kill all the White people once the GOP is thru.
This is to fight back.
I guess I just don't have the qualms with it that other folks do. Plus, it's the truth. His White family IS the one who raised him. I always personally wanted to ask White folks - you DO know who raised him don't you? But, I guess Black is just so overpowering and threatening.
See, she has no credibility.
I was like, ' Woman, PLEASE.'
The GOP has been playing the race card since NIXON.
I saw that seal VERO POSSUMUS = YES WE CAN...cheeky... I like it lol.
and...O makes 22 million for May.
No matter what he says, they'll whine. He broke his word!! Horrors!
I don't think anyone but Republicans care. He's not out there campaigning for his health. The idea is to win!
::
Say. It. Again.
Good for him.
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According to his memoir, one of the reasons why he refused to return to Indonesia with his mother was because he wanted to learn how to live as a Black man in America.
His approach to race in this nation has almost always been the approach of an anthropologist.
He's more of his mother than many people realize or accept. I don't mean he's more white than he is African, but she was an anthropologist and its clear her approach to people of different cultures and backgrounds reflects that.
Other than from the books he read, the South Side of Chicago is were he learned the most about being Black in America. It's the place that launched is political career.
He seems very loyal to Chicago. It's no wonder he moved the DNC operations there.
But, yes, Barack was raised by white people and tons of Americans who want to accept him as some radical terrorist simply because they've only been told about his father and his former pastor simply don't know that.
I find it ironic that in his first political loss, he was vilified by Black folks who thought he was a front for the monied interests of white leaders and most of the white working-class voters chose him over the former Black Panther who was endorsed by Bill Clinton.
In this election, he's being vilified by white people who believe him to be a front for the dangerous issues of radical terrorists.
That irony alone is another book.
My sister's birthmother is white. She's never met her. Doesn't even know who she is. But even though my sister was raised by our Black parents and only had Black relatives, she has struggled with her racial identity her entire life.
I think Barack is comfortable in his own skin.
That is no small task.
I am having this discussion over at Too Sense...here:
http://halfricanrevolution.blogspot.com/2008/06/is-obama-blowing-dogwhistle-in-his-new.html
Not interested in going back through it.
I feel you on the new ad and the statements for me are: working hard - no excuses, working and loans for college and finally, working in devastated neighborhoods.....moving folks from welfare to work.
It's not coded it's blatant.
What's the broo ha over FISA, I haven't heard anything?
I hear what you're saying. Yes, it's supposed to operate "for the people," that's what we were founded on. The reality, of course, is different. Back in the day, it was "the people," meaning white men. That changed over time and now we're at a point where the blatant attempts to disenfranchise voters will at least draw protest, mostly.
And yes, this country was founded on theft and violence and blood and the stolen lives and efforts of the enslaved and subjugated. Yes. And what we're seeing since 1980 is a slow process of moving back to the same kind of thing. A kingdom, of sorts, with barons and counts and princes and kings, and with the vast majority of us toiling away to serve our masters, ultimately not achieving anything for ourselves because the system is broken and set up against us, all of us, except the ultra rich.
I don't know that the relationship between the people and power was ever expected to be benign. There are provisions in our founding documents for overthrowing a government that's out of bounds. The Bush administration perfectly fits that description, with the excessive grab for executive power making Bush essentially our king.
This FISA legislation that has me so fucked up is another example of that: Bush broke the law. He got caught. He then sought to have legislation put into place that would absolve him and any others who participated in his illegal acts retroactively. The giant telecommunications companies who participated in unlawful wiretapping and eavesdropping on American citizens without permission and in violation of the law could be sued. But King George will now be the sole arbiter of who gets wiretapped and who does not. If the King says it's okay, then it's okay.
They used that defense at the Nuremberg trials. If the great Hitler said it was legal, then it was legal. Only it wasn't. The excuse didn't work then, it doesn't hold water now. Except among our bought and paid for "representatives" in congress. How I despise them.
Except: This nation is wreaking horror and havoc around the globe in the name of democracy.
I agree with you 100% ~ only democracy is the cover story. Global corporate enrichment is the purpose for it all. Our efforts to prevent the advance of communism all around the globe, our unwarranted attacks on other countries for no reason other than that we don't like their governments, our deposing of presidents and prime ministers not to our liking (read opposed to US intervention, not free marketers, usually leaning toward socialism) and the installation of puppet governments that will allow us to steal the riches of countries all around the world . . . all of these efforts are directed to benefit business.
