Cat-like reflexes

Well, at least President Bush has great reflexes. In case you haven't heard, Bush dodged a couple of "shoe bombs" earlier today in a visit to Iraq.
An Iraqi journalist, God bless him, threw both his shoes, size 10, at the outgoing president, he almost got him too. Damn those cat-like reflexes!
Take a look:

Pass the peanuts ...

... it appears that Washington, D.C. politics have turned into an all out three-ring circus and the President Elect is the ringmaster.
First off, Gov. Rod Blagojevich has been arrested and charged with several felony corruption charges that allege he was trying to sell Obama's senate seat. According to CNN, Blagojevich and his chief of staff were each a count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and a count of solicitation of bribery.
The U.S. Attorney's office caught them in a good old fashioned sting operation complete with a bugged office and phones. Earlier today, Blagojevich was released under his own recognizance under a $4,500 bond. He had to surrender his passport and now Sen. Dick Durbin is trying to get the state legislature to pass a bill to have a special called election for the president elect's Senate seat.
Well duh, they need one. That snake will probably appoint a family member or one of his campaign contributors as the succesor. I want the president elect as far away from this nonsense as possible. It has gotten completely out of hand.
And speaking of other random foolishness, how about Alan Keyes' lawsuit to challenge Obama's citizenship? What kind of random, Uncle Tom, crabs in a bucket nonsense is this?
He, and a lot of other quacks, contend that Obama was not born in Hawaii like he claims, but in Kenya. They also allege that he also has a citizenship in Indonesia. The U.S. Constitution states that in order to be the president, one must be a "natural born" citizen of the country. That loosely translates to mean that he must be born on American soil. This is a load of crap. I don't remember hearing anyone dispute Sen. McCain's eligibility to serve. He was born in Panama for crying out loud.
Keyes is simply being a sore loser, emphasis on the word loser. This guy is still pissed that Obama spanked his ass in the Illinois Senate Race back in 2004. Now, he was a presidential candidate who got all of 40,000 votes and now he's pissed that he got beat again.
He's been challenging Obama to produce evidence that he was born in the U.S. I say we turn the tables. I want evidence that Keyes is a black man. I want proof that his name is spelled 'Keyes.' Hell, I want proof that he is an American.
I know all of those are ridiculous, so is his claim that Obama is not a natural born citizen. In fact, Keyes is the recipient of Smarty Jones' "sit cho ass down" award for this quarter. In his honor, a song by one Maino:

This is just re-damn-diculous!

Barack Obama has been elected our nation's 44th president and millions and millions of people are ecstatic. Since Nov. 4, there have been countless celebrations, people paying for free inauguration tickets, people being barred from talking about Obama at work and school and of course, more merchandise than we can handle. All this began with a couple of T-shirts and caps, maybe even a few buttons and lapel pins. As the president elect gained momentum, you started to see bags, towels, playing cards and maybe even a few wristbands. Now that he's President Elect Obama, people have just gone crazy. I've seen coins, commemorative plates, mugs, shot glasses. But now, these people have gone too far. I opened up my e-mail yesterday and I saw Obama Chocolates. Chocolates, people? And that's not all, there are calendars, workbooks, pencils, posters and a partridge in a pear tree! Please vendors, bootleggers and hook-up men, stop! Stop right now. Stop bastardizing this man's image and likeness. You are cheapening his victory, for $19.95 plus shipping and handling.

Obama - The Movie

Please visit my other blog, Difference of Opinion, for today's post. Don't be shy, leave a comment.

Yes We Did!!!

Tonight, I am in awe. I am inspired. I am proud.
Earlier tonight, I awakened from a Nyquil enduced stupor to see that Sen. Barack Obama is now President-Elect Obama.

At first, I thought that my fever had gotten the best of me and I was dreaming. Then I started to receive text messages and phone calls and I knew then it was real.

This something I never thought I'd see in my lifetime. FOr my whole life, I have always been told and told my nieces and nephews that we can be whatever we wanted if we simply work hard and put our minds to it. Now, it's all been validated and solidified with this moment in history.

I am overjoyed and I hope you all are as happy as I am tonight.

Election Day

AggieLand Stand Up!!!

These pictures are from an Obama rally at my beloved alma mater N.C. A&T State University over the weekend. Special guests were Kevin Liles, Russell Simmons and Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter.
Video links are coming soon. Until then, enjoy the slide show!

Election day is almost here ...

... doo dah, doo dah ...
You'll have to excuse my excitement. I'm so happy right now, it's not even funny. I got to vote early last week and I am not ashamed to tell you all that I was verklempt while standing in line to cast my ballot.

I could do this long cheesy soliloquy about why I vote but honestly, none of it would be the truth. Quite frankly, I vote because so many of my ancestors died so that I could have the right.

I feel like doing anything less than registering and exercising that right would be spitting on their hard work and pissing on their legacies. And, I wouldn't be able to live with myself.

At any rate, I'm encouraging you guys to get out and vote, either early or on Election Day. Be prepared to wait in a long line for extended periods of time. Take you lawn chairs, pack a lunch, carry your iPods and a couple of books and magazines. I would even encourage you to take a friend.

This is quite possibly the most important election we've ever had. Take you place in history. With that said, I have a problem I was hoping you all could help me with.
As of late, I have been suffering from political road rage and I'm not sure if there's a cure. Every time I see one of these bumper stickers while I'm driving, it kind of makes me want to ram the car in front of me until it's smoking.
No, for real. I think it's some sort of an allergic reaction or something. Do ya'll think I should be medicated for it?

As of yet, I have not acted on my urges, but it is only a matter of time. Granted election day is Tuesday but I don't think they're going to take the stickers off. The only thing I can think of is getting a bottle of rubbing alcohol and pouring over the stickers so that they will detach themselves and blow away.

Is that against the law, like stealing and defacing signs? I hope not, I don't know how much more of this I can take.

It's been a few days ...

