Stephanie Tubbs Jones in critical condition

From Congressional Quarterly Politics:

Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones died Wednesday in an Ohio hospital after suffering an aneurysm a day earlier, according to a senior House Democratic aide.

Tubbs Jones, a Democrat who has represented Ohio’s 11th District since 1999 and was chairwoman of the House’s ethics committee, suffered the aneurysm Tuesday night while driving near her hometown of Cleveland.

Tubbs Jones, who would have turned 60 on Sept. 10, was scheduled to attend the Democratic National Convention next week as a superdelegate.

“Tuesday’s condition followed a full day of activity, including planning for an upcoming forum on electoral reform, scheduled for September 4, 2008 at Cleveland State University,” according to a statement released earlier Wednesday from her office. She was admitted to Huron Hospital.

Tubbs Jones was among the five black members who claimed committee chairmanships when the Democrats ascended to the majority in 2007.

A dyed-in-the-wool Clintonista, Tubbs Jones was one of the most influential black Democrats in Congress. Update: People must really want this woman gone, because there are several conflicting reports out there. But apparently, she's in critical condition and not expected to recover. Now CQ is saying:

Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones was in critical condition Wednesday in an Ohio hospital, her doctors said, amid conflicting reports that she had died.

Jones suffered an aneurysm late Tuesday while driving, which caused a brain hemorrhage and left her with “very limited brain function,” according to a spokesman for Huron Hospital in East Cleveland, Ohio.

Sources, including congressional aides, had said earlier that Tubbs Jones had died.

Update #2: She died last night around 6 p.m. My sincere condolences to her family, constituents, and sisters in Delta Sigma Theta.

Woman A Go Run Dis Country

I think I've mentioned this before, but in case you didn't know, my mother is Jamaican. Her ex-husband was a prominent member of the People's National Party (PNP), and that's the political party my mother identified with when I was a kid. The other party is the Jamaican Labour Party (JLP), but none of our Jamaican family or friends were JLPers, so I tended to wave the PNP flag, even though I didn't know anything about its politics (and still don't). Today, I was changing my Facebook political views from 'conservative' to something more clever but equally ambiguous, and I noticed the form has an auto-fill feature (if you type the letter 'D' then 'Democratic National Party' appears. I typed the PNP just for fun, and it came up. I decided to check out the website, and had a look at Portia, Jamaica's first female PM (and current opposition leader). Like HRC, Portia Simpson-Miller just goes by Portia. She was defeated for reelection by intermittent JLPer Bruce Golding (who, incidentally, is called Bruce. Jamaicans don't seem to stand on ceremony). ANYWAY. The best part about the PNP site is the music. Three seconds into my visit, I was nodding my head to the current PNP theme, "Full Speed Ahead." I share it with you now. There's a full CD worth of songs on the site. Some of my other favorites... And... (Note: I love that they remixed the song.) Don't you think this is just what the DNC needs to put them over the top? Some great propaganda songs about Barack? Except for "Yes We Can," the music about the party has been unrelentingly lame. I think we should take a cue from Jamaicans and start demanding better music. Wouldn't you rather listen to this... ...than U2's 'Beautiful Day'? Again?

More On Harlem Real Estate

Brother Charlie Rangel, bless him, is renting not one, not two, not three... but four rent-stabilized apartments in one uptown building, for a fraction of what they would normally cost on the market. According to the Times:

Mr. Rangel, who was first elected to Congress in 1970 and is one of the city’s most recognizable elected officials, has written and spoken extensively about his devotion to his home in Harlem, but does not appear to have ever publicly acknowledged that he has been permitted to lease four rent-stabilized apartments there. According to a public records database and interviews with neighbors, he has lived in the building since the early 1970s, but it is not clear when he amassed the four units.

Mr. Rangel, 78, declined to answer questions during a telephone interview, saying that his housing was a private matter that did not affect his representation of his constituents.

“Why should I help you embarrass me?” he said, before abruptly hanging up.

I love it. Although, this is really just another case of the rich and powerful getting things for cheap, while the people who could really use a rent-stabilized place are getting the shaft. Ah, capitalism. Rangel, who did a lot of good back in the day, is old and comfortable, and I guess he feels like he's getting his due. But then again, His Awesomeness, NY Governor David Paterson, also has a rent-stabilized apartment in that building. And so does his dad, who pays less in rent for a one-bedroom than I do. I think I'm mad.

