I was just thinking about this album this weekend. It actually defined my sophomore year at GW. That was the same year that College Dropout dropped, and also Kanye came to perform at my school as well.
Anyway, it was the soundtrack to my first summer in DC as well. constant play on my big massive stereo in Schenley fo-oh-fo' (404, y'all). My stereo was such a beast, you could hear it all the way down the staircase.
listen to the mix tape here.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Thoughts on the Random: The double date phenomenon, de la soul, and why working in gtown sucks.
On: Double Dates
I'm going on my first one soon. I'm not sure how these things go.
I mean it's usually under the pretext of "maybe your friends can get with my friends, and we can be friends." Am I correct?
It sounds easy enough....well, provided that you have a good wing(wo)man.
It seems like it would be a distraction. I mean you're chillin trying to get to know your date but you also have to talk it up with the other couple, and who wants to do that all night?
Do people even double date anymore? I mean really.
On: Stakes is High
I've had this song on repeat all night. This song is flawless. J-Dilla produced it. (RIP) Which would explain why it's flawless. That is all I wanted to say.
Gtown is the devil
I'm going on my first one soon. I'm not sure how these things go.
I mean it's usually under the pretext of "maybe your friends can get with my friends, and we can be friends." Am I correct?
It sounds easy enough....well, provided that you have a good wing(wo)man.
It seems like it would be a distraction. I mean you're chillin trying to get to know your date but you also have to talk it up with the other couple, and who wants to do that all night?
Do people even double date anymore? I mean really.
On: Stakes is High
I've had this song on repeat all night. This song is flawless. J-Dilla produced it. (RIP) Which would explain why it's flawless. That is all I wanted to say.
Gtown is the devil
Let's talk about this for a second. I happen to work in Georgetown, where all the shops and boutiques are in DC, among other things. I've worked in that area for almost 2 years, and it has never really been much of a distraction. But lately...I find myself strolling through the H & M store during lunchtime more than ever. First, I'll go in and say, "Nope, I'm not gonna buy anything. NOTHING. not at all. not even a barette." It starts when you see a cute something on sale. "well...it's only 10 bucks...I guess I can buy it..." Then you go back...and you see a cute something not on sale but you decide, "well what's the harm in trying it on?" and it just magically fits perfectly. So you buy it.
Last week it was a grey sweater dress.
Today it was a red belt that matches my red peekaboo toe heels.
I may need to go to rehab soon.
Daily Obama: we get it, you never supported the war
So what else are you gonna tell us, O?
this "i'm against the war" thing is already tired, and we're not even halfway through '07.
do better, please.
However, good job of not directly criticizing Hilary for her stance....yet.
http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2007/03/22/news/iowa/464dab42860d70f7862572a60004dc67.txt
Obama says he's always opposed the war
By Charlotte Eby, Journal Des Moines Bureau
DES MOINES -- Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama told reporters Wednesday he has been against the Iraq war from the start, countering questions from the campaign of Sen. Hillary Clinton in recent days about the sincerity of his opposition.
On a conference call with reporters Wednesday, Obama said he didn't know what would be gained from the parsing of his position of the war."I think that my position on the war has been consistent. It has been unequivocal, and that's the only presentation that I've made during the course of this campaign," Obama said.
Obama denied that his support in the Senate for funding the war undermines the idea he is a longtime opponent, arguing troops had to be adequately protected."I've always been clear and consistent on the notion that we should not get in there, that once we were in there, then we had to make the best of a bad situation," Obama said.
Obama has called for a phased withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq beginning on May 1, with a goal of having troops out by the end of March 2008.
His early campaign rallies have brought their biggest applause when he talks about a war "that should have never been authorized."
Obama was not yet a member of the Senate when the vote was taken in 2002 authorizing force in Iraq, but he said Wednesday he would have voted against it."I am certain that I would have voted to oppose this war," Obama said. He said intelligence showing Saddam Hussein did not, in fact, have weapons of mass destruction was available at the time the vote was taken."There was a lot of ambiguity in the case that the (Bush) administration was making," Obama said, noting that dissenting voices in the intelligence community had been widely reported in the media.
Obama was careful not to directly criticize Clinton or Sen. John Edwards, both of whom voted in favor of the resolution authorizing force in Iraq and are his top rivals in the Democratic presidential primary."I prefer not to, you know, state it in the negative. I'm, I think, making an affirmative statement about my judgment when it came to this critical issue," Obama said.
Obama on Wednesday also pointed to his 2002 speech at an anti-war rally in Chicago, which he said has turned out to be a "fairly accurate assessment of the consequences of invading."According to a speech text provided by the campaign, Obama outlined the dangers of military action in Iraq.
"That's what I'm opposed to," he said at the time. "A dumb war. A rash war. A war based not on reason but on passion, not on principle but on politics."Clinton spokesman Mark Daley declined to directly respond to Obama's claim he has been unequivocal on the war.
"Sen. Clinton and Sen. Obama have had the same voting record in Congress on Iraq, and they are united in the need to bring an end to the war," Daley said. "As Democrats, our shared beliefs are much greater than our differences."
State Sen. Joe Bolkcom, a Democrat from Iowa City, said it remains to be seen whether Iowa caucus-goers will hold it against Clinton and Edwards for their votes authorizing the use of force."I'm interested in who's got the best plan to get us out of Iraq, and bring our soldiers and troops home n get them out of harm's way," said Bolkcom, who is undecided whom he will support in the Iowa caucuses.
this "i'm against the war" thing is already tired, and we're not even halfway through '07.
do better, please.
However, good job of not directly criticizing Hilary for her stance....yet.
http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2007/03/22/news/iowa/464dab42860d70f7862572a60004dc67.txt
Obama says he's always opposed the war
By Charlotte Eby, Journal Des Moines Bureau
DES MOINES -- Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama told reporters Wednesday he has been against the Iraq war from the start, countering questions from the campaign of Sen. Hillary Clinton in recent days about the sincerity of his opposition.
On a conference call with reporters Wednesday, Obama said he didn't know what would be gained from the parsing of his position of the war."I think that my position on the war has been consistent. It has been unequivocal, and that's the only presentation that I've made during the course of this campaign," Obama said.
Obama denied that his support in the Senate for funding the war undermines the idea he is a longtime opponent, arguing troops had to be adequately protected."I've always been clear and consistent on the notion that we should not get in there, that once we were in there, then we had to make the best of a bad situation," Obama said.
Obama has called for a phased withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq beginning on May 1, with a goal of having troops out by the end of March 2008.
His early campaign rallies have brought their biggest applause when he talks about a war "that should have never been authorized."
Obama was not yet a member of the Senate when the vote was taken in 2002 authorizing force in Iraq, but he said Wednesday he would have voted against it."I am certain that I would have voted to oppose this war," Obama said. He said intelligence showing Saddam Hussein did not, in fact, have weapons of mass destruction was available at the time the vote was taken."There was a lot of ambiguity in the case that the (Bush) administration was making," Obama said, noting that dissenting voices in the intelligence community had been widely reported in the media.