... and so much has happened. First off, early voting is under way throughout the country, I hope you all have voted or plan to go soon. I'm going this afternoon. You get two guesses as to who my candidate is. *tee hee hee* I wrote, by hand, a post for you guys last week and reading over it today, it is a little old as far as news goes. But, because I am such a great person and I really don't feel like re-doing it all, I am going to post it for you below in its original form.
October 14, 2008
This afternoon when i should have been working, I over heard a conversation between three co-workers - a white guy and two black women. He's working on a story about the upcoming visit of one, Sarah Palelynn, to the area. He, very innocently, asked if he was naive for being surprised at seeing black folks in line for tickets to see the governor. Of course they, being the consummate professionals that they are, gently informed him that all black folks don't vote the same because we're black. One of the the ladies said, "You can't expect 12 million people to all vote for the same candidate because of skin color. I agree. Also, last week, I saw three black men - two professionals, one student - being interviewed by Rick Sanchez on CNN about why they are voting for Sen. John McCain. Add to that the small cadre of people of color present during the Republican National Convention and I'll say that these ladies are extremely accurate. Because Sen. Barack Obama, like all of us, has black blood coursing through his veins, race was injected into this presidential race very early on. Sadly, it shows no sign of exiting any time soon. Since the 1600s when the European settlers made their voyage to the New World, there has always been this misconception that the people with darker skin tones are somehow less intelligent and unworthy of any job that is not strenuous, stressful and pure manual labor. That could perhaps explain the tendency to enslave and cast off those of the darker hue. Something that is even funnier to me is immediately after slavery, former slaves actually belonged tt the GOP. It wasn't until after Republicans over threw/cast out/drove away rightfully elected black Republicans that black folks started to vote Democratic. That has since become our country's method of operation. Because a lot of my counterparts in the media tend to major in the minor, what should be a campaign focused on our country's policies has become a campaign laced with painting the Democratic candidate as a villain. Now all of a sudden, all black people are voting for Obama because he's black. That is simply a crock. Nobody ever accused white voters of voting for past candidates simply because they're white. Like always, this election is a matter of choosing the lesser of two evils. They're both politicians and that means there's something wrong with both of them. Obama isn't more evil because he's black. McCain isn't less evil because he's white. Because the issue of race is hundreds of years old, we would hope that we have moved away from this backwards thinking. We haven't. It's downright pitiful that we all carry the fears and prejudices of our forefathers. Scientists say that people - all people - are 99.9 percent the same. It's that other .01 percent that gives us our skin, hair and eye color. When you think about it, why wouldn't we share the same DNA? If you believe in creation, we're all descendants of Adam and Eve. If you believe in evolution, we all descend from the first civilization in Africa. You read it right, Africa! Sit in on any World Civilization class and you'll learn how there was only once civilization that became many mutated civilizations and tribes over various periods and ages. Why the history lesson? I'm glad you asked. I feel like if we all know, understand, comprehend and accept where we come from, we can't help but get over the bullshit that is racism. That means the stereotypes, the hatred and the whole process of treating other differently based on their race or skin color. Can you get over it? I can get over it - I've been over it. Will you join me?

I would like to congratulate Sarah Palin ...

... on last night's debate. It looks like Debate Camp paid off. She managed to memorize key facts and figures and what sounded like a research paper and it almost made sense. She is now a mediocre politician and I applaud her for that. Now, let's just go ahead and agree that Sen. Joe Biden won that debate. First off, their debate was a damn site more exciting than the Obama/McCain debate. I swear ya'll, last week, that debate was like watching paint dry. This one was a tad more exciting though and it could have been because I was waiting for Palin to make an ass of herself. While she didn't succeed in making an ass of herself, she did succeed in contradicting herself a few times and that is typical of a politician. I don't think the debate did a thing to help the McCain ticket other than making her look like she's not an idiot. Don't get me wrong, I still think she's an idiot, I just think that they prepared her well, probably too well. She caught a lot of flack because of her interviews with Charlie Gibson and Katie Couric and for good reason. Those interviews made her look like a novice to American politics and dare I say, an imbecile. I made the remark that they have found a female version of Dubya. Anyway, I think Biden did an outstanding job of speaking on the issues. Every time he opens his mouth, he makes me more and more glad that Obama chose him as his No. 2. My sincere hope is that this debate will give the Obama/Biden ticket more momentum going into next week's debate in Nashville and as early voters take to the polls. What do ya'll think? Was Biden the winner? Did Palin do better than you thought she would?

I went to the Obama rally ...

... in Greensboro, N.C., yesterday and it was an awesome experience! For those of you all who live in areas where he will be coming in the next few weeks, make it your business to attend. Of course, I have pictures:

A little more than 12 hours after he and Sen. McCain had they much publicized debate in Mississippi, Sens. Obama and Biden flew 663 miles for a rally in what is being called the "new" Ohio. My fair state of North Carolina has become a battleground state in this election and given our current conditions, why wouldn't it be? We have some of the highest taxes in the Southeast. A large population of poor people confined to rural and depressed areas. And, the entire state has been brought to its knees with repeated closing of textile factories all across the state. To give you all a little background, I am from a very rural area of the state called Fairmont. Fairmont is located in Robeson County, the biggest county - in area, and the poorest county. Robeson County is probably the only place in the country where you can own acres upon acres of land and several houses and still be poor. I know of at least four textile factories in my hometown that have closed down. There are at least 20 more throughout the county that no longer exist because of jobs being sent overseas. Also keep in mind that my area relied a lot on the tobacco industry. Nearly a decade ago, Congress offered the tobacco farmers a buyout to stop growing so much tobacco in their effort to keep so many Americans from smoking and using other tobacco products. Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with getting people to stop smoking, but I have a problem with taking away an industry without replacing it with another. Before I stand up on that soap box, I will say that Obama spoke to us about bringing back some of the industries that we've lost and putting more into education so that our next generation can get more out of it. I don't know about ya'll but I can get into that. I will be posting my commentary on the debate later on, I still haven't watched it all. I also have a few videos from yesterday that I will post later on.

Have ya heard?

The debate is back on! I knew it would be, I don't think Sen. McCain took too kindly to being called an old punk. Hell, we all know he's old, he doesn't have to be a punk too. I say, be one or the other and let's face it, one of them, he can't help. I just saw the picture of him and blonde Elvira boarding his plane. Hopefully, they are on their way to Mississippi. They only have a little more than seven hours before the debate is expected to begin. Seeing as how it took his 22 hours to get to Washington, D.C., from New York City, he's already a day behind. Anyway, I won't be able to comment during or immediately after the debate. But I will be posting tomorrow afternoon, hopefully with a surprise for you guys where you'll be able to read my delightful commentary on tonight's happenings.

Am I a hypocrite ...

... because I find this funny?

OK, I was totally offended by the Obama cover. But as we have gotten further along, I've started looking back on the journey and the foolishness that we are being inundated with at it relates to the Democratic presidential nominee and this wasn't that bad. Granted, it is offensive but it is not as dangerous as those fools in Denver riding around with the weapons talking about an assassination plot on Sen. Obama. It's not nearly as dangerous as the fool who was arrested near his home in Chicago. All of the tasteless jokes and sad attempts at satire now all seem so trivial because these fools are trying to jeopardize the safety of him and his family. Not to get off subject, I just think those two guys are h.i.larious!!! The difference in what they did and what the graphic artists and editors at the New Yorker did is Stewart and Colbert make their living spoofing all things news and political. The New Yorker is regarded as a reputable media outlet therefore there isn't much room left for satire, in my opinion. If anything, that should have been the cartoon in the Op-Ed section, not the cover. At any rate, I hope you guys love Colbert and Stewart as much as I.

Well, I'd say it's mighty damn convenient ...