Barack Obama is a dream killer...

...or, more likely, just somebody's daddy. ABC News' blog (blog?!) has a small item about Obama speaking to people about the economy in soon-to-be-purple Georgia. Some of the speech included the regular drill: stay-in-school, don't do drugs, you're not a rapper...

You are probably not that good a rapper. Maybe you are the next Lil' Wayne, but probably not, in which case, you need to stay in school.

(Am I the only one who laughed at that?) Considering the fact that Weezy has been making hits since he was prepubescent — which kind of robs him of his street cred, if you ask me — got a GED, and is "attending classes" at the University of Houston, I think this was a flawed analogy. Nonetheless, Obama continues to spread his message of personal responsibility far and wide. This is why I've always said he's your garden variety black conservative in a lot of ways (there's a difference between being a black conservative and a black Republican). He's not moving more to the center. He done been there.

If you have an extra $30 lying around...

... You can afford to donate. Heck, if you have an extra $5 lying around — and you're a Barack Obama supporter — you can afford to donate. May was not a great fund raising month for the Obama campaign. They only raised $22 million ("only" being a relative term, of course). I suspect it was because in May, it was clear he had the nomination locked up, so people didn't feel pressed to donate. We still have a general election coming up, people. Don't believe the hype about McCain not getting the backing from conservatives that Republicans usually enjoy. The GOP is a well-oiled fund raising machine. Bonus: if you donate $30, you get an exclusive t-shirt that's not for sale in the Barack Obama store. AND, if you see something cool in the store (and there's lots of cool stuff), the proceeds from whatever U.S.-made item you buy go directly to the campaign. Or, you could buy a shirt or hoodie from Barack the Vote, and 25% of the proceeds will go to the campaign; but that probably won't be counted for June. So really, there's no excuse. Go!!

Maria Shriver vs. The Governator

The Times features a rather fluffy and romantic piece about the political foibles of California's first family. Arnold Schwarzenegger — who is actually a pretty good governor — supports McCain, while his spouse, Kennedy legacy Maria Shriver, reps Obama. The story gets a bit cutesy at times...

The lawn of their Brentwood home has dueling campaign signs. The breakfast table has become a casual debating society. Ms. Shriver is even threatening to bring a life-size cutout of her preferred candidate into the house, something the governor has seen her do in other elections. “When one of the candidates screws up,” Mr. Schwarzenegger said of the cutouts, “the kids carry them outside.”

The four Schwarzenegger children — who range in age from 10 to 18 — have already taken sides, though only one of them, Katherine, is actually old enough to vote. She favors Mr. Obama.

Advantage, Ms. Shriver.

... but there's a dearth of California news out here on East Coast (unless there's a wildfire or landslide), so I'm sharing it with you. Below, video from the February rally in which Shriver announced her support — in a rather breathless and inspired speech — of Barack Obama.

"White People Like The Black Guy. He Gives A Good Speech."

Slate has updated the "Democratic Primary in Seven Minutes" video with another minute which includes the glorious ending. It was pretty funny back when the primary seemed interminable, and now that it's over, well, it's still funny. But also, sweet. And did you know, John Edward's dad worked in a mill?

Forget Hillary, What Does Bob Johnson Want?

Bob Johnson is mounting a one-man offensive to get Hillary Clinton on the bottom of the Democratic ticket. (Do watch the video. Although he can put sentences together in what appears to be a sensible structure, close listening shows his inability to say things that actually make sense. It's like word Jenga.) Johnson, founder of BET, one of the two black American billionaires (you know who the other is), sent a letter asking that the Congressional Black Caucus put some pressure on Obama to select Hillary as his running mate. Since his billionaire status came at the price of black dignity, I can't imagine that he has much juice with the CBC, and he's pretty much reviled amongst thinking negroes. So what is he angling for?

It's over.

We have a nominee. He looks like this: I started to follow the Michigan and Florida delegate decisions made over the weekend, and found my blood pressure increasing when Hillary's supporters started chanting noise about going all the way to Denver with this foolishness. But then it occurred to me that Barack wasn't sweating the delegate count even before they decided to seat all the delegates with 1/2 a vote each. And if he isn't worried, why should I be? Barack Obama is the nominee. Even Hillary's supporters are calling her desperate at this point. And if a blind man can see that ... (sorry, I couldn't help myself!). As of today, I've decided I'm going to take a break from getting angry about that woman's magical math which puts her ahead in the popular vote. And her attempts to poach supers from Obama. And her racist supporters. And her husband. This primary — record breaking though it was — is over. And I'm gonna need my strength to get me through the general election.