Obama was careful not to directly criticize Clinton or Sen. John Edwards, both of whom voted in favor of the resolution authorizing force in Iraq and are his top rivals in the Democratic presidential primary."I prefer not to, you know, state it in the negative. I'm, I think, making an affirmative statement about my judgment when it came to this critical issue," Obama said.
Obama on Wednesday also pointed to his 2002 speech at an anti-war rally in Chicago, which he said has turned out to be a "fairly accurate assessment of the consequences of invading."According to a speech text provided by the campaign, Obama outlined the dangers of military action in Iraq.
"That's what I'm opposed to," he said at the time. "A dumb war. A rash war. A war based not on reason but on passion, not on principle but on politics."Clinton spokesman Mark Daley declined to directly respond to Obama's claim he has been unequivocal on the war.
"Sen. Clinton and Sen. Obama have had the same voting record in Congress on Iraq, and they are united in the need to bring an end to the war," Daley said. "As Democrats, our shared beliefs are much greater than our differences."
State Sen. Joe Bolkcom, a Democrat from Iowa City, said it remains to be seen whether Iowa caucus-goers will hold it against Clinton and Edwards for their votes authorizing the use of force."I'm interested in who's got the best plan to get us out of Iraq, and bring our soldiers and troops home n get them out of harm's way," said Bolkcom, who is undecided whom he will support in the Iowa caucuses.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Daily Obama: Analysis of his "Magical Negro" comparison
From Media Matters:
Latching onto L.A. Times op-ed, Limbaugh sings "Barack, The Magic Negro"
On the March 19 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, host Rush Limbaugh highlighted a March 19 Los Angeles Times op-ed that described Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) as "running for an equally important unelected office, in the province of the popular imagination -- the 'Magic Negro'" -- a term used by critics of pop culture to describe certain benevolent African-American characters. Limbaugh stated: "The term 'Magic Negro' has been thrown into the political presidential race in the mix for 2008. And the term 'Magic Negro,' as applied to Barack Obama has been done by an L.A. Times columnist, David Ehrenstein." Limbaugh later asserted: "I'm going to keep referring to him as that because I want to make a bet that by the end of this week I will own that term," adding, "If I refer to Obama the rest of the day as the 'Magic Negro,' there will be a number of people in the drive-by media and on left-wing blogs who will credit me for coming up with it and ignore the L.A. Times did it, simply because they can't be critical of the L.A. Times, but they can, obviously, be critical of talk radio." Limbaugh continued to refer to Obama as the "Magic Negro" throughout the broadcast -- 27 times, to be exact -- and at one point sang "Barack, the Magic Negro" to the tune of "Puff, the Magic Dragon." Limbaugh defended his use of the song, stating, "Well, that's what we always do here. We do parodies and satires on the idiocy and phoniness of the left."
The Times op-ed, written by cultural critic David Ehrenstein, is headlined "Obama the 'Magic Negro.' " Ehrenstein invoked the cinematic trope of the "Magic Negro," which he defined as follows:
The Magic Negro is a figure of postmodern folk culture, coined by snarky 20th century sociologists, to explain a cultural figure who emerged in the wake of Brown vs. Board of Education. "He has no past, he simply appears one day to help the white protagonist," reads the description on Wikipedia [].
He's there to assuage white "guilt" (i.e., the minimal discomfort they feel) over the role of slavery and racial segregation in American history, while replacing stereotypes of a dangerous, highly sexualized black man with a benign figure for whom interracial sexual congress holds no interest.
As might be expected, this figure is chiefly cinematic -- embodied by such noted performers as Sidney Poitier, Morgan Freeman, Scatman Crothers, Michael Clarke Duncan, Will Smith and, most recently, Don Cheadle. And that's not to mention a certain basketball player whose very nickname is "Magic."
Ehrenstein concluded: "Like a comic-book superhero, Obama is there to help, out of the sheer goodness of a heart we need not know or understand. For as with all Magic Negroes, the less real he seems, the more desirable he becomes. If he were real, white America couldn't project all its fantasies of curative black benevolence on him."
Limbaugh criticized the op-ed as racist, claiming, "The left's saying all these things. Now he's the 'Magic Negro,' which is a convenient trick for the L.A. Times to blame a bunch of white people for being racist. OK. Let's find out who the -- just get an auction block and grab as many blacks as you want to put them up there and let's start the sales, L.A. Times, and let's see who it is that fetches the highest prices. Isn't that essentially the way they're approaching this?"
From the March 19 broadcast of Premiere Radio Networks' The Rush Limbaugh Show:
LIMBAUGH: Yeah, get this headline. Who wrote this? David Ehrenstein is his name. L.A. based, writes about Hollywood in politics. The headline of his column: "Obama the 'Magic Negro.' " Kid you not. "As every carbon-based life form on this planet surely knows, Barack Obama is running for president. Since making his announcement, there's been no end of commentary about him in all quarters -- musing over his charisma and the prospect he offers of being the first black president in the country. But it's clear that Obama also is running for an equally important unelected office in the province of the popular imagination -- The Magic Negro. The Magic Negro is a figure of postmodern folk culture, coined by a snarky 20th century sociologist to explain a cultural figure who emerged in the wake of Brown vs. Board of Education. 'He has no past. He simply appears one day to help the white protagonist,' reads the description on Wikipedia" of the Magic Negro. Well, "he's there to assuage white guilt ... over the role of slavery and racial segregation in American history while replacing stereotypes of a dangous [sic], dangerous, highly sexualized black man with a benign figure for whom interracial sex[ual] congress holds no interest." The problem is that Ehrenright, Ehrenstein says -- he's not real. Al Sharpton's real, Snoop Dogg is real, but Barack Obama is not real. He's just there to assuage white guilt. In other words, the only reason Obama's anywhere is because whites are willing to support him because they feel so guilty over slavery. Now, before you reject this, Shelby Steele has written a great book about the whole concept of white guilt and how it is allowing our society to become more and more passive about any number of transgressions that the country has made from its inception.
Here's the close: "Like a comic-book superhero, Obama is there to help out of the sheer goodness of a heart we need not know or understand. For as with all Magic Negroes, the less real he becomes and seems, the more desirable he gets. If he were real, white America couldn't project all its fantasies of curative black benevolence on him." So those of you white people out there who are supporting Barack Obama, you are racists. That is the point that David Ehrenstein's made. So your attempt to assuage all of your white guilt by supporting Obama is worthless because you're just -- you're just exhibiting racism because you know he's not a real black. As [Sen. Joeeph R.] Biden [D-DE] said, he's clean and articulate. What else did he say? Clean -- yeah, clean, good looking, articulate, one of the first. But he's not real. This is -- this is more of the drivel and the bilge that we get from the drive-by media. In order to be a real black, you've got to be a [Rev. Al] Sharpton, you've got to be a Snoop Dogg, you've got to be a [rapper] Ludacris or something like that. Obama can't possibly fill this role because nobody knows anything about him, and we don't want to know anything about him. The only thing that matters is that he's black and he sounds good and it allows you white racists to assuage your guilt. Well, there is white racism out there. Much of it is on the left where the plantation mentality still resides.