... that Sen. John McCain wants to suspend his campaign to focus on this "historic" economic crisis our country is being faced with at this time. He plans to return to Washington, D.C., to help resolve the issue of whether or not to bail out these Wall Street companies that are really far in debt. CNN reported that he plans to suspend his campaign meaning he won't run commercials or participate in Friday's debate unless this thing has been resolved. **A-choo** You'll have to excuse me, I'm allergic to bullshit. Wouldn't you all say that it is mighty damn convenient that McCain all of a sudden wants to run to D.C.to resolve a problem 10 years in the making? Wouldn't you think that he's simply not ready for this debate because he knows he's going to get a bunch of questions like, "how come a Republican-run House and Senate didn't see this coming 10 years ago?" The funny thing is Democrats just became the majority two years ago so a lot of this they have inherited. Then again, they should have been trying to do something to prevent a fall out of this magnitude. At any rate, I can not be the only one who thinks McCain is just doing this to save some money and to have more time to prepare himself for this debate. Think about it, this week, he has a couple of points on Obama in the polls and he's had some problems maintaining his momentum in the past. Add to that the fact that Campbell Brown obliterated him and his cronies for their sexist treatment of her. I tell you that the man is a-skeerd! Shoot, wouldn't you be? He's debating Barack Freakin' Obama, who would want to be in opposition of that man when he's speaking? Ol' McSame ain't as senile as I initially thought. This was a skillful move - a very skillful and calculated move. You're a good politician Charlie Brown!

OK, I take it back ...

... Tina Fey is the best Sarah Palin.

I've figured it out ...

... Sarah Palin reminds me of the Vancome Lady from MAD TV, seriously. Take a look:

Is that not Palin? They have the same annoying voice and for whatever reason, I think Palin is just as offensive.

And now ...

... meet your other Presidential Candidates for this year's election. For so long, America has been known as a bi-partisan "democracy." We've always had Democrats and Republicans. Well, somewhere along the lines, folks started getting fed up with the foolishness that is this bi-party system and we now have Independents, Socialists, Constitutionalists, Libertarians, Prohibitionists and a partridge in a pear tree. OK, so I did throw in that last one, but you've gotta admit, that's a lot of political parties. I always wondered what the basis of them all are, and lucky for you, I've done the research for you. First up, you got the Independent American Party. Beliefs and Principles According to Wikipedia *ahem* they believe that freedom is founded upon faith in God and the existence of moral law and that our rights come from God, not government and the function of government is to protect those rights. They also believe that the Constitution of the United States is inspired by God. It is a compact between the peoples of the states of that union which the officers of government have a duty to obey. Everybody oughta be familiar with Ralph Nader. He's only been a candidate in the last five or six elections. He's never really had enough folks voting for him to make him viable, but he did have enough votes in 2000 that could have possibly swayed gotten former vice president Al Gore elected or President Bush elected fairly. The remaining candidates are Kelcey Wilson, Frank Moore, Alan Keyes, and Jackson Kirk Grimes. The only one I know of is Alan Keyes and that is because that is the black guy the GOP got to run against Sen. Barack Obama for the Illinois Senate seat in 2004. I'm surprised he's making a run at the White House since he's never even made it to Capitol Hill, but hey, to each his own, right? Next up is one Cynthia McKinney. If her name sounds familiar, it should. She's the state representative who punched a Capitol Hill police officer after he tried to stop her from entering the Longworth House Office Building without passing through the security check point. According to reports, she was not wearing her lapel pin that identifies her as a member of Congress. He went to retrieve her and she punched him. Anyway, the Green Party is apparently a fan of her right hook and extended her the invitation to be their nominee for President of the United States. Here's what I found on the party's Web site about their beliefs. "In the United States, the Green Party has been active as a third party since the 1980s. The party first gained widespread public attention during Ralph Nader's presidential runs in 1996 and 2000. Currently, the primary national Green Party organization in the U.S. is the Green Party of the United States, which has eclipsed the earlier Greens/Green Party USA. There are Green Parties in many nations, with total membership being about a million people. Greens emphasize environmentalism, non-hierarchical participatory democracy, social justice, respect for diversity, peace and nonviolence." Onto the Socialists, their candidate is Brian Moore. I have never heard of this guy. The Web site states that the party: "strives to establish a radical democracy that places people's lives under their own control -- a non-racist, classless, feminist socialist society where working people own and control the means of production and distribution through democratically-controlled public agencies; where full employment is realized for everyone who wants to work; where workers have the right to form unions freely, and to strike and engage in other forms of job actions; and where the production of society is used for the benefit of all humanity, not for the private profit of a few." I couldn't find a pic of him that was worth using so you'll have to click the link to get a look at him. Next up are the Constitutional and Liberatarian parties. All I know about the parties and candidates is what I got from Google and their sites. I lumped them together because both parties have managed to get candidates who look like pedophiles. The Constitutionalists have Chuck Baldwin. According to Wikipedia: "the Constitution Party is a paleoconservative United States political party. It was founded as the U.S. Taxpayers Party in 1992. The party's official name was changed to the Constitution Party in 1999; however, some state affiliate parties are known under different names. The Constitution Party advocates a Bible-based platform which it claims to reflect original intent of the U.S. Constitution and the principles of the U.S. Declaration of Independence.[3] The party seeks "to restore American jurisprudence to its original Biblical common-law foundations."[4]" The Libertarians have this guy, Bob Barr. Wikipedia says, "The Libertarian Party is an American political party founded on December 11, 1971. It is one of the largest continuing Third parties in the United States, claiming more than 200,000 registered voters and more than 600 people in public office,[2] including mayors, county executives, county-council members, school-board members and other local officials. It has more people in office than all other third parties combined.[3] The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects that group's particular brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, and non-interventionism in foreign policy that respects freedom of trade and travel to all foreign countries." All of that is fine and good, but they still look like pedophiles. New American Independent Party Frank McEnulty The New American Independent Party is a political party in the United States, founded by Michael Thompson in Wayne, Pennsylvania on election day in 2004. The New American Independent Party claims to seek a more sustainable, self-reliant America through a platform of both liberal and conservative views. The New American Independent Party focuses heavily on middle class issues and government reform. Party for Socialism & Liberation Gloria La Riva/Eugene Puryear The Party for Socialism and Liberation is a Marxist party in the United States founded to promote revolutionary change.[2] It was originally created as the result of a split within the ranks of the Workers World Party. The San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle and Washington, D.C. branches of WWP left almost in their entirety to form the PSL. The PSL has since established branches in several additional urban centers across the United States. Prohibition Party Gene Admondson/Leroy Pletten The Prohibition Party is a political party in the United States. The party advocates effective action concerning the use of beverages containing alcohol including dealing with the starter/gateway drug, tobacco Socialist Workers Party Róger Calero/Alyson Kennedy The Socialist Workers Party, or SWP, is a communist political party in the United States. The SWP claims that most of its members are industrial workers and trade union members. One of the SWP's main priorities is supporting Pathfinder Press, which publishes titles by past and present SWP leaders (James P. Cannon, Farrell Dobbs, Evelyn Reed and Jack Barnes) as well as by revolutionaries from Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky to Malcolm X and Che Guevara. Now, with all that said, who do you guys think will actually be on the ballot come November? The more important question is do you even care?