Mocking Hillary at Trinity

I'm not convinced this is actually important, per se, but it surely is hilarious. [Stolen from PostBourgie.]

Misspake?

"Misspeak" is defined in the American Heritage Dictionary as: To speak mistakenly, inappropriately, or rashly. Now, let's compare two recent political misspeakings. If you'll recall, back in March, Senator Clinton said: "I remember landing under sniper fire. There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base." The then-U.S. troop commander in Bosnia reiterated what everyone else (including Sinbad) said at the time. "She never had her head down. There was no sniper threat that I know of." Her camp responded quickly, and creatively, saying she 'misspoke.' However, as I cited above, misspoke doesn't mean 'lied.' Misspoke means, 'spoke mistakenly.' I think it would be hard to speak mistakenly about what should have been a memorable experience, unless it didn't happen. In which case, she's just a liar. Moving on. Recently, Senator Obama said his uncle helped liberate concentration camp prisoners at Auschwitz. As anyone who paid attention in history class would know, the Commies did the liberating at Auschwitz. And, as it stands to reason that Obama's uncle wasn't a Red, some critically thinking people pointed that out. As it turns out, he misspoke. His great-uncle didn't help liberate prisoners at Auschwitz, oh no! He... wait, what? He helped liberate prisoners at one of the concentration camps in Buchenwald? Well, that's completely different! Shame on you, Barack Obama! In my opinion, 'misspeaking' is making a mistake when you make a speech. Like, for example, saying the wrong name of a concentration camp. Or, saying 'uncle' when you mean 'great-uncle.' Misspeaking is not saying you landed in a warzone under sniper fire, when in actuality, you meandered down the tarmac with your only child by your side, stopping to chat with soldiers and small children. But, that's just my opinion.

More Words about Obama

Thoughts on the Time cover. A) Barack Obama is ridiculously photogenic. B) Time is hilariously covering their bases with the asterisk. C) Barack Obama is ridiculously photogenic. Did anyone see the articles on Politico and the Times about the senator's visit to the House? The funniest part to me was how Rep. Robert Brady (D-Pa) invited him to visit. As Jameil put it, it was totally teenage-girl-like: *twirling hair* sooo... Obama you wanna like come over and stuff? And this shot from the Times. Tell me this man doesn't just look presidential. Both articles detail how he's able to generate excitement amongst Dems (including Clinton supporters), Republicans, and even schoolchildren. He's presented evidence that he is a uniter, not a divider, and I simply can't imagine Hillary (or anyone) getting the same reception. To be honest, though I'm a huge supporter (and will tell anyone who asks — and some who don't — that he's awesome), I find myself bemused by his rockstar status. When Barack enters a room, old ladies weep, grown men fall to their knees, and crying babies are silenced. He's ... royalty. It's weird, and not really what being a president is all about. On the other hand, personal charisma goes a long way. I wouldn't be surprised if, when he takes the presidency, he's able to just dazzle a few people into doing what he wants. Feckless panderer Wolf Blitzer interviewed him on CNN, and Obama addressed what is my personal biggest hope for his presidency: bridging the gap between the U.S. and the global community. Our reputation has been damaged so greatly in the last eight years, and from the beginning of the race, I have been certain that Barack is the only person who can fix what Bush broke. Hillary made it clear that she was prepared to continue the current policy of not talking to people who don't do what we like. Obama, on the other hand, has said "The notion that somehow not talking to countries is punishment to them — which has been the guiding diplomatic principle of this administration — is ridiculous." In the Blitzer interview, he also pshaws the idea of a Obama/Clinton ticket, which is an interesting response to the way Clinton, just a few months ago was pushing the possibility of a Clinton/Obama ticket. In fact, if you'll recall, at the time, he said: "I don't know how somebody who's in second place is offering the vice-presidency to someone who's in first place." Now that he is definitively in first place, he's returned to a more gracious phrasing — that has a slight dig in it, if you listen carefully — "[I]t would be presumptuous of me at this point ... to somehow suggest that she should be my running mate." Remember those diamond commercials where the woman gets a ring from her sweetheart, and is all breathy-like, "I love this man! I love this man!" That's sort of what this is like.