And that is tragically what has become of us. We have become a government for the global corporation. What serves the corporatist agenda will win approval of congress. What does not ~ such as telecom companies getting their asses sued off ~ will never survive.
By virtue of our trade agreements, we allow the enslavement of working people in other countries. Those biased trade agreements impoverish millions, all in the interest of improving the corporate bottom line.
But, people will say, isn't that last one the GOP's fault -- Bush, Cheney?
It's the fault of every president and congress since Reagan. It started with Reagan, this dangerous rightward shift, and it has continued without ceasing, including Bill Clinton and now, I am certain, Barack Obama.
Obama talks about ideals too. But he seems to have a much real-er sense of what he is part of and dealing with.
Indeed he does and I had whispers of it before this FISA statement, my concern about his associating with the Milton Friedmanites out of the Chicago School of economics, taking one of those discredited fools as one of his economic advisors. I was aware that he saw no problem with hedge fund managers paying a tax rate of 15% on incomes in the billions per year.
I saw much of this and I didn't want to believe it because more than anything, I want ~ I need ~ to hope that things can get better. So I shut my eyes to all of this and here we are, only a few weeks since he won the nomination and it is apparent that my initial fears were true.
At this point, I hope and pray that this country goes to hell and fast. Right now we're like live frogs in hot water, the fire's burning, we're going to die, but we don't know it because it just gets a little toastier, a little warmer, just a bit, every day.
I want the fire on high. I want 50% unemployment in this country, $12/gallon gas, 50 million people to lose their homes. Bring it on, wake up this sleeping nation of sheep.
I feel like I'm in the back seat of a fast car. We're headed down a winding mountain road and the fuckhead at the wheel is sound asleep. I'm screaming my head off, trying to get the hell out of this thing and my fellow passengers are sightseeing, one shouts "stop at the mall!" and the cliff and destruction looms ahead.
Hopeless. Even after a nap. Not much feels worse than betrayal.
I worked hard to pay for college and to pay my debt, I went to a black community and helped them to get off welfare and back to work.
I remeber seeing a clip of Obama being interviewed while riding through Chicago with a reporter and the reporter asked him if the people treated him any different because he was biracial and he replied "they" don't ask what I am.
His response didn't bother me, but it was the look on his face that scared me. He looked very sly, he looked as though he and the reporter knew something "they" didn't know. It reminded me of how I've heard attorneys discuss the ignorance of staff when they thought no one could hear them.
I tried to put the image out of my mind, but after the Father's Day speech and this new ad, I do believe some have been hussled with all the MLK speeches, references to the Civil Rights movement and the occassional mention of racism.
I think Obama like Clinton believes what ever he says that may offend the black race won't matter and that blacks will vote for him anyway in November.
I don't expect he'll be pandering to us much anymore, it's the white conservative turn.
Regardless of whether or when Barrow endorsed Obama, Barrow also endorsed Bush's war early on, and has never wavered from this position. His opponent Regina Thomas has opposed it.
Barrow crusaded against Nancy Pelosi for the earliest possible surrender date to the demands of the telecom companies for immunity from prosecution as they violated two or three of the first ten amendments.
Barrow, like Republicans, calls the estate tax "the death tax" and voted against it. He voted for every one of Bush's tax cuts too. Every one. Regina Thomas denounced all this --- she could not vote against it cause she is not in Congress.
Barrow voted against even the feeble health care measure that other Dems supported, SCHIP. Thomas would have supported it.
Barrow voted for the Patriot Act. He voted to renew the Patriot Act (so did Obama, after campaigning against it in Illinois --- I was there) and voted for Patriot Act 2 (so did Obama). Regina Thomas opposed and denounced Patriot Act 1 and 2.
Barrow voted for the Military Commissions Act, parts of which have now been overturned by the Supreme Court, but which authorized torture and indefinite imprisonment, and trials with so-called "secret evidence". Thomas opposed and denounced this too.
