Why Obama stays cool all the time..

Now, I’ve never been accused of being the angry, black women or the angry, black person in general. That label just wouldn’t stick to someone who smiles all the time, is known for her positive disposition and is a diplomat at heart. 

But I do KNOW and have witnessed reaction to an angry black person. It seems that when a black person gets angry or becomes upset with a person of another race many times the individual or the people around them believe the black person will either become violent or that a violent altercation will later ensue. And usually the individual reacts with fear, to be honest this has happened to me on a few occasions. However, if I sense the person is scared I stop and ask, “Why are you scared? I’m not going to hurt you I’m just voicing my dissatisfaction with x, y, z..” I have received varying reactions to my blunt honesty over the years but usually the person reacting in that negative way towards me apologizes and tries to address my concerns in a more appropriate and constructive manner but  I must say that this fear reaction, from my observations, is more prevalent among people over 50.

But I do believe that many people subscribe to the violent, angry black person stereotype. Many of these people give validation to the stereotype and believe it to be a fact and thus react more negatively towards an angry black person. 

Obama, obviously, has had to and continually confronts and tactfully manuevers around this stereotype day after day. And he tries to constantly maintain his cool in order to never, ever appear as the angry black man, because we all know where that will lead to the inevitable..”Boy, he’s always angry,” ”I don’t think I want to vote for an angry black man,” “God, if he’s this angry now what will happen if he becomes President?” I can go on and on but his consistent coolness has led to the inevitable well, he’s too cool. He’s too above it all. He’s not one of us. He doesn’t have any ‘real’ passion.

So in a way Obama can’t win. If he raises his voice and gets a little more passionate about an issue, any issue, some people will get scared and believe he’s a militant black panther who wants revenge on whites. Yet, if he maintains an even and steady temperament he’s cold and distant. In times we often times recite, ‘let cooler heads prevail’ yet Obama is criticized for displaying these characteristics-he can’t win.

But I ask would you rather have a leader that is hot and unpredictable or a leader than is composed, reliable and steady under pressure?

I think the answer is quite clear.

Obama, the ‘white talking’ black guy..

 

 

According to Ralph Nader, consumer advocate and presidential candidate (and yes he’s running this time too..lol) thinks that Obama is talking white in order to appease or appeal to ‘white guilt’ (sic)..

You know I find this whole phenomenon of ‘talking white’ so hilarious that one, I can’t believe I’m even writing about it and two, I can’t believe that Ralph Nader, an intelligent man by most estimates, would even use that terminology in a sentence!

However, according to Nader, ’talking white’ means:

” He wants to show that he is not a threatening … another politically threatening African-American politician..he wants to appeal to white guilt. You appeal to white guilt not by coming on as black is beautiful, black is powerful. Basically he’s coming on as someone who is not going to threaten the white power structure, whether it’s corporate or whether it’s simply oligarchic. And they love it. Whites just eat it up.”

You know, if I had Nader’s ear, I would tell him this.. “Bro, that’s not talking white, that’s talking smart..,” LOL..

Hillary Clinton is a woman scorned..

So last night she refused to concede defeat or even acknowledge Obama’s victory while at the same time she kept sending word via media reports and ‘exclusives’ that she’s ‘open’ to the VP slot.

Today, with yet another day passing and her stubborn refusal to concede defeat she has dispatched her surrogates and campaign staff to various outlets around the country with an agenada of pushing for Obama to give her the VP slot.

How arrogant!

How ungracious!

How unbelievable!

I understand that this is a difficult time for Senator Clinton she has lost a race and a nomination that was once inevitably hers but if the shoe was on the other foot would Obama and his supporters have any clout in convincing her and her people in choosing him as her VP?

Come on!!

Hillary Clinton is behaving like a woman scorned and a vindictive one at that and in the end it will cost her and her husband their reputations and their standing within the democratic party-their strong arm, underhanded tactics have already cost her the nomination I guess they figure they have nothing else to lose.

***Update*** She plans to concede and congratulate Obama on Saturday at an event to be held in D.C.

 

 

 

Bible thumping, blue collar job, blue grass listening, beer drinking Hillary..

All she needs now is a gun in one hand and a beer in another..forget about those star bucks, black music loving, hippies…lol..

OMG..lol..

It’s amazing what some people would do for votes..god it would be so laughable, if it weren’t so sad..

She’s a winner in West Virginia..

 

Quelle Surprise!! Clinton wins West Virginia!!!

And she wins it big..whoop de do!!

 

 

Obama’s tune up..

 

Barack Obama said today that he’s going to fine tune his campaign in order to reach those low income, white voters that will be critical to winning the presidency come November after losing them by a pretty high margin to Clinton, once again, this week in Pennsylvania.

Obama as I have said on numerous occassions and in earlier blogs needs to reach out and connect with this demographic on their terms and in their communities in order to make inroads into Clintons’ base.

In order for Obama to win this constituency he must convincely and sincerely convey who he is and what he stands for since many even at this late stage still claim to have little or no knowledge about Obama.