*Blowing whistle!!!!*

Hold up! Double dribble! Time out! Flag on the play! Personal foul! Let's all agree that Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Sarah Palin belong to that self-righteous, hypocritical and outright lying sack a -ish political party and move on. While these two have certainly opened their mouths a few times too many, I say they can't help it. I'm not defending them, I'm just saying, when you live a sheltered life, you tend to think inside the proverbial box. We shouldn't expect them to up and all of a sudden open up their minds and abandon their beliefs just because they are wrong. OK, yes we can. In the event that the GOP wins the White House, ya'll do realize they're taking it all back, right? When I say all, I mean all. There won't be anymore right to choose whether or not you want to have an abortion. They're going to start teaching creationism in the schools. Everybody is going to have a gun. There won't be any jobs. On top of that, there won't be any sort of "assistance" in the form of Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, Food Stamps - none of that. Granted, it will take some doing to get rid of all of that, but you think they're not going to try? We live in a capitalist society which means that there are the buyers and the sellers. Sadly, the sellers have basically got the buyers on a hook, forever. Forever ever, Forever eva! Now, with that said, buyers and sellers are the only two classes that exist under a Republican regime. Who of the two have the most money? Sellers. Why? Because they've got all your money. So, the question now is, what do you do when you've got ungodly amounts of money and you want to keep buying shit and dodging the taxes? You make sure politicians are in your pocket. See, politicians don't make any money. In fact, they don't make nearly enough for the crap they go through. That is precisely why they take money, trips and whatever other perks they can to take care of their wealthy friends because their wealthy friends take care of them. And, I even know a way to tell them from us. They all look alike - well, almost all of them. There's always an exception to the rule. Whether they are black, white, Asian, Hispanic or whatever, they all look the same. Think I'm lying, go to YouTube and pull up some clips form their convention. Everybody there wore the same blue, black, gray and pinstriped suit. They almost always wore a red or re and blue tie with a flag lapel pin. There was no diversity and when they did show people of color, it was the same 30 - 10 blacks, 10 Asians and 10 Hispanics. As a party, they lack diversity and depth. Think about, a group's representative, i.e. the candidate, reflects the party. Why wouldn't it be safe to assume that the whole of the GOP isn't a split group of honary, old people who growl when they talk who want to go to war with the world and a arrogant, self-righteous, allegedly racist overly religious nuts with annoying voices? I know, it's not right to box all Republicans into one group because of their political party but until they prove their diversity to me, I will continue to chant my late grandmother's mantra, "people judge you by the company you keep." So true, so true!

'Bout damn time!

In case ya hadn't heard, Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick resigned. Did you hear that? Detroit natives and residents everywhere just breathed a collective sigh of relief. The Hip Hop mayor pleaded guilty to felony charges for testi-lying under oath about his sexual relationship with his former chief of staff. He copped one of those Law & Order-type deals to keep himself out of jail for the long haul. With his deal, Kilpatrick has to serve four months in jail, five years of probation, and pay a $1 million fine over five years. Again I say, all that for some text messages and some booty. I think it is safe to say that we can put him in the same catergory with Kobe Bryant as dudes who will think twice about cheating on their wives again. And, against my better judgement and in spite of my ADD, I have been trying to watch the Republican National Convention. Last night, I happened to watch vice president nominee Sarah Palin speak last night. I wasn't impressed. I won't lie, she got a few zingers in about Obama and his being a community organizer. She even got in a couple about him being a celebrity and even paralleling him to Moses. What she didn't do was layout what needs to be done. I hope the GOP is happy, because she'll likely be the president in a couple months if those two are elected. I have enjoyed watching the pundits on Fox "News" contradict and make total asses of themselves when they discuss her. Apparently, the media and liberals are now being sexist toward her and her knocked up daughter. So the way I see it and the way the clips are playing back on The Daily Show is it was OK to launch a verbal assault on Hillary Clinton but not on Sarah Palin. Talk about a double standard. Oh well, I hope Palin knows what she's getting herself into, those folks in the GOP have been known to turn on ya like bad greens.

Been a minute ...

... since I last posted and so much has happened. First of all, Sen. Obama gave an awesome speech during the convention last week. I don't know about you guys but I was inspired. He is just a dynamic speaker who speaks to us like we're adults and ya gotta love that, right? Secondly, Sen. McCain has chosen his veep and she's a woman. Not just any woman, she's Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. I'm not going to rattle off her accomplishments because I'm sure you've been reading and watching the news. The main two things about her that are impacting the news right now is her involvement in "TrooperGate" and the fact that her 17-year-old daughter is preggors. TrooperGate is what the talking heads are calling the investigation into an allegation that she abused her power as governor to have her sister's ex-husband, who is a state trooper, fired. After he wasn't fired, she then fired his boss. Apparently, this man and her sister were involved in a heated custody battle over their children. The McCain/Palin spokespeople released a statement acknowledging the fact that Palin's teen daughter is pregnant during the height of the Hurricane Gustav coverage. Now, I don't' want to say that it was calculated but, uh, what does it look like to you? This may have been just the boost that Sen. Obama needed. I mean, she's got more revelations than a New Jersey governor. The bad part about this whole thing is, it is wrong to capitalize on anyone else's situation, but dayum, Obama could really blow this up if he wanted to do that. But, being the classy, cool brotha that he is, Obama stood up and said that families, especially children, are off limits. Now that was classy. Had it been the kid, umph, umph, umph, I can't say that I would just let it go. Politics are petty and so are politicians, so why not use it? Anyway, this doesn't really speak highly of her "abstinence only" approach to sex education. She's living in the dark ages thinking that these oversexed teenagers will be abstinent. That's another post for another day. I'm just amazed that we're just now getting over the fact that McCain picked a woman for the bottom half of the ticket who he'd only spoken to once. That seems a little strange to me. Anyway, the Republican National Convention is going on this week. I can't promise that I'll watch all the speeches in their entirety, but I'll do my best. I kinda have a low bullshit tolerance and I know I'll be sick if I watch too much of that stuff.

Ladies and Gentlemen ...