Barrow voted for the credit card bills which removed all ceilings on interest and fees, and he voted for "tort reform" to keep ordinary people from suing corporations. Obama voted for tort reform too, but voted against the credit card bill, after casting a vote in committee against removal of interest ceilings. Thomas opposed both.
One could go on and on. Barrow's voting record is barely distinguishable from GA Republicans in neighboring districts like Gingrey. Thomas has had a steady and largely progressive record in the GA state senate. And the district is 40% black. Barrow has $1.3 million on hand, and Obama has more money than God right now. Thomas is fighting the good fight, but has only modest means.
Obama endorsed a warmongering, racist, torture-loving, Bush-enabling white Blue Dog and Bush enabler over a legitimate and credible black challenger. On the merits of the two candidates, it does not look good. Put all the makeup on that pig you want. It still oinks.
Email me and tell me where to send that peach cobbler I owe you.
bd
tell it, honey. it's a nasty stinking thing and further evidence of the heartbreaking truth about obama.
Politics ain't pretty a lot of times, but should he throw over someone who supported him, ' back when' for someone else.
I know it's sorta un-PC, but if this were a credible ' White' challenger, would you feel this sense of outrage? If this were another Steve Cohen, would you be pushing this so much?
So, the bottom line here is, someone supported him, when he needed supporting. And now, because you like the politics of his opponent, he's supposed to just ditch this person?
Barrow supports the war, and Barack supports him over the black progressive state senator who opposes it. What's hard to understand about this? I am pushing it because it is illustrative of our moral compass at this time. Not Barack's. Ours. Yours, maybe too.
The fact that Barrow supports Obama somehow makes it OK to empower a congressman who has long ago sold out to the very worst forces in this country's politics? When did boosting the career of one man begin to take precedence over whether innocent should be killed, whether prisoners should be tortured, whether citizens should be spied on? If boosting one man's career is more important than war, peace or justice, where are we? And what have we become?
I'm through asking what HE is. What are WE?
I have a feeling we will see a lot more of this from him.
if he had thrown Barrow over for Thomas, that would be ok, because we agree with HER politics?
Just email me about the cobbler. I have another idea about it.
He's throwing over a lot of people who supported him - why not Barrow too?
Didn't Obama consistently say Clinton voted for the war? Wasn't that most of his platform?
As I recall I made a bet with you and skeptical brotha that the Dem ticket would be Hillary and Barack, in that order, several months ago. Am I mistaken?
bd
I'm actually laughing my azz off. I think it's brilliant no matter what that sorry azz Black Republican ostrich (a description of her head in the sand "without a shred of evidence" remarks) Tara says.
I mean, one of the stories this week was Cindy vs. Michelle aka "the angry Black woman" behind the man.
In other cable news, I really got a kick out of the brother who said f-ck the script, hardly said a word about Spike Lee and told Laura Ingram how she (as a collective representative of White women) benefited from affirmative action.
In a word... PRICELESS!
I could swear I saw a thread here on JJP that credited Black voters with being key to Obama's primary win. Since that point was celebrated, I got to straighten this out:
And now, because he's gotten the nomination, we're supposed to just allow his to diss and ditch us?
Yes. For so many reasons, Dixon question about US and what we have become is beyond warranted. It's crucial.
In a word... PRICELESS!
Possible Youtube clip?
Is there one?
President Bush broke the FISA law; heck he has seemingly broken America (like every company he has ever owned and/or operated).
Barack comes along and is working against MAJOR obstacles (Main Stream Media, 527s, voter apathy, Powerful Lobbyists, etc.)just to have the potential for oversight and three (3) working branches of government again and I sense distress and despair three (3) weeks into his GENERAL ELECTION.
Do not NOT forget that President Bush, is still responsible for everything that goes on regarding this issue (NOT Barack Obama and NOT John McCain).
Yes, please call/e-mail Senator Obama and express your concerns, FLOOD the White House Switch Board with calls and contact your STATE representatives to let them know your displeasure.
But know this, there is a long time between NOW and November and George Bush will do ALL he can to protect himself and his coterie of friends who GOT us into this 4th Amendment crisis in the first place. So please expect President Bush to do his best Voldemort impression and pull out "all of his wizard magic" to protect himself and to help John McCain and the Neo-Conserative Karl Rove alcolytes.
Do not let this singular issue discourage a seemingly politically awakened and aware America.
