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.
... if this were a movie, I'd be sitting on a porch in a rocking chair with a glass of lemonade humming an old Negro spirituals and telling my grandchildren about where I was on the day Barack Obama made history.
I don't know about you guys but I am so proud of this man and his family it makes no sense. I just hope that they are who they say they are and we don't find out some horrible incriminating story about them later on. I just think that it'd be too much for (his supporters) to handle.
But anyway, so that I don't ruin the mood I have today, I just want to call attention to the way pop culture has become mainstream, even in politics. Did ya'll catch the way his wife gave him some dap right before he gave his speech last night?
I almost fell off my couch laughing when I saw this.
First off, the first person I ever saw do that bump on TV was Howie Mandel and that's because he has OCD and shaking hands gives him the 'heebie jeebies.'
For the record, OCD is obsessive compulsive disorder. There are different degrees of it. The way I understand it is folks with OCD like everything done a certain way. Everything must be that way at all times or they spaz out.
I've always said those people have a tick. Apparently, his tick is excessively washing hands and being in the business of show business, he's constantly meeting people and he had to do something to not seem rude, so, he gives people dap.
The only other guy I've ever seen on TV who gives dap is Stephen Colbert (pronounced Cole-bear). Stephen Colbert is THE MAN,OK!
That is one of the funniest dudes on TV right now. If you never watch the Colbert Report on Comedy Central, I challenge you to do so. If you're here, that means you are sort of a political junky and I know you'd find his brand of humor as hilarious as I do.
He's even renamed it the "Colbert Bump" and he gives one to people every time they come on the show. He even gave one to both Barack and Michelle Obama in separate appearances on the show. That is what made the whole thing funny as crap to me.
Now that Obama is the nominee and John McCain makes it his business to run around trying to do what Obama does, I guess he'll find a way to give his wife some 'dap.' I can't wait to see how.
This question could be in vain, but I'm dying to know if you guys watched the results on CNN last night. Actually, I only want to know if you happened to catch the banter between Anderson Cooper and Donna Brazile.
I won't insult your intelligence and tell you who Anderson Cooper is, but you might need me to refresh your memory about Donna Brazile. I could sit here and type and tell you why she is the best political analyst on CNN, but I won't do that.
I'll just tell you that she's a Louisiana native and you can hear it in every word she says. She graduated from LSU and later became the first black woman to direct a major presidential campaign when she was the campaign manager for the Al Gore campaign in 2000. Now she's known for her commentary of this year's primary elections.
Anyway, all of this relates to pop culture because of an exchange between her and A.C. last night during an analysis of the elections and Obama's nomination.
Take a look:
After watching this, I realized not only is pop culture now mainstream, but, from now on, I need to sit on the floor while I watch TV. I can't chance it, one day I really am going to fall off my couch.
... I think I hear Hillary warming up her vocal cords. If she's not, she oughta be.
She said it wasn't going to be over until the lady in the pant suit sings. Well somebody cue the band to play the opening bars of "Send In the Clowns," and tell Pantasia it's time.
I hope ya'll listened to the words. Even though this song is about the break up of a romantic relationship, I swear it fits this situation. I think in a way, Hillary has had an unrequited love affair with the Democratic electorate.
Don't get me wrong, she does have some supporters and folks who want to see her win, but she doesn't have everybody and ***sniffle, sniffle*** that makes her sad. I guess we should all be happy that she didn't go all "Fatal Attraction" on us and try to kill us. Well, she hasn't yet. That'll happen if she opts to support John McCain and let's face it, if Methusela is elected, he's going to get us blown off the globe.
Anyway, tonight is the night that could tell all. Initially, the Associated Press reported that Clinton would concede tonight then today her campaign chairman said live on CNN that she would not. He said it was "100 percent wrong."
***smh and whispering*** Got my hopes all up for nothing.
Anyway, I think that all we have to do is give her enough rope, she'll hang herself. Every time she gets pissed or threatened, she breaks the 11th commandment, "Thou shalt thinketh before ye speaketh."
I personally can't wait for her to lose her cool again, when she does, she usually gets her foot down her throat about knee deep and I'll bet it hurts to cough up a pump.