... right now, today at 6:50 p.m., I hereby suspend my disdain for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. What's happened, you may ask? She, in a very classy move by the way, made a motion to suspend campaign rules to nominate Sen. Barack Obama by acclimation. That means that she pretty much asked for them to stop the vote and she all but conceded. I applaud her for that, I really do. She gave a helluva speech last night in an effort to unite the party. Personally, I think that she has just about cemented her nomination in 2016. I know she'll have my vote. This is such a historic day, not only for America, but for minority children everywhere. When teachers and parents tell young minority children they can be whatever they want they can now see that it is the truth. If I know politics, I know she will be offered a position in Obama's cabinet and she should take it. While I know there was some controversy surrounding her being passed over for the vice president's position but she will be a wonderful asset to the country. I watched her read her statement and ask for the suspension and people everywhere started to weep. If I weren't so hard, I might've shed a tear too. **he he he*** The thing that I am most proud of is I can tell my grandchildren about the day that a woman cleared the path for an African American to be the president of the United States. This may not mean much to anyone else but it means so much to me. I am not the average 26-year-old in that I am concerned about the legacy that I will leave for my unborn children, my nieces, nephews and godchildren. The generation that I belong to has seriously been in danger of not doing anything to make life a little better for the next generation. Now that Obama is the nominee, we can all insure that we'll make life better by simply casting our vote for Obama. I may have drank the Obama Kool-Aid, call me crazy, but I believe in him and his ability to affect change on the highest level, ever. I am simply overjoyed and amazed at today's happenings. Oh what I wouldn't give to be in Denver tonight!

This is a little late but ...

... I'm gonna give you my commentary nonetheless. First of all, Michelle Obama is the woman! OK?! She gave an outstanding speech that needed to be heard on so many different levels. She was able to take her life's experiences and make them relate to all Americans. That is what was needed. There are still so many Americans who see her as the "Angry Black Woman" as opposed to the next First Lady. I don't know about you but "Shelly O" had me mesmerized. All I could do was watch with a big ole' grin on my face, not only because of her text but because she exudes confidence and intelligence and all around greatness. For so long, black women have been put into a box and stereotyped as either lazy babymamas or ABWs. Now we professional black women who are about our business and doing the right thing are finally getting our chance to shine. I can't wait for them to get in the White House. So, tonight speakers are Al Gore and Hillary Clinton. Clinton is expected to make an appeal to her "never say die" supporters to support Obama. I hope they listen to her because at this point they need to join the band and jump on the wagon. It's ridiculous and it needs to stop. Tune in tomorrow, I'm sure there will be much to say.

And so they convene ...

... in the Mile-High City. Today jump starts perhaps the most historic Democratic National Convention, EVER! I have told you guys before that I was a registered independent until the primaries this year. I was unaware that North Carolina had an open primary until after I had voted. I thought I had to be a Democrat to vote for one in the primaries. It turns out I could have voted for him anyway. So, I guess that makes me a Democrat, for this year anyway. Regardless, I am ecstatic because Sen. Obama did not pick Sen. Clinton as his running mate. In case you've been under a rock all weekend, he chose Sen. Joe Biden as his running mate. I happen to think that is hilarious because I'm sure she thought she had the veep spot sewn up. I happen to think he made an excellent choice for his vice president. Who but Biden can stick his foot all the way down this throat and still have enough mouth to tell it like it is? I was listening to the Tom Joyner Morning Show this morning and folks were calling in to "express themselves" on the new ticket. Some folks were saying they are going to have to pray over whether or not they are going to vote for an Obama/Biden ticket. Some people were saying they were pissed about Biden's comments made early in the primary when he said Obama didn't have any experience and made a few remarks that can be deemed offensive. In February 2007, Biden said: "I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy," Biden said. "I mean, that's a storybook, man." Looking back and given some of the things that have been said about Obama, this comment is far from offensive. It may have been taken out of context, it may have been intentional, regardless of the situation, I think he needs someone who will speak his mind without worrying about who he offends. Sometimes, we just need to hear the truth and more often than not, it hurts. I think hanging with Obama will be good for Biden and vice versa. Biden will learn why it is not OK to say certain things about an entire group of people and why some things are offensive when others are not.Obama will learn more about foreign policy. It's a win/win situation. Tonight will be the official kick-off. Everything starts at 5 p.m. EST. Since I know you all wouldn't be interested in seeing or hearing all the "goings on," I'll just say that Michelle Obama is the keynote speaker tonight. I'm not sure what time she's speaking, all I know is I'm sure she'll be the bomb. Also speaking tonight will be Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., and various other representatives and senators. To give you guys an idea of how this thing will work, I am going to watch the speech tonight and give you my own lil' commentary and preview the next speakers. Is that alright with ya'll?

Soooo ...

... I know it seems like I'm neglecting you guys, I really haven't been. I've just been so busy with work and everything.

For the record, my role at work has changed and I have been trying to get acquainted with my new coverage area and fulfill my new responsibilities. Add that to the fact that last week I was accused of something I didn't do and that equals me being too pissed to write anything than what was expected of me at my regular job.

But, I'm back now and can we just all agree that politicians are freaks and get over it? And I use the term "freak" loosely. "Freak" can mean that you take chances sexually and it could also mean that your level of stupidity makes you a "freak" of nature worthy to be apart of some sort of a traveling circus. Just last week, we saw all of that.

Let's start with John Edwards first so we can get that out of the way. I'll be the first to admit that he was wrong to cheat on his wife. Some folks are extra aggravated because his wife has been battling cancer for years. I agree that was wrong - as hell, but wouldn't it have been just as wrong if she was healthy? I'm saying, would everyone have been this outraged if she'd never been sick at all?

Personally, I think that it would not have much mattered if she were healthy, they'd just look at it as another politician having an affair. I think Bill Clinton sort of pioneered the whole "cheating" thing not being a big deal. Honestly, I think it is a private matter to be discussed between the couple.

I think the only way this thing should have made the news is if his wife would have tried to castrate his cheatin' ass, or something. It came out now because this heifer he was cheating with claims he fathered her child. The funny thing about that is she won't submit to a blood test. What kind of mess is that?

It sounds like to me she wanted some kind of fame and noteriety and why wouldn't she? Look at all the press that chicken head Monica Lewinsky got. Or what about that chick with Gov. Spitzer - you know, the one who went wild. This country thrives on scandal and instead of chastising these nasty skanks who knowingly have sex with married men they get celebrated.

Excuse me, I just detest women who sleep with, have sex and/or carry on relationships with men they know are married. That to me speaks volumes about how they view marriage and how they view themselves. Those actions to me say these women do not respect the couple's vows or themselves because they feel like they have to share a man.

I know that sounds judgemental but I'm sorry, sleeping with married men and knowing they are married is displaying "skank-like" behavior. Getting back to the matter at hand, he was wrong, he says his wife has forgiven him and his God has forgiven him. I'm glad about that. I'd hate for his wife and the Lord to be mad at him. LoL.

Well, I guess I should be glad that Edwards' romp was with a grown a-- woman and not an intern or a page or another dude. Not that there's anything wrong with that, I'd just hate to add him being on the down low to his list of growing indiscretions.

And Kwame! Kwame, Kwame, Kwame! Why couldn't you just quit while you were behind? Why on Earth would he think that it was OK for him to leave the city on a business trip if the judge told him not to?