Whomever your candidate is this election please vote in November in overwhelming numbers, so that we will not have another FLORIDA
(2000)and/or OHIO (2004) again. Because, this time the stakes are too high, this time, no matter who wins, if Americans are not proactive and do not use their heads when they pull that voting lever, we will have the president and the America we deserve because of our unwillingness to strategically think long term and unrealistic expectations. Politics is strategy and patience.
Josephine
P.S. I just came across your blog recently and I enjoy the political analysis and discourse.
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Yes. Especially if they think it will help them get elected.
::
What part?
::
Yes. Especially if they think it will help them get elected.
I guess if the people who would elect them aren't paying attention, that just might happen.
Regarding politician who would endorse another of opposing politics isn't that the OLD TYPE OF POLTICS THAT HAS WASHINGTON IN GRIDLOCK?
We pick and choose what we put as main posts on JJP, but amongst ourselves, in emails, the past couple of weeks, we've had stories that just seemed to be one on top of the other.Folks send us stuff all the time, and a lot of it raises the blood pressure.
So much stuff that we want to do another Wiki.
It's called a pre-emptive strike, and isn't it the campaign we've expected all along from the GOP against Obama?
He's Black
He's Muslim
He's Black
He's Muslim
He's a Radical
Oh yeah, he's a Black Muslim Radical fomenting uprising.
It's all they have against Obama.
I know the racism is real and the attacks are vicious (I read things in addition to JJP), but I have to wonder because he never really talked about racism in the campaign aside from non-specific statements regarding racism. He has even said that race wasn't a factor when we all knew it was.
So again, I have to wonder if this is an attempt to bring his minions back to the fold after the Father's Day speech where he talked about Michelle's father working for a living and that ad where he reminds people that he was raised white and right.
I have to refer to something craig hickman said last night about the exchange between Jonathan Alter and Lars Larson.
He thought it was something else to see Alter take Larson on to defend Michelle Obama and wasn't that interesting.
I saw his point.
I'll couple this with something I read on MyDD last night from one of Obama's biggest critics over there. This person said that one of the things he had most against Obama was that it would infuriate him that Obama would never enter into direct confrontation with the GOP. That he seemed to be doing all that bi-partisan stuff. But, he has watched Obama over these past few weeks, and defended himself accordingly, attacking Republicans, but never calling them by name. That Obama let the press call out the GOP by name.
There's no other way to call the GOP racism out. Has to be done directly. Can't tiptoe around it, when it's seeping from every direction in GOP Land towards Obama. Pre-emptive innoculation.
Sure I have. I just think it odd (well not really, I know it was intentional) that he mentions him the day he's reprimanding unknown black fathers. It was to remind the good folks that Michelle is okay, she was raised right by a good black man.
If you recall my many posts here, I've never questioned Obama's tactics or his strategy regarding responding to attacks - I trusted him. And, I always thought and believe I stated that he wouldn't fight a Democrat like he would a Republican so I'm not surprised or relieved that he's is fighting the Republicans.
That being said, I still have to question his motives for now calling a spade a spade for the reasons I mentioned before.
if he ever is this blunt again, I'll be surprised. If you're a Black candidate, you're not given many times to bring this up, no matter how many monkey dolls are created. NO WAY could he have done what Hillary did, and every surrogate she had did.
NO WAY.
You get one time, maybe two. He's also probably playing on the unackowledged guilt of the MSM, who was 'mum', even though they saw the racebaiting.
Anyway you see it, if he brings it up again between now and November, I'll be shocked.
Bring it up NOW, just as you're trying to re-introduce yourself, and put the other side on the defensive. Try and control your own narrative.
I know it's 6 because he does that Sunday show. Does he work on Saturday, or is that when they plug him into the electrical unit to charge his batteries for the rest of the week.
He's taken over for the hideous Campbell Brown the past few nights.
I just got it.
Watching a piece on Dollar Bill, and the Headlines are
"Meet the Jeffersons".
and
" Moving On Down"
I..I....I....
I'll just leave it alone.
About Barrow again:
Politics ain't pretty a lot of times, but should he throw over someone who supported him, ' back when' for someone else.
So, the bottom line here is, someone supported him, when he needed supporting. And now, because you like the politics of his opponent, he's supposed to just ditch this person?