Shoot, given the way the punks at the Democratic National Convention handled this whole Michigan/Florida delegate situation, I thought she'd be happy. I mean, the DNC went back on its word and will now seat both delegations and let them each get half a vote. That's better than nothing which is what they should have gotten in the first place.
Don't get mad at me because your state couldn't wait to have their primaries. This whole thing has been blown out of proportion anyway. I don't see why we just don't have nationwide primaries and then let all of us weed out the less than stellar presidential nominees.
Do you really think that Ron Paul and Joe Biden would have made it through a national primary? In the words of Homey D. Clown, "I don't think so!"
... John Edwards has finally endorsed Sen. Barack Obama and I for one knew he would.
I know I'm a little late on this one but so the freak what? I was trying to get ready for vacation, which officially begins tomorrow, and my born-day which is on Tuesday.
Anyway, last week, Sen. Hillary Clinton said that this thing wasn't over "until the lady in the pant suit sings." Well, I don't think she's singing yet, but I think I hear her warming up - singing scales and what not.
Let's face it, Clinton's not leaving until SHE's convinced that she won't win and that could take until Novemeber. Personally, I can't wait that long. The sooner she lets it go, the sooner we can all move on.
Sadly, I don't think she knows when it's over. It's going to take a major act of Congress or her best girlfriend to slap her back into reality. I know she got a black friend, a black friend who has a grip on reality.
She needs to walk up on her and say:
"Girl, it's over and you can't do nothing about it. Did you hear me? O-V-A-H! Take an 'L' on this one, go back to the Senate, let Barry call you for a cabinet position and watch your man! I'm not saying he's doing anything but you know how he is. I'm telling you this 'cause you my girl and you already played yourself before when you cried. I don't want you to do that again. Just go home, have a good cry and go on about your business."
Hell, if she ain't got a black friend to do that for her, I'll volunteer to do it. It ain't like I've got a whole lot to do.
... all is almost right with the world.
CNN posted a story yesterday on their web site that says that Sen. Barack Obama trails Sen. Hillary Clinton by one super delegate. Ain't it great?
I tell ya, the more this chick sticks around stuffing her foot further down her throat, the more nails end up in her coffin.
Last week, Clinton made, what have been called divisive, comments about Obama's support dwindling among white voters. Take a listen:
Now, this is only a snippet of Clinton's comments during a Q&A session with the press. I have no idea what the question was, but from the answer, I do know she has still got her leg down her throat.
If anyone knows about the power of the sound bite, it should be her. They've been running a loop of her husband's, "I did not have sexual relations with that woman," comment since 1998. That is the same soundbite that got him impeached. Hell, soundbites from Obama's former pastor almost leveled him in his quest for the office.
So, that leaves me with the question, why isn't she more careful about the crap she says. I wonder if she's trying to sabotage her own campaign so that she doesn't have to quit or if she actually thinks she's helping herself.
Either way, the news about her super delegate "lead" should be the writing on the wall. I really wish she would consider backing away from this thing, slowly. It's time. Somebody needs to tell her to quit while she's behind, if she does, she may be able to maintain some support for a campaign in 2016.
*** By the way, I predict that Obama will pick John Edwards as a running mate. ***
... and I hope Mrs. Clinton has her crying towels.
I expect the folks in my home state of North Carolina to stand up in a BIG way. Since there wasn't much traffic at the actual polling sites, I hope that means everyone took advantage of early voting and absentee ballots.
Anyway, I have been meaning to do a post on all the celebrity response the campaigns have been getting. Not that I'm hung up on celebrities and what they do outside their professions (tehehe), I've noticed that a lot of them are jumping up to stump for their favorite campaigns.
A while back, I wrote a sample blog post for a new site, News One and it basically says that real voters don't care about celebrity endorsements. I still feel that way, but I think it is interesting that some celebrities are using their notoriety to get their favorite candidates elected.
The presumptive GOP nominee, John McCain, has garnered the lowest celebrity turn out. Of those that I've heard of, he's got Wilford Brimley, Tom Selleck and Rip Torn. Keep in mind that the Republican party is united and all of the celebrity nods his counterparts received will likely filter over to him.