Now, he's being charged with two felony counts of assault for allegedly pushing one police officer into another. I think those two are trumped up but those are the only two that will get him any real time.

Some media outlets keep comparing him to Ray Nagin and I still haven't researched that yet. I know that there's not a whole lot being done down in the Big Easy but that doesn't surprise me. I always say if you don't like the job your politicians are doing, you have the power to get rid of them in every election. But, what then are you options? Other politicians and as of late, I'm not so confident. In fact, politicians are starting to make me feel like Maroon 5:

I still don't have a reason and you don't have the time and it really makes me wonder if I ever gave a f--k about you. Give me something to believe in Cause I don't believe in you anymore, anymore ... - "Makes Me Wonder" Maroon 5, 2007

I'm praying right now that the Obamas are who they say they are so that I can preserve the ounce of hope that I have left.

It's been a while ...

... and I know I should have posted something and I have been working on a rather long post, but I saw something today that I couldn't wait to post. It's quite obvious who my candidate is from these posts and you all know I get a kick out of the ignorance of some people and sometimes it pisses me off. Well, today, I got a kick out of it. Well, the situation anyway. So, some kid in NYC has designed a plain t-shirt that reads, "OBAMA IS MY SLAVE" and he's selling them for $69 a pop. I'm amazed that racism tees are selling for so much, but hey, when ya got a cause, ya got a cause, right? Anyway, some white chick bought the shirt and decided to wear it on the streets of New York and caught a beat down. Now, I'm not an advocate of violence for any reason, but uh, I have to say that she pretty much bought that one. Apparently, the woman was approached by four teen aged girls who shoved her, pulled out her earphones, and spit in her face. Take a look: With all the recent news reports about racism in this election and just the knowledge of what the word "slave" in reference to a black person can and often does incite, I would hope that these t-shirts aren't selling that well and that some people have sense enough to know not to wear them in mixed crowds. The designer of the shirt is an Israeli-born, Jewish man who has reportedly said that he "can't stand" Obama because he's a Muslim and he reminds him of Adolf Hitler. The guy is 25 years old, which means he wasn't even thought of during Hitler's reign so how can Obama remind him of Hitler? I'm not even going to address the "Muslim" comment. If that shirt weren't bad enough, the others read: "Jews Against Obama,” “Obama = Hitler” and “Who Killed Obama?” As I said before, I don't advocate violence of any kind, but maybe she isn't the one who needs a beatdown. I am all for free speech and I rather enjoy my First Ammendment rights but I think this is an abuse of that. I don't see anybody designing any "JOHN MCCAIN IS MY DISCIPLE" t-shirts. I haven't seen any t-shirts asking who's killed him. Oh well, I guess it's time that we, Obama supporters and people of color, gird our loins, it's only going to get worse. I'm sure racists of all kinds will be coming out of the woods, boardrooms and out of retirement to deter us all from voting for Obama in November. I don't know about you all, but I've already put on my armor so that everything derogatory, untrue and downright evil will be deflected. Who's with me?

It's a sad, sad day in American politics.

Not only because former White House press secretary Tony Snow has passed away. Not only because there have been 4,118 confirmed deaths as a result of the War in Iraq. I'm sad because even as far as America has come, some of us still feel a need use hate speech and propaganda when a candidate of color is doing so well in a political run. Because I am 26, I've had the privilege of voting in the past two presidential elections. Because of the outcome of both of those pseudo-elections, it left me feeling a bit disenchanted with the political process of this country. Since Sen. Barack Obama burst onto the national political scene, he's brought with him the rebirth of a lot of people's faith and hope, myself included, in America's political process. To me, it's only icing on the cake that Obama is a black man. I say icing because this is a historic moment that is long overdue. It's 2008, John Mercer Langston , the first black man elected to public office, was elected in 1855, the Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves on the first day of 1863. The Voting Rights Act that guarantees all citizens the right to vote was passed in 1965. Yet, after all that, Americans and the American press feel a need to play, not just the race card, but the whole deck. Last night when I went to bed, I went with the intentions of writing about Oliver Stone's upcoming release, "W," which is a biopic about the current President Bush. I was going to compare pictures of the actual people and the real folks and tell some of my choices for the cast. But, this morning I woke up, checked CNN and got my eyes full of racially fueled, insensitive, offensive and downright tasteless crap. The first thing I saw was this cover of the New Yorker. That is supposed to be Obama dressed in what has been described as "Muslim clothes" giving his wife Michelle a fist bump while she is dressed in combat boots, Army fatigues, carrying an AK-47 and sporting an Angela Davis-sized afro. If you look closely in the background, you'll see a picture of Osama bin Laden hanging on the wall and the American flag is burning in the fireplace. In a statement released to the Associated Press, the magazine states that the artist is the artist's way of satirizing "the use of scare tactics and misinformation in the presidential election to derail Barack Obama's campaign." Satire my ashy knee caps! That is for the lack of a better term, crap. Every since the Obama campaign has started, folks have been trying to derail it by playing to the fears of insecurities that so many Republicans and racist Americans have about black people in general. Acts like this are simply the politics of fear being put to practice. Before 9/11, Americans were oblivious and apathetic to world issues and we rarely heard about any countries wanting to harm us. Now that we have been attacked, the Republicans have been able to maintain the power that they have because voters know that Dems and Independents will more often than not try to be diplomatic and talk us through this thing instead of running off to foreign countries with "guns a-blazing." So instead of simply saying they don't agree with Obama's politics, because he is a black man with the name Barack Hussein Obama, he has to be a terrorist. Let's discuss this logically, OK? First off, the man is named after his father. He can't help that. If he would have changed his name, he'd be denying his father and his family's legacy. Plus, how the freak was his mom to know that his middle name would be the surname of one of the world's most infamous dictators? Secondly, why is the afro the international symbol for 'the angry black woman?' I never understood that. It's hair, that's all. I wear an afro and you would be surprised how much it scares people. My hair is a lot fuller and thicker than it appears because I don't want to scare anybody. For the last time, it is just hair! Michelle Obama doesn't wear her hair in an afro but that is how she's been depicted because I guess that makes her seem more angry. I say it's all bull. The folks at the New Yorker obviously believe that Americans are too stupid to recognize racist propaganda when we see it. I don't see them drawing Sen. John McCain on a walker, with a blanket draped over his shoulders carrying a bottle of Geritol and then claiming that it isn't ageism. To add insult to injury, host of the McLaughlin Group, John McLaughlin called Obama an "Oreo" during the Sunday broadcast of his show. According a report on CNN, McLaughlin said Obama "fits the stereotype blacks once labeled as an Oreo — a black on the outside, a white on the inside." "Does it frost Jackson, Jesse Jackson, that…an Oreo should be the beneficiary of the long civil rights struggle which Jesse Jackson spent his lifetime fighting for?" McLaughlin asked his panelists. Boy, some folks are gettin' more and more bold, aren't they? Granted, I think that some of us are a little too sensitive about some of the names and some of the things being said about black people but when you think about it, we're the only folks who hear racial epithets on a regular basis in most cases by people who look like us. You don't hear Asians referring to each other as Chinks and Coolies, at least not out in public. You don't hear Jewish people referring to each other as mocks and kikes. Honestly, I think we should ignore the speech being spewed about Obama and all hate speech in general. And maybe, just maybe, it'll all go away. What do you think?