No, not if you're the same old crappy politician we've always had. If you're running on a platform of change, then you stand up and tell this guy ~ in private, in public ~ why you cannot support him. This fool in Georgia is a republican ~ a far right republican ~ running on the democratic platform. The challenger is a progressive.
Either you stand for something or you don't. Supporting someone because they did something for you is the worst kind of cronyism. It is politics without values. We've got that already.
_______
heartsandflowers:
I understand people are upset about FISA, but Obama never supported blanket immunity.
A few weeks ago, Obama made a principled stand in defense of the constitution and against the bullshit FISA bill the republicans were trying to pass. He was roundly applauded for not buying into the Bush admin bullshit that we've been manipulated with for the last eight years.
Yesterday, he just reversed that stand and made a statement which reiterated all of the same old tired Bush crap. "Given the grave threats that we face, our national security agencies must have the capability to gather intelligence and track down terrorists before they strike, while respecting the rule of law and the privacy and civil liberties of the American people.
Oooooh, once again, we're being frightened with terrorist threats, and it's coming from, of all people, Obama.
The whole issue of FISA makes folks' eyes cross, I know it. It's not a marketable issue, but it is profoundly important to this nation because it is a constitutional issue, and we've had an administration running roughshod over the constitution for eight years.
Here's what the republicans are saying about this cave in:
The proposal — particularly the immunity provision — represents a major victory for the White House after months of dispute. "I think the White House got a better deal than they even they had hoped to get," said Senator Christopher Bond, the Missouri Republican who led the negotiations.
That makes me feel like throwing up. With only 17% of the people thinking we're on the right track in this country, a president with approval ratings in the mid-20s, we have a wildly popular candidate for president who jumps on the republican bus and sells us out. The one man most people listen to right now because of his thoughtful and measured way of examining issues.
There's a whole crowd of folks waking up today saying "well if Barack says it's a good thing, it must be."
Bullshit. He sold us out. I am still just not believing it. An coupled with the support of that Georgia asshat and his economic policies, it's just too much.
::
Barack plays chess. Not checkers.
I'll withhold judgment about him selling out until he's elected and then we'll see what he does about all these crimes.
This much I know: he won't be able to do shit if he's not elected.
I believe he's posturing. Telecom companies are not immune from criminal prosecution, even with this bill. That's not a small point.
::
rikyrah,
I want to make it clear that Alter didn't just defend Michelle. He told Larson that he was using racism in his attacks trying to turn Michelle into an angry Black woman.
White people don't say that to white people on cable television.
I've always believed that white people need to do anti-racist work with each other. White people simply refuse to hear it when a Black person denounces racism.
As I said already many times, I understand the beating Barack is taking about his Father's Day speech. But whether he intended it or not, I think he gave certain white people impetus to go after certain white people for their racism in public.
::
About Georgia. It seems to me Barrow's challenger should win the primary if she can get 95% of the Black folks in her district to vote for her.
Barack's endorsement, in addition to being cronyism, might simply help him have a better chance of winning Georgia if the conservative Georgia Democrats begin to see that Barack isn't the radical liberal his opponents are painting him out to be.
Maybe that's the constituency he's politricking, not Black progressives. He'll take their votes to win the general election and then do whatever he's going to do in the Oval Office.
Just a thought.
::
I don't think that Barack his taking the Black vote for granted at all. This was confirmed for me when I saw his list of hires a week ago. He had all his constituency outreach coordinators listed and I was wary that it would show that he was taking some of his base for granted. But he's not taking any of his base for granted. He hired an African American outreach coordinator, along with one for Hispanic voters, GLBT voters, and women.
::
I guess I just choose not to be cynical about Barack's motives at this point in the election. There's a whole lot more going on than meets the eye.
But with the way Barack is being blackened in a negative way by his opposition, it would seem silly for him not to remind people that a big part of him is just like those who are trying to negatively blacken him. If Barack was insecure about his blackness, I see NO WAY that he marries Michelle, whom he obviously adores.
I'm not turning a blind eye to anything that Barack is saying or doing. I'm just not taking any of it personally right now. I'm still willing to see where this imperfect politician goes from here.
He hasn't sold his soul. Yet.