Now, let me ask you a question. The term "Magic Negro" has been thrown into the political presidential race in the mix for 2008. And the term "Magic Negro," as applied to Barack Obama, has been done by an L.A. Times columnist, David Ehrenstein. What do you think? If I keep referring to Obama as the "Magic Negro" from this day on, I will eventually get the credit and/or heat for this. "Magic Negro." It is a term, and it's exactly as described here. Its purpose is to allow whites the guilt-free support. But in Barack's case, it's only 'cause he isn't a real black. And the L.A. Times, by the way, this is the not the first of these types of columns. The L.A. Times has been two or three columns like this, "is Barack Obama black enough?" and so forth. So there's a racist component out there on the editorial page of the L.A. Times that's obsessed with the race of Barack Obama and is with all leftists. While they are obsessed with race, accusing everybody else of being racist. We'll be right back.
[...]
LIMBAUGH: David Ehrenstein, the L.A. Times today, "Obama the 'Magic Negro.' " It's just infuriating. It is the left that continues to besmirch these people. It's the left that continues to question their so-called authenticity. These people are all human beings. Talk about Sharpton, Reverend [Jesse] Jackson, these people are all human beings. Now some of them are in the race business. I understand that. But look at who it is that keeps focusing on whether they're authentic enough. Authenticity based on skin color. Who is it doing this? It's the left. You know what, I got a suggestion for those of you at the L.A. Times. Let's cut to the chase. Go get an old-fashioned auction book and put it in the town square. Put it somewhere where it looks like it's real and just bring all these black people up there and auction them off and find out who it is that sells for the highest price. That's essentially what you're doing with all of these nonsensical categorizations -- Obama's not black enough, Obama doesn't have -- he's not down for the struggle, Obama doesn't have a legitimate civil rights -- civil right background. Obama's ears don't look like a black person's ears, they're too big, Obama doesn't sound like a black person, he's clean and articulate. The left's saying all these things. Now he's the "Magic Negro," which is a convenient trick for the L.A. Times to blame a bunch of white people for being racist. OK. Let's find out who the -- just get an auction block and grab as many blacks as you want to put them up there and let's start the sales, L.A. Times, and let's see who it is that fetches the highest prices. Isn't that essentially the way they're approaching this? These are commodities. These human beings are simply commodities, and they are there for some purpose other than their own human existence? You doubt the racism and the groupthink and the superiority of the leftists in this country, you'd be making a grave error.
[...]
LIMBAUGH: For example, you could take 10 seconds of me saying, "Obama is the Magic Negro" and make it look like I said it, rather than the fact that I'm repeating it from an L.A. Times column today. So the BBC is getting ready -- and we declined their permission to use this in that regard. We said, "If you want to do it just on Rush, and we'll send you a compendium of what's been said." "No, no, we're not interested in that." So they're doing a hit piece on talk-show hosts in America, the way they're talking about Obama, which is precisely my point. It's the L.A. Times, and it's Joe Biden, and it's all these other people who are raising questions about his authenticity. In fact, there was an honest story, but even it, and I forget where it was -- last week, might have been a blog, I forget. And this -- the person writing this story begrudgingly admitted that even Rush Limbaugh is saying there's something to this Obama guy and so he's not being overly critical of Obama, but then the snide follow-up was, "That's because so many people are excited about -- so many people on the left are being critical of Obama for one reason or another that Limbaugh is not being genuine in his respect that he's showing for Obama." It's got -- of course, it can't be, obviously. I mean, things are 180 degrees out of phase here. The L.A. Times today referring to Obama as the "Magic Negro" -- and I'm going to keep referring to him as that because I wanna make a bet that by the end of this week I will own that term. By the -- by the end of the day. [laughs] By the end -- the broadcast engineer shouting at me over the IFP -- people -- what is an IFP? It's an intercom, it's just a -- it's a private -- you can't hear 'em there, I have people chattering at me all the time. And I don't know what IFP stands for, it's a television term, but we use one here, it's a closed-circuit loop. At any rate, he's shouting at me, "You'll own it by the end of the day if you keep referring to Barack Obama as the 'Magic Negro.' " We'll give it a shot, we'll see what happens with this.
[...]
LIMBAUGH Well, that's -- no, no, see -- glad you asked that. Because my point is that the L.A. Times raised it. The L.A. Times columnist, Ehrenstein, writes about it, and I simply said: If I refer to Obama the rest of the day as the "Magic Negro," there will be a number of people in the drive-by media and on left-wing blogs who will credit me for coming up with it and ignore the L.A. Times did it, simply because they can't be critical of the L.A. Times but they can, obviously, be critical of talk radio. It's such -- something beneath us all.
[...]
LIMBAUGH: We've been discussing today -- I just want to touch on this briefly if you missed it. We've been discussing today a column by a guy named Paul Ehrenstein [sic] in the Los Angeles Times entitled "The Magic Negro." And it's all about how white people supporting Barack Obama can't possibly be doing it on the basis of substance because there's nothing about him. He's an empty vessel. Nobody knows enough about him to support him on the basis of policy or substance. And so the white people who are supporting Barack Obama, the "Magic Negro," are doing so precisely because he's the "Magic Negro." By supporting him, white people get to assuage their guilt over this nation's history with slavery and the Confederacy and all this other tripe. And this has led to a number of points being made by me, brilliantly so on this program, that it is the left in this country that looks at people and sees their skin color or their gender or their sexual orientation as the first things they notice about them. The whole point of this piece is to accuse white people of being racist. They don't really like Obama, they don't really like black people, they feel guilty over what this country's done to black people, so they support Barack because he's the quote-unquote "Magic Negro."
This is the same newspaper that has run a couple of stories on "is Barack Obama is black enough?" This prompted a drive-by caller, Dan from Fruitport, Michigan, to suggest that the Democrats, since they feel so bad about this, should offer black credits to someone like Obama who is not black enough in the eyes of the L.A. Times and other liberals. So he could go out there and buy black credits, so he could -- like Gore, you know, offsets his carbon use with carbon credits, Obama the "Magic Negro" could offset his lack of blackness with black credits. Then say he could down for the struggle [sic] and that he has roots in the civil rights movement. Reverend Sharpton's upset, you know, "Obama, where were you when we marched for justice in Selma?" and so forth. So clearly, it is a -- I mean, it's just remarkable to continue to witness the actual racism that exists on the left, using the term "Magic Negro" to apply to you white people who are supporting Obama. Singing a song in my head here during the break: "Barack, the Magic Negro, doo doo do doo."