The AIM Archives, vol. ???

Lauren & me on NC, Indy, Hillary, and the $6.4 million.

Wednesday Randomness

1. Hillary is playing the waiting game, and so must we. That's it. Barack survived the media-manufactured sturm und drang of the Rev. Wright debacle, to take NC and come pretty close in Indy. Isn't that enough proof that this man is our nominee? I can wait for her to catch up. (Did you see how she loaned herself $6.4 million? And the Obamas are elitist? I tell you, it's Uppity Negro Syndrome!) 2. The Black Snob is killing me right now. Between her Wall of Sexy on flickr, featuring people who I agree are dreadfully sexy, and her hard work at reviving the Black Girl brand ... I'm officially through with her. 3. Hip hop is back. Well, it never really left, but since I've turned off the radio and started checking out sites that have real music (from Okayplayer to the homie Yellow Rebel), I'm going to say it's back. I mean, you've got The Roots killing the game right now, to sorta newbies Kidz in the Hall—who remind me of a more mature, less-rock-oriented Gym Class Heroes. "Drivin' Down The Block" is my new favorite song, and The In Crowd is quite good altogether. Check out the shout-out to HU at 1:45! 4. Busyness. Work-work, sorority work, hanging with friends and the potential (Lauren suggested "TB" as his blogonym, for various reasons, lol), and very little time to breathe. But I'd rather be busy than not busy. As they say, if you're bored, you're probably boring. 5. This is the hundredth post on my (new) blog!

On Being a Modern Black Conservative, Part Three: What Does It Matter?

What does it all mean? Thus far, I've defined my conservatism, and described my perspective on the so-called "issues." Many, many people get tied up in their beliefs and opinions, and castigate others for disagreeing with them. I don't. Who I am and what I think are linked, but they are not one in the same. I have reservations about so many things, but not about you. — Wilco We are all individuals, with varying perspectives, but I think we're also all trying to do some of the same things: get along with each other, take care of our families, have some fun, and do a little good in the world along the way. How we achieve these goals may vary, but the goals remain the same. Conservatism, like liberalism and centrism, is a filter. That filter colors the way I see the world. It shades philosophy, religion, politics, media, comedy and tragedy. But not people. When it comes to people, all of those high-flown philosophical discussions are moot. I refuse to dislike someone because we don't see eye-to-eye on something that is theoretical. If I don't like someone, it's not because they think the U.S. needs to bomb Iran; it's because they're a jerk. If I like someone, it's not because they support the abolition of the death penalty; it's because they have a sense of humor and great fashion sense. I'm a conservative, but I don't bite.

