DISQUS

Obama is not stupid, and he knows that


a) McCain is using Obama's appeal to get some attention for himself that he otherwise would not be able to get



b) McCain and his people will stack the audience chock full of McCain people, just like that Fox debacle a couple of weeks ago.





Obama doesn't need to have town halls with McCain; he can have his own and if he does do a joint town hall with McCain he needs to make sure half that audience is comprised of Obama supporters.



Why voluntarily give McCain any type of advantage?

And thank goodness for S.R. Sidarth because if he hadn't posted that YouTube video of Allen dissing him, Allen might very well be the Republican nominee instead of McCain.

nicole said...
I understand certain people wanting to ride out for Hillary but I don't think they (CBC members) should support Obama just because he is Black. If these people are so called "Democrats" they should be rallying behind the party's chosen candidate regardless.



The question that is now raised in my mind is are these people not wanting to support Obama because of his skin tone or because of his stance on issues?

----------------



These Negroes and the Geraldine Ferraro faction are the only people still with their lip poked out. Everyone else is like "Obama is the nominee, we're behind our nominee." So that tells me the CBC and Ferraro resistance isn't political, it's personal.



I think certain people of the CBC still have their lip poked out because



a) They were promised favors and goodies in return for riding for Hillary and Obama winning messed that up, since obviously an Obama win means they won't get the favors and goodies they were promised;



b) Obama rendered them effectively useless, because they thought they were the gatekeepers to the black vote, and Obama proved you don't need to kiss the CBC's ass or get their endorsement to get the black vote.

Hmph. If Obama biting his tongue and showing his restraint hurt them so bad they still need time to heal, I'd hate to think how hurt they would be if he went gangsta on them.

rikyrah,


I think she might rate a sidebar on that blog and that's about it. LOL.

Bill, Hillary, Geriatric Ferraro (love whoever came up with that name), Fox News, etc. deserve a healthy heaping of blame for this too.

IMO Michelle Obama is not going to rate a mention from that crowd even if she does become First Lady. She doesn't rate a mention now as a Senator's wife. She doesn't even rate a mention as the wife of the presumptive Democratic nominee. IMO some people think Michelle Obama is a little too "common." I wouldn't hold my breath.

Off Topic:


Father Pfleger is supposed to be on Good Morning America tomorrow to talk about what happened.

There is no "benefit of the doubt" to give. He said that Michelle was a nasty, openly racist ingrate. I'm trying to figure out how and when exactly was she openly racist, and what exactly has she done to be considered nasty?


I've heard these meme (ungrateful black affirmative action bitch and openly racist bitch) on talk radio and this is BEFORE the whitey tape hoax started circulating.



I truly do think that many white people are taking the run ins and frustrations with black women in their daily lives out on Michelle. They can't confront Shaniqua at McDonald, Devina down at City Hall or Patrice from their office, so they're projecting all of that on Michelle.



Cuz hey, Maxine Waters always has a scowl on her face and she's angry, and every time I turn on the TV I see some angry black woman mad because her kid got killed, so Michelle Obama must be an angry, nasty, hateful black woman too because that's just black women operate: they're angry, nasty and racist.



Um. Ok.

I don't mean that Barack & Michelle are just like Bill & Hillary, but Barack & Michelle are the fresh new faces on the block, running on "Change" just like Bill & Hillary were the fresh new faces on the block in '92, running on "Hope."


Both Bill & Barack are charismatic and confident, while both Hillary & Michelle are strong women with their own minds and not afraid to speak on it.



Bill himself knew Barack was one to watch out for -- he said it himself a few years ago.



Bill got beat by a darker version of himself, is all. Bill should have asked himself, "How would I have beat myself in 1992?" and applied that to Barack Obama instead of the race baiting and dogwhistling which left him more red in the face than he usually is.

As I said in the open thread, Bill and Hillary's racism of low expectations is why they are in the position they are in today. They didn't take the black guy seriously and got caught with their pants down in Iowa (coming in THIRD, no less) and have been playing catch up ever since.


Until Bill takes a good look at himself in the mirror and takes responsibility for the race baiting and dogwhistling, I believe he'll always have a grudge for Obama.



Plus, Barack & Michelle 2008 = Bill & Hillary 1992. Bill pretty much got beaten by a darker version of himself.



And ironically, if Hillary had waltzed her ass back to Illinois, where she is originally from, and run for the Senate from there, we wouldn't be talking about Barack Obama today.



I actually think Hillary will take responsibility for her role in the race baiting long before Bill ever will.

The problem I have with Nader pressing Obama on talking about social issues is he is not similarly pressing McCain on talking about social issues. Where does McCain stand on the ghetto, predatory lending, asbestos etc.? Why is McCain getting a pass from discussing these type of issues?