Uh-oh, Dawn's shaking her head on that. What are you saying, if I do that, I then will own the term, because I will be taking it above and beyond how it's been used? Well, that's what we always do here. We do parodies and satires on the idiocy and the phoniness of the left. We could throw in -- yeah, we could put an L.A. Times lyric in there to make, you know, make it obvious who it was who actually used the term. I mean, don't start telling me to shy away from this stuff. That's why I'm where I am, that's why I'm who I am, and for which I make no apologies. I'm very proud and happy.
this is just another "is obama Black enough" article. i promised myself i would not include these in the Daily Obama but the magical negro thing attracted me. let me know what you think. also, click on the link to see the video.
Latching onto L.A. Times op-ed, Limbaugh sings "Barack, The Magic Negro"
On the March 19 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, host Rush Limbaugh highlighted a March 19 Los Angeles Times op-ed that described Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) as "running for an equally important unelected office, in the province of the popular imagination -- the 'Magic Negro'" -- a term used by critics of pop culture to describe certain benevolent African-American characters. Limbaugh stated: "The term 'Magic Negro' has been thrown into the political presidential race in the mix for 2008. And the term 'Magic Negro,' as applied to Barack Obama has been done by an L.A. Times columnist, David Ehrenstein." Limbaugh later asserted: "I'm going to keep referring to him as that because I want to make a bet that by the end of this week I will own that term," adding, "If I refer to Obama the rest of the day as the 'Magic Negro,' there will be a number of people in the drive-by media and on left-wing blogs who will credit me for coming up with it and ignore the L.A. Times did it, simply because they can't be critical of the L.A. Times, but they can, obviously, be critical of talk radio." Limbaugh continued to refer to Obama as the "Magic Negro" throughout the broadcast -- 27 times, to be exact -- and at one point sang "Barack, the Magic Negro" to the tune of "Puff, the Magic Dragon." Limbaugh defended his use of the song, stating, "Well, that's what we always do here. We do parodies and satires on the idiocy and phoniness of the left."
The Times op-ed, written by cultural critic David Ehrenstein, is headlined "Obama the 'Magic Negro.' " Ehrenstein invoked the cinematic trope of the "Magic Negro," which he defined as follows:
The Magic Negro is a figure of postmodern folk culture, coined by snarky 20th century sociologists, to explain a cultural figure who emerged in the wake of Brown vs. Board of Education. "He has no past, he simply appears one day to help the white protagonist," reads the description on Wikipedia [].
He's there to assuage white "guilt" (i.e., the minimal discomfort they feel) over the role of slavery and racial segregation in American history, while replacing stereotypes of a dangerous, highly sexualized black man with a benign figure for whom interracial sexual congress holds no interest.
As might be expected, this figure is chiefly cinematic -- embodied by such noted performers as Sidney Poitier, Morgan Freeman, Scatman Crothers, Michael Clarke Duncan, Will Smith and, most recently, Don Cheadle. And that's not to mention a certain basketball player whose very nickname is "Magic."
Ehrenstein concluded: "Like a comic-book superhero, Obama is there to help, out of the sheer goodness of a heart we need not know or understand. For as with all Magic Negroes, the less real he seems, the more desirable he becomes. If he were real, white America couldn't project all its fantasies of curative black benevolence on him."
Limbaugh criticized the op-ed as racist, claiming, "The left's saying all these things. Now he's the 'Magic Negro,' which is a convenient trick for the L.A. Times to blame a bunch of white people for being racist. OK. Let's find out who the -- just get an auction block and grab as many blacks as you want to put them up there and let's start the sales, L.A. Times, and let's see who it is that fetches the highest prices. Isn't that essentially the way they're approaching this?"
From the March 19 broadcast of Premiere Radio Networks' The Rush Limbaugh Show:
LIMBAUGH: Yeah, get this headline. Who wrote this? David Ehrenstein is his name. L.A. based, writes about Hollywood in politics. The headline of his column: "Obama the 'Magic Negro.' " Kid you not. "As every carbon-based life form on this planet surely knows, Barack Obama is running for president. Since making his announcement, there's been no end of commentary about him in all quarters -- musing over his charisma and the prospect he offers of being the first black president in the country. But it's clear that Obama also is running for an equally important unelected office in the province of the popular imagination -- The Magic Negro. The Magic Negro is a figure of postmodern folk culture, coined by a snarky 20th century sociologist to explain a cultural figure who emerged in the wake of Brown vs. Board of Education. 'He has no past. He simply appears one day to help the white protagonist,' reads the description on Wikipedia" of the Magic Negro. Well, "he's there to assuage white guilt ... over the role of slavery and racial segregation in American history while replacing stereotypes of a dangous [sic], dangerous, highly sexualized black man with a benign figure for whom interracial sex[ual] congress holds no interest." The problem is that Ehrenright, Ehrenstein says -- he's not real. Al Sharpton's real, Snoop Dogg is real, but Barack Obama is not real. He's just there to assuage white guilt. In other words, the only reason Obama's anywhere is because whites are willing to support him because they feel so guilty over slavery. Now, before you reject this, Shelby Steele has written a great book about the whole concept of white guilt and how it is allowing our society to become more and more passive about any number of transgressions that the country has made from its inception.
Here's the close: "Like a comic-book superhero, Obama is there to help out of the sheer goodness of a heart we need not know or understand. For as with all Magic Negroes, the less real he becomes and seems, the more desirable he gets. If he were real, white America couldn't project all its fantasies of curative black benevolence on him." So those of you white people out there who are supporting Barack Obama, you are racists. That is the point that David Ehrenstein's made. So your attempt to assuage all of your white guilt by supporting Obama is worthless because you're just -- you're just exhibiting racism because you know he's not a real black. As [Sen. Joeeph R.] Biden [D-DE] said, he's clean and articulate. What else did he say? Clean -- yeah, clean, good looking, articulate, one of the first. But he's not real. This is -- this is more of the drivel and the bilge that we get from the drive-by media. In order to be a real black, you've got to be a [Rev. Al] Sharpton, you've got to be a Snoop Dogg, you've got to be a [rapper] Ludacris or something like that. Obama can't possibly fill this role because nobody knows anything about him, and we don't want to know anything about him. The only thing that matters is that he's black and he sounds good and it allows you white racists to assuage your guilt. Well, there is white racism out there. Much of it is on the left where the plantation mentality still resides.
Now, let me ask you a question. The term "Magic Negro" has been thrown into the political presidential race in the mix for 2008. And the term "Magic Negro," as applied to Barack Obama, has been done by an L.A. Times columnist, David Ehrenstein. What do you think? If I keep referring to Obama as the "Magic Negro" from this day on, I will eventually get the credit and/or heat for this. "Magic Negro." It is a term, and it's exactly as described here. Its purpose is to allow whites the guilt-free support. But in Barack's case, it's only 'cause he isn't a real black. And the L.A. Times, by the way, this is the not the first of these types of columns. The L.A. Times has been two or three columns like this, "is Barack Obama black enough?" and so forth. So there's a racist component out there on the editorial page of the L.A. Times that's obsessed with the race of Barack Obama and is with all leftists. While they are obsessed with race, accusing everybody else of being racist. We'll be right back.