Open letter to Jesse Jackson

Dear Rev. Jackson,

I know these words may never reach you, but still I have to write this on the off chance that a friend of a friend of a friend of yours will read this and relay my message. First of all, thank you for your contributions to the movements of Civil Rights and Human Rights. You've been a huge asset to those movements and have no doubt opened doors for many poor people and people of color. Your diligent work as an activist, a minister of the gospel and by all accounts as a leader dates back more more than 40 years. You've built a loyal following among people of all different ethnic backgrounds. You've opened up doors to our nations capital and made political strides that have made it possible for Sen. Barack Obama to have gotten this far. And because of all that, the country and maybe even the world is better because you have been in it. While I certainly appreciate your contributions and your good works, I, and a horde of other people - especially black people - think it's time that you sit your ass down! Excuse my language Rev, but, I don't think anyone would disagree with me on this one. Yesterday, a story surfaced that you made some, uh, dumb ass comments to UnitedHealth Group executive Dr. Reed V. Tuckson during a break on Sunday while both of you were being interviewed by a Fox news correspondent. The portion of the tape being that was shown on The O'Reilly Factor Wednesday night shows you whispering to Tuckson, "See, Barack's been talking down to black people ... I want to cut his nuts off." Your defense is you didn't know the mic was hot. You'll excuse me if I don't believe you, won't you? First of all, you were interviewing with Fox News, the only "news" organization who has to announce that they're fair and balanced like they're trying to convince themselves. Anytime a "liberal" person, a person of color and anyone in support of Barack Obama is being interviewed by Fox News, the mic is always hot! Because Obama is leading in all the Gallup Polls taken by news outlets, Fox News is in a mad dash to find someone, anyone, slipping who claims to support Obama. You see how they strung up Jeremiah Wright and you still continue to let your diarrhea of the mouth go untreated. Secondly, you had to know that the mic was still hot because you had sense enough to whisper your comments. Hey Rev, microphones are amplifiers and really good ones pick up everything whether you whisper or not. If the conversation was so private and you didn't want anyone to hear your comments, you should have kept them to yourself for after the damn interview. Talk to the man in a one on one setting when nobody is wearing a mic. At least, that way, if someone records you then without your knowledge, you have grounds to sue them. Duh! After all of this, you are making your rounds to every media outlet who will listen and you've even called a presser to explain those remarks. You placed calls to the Obama campaign to apolo-lie, your own son has rejected, renounced and rebuked your comments and still, I'm not satisfied. Twice in this campaign, you have managed to piss on the progress of a man who has the potential to take this country further than you've ever dreamed. For the umpteenth time in history, you've managed to overshadow the real issues with asinine comments that don't have a thing to do with the price of tea in China. Plus, somewhere in your storied career, the American press and in turn, the majority of the American people, got in their heads that you and your counterpart Al Sharpton speak for black people. Hell, I think ya'll got the idea in your heads that you speak for black people. Well I got news for you and them. You don't speak for me. You've managed to distract the American people and spew, what could be confused with 'hateration,' about Obama - again. There's only one way you can fix it and it's not with an apology either. The only way you will be able to atone for this is to get somewhere and sit down. Is there no program or assistance for retired revolutionaries? Why don't you start one? Better yet, why don't you take all this extra time on your hands and spend with your 9-year-old daughter that you fathered during your adulterous relationship? Maybe if somebody would have cut your nuts off, you wouldn't be paying $3,000 in child support! I'm saying, people who live in glass houses should be the last ones to throw stones. Almost everything I've read indicates that the main issue stems from Obama's Father's Day speech at a predominantly black church when Obama called for all the black father's to man up and take care of their responsibilities. I would think that because Obama had to grow up in the absence of his black father that he would be an expert on the subject. I think that much of what he had to say hit a little too close to home for your comfort. As they say in the country, "a hit dog will holler" and I hear you loud and clear Rev. You know what they do to hit dogs who don't show any sign of recovery, right Rev.? They put them out of their misery. I'm not saying that anyone should or would come along and kill your legacy but you are giving them a reason to do so. Hell, you're sharpening the knife, loading the gun and tying the noose. So please, from one Aggie to another, for the love of all things right and to preserve the reputation of our esteemed alma mater, go somewhere, anywhere and sit your ass down! You're making us look bad. I'm going to have to agree with Junior on a portion of his statement about his dad's comments. "He should keep hope alive and any personal attacks and insults to himself." I couldn't have said it better myself! Sincerely, Smarty Jones N.C. A&T Class of 2003

To quote Sophia from "The Color Purple"

"I knowed deys a God!" Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards has said that he would "seriously consider" accepting the vice presidential nod if it's offered. I tell you, that statement did my heart some good when I saw it on CNN Politics. Since I'm fasting TV for the month of July, I had to read about it online and I'm sure I lost some of the effect. Either way, I felt like jumping for joy. In this posting on CNN's political ticker yesterday, he said he'd "seriously consider" whatever Sen. Obama asked him to do. Edwards proved himself to be a viable candidate in 2004 and early in this election season. To me, the man is poised and ready to be an agent of change and I think that he would certainly be an asset, not only to the Obama campaign, but to the rest of us as well. I hope they ask him because, well, I only trust Sen. Clinton about thismuch. Don't get me wrong, she's an awesome politician, they all are, but something about her still makes me just a wee bit uneasy. Plus, she spent the majority of her bit for the presidency on my good nerve and I'm technically still not over that. One thing that would make me trust her is if she would lean a little harder on her past donors to lay off Obama and support him. Some of those folks are unbelievable. I just watched a clip on CNN, and I'm not sure if that means I'm cheating, but anyway, Joe Johns interviewed a Clinton contributor who said she's not sure if she'll support Obama because she "just doesn't like him" and she thinks he's "elitist." Now, I'm not one to judge folks and call them names but that fool is being juvenile and petty. She's alleging sexism. OK, there was sexism. Guess what, Clinton did a lot of that to herself too. There was also racism, I don't see Obama crying foul every five minutes. Sadly, I think Clinton's supporters want her to be catered to and they even want Obama to settle her campaign debts. I want to know why he should foot the bill for her delusions of grandeur? Granted, in the beginning and about a month before the bitter end, and I do mean bitter, it was a heavily contest race. But, let's be honest here, it went on a lot longer than it should have and she racked up far more debt trying to "prove a point" than she would have if she would have just 'gone in peace.' All Clinton supporters are not doing this, but a lot of them are and it is going to be detrimental to the party and ultimately to the country. The whole point of this is to get a Democrat elected into office because, frankly, they can't do much worse than the current administration or the would-be McCain administration. Since campaign contributions are public record, a lot of Clinton's supporters' names have been surfacing on McCain's financial records as major donors. This can not be because they believe in his politics, it has to be because they want to 'stick it to Obama.' It is the mark of a childish individual who wants to derail a person because, 'you don't like him.' My first boss was a Grade-A, psycho who I didn't like for some time, but, he knew how to do his job. He got results and that is what we expect of Obama.