As far as the "talking white" issue goes, sometimes I really do think some white people have a vision in their heads of January 20, 2009 where Barack Obama turns into either Yung Barack, complete with gold chains and teefes, grabbing his nutz as he raps the Oath of Office into the mic while Michelle drops it like it's hot



or



They think Barack will morph into Barack X, and upon taking the Oath of Office gives a State of the Union in the Oval Office (which is now decorated in red, black and green) and he says "We (blacks) didn't land in the United States of Amerikkka, the United States of Amerikkka landed on us--Kill the White People!" while Michelle, hair blown out in an Angela Davis-style afro, pumps her fist in the air and screams "Git Whitey!" And the Secret Service has been replaced by the Fruit of Islam.



It would be hilarious if it wasn't so sad, but people actually think like this.

I understand that Bill Clinton (and Hillary) feels hurt for being hit with the racism accusations, but he needs to take responsibility for his actions, which I don't see him doing. He and Hillary need to realize their racism of low expectations is why Barack Obama caught them with their pants down, not Obama playing the race card, not Obama diminishing his 8 years in office (he squandered 4 of the 8 messing with Monica), not black people ditching them in their time of need.


I don't see Bill or Hillary Clinton sitting down and really wrapping their minds around what they did and realizing what they did was wrong. Neither one of them seems capable of saying "I messed up, I'm sorry." Neither one of them seems capable of taking responsibility for their actions.

@ Jed:


I guess we can't defend Laura Bush either, since she's been on many a "Today" show and was on the cover of "Ladies Home Journal."





@ annaarcturus:



I think a lot of people just want to be heard. I don't know how to answer your question but to say, "Please just listen." I think some white feminists want WOC to sit at the table but only if they're quiet and don't say anything or only if they back them up. Just listen. I guess that's the only answer I could give you.

But separation (fear and hate and blame etc.) has not helped progress in anyway, that includes separation of black women from white women.
---------------



IMO, this is putting the blame for the separation of black and white women on black women. This may not be your intention but that's how I read it. I'm not seeing trying to set a place at the table for black women, or Asian women or Latino women. Or even poor white women. I've always seen it as "you can come to the dinner but you have to sit at the kids' table over there," and the only time WOC are allowed at the table is to clean it off and make it look pretty.



I think it goes both ways. Just as there are black women who don't desire to sit at the table, there are white women who don't want us in the dining room to begin with. And I think that needs to be addressed and rectified and if that can't happen then WOC need to sit at our own tables.

Rhonda,


I don't feel I am being "emotional." It is YOU and people like your uncle and some black people and some Muslims and some white women and some white people etc. that's getting emotional. Any little thing Obama does wrong, you come with the "Well, damn, I just don't know if I can vote for him anymore. He's just not who I thought he was gonna be."



Well then, don't vote for him. It's just that simple. If that's "arrogance" in your book, then I'm extremely arrogant and I make no apologies for that. It's not that serious to me. IMO John McCain is not my cup of tea, so I'm not voting for him. Doesn't mean he's teh evul, just means he's not compatible with me so I'm not voting for him.



If a candidate makes me uncomfortable for ANY reason, I don't vote for him or her. I'm trying to understand why everyone thinks he's the Messiah when he's never presented himself as such. And when he reveals himself to be a man, a mere politician, all of a sudden everyone's SOOOO disappointed and they just don't know how they can pull that lever in November.



Well then, don't. I have no problem with people critiquing Obama because he's an asshole. ALL good politicians are assholes. If he was so good and pure, he wouldn't be in politics.



The problem is not with Barack Obama or his critiques, the problem is with his stans and people who think they're supposed to vote for him because it's the "kewl and historic" thing to do. The problem is with people who expect him to live out their hopes and dreams and when he doesn't, they're disappointed. He doesn't walk on water. He's just a man. He farts and has wax in his ear. He's a politician. Politicians do what they do to get elected.



If you don't feel he's being held accountable enough or is ignoring key concerns, DON'T VOTE FOR HIM.



If this man is causing such discomfort because he is not everything you want him to be, it might be in your psychological best interests to not vote for him.



It's just not that serious.

Maybe I'm stupid, but I don't understand all the emotional handwringing over voting/not voting for Barack Obama.


If Muslims don't like him, don't vote for him.



If white women don't like him, don't vote for him.



If you feel that he's not paying attention to blacks and black issues and he's kissing too much white ass, don't vote for him.



If he's too liberal or socialist, don't vote for him.



If you don't like his black lips, don't vote for him.



I have never seen so much handwringing over voting/not voting for somebody in my life. Ok, I know people will say "Well if we don't vote for him, then he will lose."



So? Somebody's got to win, and somebody's got to lose.