[...]
LIMBAUGH: David Ehrenstein, the L.A. Times today, "Obama the 'Magic Negro.' " It's just infuriating. It is the left that continues to besmirch these people. It's the left that continues to question their so-called authenticity. These people are all human beings. Talk about Sharpton, Reverend [Jesse] Jackson, these people are all human beings. Now some of them are in the race business. I understand that. But look at who it is that keeps focusing on whether they're authentic enough. Authenticity based on skin color. Who is it doing this? It's the left. You know what, I got a suggestion for those of you at the L.A. Times. Let's cut to the chase. Go get an old-fashioned auction book and put it in the town square. Put it somewhere where it looks like it's real and just bring all these black people up there and auction them off and find out who it is that sells for the highest price. That's essentially what you're doing with all of these nonsensical categorizations -- Obama's not black enough, Obama doesn't have -- he's not down for the struggle, Obama doesn't have a legitimate civil rights -- civil right background. Obama's ears don't look like a black person's ears, they're too big, Obama doesn't sound like a black person, he's clean and articulate. The left's saying all these things. Now he's the "Magic Negro," which is a convenient trick for the L.A. Times to blame a bunch of white people for being racist. OK. Let's find out who the -- just get an auction block and grab as many blacks as you want to put them up there and let's start the sales, L.A. Times, and let's see who it is that fetches the highest prices. Isn't that essentially the way they're approaching this? These are commodities. These human beings are simply commodities, and they are there for some purpose other than their own human existence? You doubt the racism and the groupthink and the superiority of the leftists in this country, you'd be making a grave error.
[...]
LIMBAUGH: For example, you could take 10 seconds of me saying, "Obama is the Magic Negro" and make it look like I said it, rather than the fact that I'm repeating it from an L.A. Times column today. So the BBC is getting ready -- and we declined their permission to use this in that regard. We said, "If you want to do it just on Rush, and we'll send you a compendium of what's been said." "No, no, we're not interested in that." So they're doing a hit piece on talk-show hosts in America, the way they're talking about Obama, which is precisely my point. It's the L.A. Times, and it's Joe Biden, and it's all these other people who are raising questions about his authenticity. In fact, there was an honest story, but even it, and I forget where it was -- last week, might have been a blog, I forget. And this -- the person writing this story begrudgingly admitted that even Rush Limbaugh is saying there's something to this Obama guy and so he's not being overly critical of Obama, but then the snide follow-up was, "That's because so many people are excited about -- so many people on the left are being critical of Obama for one reason or another that Limbaugh is not being genuine in his respect that he's showing for Obama." It's got -- of course, it can't be, obviously. I mean, things are 180 degrees out of phase here. The L.A. Times today referring to Obama as the "Magic Negro" -- and I'm going to keep referring to him as that because I wanna make a bet that by the end of this week I will own that term. By the -- by the end of the day. [laughs] By the end -- the broadcast engineer shouting at me over the IFP -- people -- what is an IFP? It's an intercom, it's just a -- it's a private -- you can't hear 'em there, I have people chattering at me all the time. And I don't know what IFP stands for, it's a television term, but we use one here, it's a closed-circuit loop. At any rate, he's shouting at me, "You'll own it by the end of the day if you keep referring to Barack Obama as the 'Magic Negro.' " We'll give it a shot, we'll see what happens with this.
[...]
LIMBAUGH Well, that's -- no, no, see -- glad you asked that. Because my point is that the L.A. Times raised it. The L.A. Times columnist, Ehrenstein, writes about it, and I simply said: If I refer to Obama the rest of the day as the "Magic Negro," there will be a number of people in the drive-by media and on left-wing blogs who will credit me for coming up with it and ignore the L.A. Times did it, simply because they can't be critical of the L.A. Times but they can, obviously, be critical of talk radio. It's such -- something beneath us all.
[...]
LIMBAUGH: We've been discussing today -- I just want to touch on this briefly if you missed it. We've been discussing today a column by a guy named Paul Ehrenstein [sic] in the Los Angeles Times entitled "The Magic Negro." And it's all about how white people supporting Barack Obama can't possibly be doing it on the basis of substance because there's nothing about him. He's an empty vessel. Nobody knows enough about him to support him on the basis of policy or substance. And so the white people who are supporting Barack Obama, the "Magic Negro," are doing so precisely because he's the "Magic Negro." By supporting him, white people get to assuage their guilt over this nation's history with slavery and the Confederacy and all this other tripe. And this has led to a number of points being made by me, brilliantly so on this program, that it is the left in this country that looks at people and sees their skin color or their gender or their sexual orientation as the first things they notice about them. The whole point of this piece is to accuse white people of being racist. They don't really like Obama, they don't really like black people, they feel guilty over what this country's done to black people, so they support Barack because he's the quote-unquote "Magic Negro."
This is the same newspaper that has run a couple of stories on "is Barack Obama is black enough?" This prompted a drive-by caller, Dan from Fruitport, Michigan, to suggest that the Democrats, since they feel so bad about this, should offer black credits to someone like Obama who is not black enough in the eyes of the L.A. Times and other liberals. So he could go out there and buy black credits, so he could -- like Gore, you know, offsets his carbon use with carbon credits, Obama the "Magic Negro" could offset his lack of blackness with black credits. Then say he could down for the struggle [sic] and that he has roots in the civil rights movement. Reverend Sharpton's upset, you know, "Obama, where were you when we marched for justice in Selma?" and so forth. So clearly, it is a -- I mean, it's just remarkable to continue to witness the actual racism that exists on the left, using the term "Magic Negro" to apply to you white people who are supporting Obama. Singing a song in my head here during the break: "Barack, the Magic Negro, doo doo do doo."
Uh-oh, Dawn's shaking her head on that. What are you saying, if I do that, I then will own the term, because I will be taking it above and beyond how it's been used? Well, that's what we always do here. We do parodies and satires on the idiocy and the phoniness of the left. We could throw in -- yeah, we could put an L.A. Times lyric in there to make, you know, make it obvious who it was who actually used the term. I mean, don't start telling me to shy away from this stuff. That's why I'm where I am, that's why I'm who I am, and for which I make no apologies. I'm very proud and happy.
this is just another "is obama Black enough" article. i promised myself i would not include these in the Daily Obama but the magical negro thing attracted me. let me know what you think. also, click on the link to see the video.
Trumpet Awards: the best award show you've never heard of.
I kid you not.
I guarantee you that if you are reading this, you are one of the thousands if not millions of people who have never heard of the Trumpet Awards. This is an award show thatacknowledges the accomplishments of men and women who have significantly contributed to enhancing the quality of life for all. If you click on the hypertext you can see the website for the Trumpet Foundation.
Anyways, really great awards program. But it is so overrated. It was taped in January but they showed it just this past Sunday on TVOne. It is absolutely the most important and well-done awards show that you probably have never seen or even heard of. Important because you get to see African Americans honored for things other than entertainment and sports. Well done because, unlike other Black awards shows (Source Awards come to mind) it was so classy and professional.