On Being a Modern Black Conservative, Part Two: The Issues

Noam Chomsky doesn't think conservatives exist. The majority of people who call themselves conservative (like our friends on Fox News) are really just reactionaries who are thinly-if-at-all-veiled homophobes, racists and demagogues. In defining my conservatism as I did yesterday, I started an exercise in self-exploration unlike one I've ever performed. You see, I'm not very good at explaining the myriad ideas running around in my head. In this attempt to put words on the screen, I'm taking the time to really think about who I am and what I believe in. Bear with me. The conservative response to modernity is to embrace it, but to embrace it critically. — Roger Scruton I did a Google search for conservative issues, because I don't generally think of my conservatism in terms of particular topics; it pervades everything. But I found a list of ten conservative issues, some of which I care about, some of which I don't, and switched in a couple that weren't there. Here we go. Illegal immigration I'm against illegal immigration, but come on, who isn't? The question isn't whether immigrants should come into this country illegally. The question is: what should be done with immigrants when they arrive? My problem isn't with immigrants, per se, it's with the problematic and varying treatment of immigrants from different countries. Haitians are turned away. Cubans are lauded with open arms. Mexicans are welcome just so long as they do the work other groups don't want to do (side note: why is there so much pride in that?). And all the while, we're ignoring the causes of these waves: poor education, health, or economic opportunity in the country of origin. The biggest two reasons I find illegal immigration to be a serious problem: 1) the disparities in the treatment of immigrants from different countries/regimes. My flip answer (said jokingly to my mother, who is an immigrant)? If all can't, then none will! 2) I don't like the idea of my tax money paying for the healthcare and education of people who aren't contributing to society-at-large — if they're doing jobs that other people don't want to do, for wages other people won't take, then they're only benefitting their employers. War on terrorism You can't fight terrorism. Did anyone see The Kingdom? It was uneven, and pretty much a shoot-em-up/blow-stuff-up flick, but it made a good point toward the end. Terrorism is ideology. Ideology (on both 'our' side and 'theirs') spreads from grandparent to grandchild, from cousin to cousin, from husband to wife, etc. I think it's a little ridiculous to claim we're in a war on terrorism, but at the same time, I think eschewing the war doesn't make one a liberal. It makes one rational. Federal spending This is probably where I'm the most 'liberal leaning.' Government spending works. While I don't particularly enjoy illegal immigrants benefiting from my tax money, any U.S. citizen is welcome to it. We share and share alike. It is the job of the government to protect and serve it's citizens; spending money on healthcare, education, public safety are all important, and will benefit all of us in the long run. Gay rights This is probably where I'm most conservative. Not in the way you think, however. I think sexual preference is a shaded gradient, and is informed by not only attraction, but also religion, values, and personal experience. I'm not going to tell you exactly where I fall on the Kinsey scale, but I will say that sexuality isn't always one thing or another. While I think I understand whence legitimately-labeled 'homophobic attitudes' arise ('legitimately-labeled' is meant to describe those people who are correctly noted as having an irrational fear of or aversion to homosexuals), I find them deplorable and unfortunate. At the same time, I take issue with those who use the term 'homophobic' in the same manner as those who use the term 'racist' too frequently. An interesting study of the construct of homophobia concluded that sometimes, the term is used to "pass implicit or explicit pejorative evaluations of individuals holding certain open and debatable value positions." And that's the key phrase: open and debatable value positions. As a person who believes in the male-female, two-parent home, I have questions about a child being raised by people in a same-sex union. In particular, I have questions about the ability of two men, or two women, to provide an adequate balance of masculine and feminine influence that so many children — particularly black children — lack today. While I don't support laws which strip individuals of rights (which is actually pretty conservative of me), I am not 100 percent comfortable with gay adoption. Abortion I would never judge a woman who chose to have an abortion. I've known a few, and not one of them has rushed off to the clinic with glee in their hearts and a spring in their step. To this day, years later, they consider what life could have been, and what it isn't. I also haven't met a woman who truly regretted it. I feel unfit to judge or decide for anyone whether or not abortion is acceptable. But something in me is really unhappy at the abortion rate in the black community. I suppose this is a liberal leaning. As Robert Frost said: "A liberal is a man too broadminded to take his own side in a quarrel." ____ To come: what does it matter?

On Being a Modern Black Conservative, Part One: Definition

I suppose this was a long time in coming. In the last couple of years (since I changed my political leaning on Facebook to 'conservative') I've fielded innumerable questions about my so-called conservatism. Some people genuinely thought I was confused, for, how could a young black person, a Howard grad at that, be conservative?? I do not think that word means what you think it means. - Inigo Montoya To start, I ought to define what I mean by modern conservative. Or, to add another layer of confusion, a modern black conservative. In my opinion, there are two ways to define something. Way one being, by taking a look at it's etymology and historic usage; way two being what it means to you and the people you know. For example: the term "probate show" when used in the Black Greek community, has two meanings. In the past, a probate show was (and sometimes, but very rarely, still is) a performance featuring the pledges of the fraternity or sorority, prior to their initiation. Today, the term is most often used to describe what is properly called a "new member presentation show," or a performance revealing those who have already been initiated. I've seen many an argument over whether one should use the term 'probate' vs 'new member presentation,' with the debate usually dissolving into the following: it means what most people think it means. Today, "probate show" = "new member presentation" in most circles, and even those who don't equivocate the two know what you mean when you say one or the other. When I say "modern conservative," I don't mean what the term has come to mean in recent years. I'm no Ann Coulter, no Stanley Crouch, no Rush Limbaugh. When I say "modern conservative," I mean to say that I am a person who considers herself to be conservative, yet aware of issues facing those of us living in the present. I don't think we can go back to the halcyon days of old, nor should we. In fact, I don't think those halcyon days were all that great to begin with. But I also think that while we rocket forward in technology and ideology, we're losing ground in pedagogy. Or, more importantly, we're losing sight of why things are the way they are. We can do so much, but just because we can, should we? I call myself conservative because I think the thing lacking most is restraint. And I seem to have it in spades these days (more than I need, probably). When I add "black" to that phrase, I complete the layer cake (vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry, in case you were wondering) that makes up my value system. I'm deeply in love with black people. I think we're awesome, for reasons that number in the dozens, if not hundreds. I once told someone that, if you break down Hillary Clinton's take on the issues vs. Barack Obama's ... well, my support of the latter has more to do with my love of black people than anything else. This of course, was prior to The Speech, at which point, I realized that we had before us a man who had a nuanced, thoughtful view of the race question. You see, I don't support Barack because he's black — if that were all it took, I would have backed Al Sharpton in 2004. But Barack's blackness, his understanding of blackness, his conservatism (and yes, Barack Obama is a black conservative if I've ever seen one) all speak to me. But loving blackness doesn't preclude loving others. And this, this is the biggest problem I see today, particularly amongst liberals (but more on that later); preferring one thing, expressing appreciation for it, desiring it, believing in it, does not mean you do (or must) eschew other things. My love of blackness does not equal a hatred of whiteness, a disgust of Asianness, a revulsion of Latinoness. Modern black conservative. Modern, because I don't long for some golden age of goodness. Black, because that's what I am, and what I love. Conservative, because my beliefs ultimately come back to a simple phrase: 'just because you can doesn't mean you should.' ___ To come: just what exactly is shani-o conservative about?