I'm baaaaack!!!

It's certainly been a minute since I've posted here. It feels like forever but it's really only been a few days short of a month. I took that time to do a series of posts on Black Music Month on the sister blog Difference of Opinion and I think they went over very well. Now that July is here, we've got a little less than four months until election day. I don't know about you, but I for one am marking them off my calendar like a prisoner. "Only 119 days until election and six months and 13 days until inauguration." I can see the light at the end of the tunnel! Since I've been gone, a lot of craziness has taken place in the political realm and you know I've got to do a recap because some of it pissed me off to the highest level of pisstivity and I almost, ALMOST, had to come back and post a few sentences just to let off some steam. The last time I posted, I was a lil' peeved about the fact that so many of my counterparts have been questioning Sen. Barack Obama's "blackness." I know it's silly but it did tick me off and it still does as a matter of fact. The most recent display of ignorance came from five-time loser Ralph Nader when he claimed that Obama was "talking white." Can somebody please explain to me what he means, meant or whatever? Here's a quote from an article published by the Rocky Mountain News: "There's only one thing different about Barack Obama when it comes to being a Democratic presidential candidate. He's half African-American. Whether that will make any difference, I don't know. I haven't heard him have a strong crackdown on economic exploitation in the ghettos. Payday loans, predatory lending, asbestos, lead. What's keeping him from doing that? Is it because he wants to talk white? He doesn't want to appear like Jesse Jackson? We'll see all that play out in the next few months and if he gets elected afterwards." First and foremost, Obama should never be lumped into a category with Jesse Jackson, ever. Another thing is these things are universal and poverty will always be universal as long as there are people living in it. And how do people 'talk white'? Explain that to me please! And thank God Hillary finally came around. Lord knows I was getting a little worried, and a little concerned that she would turn on the party. But I think, she, like so many of our fellow Americans are sick and tired of being jerked around and to ensure we won't have it happen again is to get some new blood in the White House. I think it's important to recognize that every election that we vote in is a matter of choosing the lesser of two evils. I don't trust any politician because they are known to, dare I say, flip flop, when it is beneficial to the outside agencies supporting their campaigns. The think I like about Obama is the fact that the money he's taken has been from the people and not the special interest groups. In theory, his allegiance is to the people and not the special interests. That's a wonderful thought. Because Obama has shown that he can raise a crap load of money from the 'everyday people' and he doesn't have to take public financing for his campaign. Of course, that is not the reason he's citing for his reason for not taking the financing. He claims the system is broken and it would put him at a disadvantage. I agree with that, but he's being crucified because he's still going to run a helluva campaign without public financing. Since he won't be taking any public money, that means he won't have a limit on spending either. To me, that's great. For so long, Republicans have been at the forefront of campaign spending because: 1. they had it to spend and 2. they didn't mind financially backing the candidate who would protect their interests. The great thing is now, Democrats, Independents and Obamaicans are now all getting behind this candidate, figuratively and literally with their time and their money and I think it's awesome! The problem the GOP has with Obama and the Dems now is basically, they can't raise that much and they won't be able to do as much as Obama. Now, he's a liar, they say and Americans should beware. I say, whatev! If we should beware of anyone in this mess, it's John McCain and Nader. McCain is going to get us blown off the globe. He's so much like the current President Bush that it's sickening. And Nader, that whack job doesn't have ANY experience in the political arena at all! To the best of my research abilities, he's not so much as held a city council position, much less a position with anybodies House or Senate. At least Obama has been an elected official. OK, I'm done with that. The more I think about it, the more it pisses me off. What do you guys think?

Is he or isn't he?

To further divide Barack Obama's supporters, recent media reports are now calling into question his blackness. I know, it sounds a little crazy but because his mother is white and his father is black, instead of calling Obama black, they're now referring to him as bi-racial. Technically, Obama is bi-racial but he has said many times before that he's embraced the black community and the black community has embraced him. He looks black, he sounds black, he identifies as black, therefore, the man is black. If he was a regular guy on the street, no one would care. They'd see a black man and keep it moving. Let's break it on down. Obviously, he looks black. Really and truly, everybody looks black because the colors of our skin range from cafe au lait to blurple, that's blue black and purple. Under normal circumstances, I'm told, bi-racial people don't often get a chance to choose which group they identify with. From what I understand, they spend a lot of time trying to figure out where they fit in and usually fall in with the crowd that accepts them. More often than not, it's the black community. Up until I was growing up, kids who identified themselves as bi-racial was an anomaly. It's not like we didn't have them, it's just they didn't identify themselves as such because it would leave them open to criticism and teasing and in some cases, hazing. Now that interracial relationships are widely accepted and it's OK to be different, folks still feel a need to make bi-racial kids and now adults, choose a group. Why can't they embrace all of them while they identify more with one group? What if Jasmine Guy, Lenny Kravitz, Cree Summer, Lisa Bonet, Boris Kodjoe, his wife Nicole Ari Parker-Kodjoe, Alicia Keys, Faith Evans, Eartha Kitt, Derek Jeter, Grant Hill, his wife Tamia, Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix, Malcolm X, Mario Van Peebles, Michael Michelle, Smokey Robinson, Shemar Moore, and the ever-so-fine Tyson Beckford all decided to tell the world about their bi-racial heritage. Would they be looked at any differently? The world may never know, because I'm willing to bet that a lot of you didn't know half these people had white and asian parents and grandparents. You didn't know because they haven't put all their business out in the open like Obama has. Is that wrong of them? No. Does it make Obama any better because he has? No. Putting out his heritage shows that Obama is all about putting his business out himself. He didn't wait for his counterparts to find old family photos of him with his interracial parents. He didn't wait for his counterparts to dig up childhood friends to ask whether or not he's smoked weed. He put it out there himself. The bottom line is let the man be. Yes one of his parents is black and the other one isn't. He's still human and he has a right to be who he wants and embrace every part of himself. Who is the media, and anybody else, to deny him that right? The funny thing is he isn't black enough for some white liberals who want to make sure he identifies his white heritage and he isn't white enough for white conservatives because he looks black. The bottom line is he doesn't have to be black enough or white enough, he has to be smart enough, stable enough and human enough to run the Oval Office. So enough with trying to figure out whether or not he's more one thing than the other. The one thing we should be concerned about is whether or not he's ready and equipped to fix this Bush mess.