The Trumpet awards philanthropists, scientists, businessmen, actors, singers, artists, etc. There is a focus, however on those figures who do good in the community and not just do their respective trades well. I think too often African-Americans are awarded for their talents and not enough for their work int he community, and that's unfortunate. That's why the Trumpet Awards needs more publicity.
In addition, why is this showing on TVOne and not BET?
but that is a WHOLE 'notha topic.
Before I wrap this up, check out Concrete Loop for pics from the event.
Obi, this one is for you.
I guarantee you that if you are reading this, you are one of the thousands if not millions of people who have never heard of the Trumpet Awards. This is an award show thatacknowledges the accomplishments of men and women who have significantly contributed to enhancing the quality of life for all. If you click on the hypertext you can see the website for the Trumpet Foundation.
Anyways, really great awards program. But it is so overrated. It was taped in January but they showed it just this past Sunday on TVOne. It is absolutely the most important and well-done awards show that you probably have never seen or even heard of. Important because you get to see African Americans honored for things other than entertainment and sports. Well done because, unlike other Black awards shows (Source Awards come to mind) it was so classy and professional.
The Trumpet awards philanthropists, scientists, businessmen, actors, singers, artists, etc. There is a focus, however on those figures who do good in the community and not just do their respective trades well. I think too often African-Americans are awarded for their talents and not enough for their work int he community, and that's unfortunate. That's why the Trumpet Awards needs more publicity.
In addition, why is this showing on TVOne and not BET?
but that is a WHOLE 'notha topic.
Before I wrap this up, check out Concrete Loop for pics from the event.
Obi, this one is for you.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Daily Obama Bonus: JD tells Obama he wants to wife up Janet.
WTF?
Dupri Tells Barack Obama He's 'Determined' To Wed Janet Jackson
By Staff
Mar 19, 2007
Rap mogul Jermaine Dupri is planning to wed his longtime girlfriend Janet Jackson after telling presidential hopeful Barack Obama she writes him the sweetest love notes.
Dupri met up with Senator Obama at a party in New York last week (05Mar07), and the subject matter quickly turned to Ms. Jackson.
can somebody explain to me why JD seems to think Barack cares about his love life? 'preciate it.
Fox Attacks: Black America
speaking of politics: look at this brief reel about Fox News attacking Black America. On the subject of Obama, they've really been digging into the man...it's too darn early for that kind of foul play if you ask me...but Fox News gets pretty bold. Check it out.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/thenewswire/archive/../../2007/03/14/compi lation-of-fox-attack_n_43390.html
a 'thank-you' shout out to obi for this submission.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/thenewswire/archive/../../2007/03/14/compi lation-of-fox-attack_n_43390.html
a 'thank-you' shout out to obi for this submission.
Daily Obama: Barack does Manhattan.
btw: if there are any articles you'd like to see included in the Daily Obama, holler at a playa.
anyway...Obama is in Hilary's territory now...she betta watch out...
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117960894.html?categoryid=18&cs=1
Obama takes Manhattan
Presidential hopeful stumps in NYC
ObamaSen. Hillary Clinton may have a presumed edge toward bagging the lion's share of high-profile Democratic donors in New York, but Sen. Barack Obama raised about $1 million during a week of fund-raising in Gotham.
Obama, Clinton and other candidates have been working at a breakneck pace to raise money before the end of the quarter.
One of Obama's first stops in Gotham last week was a $2,300-per-person fund-raiser hosted by Island Def Jam chairman L.A. Reid and attended by singer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Beyonce, Island Urban president Jermaine Dupri, Universal Music president Doug Morris and record executives Steve Bartels, Sylvia Rhone and Andre Harrell.
On Friday night, Obama held two fund-raisers at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, including one where he earned the endorsement of speechwriter Ted Sorenson, one of the last surviving top aides to John F. Kennedy. Among the 400 donors at the event were Jeh Johnson, a top Air Force official during the Clinton administration, as well as financier Orin Kramer.
At a much larger fete later in the evening, aimed at young professionals, some 1,500 people paid $100 each to hear Obama.
Like his speech before Hollywood donors last month, much of what Obama said was meant to carry an inspirational tone.
Stalking back and forth onstage in front of a massive American flag, Obama again preached the politics of unity, telling the SRO crowd, "We are in one of those moments where we can't afford timidity, and we can't afford smallness, and we can't afford division, and we can't afford nastiness. If we focus on what we have in common, what binds us together as a people, there's no challenge that we can't meet. And that is the spirit we are seeing in this campaign across the country."
Obama's wife, Michelle, introduced him, contrasting her husband's superstar status on the campaign trail vs. the guy at home who can't do laundry.
Watching her husband on TV, she joked, is like watching some other Barack Obama. "If I'm lucky, one day I might have a chance to meet him."
All candidates are required to file reports of their fund-raising activity by April 15, in what will be an indicator of their campaign's strength and viability.
But as in Hollywood, some donors have yet to declare their endorsement. Rapper Jay-Z attended an Obama event after having dined with Bill Clinton only nights earlier.
Hov!
anyway...Obama is in Hilary's territory now...she betta watch out...
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117960894.html?categoryid=18&cs=1
Obama takes Manhattan
Presidential hopeful stumps in NYC
ObamaSen. Hillary Clinton may have a presumed edge toward bagging the lion's share of high-profile Democratic donors in New York, but Sen. Barack Obama raised about $1 million during a week of fund-raising in Gotham.
Obama, Clinton and other candidates have been working at a breakneck pace to raise money before the end of the quarter.
One of Obama's first stops in Gotham last week was a $2,300-per-person fund-raiser hosted by Island Def Jam chairman L.A. Reid and attended by singer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Beyonce, Island Urban president Jermaine Dupri, Universal Music president Doug Morris and record executives Steve Bartels, Sylvia Rhone and Andre Harrell.
On Friday night, Obama held two fund-raisers at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, including one where he earned the endorsement of speechwriter Ted Sorenson, one of the last surviving top aides to John F. Kennedy. Among the 400 donors at the event were Jeh Johnson, a top Air Force official during the Clinton administration, as well as financier Orin Kramer.
At a much larger fete later in the evening, aimed at young professionals, some 1,500 people paid $100 each to hear Obama.
Like his speech before Hollywood donors last month, much of what Obama said was meant to carry an inspirational tone.
Stalking back and forth onstage in front of a massive American flag, Obama again preached the politics of unity, telling the SRO crowd, "We are in one of those moments where we can't afford timidity, and we can't afford smallness, and we can't afford division, and we can't afford nastiness. If we focus on what we have in common, what binds us together as a people, there's no challenge that we can't meet. And that is the spirit we are seeing in this campaign across the country."
Obama's wife, Michelle, introduced him, contrasting her husband's superstar status on the campaign trail vs. the guy at home who can't do laundry.
Watching her husband on TV, she joked, is like watching some other Barack Obama. "If I'm lucky, one day I might have a chance to meet him."