Now, I don’t profess to know the inner workings of a presidential campaign or any political campaign but I do believe that if a candidate has had consistent problems with a particularly crucial demographic, like Obama has had with the white working class, he/she should work harder and consistently speak with the members of this group in order to understand why he/she isn’t at least breaking even with their opponent especially if they are both offering pretty much the same policies and ‘promises’.

This is what Obama needs to do.

He should be doing more impromptu stops. He should be greeting the farmer in his fields. The waitress at her dinner and the construction worker on the job site. And more importantly he should look comfortable doing it. He sometimes looks as though he doesn’t know what do in those settings and it comes off as if he’s uncomfortable around everyday folk he can’t appear that way anymore. This is the end game. And in the end game every thing matters.

His novelty, has started to wear off and he’s now got to show them, the white working class, why he’s the best and only man for the job and not just some black guy, with a Harvard degree and a funny name who is the democratic party’s flavor of the month.

I concede Obama, may never win the majority of them over completely for a number of reasons including race.

But, if he fights tooth and nail with Clinton and then McCain for every single white working class vote and he’s willing to convey that he understands and show that he respects that God and guns sometimes go hand in hand in many places in this land, without compromising his own core positions on specific issues like gun control I’m willing to bet the same people that are now voting for Clinton and have voted for a Republican in almost every single presidential election since 1977, wouldn’t ‘hold their noses’ and vote for him come November but will actually on voting day march to the polls in greater numbers than we expect and cast their ballots in support of the black guy, with a funny name because they know that he’s the best man for the job and he earned their votes and their respect just like any other candidate.

Ultimately, for the first viable black presidential candidate it boils down to if he can earn their respect he’ll gain their vote!

 

 

 

Obama quashed fear and raised hope, once again, for all Americans..

Once again, Barack Obama has left me struggling for words..

In his intensely personal and moving speech in Philadelphia. I saw glimpses of my own life. With white and black family members and a white husband I too have often been intimately exposed to what one group ‘really thinks’ about the other especially when members of that group thinks the setting is ‘safe’ to discuss race without ridicule or prejudice.

Today in his speech Obama gave voice to almost every grievance whites and blacks have had with each other since the end of slavery. And he talked about these issues without vigorously wagging the finger at either group. He said racism isn’t dead but it shouldn’t and doesn’t have to limit blacks like it once did. 

He talked about the ridiculous comments of Rev.Wright in one paragraph yet in another he talked about his loyalty to the man, his work, the service and general goodness of the man Jeremiah Wright.

He talked about welfare and affirmative action and the grievances white America, in particular those in the middle class and low income white community have in regards to those two issues.

He talked about the legacy of slavery and Jim Crow laws and its lasting impact on the black community.

He talked about confronting our past demons in order to face the ones that are upon us today and will undoubtedly arise tomorrow.

He talked about our common hopes and dreams for the future and about working together to achieve a long lasting impact on our community, on our nation and on the world.

He talked with eloquence, grace, humility and strength.

He talked about what has shaped our current and what shouldn’t be allowed to shape our future.

He addressed every issue that has arisen since the Ferraro comment and Wright video and he did it without blame and without anger.

In so doing he has stimulated a productive discussion about race and class, that can now begin around the watercoolers and dinner tables of America. And hopefully from these conversations minds and hearts will change, solutions and productive plans will be advanced to not only confront the lasting legacy of racism but also our common ills including poverty and unaffordable medicine and medical coverage.

And hopefully by talking frankly and calmly about race we can slowly march towards an America that truly embraces the candidacy of Barack Obama thus making sure that in the future the issue of race will no longer be a cause of trepidation among any significant group of Americans. 

Obama has shown that he CAN and WILL lead this movement this coalition of unlikely allies towards a new America where all people and all stories can retain their uniqueness but yet at the same time remain grounded in the commonality of our pursuit and fulfillment of the American dream.

Obama wins South Carolina; Hillary loses but wins the nomination but at what cost?

The Clintons have utilised and continue to use racial and ethnic politics to win the democratic nomination causing white supporters to abandon Obama due to their presumed concerns about electability. And the black guy who once garnered headlines in the Wall Street Journal as the Whites’ Hope is now being spurned and marginalised by white voters.

Tonight the Clintons will lose South Carolina but I’m sure that Hillary will be the clear democratic nominee come February 5th based on this specific strategy as explained by Dick Morris. A blogger friend, Robin, sent me the link and I couldn’t have articulated it any better than Mr.Morris. However, this strategy and by extension Hillary’s nomination will come at a cost.

Here are just a few of the possible consequences I foresee because of all the Clinton induced racial drama…

Lower turnout among Democrats but higher among Republicans because of their ‘hatred’ of Hillary Clinton come November 4th thus leading to a John Mccain presidency, another pro ‘war’ Republican in the White House and another humiliating defeat for the Democrats. 

More alienation of blacks and in particular YOUNG blacks from the political process and by extension the Democratic party.