Pa. Senator Endorses Obama + The Hillary Deathwatch

Two fun items in the news today. Bob Casey, Dem senator of Pennsylvania, guy who said he's remaining neutral in the race, endorsed Sen. Barack Obama. (Has anyone endorsed Hillary lately?) Says Casey: "I really believe that in a time of danger around the world and in division here at home, Barack Obama can lead us, he can heal us, he can help rebuild America." The senator will also be traveling through the state with Obama for a few days, as he tries to reach out to the blue-collar white men. Now to see if he can help Obama eat into that double-digit lead Sen. Clinton has. (New York has a pretty funny take on the situation.) Second fun item: Slate has started the Hillary Deathwatch. Numbers don't lie. Barring something ridiculous happening (which is not completely impossible), Hillary doesn't have a chance.

'Why Obama Dissed His Grandmother'

Yellow Rebel left this link for me in the comments section of a previous post. The opinion therein is a perfect breakdown of all the backlash I've been hearing since The Speech. The piece is short. Go read it. Sen. Barack Obama didn't "diss" his grandmother in the race speech. He drew a parallel between two people who are important to him, but who hold views with which he disagrees. The reason why people like D'Souza are upset about it is because they don't think there's anything wrong with Obama's grandmother's racist views. To quote D'Souza: "[...]fears of black men are rationally explained as the consequence of the fact that black men have the highest violent crime conviction rate of any group in our society." Black men have the highest violent crime conviction rate because of a lack of economic opportunity (consequence of racism), lack of a stable family environment (consequence of racism), and because they are often judged by juries which are NOT their peers (straight-up racism). And they're feared because of even more racism. Moving on. D'Souza:

Many of us, [Obama] argues, "disagree" with things that our pastors and family members have said. True, but how many of us have pastors who say stuff like the Reverend Wright? It's one thing to sit quietly while my pastor says things I don't agree with about evolution or the Rapture, quite another for Obama to sit quietly while his pastor says that America deserved to be attacked on 9/11 and that the U.S. government deliberately injected AIDS into the country. My guess is that even in the black church "God damn America!" is not exactly standard rhetoric. Certainly the Reverend Martin Luther King didn't talk like that.