Those are some pretty heavyweight celebs too: Adam Sandler, Bo Derek, Pat Robertson, Pat Boone, Donnie & Marie Osmond, Ric Flair, Chuck Norris and I think Joseph C. Phillips. OK, so they aren't all heavyweights, but they carry some influence or else they wouldn't be celebrities.
Sen. Hillary Clinton has racked up an impressive list of celeb endorsements. At last tally, she had: Tony Bennett, Barbara Streisand, Magic Johnson, Maya Angelou, Steven Spielberg, Rob Reiner, John Grisham, Carly Simon, Ted Danson, Billie Jean King, Victoria Rowell, Quincy Jones, Carole Simpson and America Ferrera.
When Clinton has to go home because she can't secure the votes, I wonder how many of them are going to stump for Barack Obama. I hope they all will.
Right now, a lot of folks in the media predict that Clinton supporters won't back Obama and vice versa. That's jacked up, the Republicans aren't doing that. Not saying the Dems should emulate the GOP in any way, but something can be learned from them. Even a broken clock is right twice a day.
If this were a competition to see who could get the best roster of celebrity endorsements, the winner hands down is Barack Obama. OK, so I might be a little partial since this is the candidate I voted for today.
His roster includes folks like Oprah (no last name needed), George Clooney, Scarlett Johanson, Will Smith, Halle Berry, Zach Braff, Jessica Biel, Will.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas, John P. Kee, Tyrese, Kareem Abdul Jabar, George Lopez and the list goes on and on.
I think the thing that trips me out is this man has had videos and songs and folks out there stumping for him. Shoot, in the last few weeks, Tatyana M. Ali, from "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" fame has even traveled all over the Tar Heel State at her own expense to speak about Obama.
I'm sure that almost everyone has seen the "Yes We Can" video on YouTube or heard the song, Obama by John P. Kee.
I got an e-mail today of a newer video with another slew of celebrities that features the vocal stylings of one Zöe Kravitz, the 19-year-old daughter of Lisa Bonet and Lenny Kravitz.
The girl can sing a little bit too. I found that out the second time I watched it. The first time, I couldn't get over how much she favors both her parents. Look at her real hard, she looks like her mom but she smiles like her dad. Freaky huh? Think that's bad, watch her performance in "The Brave One."
Anyway, take a look at the Obama video:
Anyway, like the post of the News One post, the main idea of this one is, I, along with so many of my counterparts, don't care about your celebrity endorsements. Sure they bring out the crowd but I don't really give a crap about their opinions. I care more about the candidate and what they plan to do and whether or not they'll execute.
Let's watch, shall we?
... it would appear that Hillary Clinton's tactics have come back to bite her in the posterior! (I couldn't resist going back to the 7th grade in Mr. Faulk's class)
Anything about this picture look a lil' strange to you?
I received an e-mail this morning that had a picture of former President Bill Clinton shaking the hand of none other than - Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
That's right, you see it, that is Wright and Clinton in 1998 at a breakfast at the White House. I'm not sure how you get on the guest list for one of those shindigs but I'm pretty sure the president has to know you or has to be associated with you in some way.
Also within this particular e-mail, a short letter addressed to Wright is signed by Clinton, allegedly. I say allegedly because I don't believe this letter was really written by the former president.
But anyway, apparently Wright was there to help the president through the whole Monica Lewinsky scandal. I guess it is OK to link Obama with Wright because he's black and perhaps as angry as Wright, but it is not OK to link the Clintons with him because they're not, right?
Wrong. If simply being linked to Wright is a campaign killer then it should yield the same response for the Clintons. It won't and I'm not surprised. I posted this picture and this response to show you that it shouldn't matter who you know or who you are "linked" with because you are two different.
If I wanted to be a complete ass, I'd say that Wright condones the fact that former President Clinton cheated on his wife since this picture was taken on hours before Ken Starr's report about the president and his intern was leaked to the media.
But I don't want to be one, so I won't say that - anymore. ;-)
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.