All candidates are required to file reports of their fund-raising activity by April 15, in what will be an indicator of their campaign's strength and viability.
But as in Hollywood, some donors have yet to declare their endorsement. Rapper Jay-Z attended an Obama event after having dined with Bill Clinton only nights earlier.
Hov!
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
if i had a boyfriend, i'd make him buy me amy winehouse's new album.
but i don't, so i'll buy it myself this weekend.
take a listen.
gotta love british soul.
Daily Obama: or should i say, O'Bama?
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article1512094.ece
Historians unearth Obama’s Irish roots
The United States has a long tradition of presidential hopefuls drawing on their Irish connections to win votes.
Hillary Clinton has already been working her Irish links, through her husband, Bill, but now she finds competition from the least likely source.
Family historians have unearthed the Irish roots of Barack Obama, the son of a Kenyan goatherder who is being touted as potentially the first black US president.
Ancestry.co.uk identified his great-great-great-grandfather on his mother’s side as Falmouth Kearney, who fled Ireland and the Great Famine at the age of 19. He arrived in New York from Liverpool on March 20, 1850, then moved on to Ohio to be among relatives.
Simon Harper, managing director of the website, said: “A great deal has been made of Obama’s Kenyan roots, however, his European ancestry has been overlooked.
“If Obama becomes the next US president, he may well be the first to have Kenyan ancestry, but he will also join a long list of those with Irish ancestry, including Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, and of course, John F. Kennedy.”
The first mention of Mr Obama’s Irish ancestor was found in the 1860 US Federal Census, which listed his occupation as a farm hand.
So now the brotha's Irish? Well, maybe he wasn't Black enough after all :-)
Historians unearth Obama’s Irish roots
The United States has a long tradition of presidential hopefuls drawing on their Irish connections to win votes.
Hillary Clinton has already been working her Irish links, through her husband, Bill, but now she finds competition from the least likely source.
Family historians have unearthed the Irish roots of Barack Obama, the son of a Kenyan goatherder who is being touted as potentially the first black US president.
Ancestry.co.uk identified his great-great-great-grandfather on his mother’s side as Falmouth Kearney, who fled Ireland and the Great Famine at the age of 19. He arrived in New York from Liverpool on March 20, 1850, then moved on to Ohio to be among relatives.
Simon Harper, managing director of the website, said: “A great deal has been made of Obama’s Kenyan roots, however, his European ancestry has been overlooked.
“If Obama becomes the next US president, he may well be the first to have Kenyan ancestry, but he will also join a long list of those with Irish ancestry, including Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, and of course, John F. Kennedy.”
The first mention of Mr Obama’s Irish ancestor was found in the 1860 US Federal Census, which listed his occupation as a farm hand.
So now the brotha's Irish? Well, maybe he wasn't Black enough after all :-)
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
on: approaching relationships "like a man"
i've tried it.
my friends have watched in amazement as i approached a potentially dramatic situation "like a guy" would.
it doesn't work.
i'm not sure why it doesn't work.
the other day i ran into someone i went on one date with. before we could go on a second date, he disappeared into thin air (see my september entries).
the girl in me wanted to say
"where have you beeeeeen?" and maybe attempt to tell him off.
instead, i acted all cool like i wasn't bothered by the fact that he promised another date and then didnt' deliver.
i thought this would give me the upper hand, maybe get him a little nervous because he can't believe i'm acting so calm.
he acted just as cool as if nothing happened. it infuriated me. he had the audacity not even to act guilty!
and i'll tell you how i know this doesn't work: i can't stop thinking about him.
????
this wasn't how this was supposed to go!
the real issue is: women and men are wired differently; whether we want to admit that or not. so we approach relationships much differently as well. so really, when we think we're acting like a guy---we're really acting the way we normally act because we don't know any other way.
either that, or we're trying to front and failing miserably.
i think we do it because we think it'll trip the man up. we think he's "too stupid" to recognize the difference. but....he knows. that's why he hits us right back with it. game recognize game.
and right now....i'm losing.
Daily Obama: "It's time to Bring Our Troops Home"
http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7006720819
Obama Tells Iowa Caucus "It's Time To Bring Our Troops Home"March 12, 2007 4:30 p.m. EST
Julie Farby - All Headline News Staff Writer
Muscatine, IA (AHN)-Illinois Senator and potential 2008 Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama was in Muscatine, Iowa on Monday to speak to an estimated 1,300 party activists and Democratic supporters at West Middle School.
The main purpose of Obama's speech was to discuss the war in Iraq, which the Democratic Senator from Illinois maintains should never have been waged.
Obama, who wants to implement a phased withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq beginning as early as May 1, told the enthusiastic crowd, "It's time to bring our troops home."
Obama also touched upon relations between the Palestinians and Israelis, telling the audience, "Nobody is suffering more than the Palestinian people."
"If we could get some movement among Palestinian leadership, what I'd like to see is a loosening up of some of the restrictions on providing aid directly to the Palestinian people," Obama went on to say.
Obama also said that before a resolution can be reached, the Palestinian government must renounce the use of violence and recognize Israel's right to exist.
However, he added, "There is also no doubt that we have a huge strategic stake in bringing about a peaceful resolution to the conflict."
Wow, Barack. That part about sympathizing with the Palestinians took a lot of cajones. I'm worried about the backlash from this...because I just know it's coming. As for bringin the troops home...sorry, not impressed. EVERYBODY and their momma are gonna hit us with that line. It sounds good...sexy even. But where's the game plan?
~L.
Obama Tells Iowa Caucus "It's Time To Bring Our Troops Home"March 12, 2007 4:30 p.m. EST
Julie Farby - All Headline News Staff Writer
Muscatine, IA (AHN)-Illinois Senator and potential 2008 Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama was in Muscatine, Iowa on Monday to speak to an estimated 1,300 party activists and Democratic supporters at West Middle School.
The main purpose of Obama's speech was to discuss the war in Iraq, which the Democratic Senator from Illinois maintains should never have been waged.
Obama, who wants to implement a phased withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq beginning as early as May 1, told the enthusiastic crowd, "It's time to bring our troops home."
Obama also touched upon relations between the Palestinians and Israelis, telling the audience, "Nobody is suffering more than the Palestinian people."
"If we could get some movement among Palestinian leadership, what I'd like to see is a loosening up of some of the restrictions on providing aid directly to the Palestinian people," Obama went on to say.
Obama also said that before a resolution can be reached, the Palestinian government must renounce the use of violence and recognize Israel's right to exist.
However, he added, "There is also no doubt that we have a huge strategic stake in bringing about a peaceful resolution to the conflict."
Wow, Barack. That part about sympathizing with the Palestinians took a lot of cajones. I'm worried about the backlash from this...because I just know it's coming. As for bringin the troops home...sorry, not impressed. EVERYBODY and their momma are gonna hit us with that line. It sounds good...sexy even. But where's the game plan?
~L.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Ladies and Gentlemen: the Daily Obama.