There are so many problems with this. First, Dr. King wasn't saying anything popular at the time of his death. He was quite critical of the U.S. and its policies. He may not have said "God damn America," but I bet he was thinking it. Also, using Dr. King as the measuring stick for black preachers today exposes more about the writer than it does about the point he's feebly attempting to make. (Well, that, and using the term "Obamorons" which will draw in readers who share D'Souza's opinion, and turn away those who support Obama, or are on the fence.) The other part of that passage which is problematic is this: "How many of us have pastors who say stuff like the Reverend Wright?" First, who is this 'us'? The good, sane, patriotic, white (or close enough) Americans? Or Americans like me? I've said it before, and I'll say it again: nothing Wright said to his congregation was particularly new to someone who's been to a black church regularly. None of it is new to anyone who is in touch with the black community. As Princeton's Melissa Harris-Lacewell said in an opinion piece in the NYT: "One of the things fascinating to me watching these responses to Jeremiah Wright is that white Americans find his beliefs so fringe or so extreme. When if you’ve spent time in black communities, they are not shared by everyone, but they are pretty common beliefs." D'Souza also takes issue with Obama comparing Wright to "family." He seems to dislike this, because the senator could have walked away from the church at any point in the last twenty years, since Reverend Wright has been "shouting his doctrine from the pulpit for decades." This last bit is really not worth responding to, since D'Souza has clearly getting all of his information from the clips of Wright being shown repeatedly on CNN (or more likely, FOX news). It's quite impressive how after 30 seconds of YouTube video, and people think they know everything there is to know about a person and their "doctrine." The first part, the idea of "family," is answered by what Obama said in The Speech.

As imperfect as [Wright] may be, he has been like family to me. He strengthened my faith, officiated my wedding, and baptized my children. Not once in my conversations with him have I heard him talk about any ethnic group in derogatory terms, or treat whites with whom he interacted with anything but courtesy and respect. He contains within him the contradictions – the good and the bad – of the community that he has served diligently for so many years.

You can't, and shouldn't walk away from that. Had he "walked away" from Wright in the last twenty years, we wouldn't have 'The Audacity of Hope,' and we might not have the Barack Obama we have today. If he had disowned him in this speech, my respect for him would have been severely diminished. So... YR. Does that answer your question?

Hillary Clinton + American Political Crazy Logic

Hillary Clinton will be the death of me. Far be it from me to call anyone (especially anyone I don't know personally) out of their name... But. That woman. Will be. The death of me. Clinton: "Sen. Obama speaks passionately on the trail about empowering American people. Today, I am urging him to match those words with actions to make sure people of Michigan and Florida have a voice and a vote in this election." Excuse, me, but ... what? How are you, Ms. Michigan-and-Florida-don't-matter-but-I'ma-leave-my-name-on-the-ballots-anyway, going to call on Obama to support a re-vote, when you didn't care, six months ago? Obama responded to this foolishness in an interview on AC360, where he pretty much dismissed her response (without getting catty!) with: "Sen. Clinton, I have to say on this, has been completely disingenuous. She said when she was still trying to compete with the votes in Iowa and New Hampshire that Michigan and Florida wouldn't count. Then, as soon as she got into trouble politically and it looked like she would have no prospects of winning the nomination without having them count, suddenly she's extraordinarily concerned with the voters there." (Ok, so, 'suddenly she's extraordinarily concerned' was kind of catty.) A note on the nonsense in Michigan and Florida: you people broke the rules. Yeah, I get it. You were tired of Iowa and New Hampshire getting all the shine, while you had more delegates. I understand, really, I do, why y'all popped up, sayin' "hey! we matter, too!" But. You broke the rules. Your DNC leaders screwed up, and now the people are paying for it. But what's funny is, no one seems to remember that first part. What we keep hearing is: "boohoo, our delegates aren't getting seated, our voters are disenfranchised!" What I'd really like to do is shake someone at the DNC, and possibly slap them around a little, and say, "You knew the rules, and you broke them. In WHAT world is talking about re-votes and the like ok?" Apparently, it's ok in America, land of the free, home of the Crazy Logic. But back to Hillary. This... woman... is ridiculous. I'd say laughable, but every time I start thinking about her, my blood pressure goes up. What's funny is, I used to like her. Of course, she was benefiting from my (and every other black person's) former affinity for her husband. But I was excited for the woman when she won a senatorial seat. I thought that was really cool. Like, how often do first ladies get to actually make policy? Awesome, right? But man, this campaign has slowly eroded every single grain of respect I had for her, to the point where her voice truly grates on my nerves. Her attacks on a Obama really did her in, at least for me. He's running the campaign her husband ran in 1992, meanwhile she has become the Herbert Walker of the equation. Obama's integrity is, as far as I can see, unimpeachable, and he hasn't stooped to her level. And now, with reports on her schedules as First Lady revealing that, um, she wasn't single-handedly responsible for anything she claims, except the child healthcare plan that Bill pretty much stepped on, I've become nonplussed. And her Crazy Logic makes me angry. (I do love this pic, with Sway hanging out in the background... whatever happened to Sway? And at what point does one move on from talking to 14-year-olds about the 'news?')