I don’t think young black people will run head first into the Republican party but I would be willing to say this, if they were a fully functioning, viable, powerful third party like the European Green Party, that party would be getting first, second and third looks right about now and their enrollment rolls would be up considerably due to the massive influx of  young, liberal-minded, black people like myself as well as all of those people who are just sick and fed up with the establishment in the Democratic party.

Racial politics and marginalisation often come at a high price and I would dare to say that irreparable damage may once again have been done to the democratic party because of this and if I were a Republican election strategists  I would be looking on with glee and I would be actively seeking to capitalise on the strained relationship that will now develop between young (those under 40) blacks and the democratic party and the continued friction between Blacks and Hispanics. 

Believe me I haven’t lost complete faith in Obama or the prospect of him being the first black president but I’m a realist I can see the writing on the wall based on the polling stats. Yes, I know the polls have been wrong on a couple of occasions this political season but the Clintons haven’t stopped their racial attacks, the attacks have just become more coded and quiet.

Obama is critically wounded and I don’t foresee a recovery between now and February 5th unless he can show that white voters in South Carolina would vote for him in November.

Obama brought hope and it was extinguished by the Clintons maybe, just maybe it wouldn’t be forever..

Punches galore in South Carolina last night and I loved it…

Last night I watched the South Carolina debate and I enjoyed every minute of it..

Unlike many doing the post debate analysis I don’t see anything wrong with Obama and Hillary going after each other’s jugulars. It was long, long overdue and it made for great television. I was literally jumping around my living room..lol

For the first time I can honestly say I got to see ‘true’ glimpses of how Barack and Hillary would respond under pressure and THAT was amazing! Barack gets really angry when others call him out and Hillary hates to be reminded that she’s not as great or as honest as she portrays herself  to be man I would love to see what they were like backstage after the debate.

And I just loved the looks she gave Barack, I’ve seen those looks on my mom many, many times..lol

Hillary and Barack attacked each other’s records and candidates SHOULD attack the record of their opponents and they SHOULD call out their opponents on behaviors that are unsavory or untruths that are being perpetuated by the opposing campaigns.

However, when surrogates are powerful spouses (former presidents) are used to do the attacking that’s grossly unfair and in my opinion unacceptable. However, I will say this I don’t think many of the attacks on Obama by Hillary were meant for the South Carolina audience or electorate.

I think that Hillary’s shots at Obama were targeted to show up Obama to her base and to cause a specific type of Democratic white voter to rally to her side.

You see, in the New Hampshire primary Hillary won because one of the main components of her base white, uneducated, women came to her defense and I think those barbs at Obama where aimed primarily to show those white women and men in other states (to some extent) that Obama is a black guy who doesn’t like to take responsibility wink, wink like so many other BLACK guys you know..wink, wink just like how Barack’s Wal Mart comment was meant to show that she’s not as concerned about the little guy as she says she is…one was punch to the face, the other was a punch to the stomach..which hurt more?  I don’t know.

At the end of the day I wouldn’t say that Hillary’s or Barack’s comments were unfair or unwarranted it was a fair and entertaining night of politics-American presidential politics.

And if either one of them can’t stand the heat they should get out the kitchen because it’s going to get a whole lot hotter between now and November!

BTW..Barack was the best candidate last night he won hands down and that’s a first for him at these debates….

Obama wins, true acceptance, true equality, has finally arrived…

Where do I begin?

As I write this post tears are streaming down my face I simply cannot believe it…

Really, I can’t. This man, this BLACK man actually has a real shot at becoming the first black president and it’s within MY lifetime.

His win tonight in one of the whitest states in the Union tells me and says to millions of people like me that being smart and black wouldn’t and is no longer being seen as an oxymoron within the white community and that black people can now rally behind a man that looks like us and reflects our values and that sooner rather than later we can look to the highest office in the land and see one of us and finally, finally, view ourselves as true citizens in this land and be viewed as equals in every sense of the word.

Others may claim that true equality was reached long ago and many smart black people would pay lip service to this idea in public but when we, smart black people, ever talked among ourselves behind closed doors we always viewed politics more so than any arena with cynicism. Accepting that we could only go so far and knowing that some doors were still closed and closed tight to us and anyone who looked like us regardless of how smart we are or what party we belonged too.

For a country that we have lived in since it’s inception and suffered inumberable injustices for it and at it’s hand we often viewed this land as not being completely ours, in recent past we pointed to Katrina, tonight one man showed us, showed me that white people are finally willing to share all the spoils of this country and that we may finally be considered true equals.

Black kids, black young people can now look to the highest office in the land and say with a loud voice and a proud heart and believe it to be true that one day, “I can be president!”

Barack if he’s president, wow i’m actually saying that, will be the president of all of America but no longer will the black community have to settle for the candidate that acts the most black (Bill Clinton) or the candidate that has the closest ties to the black community (Bill Clinton) instead we will have a black president that didn’t come in through the back door..he fought and worked for it just like any other candidate and instead will be walking straight up to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, hand in hand with his wife and kids and opening the door.

This moment is what Dr. King, Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey, my parents, your parents and millions of others like them fought for, died for-TRUE EQUALITY, TRUE ACCEPTANCE!!!