This is something I'm starting this week. I'm sure i'm the 193847595759th blogger to do this, and no, this doesn't necessarily mean that i'm definitely voting for the man, but I am very interested in tracking the journey of one of the first legitimate Black Presidential Candidates. My commentary is in italics, as with other posts. Click on the link to see actual video so that you're not on some "we don't believe you, you need more people."
http://wcbstv.com/topstories/local_story_071165711.html
CBS) NEW YORK--With the race for the Democratic presidential nomination already in high gear, the Reverend Al Sharpton jumped into the fray today with some tough criticism for Senator Barack Obama. The outspoken reverend offered the harsh comments to Obama just as he looked to build support for his candidacy in the black community.
"Why shouldn't the black community ask questions? Are we now being told, 'You all just shut up?'" Sharpton told CBS 2's Marcia Kramer Monday. "Senator Obama and I agree that the war is wrong, but then I want to know why he went to Connecticut and helped Lieberman, the biggest supporter of the war."
Sharpton also questioned why Obama supports "tort reform, which hurts police brutality victims."
What set Sharpton off was a published report that he is trying to hurt Obama's campaign because he's jealous. Sharpton says that claim is untrue, charging the story came from the Obama camp to pressure him into an early endorsement.
"I'm not going to be cajoled or intimidated by any candidate not for my support," Sharpton said.
Political pundits say Obama is anxious for Sharpton's support because it could hurt Hillary Clinton and help Obama raise money. "At this stage of the game, it's all about the money and I think you're going to see the candidates with the biggest fund raising making it through the end of the year," Political Consultant Joseph Mercurio said.
[pause] Let's be clear. I HIGHLY doubt Obama is thinkin about Sharpton like that. Sharpton, while a good spokesperson, and a good for calling people out on their BS, is unfortunately not in the "in crowd". He's no longer on the list of people you must cater to in order to win an election. [play button]
Does Sharpton's endorsement matter? CBS 2 polled some New Yorkers and the results were mixed, but the majority appeared to lean toward the side that believes Sharpton's endorsement will make a difference.
[pause] can i PLEASE answer this one? Naw playa. Sharpton's been real critical of Obama from day one, and in the Black community, Obama is surpassing Hilary so far, and that's sans a Sharpton endorsement. [play button]
Team Obama did not immediately return calls seeking comment. Sharpton says they reached out to him this morning, but he didn't take the call. He adds he won't make his endorsement until after his National Action Network summit next month. Obama, Clinton and other candidates are scheduled to attend.
All jokes aside, I think it's unfortunate that Sharpton is so critical of Obama so early on. It's not a good look. I'm almost inclined to say that this is a crabs-in-a-barrel issue, which is too bad. One more word, and Al Sharpton's gonna be soundin like this guy:
At the same time...maybe it wouldn't hurt for Obama to at least reach out to him. You know, to save face and hear him out. It's never a good look for two Black leaders to beef, whether it's one sided or not. A friend of mine pointed out that Sharpton simply doesn't understand what it takes to run for president in this country. In short, Obama can't cater to the Black community all while running for president--we're only 11 % of the population. I'm not sure if it's exactly that simple though; there's nothing wrong with supporting and speaking out about issues that effect the Black community--and yes, i DO think that healthcare, Iraq, social security, etc. are all things that in someway effect my community. But--unfortunately, things that DIRECTLY effect African Americans have to be at the bottom of the to-do list for Obama. What do you all think?
http://wcbstv.com/topstories/local_story_071165711.html
CBS) NEW YORK--With the race for the Democratic presidential nomination already in high gear, the Reverend Al Sharpton jumped into the fray today with some tough criticism for Senator Barack Obama. The outspoken reverend offered the harsh comments to Obama just as he looked to build support for his candidacy in the black community.
"Why shouldn't the black community ask questions? Are we now being told, 'You all just shut up?'" Sharpton told CBS 2's Marcia Kramer Monday. "Senator Obama and I agree that the war is wrong, but then I want to know why he went to Connecticut and helped Lieberman, the biggest supporter of the war."
Sharpton also questioned why Obama supports "tort reform, which hurts police brutality victims."
What set Sharpton off was a published report that he is trying to hurt Obama's campaign because he's jealous. Sharpton says that claim is untrue, charging the story came from the Obama camp to pressure him into an early endorsement.
"I'm not going to be cajoled or intimidated by any candidate not for my support," Sharpton said.
Political pundits say Obama is anxious for Sharpton's support because it could hurt Hillary Clinton and help Obama raise money. "At this stage of the game, it's all about the money and I think you're going to see the candidates with the biggest fund raising making it through the end of the year," Political Consultant Joseph Mercurio said.
[pause] Let's be clear. I HIGHLY doubt Obama is thinkin about Sharpton like that. Sharpton, while a good spokesperson, and a good for calling people out on their BS, is unfortunately not in the "in crowd". He's no longer on the list of people you must cater to in order to win an election. [play button]
Does Sharpton's endorsement matter? CBS 2 polled some New Yorkers and the results were mixed, but the majority appeared to lean toward the side that believes Sharpton's endorsement will make a difference.
[pause] can i PLEASE answer this one? Naw playa. Sharpton's been real critical of Obama from day one, and in the Black community, Obama is surpassing Hilary so far, and that's sans a Sharpton endorsement. [play button]
Team Obama did not immediately return calls seeking comment. Sharpton says they reached out to him this morning, but he didn't take the call. He adds he won't make his endorsement until after his National Action Network summit next month. Obama, Clinton and other candidates are scheduled to attend.
All jokes aside, I think it's unfortunate that Sharpton is so critical of Obama so early on. It's not a good look. I'm almost inclined to say that this is a crabs-in-a-barrel issue, which is too bad. One more word, and Al Sharpton's gonna be soundin like this guy:
At the same time...maybe it wouldn't hurt for Obama to at least reach out to him. You know, to save face and hear him out. It's never a good look for two Black leaders to beef, whether it's one sided or not. A friend of mine pointed out that Sharpton simply doesn't understand what it takes to run for president in this country. In short, Obama can't cater to the Black community all while running for president--we're only 11 % of the population. I'm not sure if it's exactly that simple though; there's nothing wrong with supporting and speaking out about issues that effect the Black community--and yes, i DO think that healthcare, Iraq, social security, etc. are all things that in someway effect my community. But--unfortunately, things that DIRECTLY effect African Americans have to be at the bottom of the to-do list for Obama. What do you all think?
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Malcolm Gladwell
I'm sure I'm later than a Black wedding, but I just recently heard this speech this speech by writer Malcolm Gladwell, where he's talking about hit engineering (ie, what makes songs a hit? why does the public like and dislike certain songs? how does a hit make us feel?)
I think his book "the Tipping Point" is next up on my "books to read" list.
I realize i ride pretty hard for nerdy Black men.
I think his book "the Tipping Point" is next up on my "books to read" list.
I realize i ride pretty hard for nerdy Black men.
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