If you don't feel Barack Obama is the right person, don't vote for him.



If you feel uncomfortable with Barack or Michelle Obama, don't vote for him.



If you feel that Obama isn't addressing the issues you want addressed, don't vote for him.



Bu-bu-but....John McCain will win! We won't have our First Black President!



A) John McCain WILL win, IMO, because too many people are uncomfortable with Barack and Michelle Obama. And not just white people. And when people are uncomfortable they will stick with what they already know.



b) People are coming up with any and every excuse in the book why they won't be voting for Obama.



Just don't vote for him. It's just that simple.

The "feminists" we speak of are the same ones who ran down to CNN, MSNBC, FOX, ABC, CBS, any microphone, any digital recorder, any reporter, any blog, any Op-Ed piece to scream about the rampant sexism going on in this campaign.


The sexism is still going on, just with Michelle Obama as a target, and all you hear are **crickets** from the same people who made sure to run down any outlet they could to scream about the sexism against Hillary Clinton.



To scream about Obama "brushing his shoulders off" really meaning he was diminishing Hillary Clinton.



To scream about Obama calling the reporter "sweetie."



To scream about Obama calling Hillary Clinton "Annie Oakley."



To scream about Obama saying how Hillary's claws were coming out.



To scream about Obama saying "periodically" to refer to Hillary's menstrual cycle.



No one on this blog (or any other outlet) is saying that "all feminists" are silent. Just the ones who screamed loudest about the sexism when it came to Hillary Clinton.



Where they at?



**crickets**



Still waiting.



I saw the first page of comments at the Washington Post and the majority of the people who justify being silent blame Michelle Obama and her RACE for the reason why they should stay silent. 90% of the comments slamming Michelle claim she is "racist" and "hates white people" and she has a "sista gurl mouth".



Basically the people who were screaming the loudest about the rampant sexism, and are now quiet, feel that Michelle Obama deserves what she gets, and she deserves what she gets, in part, because she's black.

D said...


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.

Renee said...
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.

Can someone tell me why a candidate's spouse's actions almost twenty years ago have any relevance or grounds for comparison to the statements made by another candidate's spouse a few months ago?
---------------



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.

Has no one ever heard Gil Scott Heron's "Whitey on the Moon?"
---------------------

The only people in 2008 who use the term "whitey" in reference to white people are white people.



Pat Buchanan's "A Brief for Whitey," anyone?



Wasn't there an uproar some time back when Native American students didn't like the school mascot being a Native American, and the white people in town decided to create their own team called the "Fighting Whiteys?"



As everyone here as mentioned, "whitey" is a term black characters written by white writers use. Black people in real life do not say "whitey."



The book the hoax was lifted from had the white writer writing the black characters as sitting in a back room telling each other they were going to "get whitey."



No black person outside of George Jefferson and Fred Sanford calls white people "whitey." LOL

Yeah?
How about a presidential candidate who's a "baby daddy"?



Michelle's own words.



Oh, sorry. Probably more play-to-the-base material, suitable during the primary, that's now been declared "off limits" for the general. All as the libs fret and fart over an identical CNN caption being - drum roll - "racist".



F'ing laughable.

----------------------------

Apples and oranges.



Michelle can do that to her own husband.



Fox News cannot do that to Michelle Obama. Period.



But, if it's ok to label Michelle Obama a "baby mama" because she called her own husband her "baby's daddy," then it's ok to call Cindy McCain a cunt. Hey, John called her a cunt so it's ok, right?

and we're supposed to embrace a Baby Mama Version 2.0 that's more appealing to independents and less angry than Miss "America is Mean / Never Been Proud".


-----------------------



When a presidential candidate and his baby mama come along, then I'll say you have a point. But neither Michelle Obama nor Cindy McCain are "baby mamas", therefore your point is invalid, null and void.

Many people hate Michelle Obama because she is not a subservient, grinning, simple minded mammy. Period.


There's basically 3 ways to be a black women in this society:



You can be a sexpot (Beyonce, Rihanna, Halle, etc);



You can be a Mammy (Oprah);



or you can be an angry black bitch (Michelle Obama).



There are two ways to be the "angry black bitch:"



You can be the ghetto black bitch



You can be the uppity black bitch.





Michelle Obama is the "angry uppity black bitch." And 99% of the time if you're a college educated, demure black woman who isn't shuffling and grinning all the time, you will be described as an angry black bitch, too.



From my own personal experiences, I have had the most troubles dealing with white women who are the "Roseanne" types. I notice those are the ones who are the most hateful towards Michelle Obama.



I also think they are going after Michelle because she is Barack's Achilles' heel. Attack her savagely, make Barack loose his cool and reveal him to be the Angry Black Bogeyman they all know him to be. SMH.