Future First Family.

Like Snob, I too, will never get tired of looking at this family. She has a million and one pics of them from last night. Go look. And is it just me, or is Malia the world's tallest ten-year-old? She's gotta be about 5 feet tall -- she comes up to her father's shoulder. Those girls are from a genetic goldmine; they got the best of both of their parents.

An Emotional Election.

[Picture borrowed from the lovely and hilarious Black Snob. She keeps us swimming in Obama family photos.] Is it just me, or is this the most tear-inducing presidential election ever? I've cried or come close to it soooo many times since Iowa, I'm a little ashamed of myself. Between Barack's amazing speeches (to which I've become somewhat immune, though I'm sure I'll need a box of tissues on Thursday) and the gorgeous Obama family, I'm often a pathetic, weepy, mess. The speeches from last night were no exception. And I know it's not just me. It's also my friends. And I would say maybe it's just because black folks are so durn proud of the Obamas that we can't help ourselves, but it ain't just us. My Puerto Rican-Jewish coworker said his wife (who's white) was crying by the end Michelle's speech too. What got me while Michelle was speaking was the moment when her eyes started to shine and you could hear in her voice that even she was close to tears. I'm not complaining, mind you. It's good to feel something about the political process, just as it's important pay attention to the actual issues. I just wanna know, did people cry when FDR was running for president? Did people tear up at the sight of Nancy Reagan on stage? In other news, I posted a round-up of reactions to Michelle's speech on PB, and I somehow managed to keep my hormones out of it.

Madness 2008 Redux: 'We've Gotta Pay For These Things. They Don't Come For Free.'

During the Obama interview at Saddleback, Rick Warren asks the senator what it means to be rich. Or, more specifically, what is the threshold for taxation? (This is the question McCain jokingly answered with $5 million/year.) Obama answers in pretty effective manner, and then drops the following:

"If we believe in good schools, if we believe in good roads, if we wanna make sure that kids can go to college, if we don't want to leave a mountain of debt for the next generation, then we've gotta pay for these things. They don't come for free. It is irresponsible, intergenerationally, to spend ten billion dollars a month on a war, and not have a way of paying for it."

And applause. This right here is the thing that kills me about the Bush/McCain tax plan. Because this is what they did: cut taxes, bumped up funding for an impossible war by billions, and incurred a truly stupendous amount of debt. And all the while providing luscious tax cuts for rich people. Now that the economy is in the toilet, due to spending on things that Americans don't need or want (war), the Republicans who put us here have the nerve to talk about "regular Americans" getting screwed over by Obama's plan to end tax cuts. raising taxes. And what's more: no one is calling them on it. Aside from your neighborhood lefty bloggers, the traditional media and the pundits are having a frickin' field day out there talking about McCain's plan as though it's legitimate. This is all part of the madness. It's not. Let's talk this through. The economy sucks, because of the Republicans. However, these crazy American people still want those good social services the government provides (many of which lost a lot of funding over the last 7.5 years) -- you know, federal grants, scholarships, up-to-date text books, free immunizations, decent food in schools, roads that don't have potholes, safe public transportation, more cops on the streets, and the list goes on. And moreover, these nutty American people also don't want the economy to suck forever. Obama is suggesting, in not so stilted words, that it's time to pay the piper. The U.S. can't keep going the way it's been going for the last 90 months. It simply isn't sustainable. Not for four more years. You can't keep spending and keep spending, and fail to replace the money. Or in third grade terms: you have four apples and you give someone an apple every day. After four days you're borrowing apples. You're in apple debt. Are you going to keep borrowing apples while your quality of life gets worse, or are you going to stop giving away apples and start putting in work to grow your own? What's it gonna be, U.S.A.? The people making millions each year need to start doing their part to shoulder the cost of the things that Americans want and need. Middle-class people want the government to provide basic services, and presumably, they want the wealthy to stop skating. Meanwhile, McCain (like Bush, and every Republican in the last 30+ years) is trading on the notion that the middle-class won't realize what the deal is. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that the GOP bets that Americans are dumb, while the Dems pray to FDR that Americans are smart. Ultimately, it's up to the middle-class portion of the electorate to actually educate themselves on the candidates' respective economy plans. (That's right, I said it. Educate oneself. My beef with the whole "I dunno what that Obama guy is really about" phenomenon is another post.) And if not, at least don't vote for the guy who's happily singing the tune of the worst president ever.

Madness 2008: Am I Losing My Mind?!

Ok. Barack Obama was 'presumptuous' when he went to Berlin to give a speech. He was 'presumptuous' because he did the same thing McCain did a few months earlier, which was meet with various world leaders. He was wrong to go to Iraq, even though is what McCain was telling him to do. Soooooo presumptuous. And yet, John McCain, a senator from Arizona, is on the phone every day with the president of Georgia. John McCain, a senator from Arizona, is sending a DAGGONE DIPLOMATIC TEAM TO INTERVENE IN A WAR BETWEEN TWO NATIONS. *ahem* All the while, the effing President of the United States is cooling his heels and pretty much keeping the US out of the conflict. But John McCain isn't presumptuous. And let's all just ignore the fact that McCain's top foreign policy adviser was a lobbyist for Georgia. And here's the thing. I don't remember it being like this. Four years ago, there were plenty of ridiculous charges flying, but Kerry was a lame duck. And the U.S. doesn't elect a new president during wartime. So, fine. But was it always like this? John McCain and his surrogates are straight-up, flat-out lying, and yet the so-called 'liberal media' refuses to call a lie a lie. It's like everyone who has traditional platform is pretending that these things make sense, and I'm the only one who can see the monster on the wing of the plane. (Sorry, I mix metaphors when I'm upset.) But seriously, folks. Is this the Twilight Zone? And another thing. Sen. McCain, I for one, am NOT a Georgian. I'm an American.

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?

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.

Gore Endorses + Whose Environmentalism?

Al Gore is finna' to endorse Sen. Obama this evening, which will help with the environmentally conscious constituency that is worried about Obama's efficacy. From 'Al's Journal':

Over the past 18 months, Barack Obama has united a movement. He knows change does not come from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue or Capitol Hill. It begins when people stand up and take action. With the help of millions of supporters like you, Barack Obama will bring the change we so desperately need in order to solve our country's most pressing problems.

This may not be something to write home about, as clearly, Gore wants a Dem in the White House. However, there's a certain idea that climate and environmental concerns are the provenance of the white upper- and middle- class people. In fact, a very telling comment on the Times story reads:

As a pretty serious environmentalist, I admit I’ve had trouble believing that a black guy from Chicago can move us forward in terms of open space, species protection, and other issues typically championed by upper middle class white folks. Hopefully Gore can bend his ear on more than global warming.

Ignoring the fact that Obama isn't just 'a black guy from Chicago,' (didn't you hear, he's exotic?) this comment brings up an interesting point. Many serious (white) environmentalists don't see global warming, climate change, and other environmental issues as something that black people care about, or are affected by. However, environmental injustice assures that pollution and 'open space,' are just as pertinent in the hood as they are in the suburbs. More so, if you ask Majora Carter, founder of Sustainable South Bronx. Carter (video of her speaking below):

As a black person living in America, I am twice as likely as a white person to live in an area where air pollution poses the greatest risk to my health. I am five times more likely to live within walking distance of a power plant or a chemical facility, which I do.

The Only Way Donna Brazile Knows How To Rock

I don't like CNN. But I've gotta hand it to them. Selling shirts is brilliant. Last night, there was a rather amusing exchange between serial pundit (and smackdown layer) Donna Brazile and closeted cutie Anderson Cooper. To wit:

"I'm looking for something [Obama] hasn't told anyone else, just you." "Anderson, you're not my boo."

After which, Andy giggled insanely. And now, CNN is selling shirts to that effect on their 'CNN Shirt (beta)' site.

Fondish Farewell To HRC

Hillary doesn't need to concede; everyone else has done it for her. Bomani Armah lists 10 Moments in Hillaryland that we'd sooner forget, on The Root. Of note is # 8: "From 1+1 to advanced quantum physics, the ever-changing electoral math," or, as I like to call it, her magical math.

"You can take a look at my SAT math scores or my checkbook ledger from last year to realize that I am only adequate in math, but the Hillary campaign changed the x's and y's so much that I think I'm going to stick with my times tables up to 10 from now on. From now on the election equation is calculated by:

big states — small states X Democratic stronghold states — 2/3 of fly-over states — pi of caucus states x 250% of rust belt primary states — states with up to 40% of the Negro population + number of superdelegates who owe you political favors + Puerto Rico and Guam."

(Note, I searched high and low for a truly flattering photo, and eventually gave up and went with her official headshot, available on her website. I will say, she looks quite lovely in it.)

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.

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.

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!

Bitter?

Ok, this picture (I saw it on a friend's facebook page) made me laugh. I mean, maybe it's an AKA thing, but I sorta don't have a problem keeping one's nose in the air. I shared it with a coworker, and he was like: "I want a president who is smarter and just all-around better than me. Otherwise, I would run. And that would be good for no one." Rock on, snobs!

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.

Duck down!

Clinton Misspoke About Bosnia Trip, Campaign Says Says Clinton: "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." Says Sinbad (and everyone else who was there): "What kind of president would say, 'Hey, man, I can't go 'cause I might get shot so I'm going to send my wife...oh, and take a guitar player and a comedian with you." Says Clinton spokesman, Wolfson: “It is possible in the most recent instance in which she discussed this that she misspoke in regard to the exit from the plane, but there is no question if you look at contemporaneous accounts that she was going to a potential combat zone, that she was on the front lines.” And the picture of Clinton, with Chelsea in tow (because, yeah, we're gonna bring the first lady and her teenage daughter to the 'front lines' of a combat zone) says: [Via the NYT] "We're not smiling, we're ... grimacing out of fear! And I'm wearing a flak jacket underneath this oh-so-fashionable mid-90s London Fog trench coat." Oh, she's such a lie!! I'm like Claire Huxtable when it comes to lying. Do you remember that episode when Vanessa was out all night with Jeremy and she told her parents she was studying at her friend Cara's house, and then Claire and Cliff found out because Rudy couldn't keep her mouth shut, and then they turned the couch to face the door and waited for Vanessa to come home? Remember?? Here's a link to it (no embedding, sorry). Well, right now I just wanna stop Hillary before she drifts deeper into the abyss of untruth.

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?')

Obama + '99 Problems'

Stolen from the cool kids over at PostBourgie.

Who is Michelle Obama?

Interesting feature on Michelle Obama.

She realizes not everyone finds her jokes funny, but doesn't seem all that interested in curbing her tongue. "Somehow I've been caricatured as this emasculating wife," she tells NEWSWEEK. "Barack and I laugh about that. It's just sort of, like, do you think anyone could emasculate Barack Obama? Really now."

Tavis Smiley, wtf?

I have (HAD) mad respect for Tavis Smiley. Not so much anymore. Props to Michelle for being so gracious (although I suspect she had some choice words about it in private.) This is really disturbing my spirit. And not just because Michelle Obama is amazing and an incredible speaker (did you SEE her on Larry King Live? scroll down!). Tavis, someone who has impressed me from his days back on BET, is letting his ego get in the way of something truly remarkable. And here I was all set to write about the superdelegates. Tomorrow, I guess.