A President Like My Father

John F. Kennedy's Daughter Endorses Barack Obama



The New York Times

Op-Ed Contributor

By CAROLINE KENNEDY

Published: January 27, 2008

OVER the years, I’ve been deeply moved by the people who’ve told me they wished they could feel inspired and hopeful about America the way people did when my father was president. This sense is even more profound today. That is why I am supporting a presidential candidate in the Democratic primaries, Barack Obama.



My reasons are patriotic, political and personal, and the three are intertwined. All my life, people have told me that my father changed their lives, that they got involved in public service or politics because he asked them to. And the generation he inspired has passed that spirit on to its children. I meet young people who were born long after John F. Kennedy was president, yet who ask me how to live out his ideals.

Sometimes it takes a while to recognize that someone has a special ability to get us to believe in ourselves, to tie that belief to our highest ideals and imagine that together we can do great things. In those rare moments, when such a person comes along, we need to put aside our plans and reach for what we know is possible.

We have that kind of opportunity with Senator Obama. It isn’t that the other candidates are not experienced or knowledgeable. But this year, that may not be enough. We need a change in the leadership of this country — just as we did in 1960.

Most of us would prefer to base our voting decision on policy differences. However, the candidates’ goals are similar. They have all laid out detailed plans on everything from strengthening our middle class to investing in early childhood education. So qualities of leadership, character and judgment play a larger role than usual.

Senator Obama has demonstrated these qualities throughout his more than two decades of public service, not just in the United States Senate but in Illinois, where he helped turn around struggling communities, taught constitutional law and was an elected state official for eight years. And Senator Obama is showing the same qualities today. He has built a movement that is changing the face of politics in this country, and he has demonstrated a special gift for inspiring young people — known for a willingness to volunteer, but an aversion to politics — to become engaged in the political process.

I have spent the past five years working in the New York City public schools and have three teenage children of my own. There is a generation coming of age that is hopeful, hard-working, innovative and imaginative. But too many of them are also hopeless, defeated and disengaged. As parents, we have a responsibility to help our children to believe in themselves and in their power to shape their future. Senator Obama is inspiring my children, my parents’ grandchildren, with that sense of possibility.

Senator Obama is running a dignified and honest campaign. He has spoken eloquently about the role of faith in his life, and opened a window into his character in two compelling books. And when it comes to judgment, Barack Obama made the right call on the most important issue of our time by opposing the war in Iraq from the beginning.

I want a president who understands that his responsibility is to articulate a vision and encourage others to achieve it; who holds himself, and those around him, to the highest ethical standards; who appeals to the hopes of those who still believe in the American Dream, and those around the world who still believe in the American ideal; and who can lift our spirits, and make us believe again that our country needs every one of us to get involved.

I have never had a president who inspired me the way people tell me that my father inspired them. But for the first time, I believe I have found the man who could be that president — not just for me, but for a new generation of Americans.

Caroline Kennedy is the author of “A Patriot’s Handbook: Songs, Poems, Stories and Speeches Celebrating the Land We Love.”

Source: The New York Times

African American Political Pundit LIVE Blogging The S.C. Primary Results

Blogging The S.C. Primary Results

Hillary and Bill Clinton - Tearing The Democratic Coalition Between Blacks Apart

My Ramblings before the South Carolina results come in.



The world is watching as old southern "color aroused" shows its ugly head across America. The US race is capturing the world’s eyes. From Bankok, Thailand, the front page of the Asian Tribune, the headlines read: Democrats fight it in S. Carolina Vying for Black Vote. Color Arousal, subtle and crude, has made its mark on The White House. Like the debate about Clinton having sex out of wed lock with Monica Lewinsky, The Clintons have fueled a political debate about "race" that just may tear a 50 year Democratic Coalition between Blacks apart. It has gotten so bad that Oprah is under attack. Now there are people calling Oprah a ‘traitor’ for endorsing Obama and not Clinton. The attacks by "Team Clinton" and surrogates have been a full frontal attack on Obama's character. The Character assassination of Barack Obama first began when New Hampshire campaign chair, Billy Shaheen, and continued through Robert Johnson, king of ghetto smut and still continues today through Team Clinton, King Pin, Bill Clinton. Yes, Bill Clinton, the now infamous, first white/black prez has almost single handedly caused color arousal to divide whites against Obama. I guess color arousal could just win. But wait a minute, some people may not be fooled by Team Clinton. Hillary (I stick by my man) Clinton may think the sleaze parade of political color arousal works. To me Hillary is nothing more than another George Bush in womans pants. Major media have bought into Team Clinton old south/New South Southern Strategy through what Rikyrah of Jack and Jill Politics calls The Media's Three-Fifth's Compromise.



It's really sad that in South-Carolina in 2008 Democrats may vote by color arousal, much because of the antics of Team Clinton and their "in the pocket" old southern yes um boys. We really need to check out Team Clinton and The Media.

Team Clinton and Political Color Arousal

Polls show Obama Leads in S. Carolina as Team Clinton successfully polarized voters along racial lines. It worked (for now). The Team Clinton machine (Hillary, Bill and surrogates) developed a new 21st Century Southern Strategy that may beat the Barack Obama campaign big time.

H/T Jack and Jill politics who point out some of the polorizing efforts:

• Clinton supporter Andrew Young says Bill Clinton is "blacker than Barack" because "he's probably gone with more black women then Barack".
• Clinton campaign official Bill Shaheen suggests Obama may have been a drug dealer.
• BET Founder Bob Johnson talks about "what Obama was doing in the neighborhood"
  
• The Clinton campaign claims Obama was a "part-time Senator".
• Clinton supporter Andrew Cuomo uses "Shuck and Jive" in reference to Obama.

Candidly,I'm surprised that Obama didn't expect the "Win at All Costs" color arousal tricks of Team Clinton.


Photo Source: A/P

Now a poll released Thursday evening showed Obama is still leading Clinton 38 percent to 30 percent, but his support among whites had dropped by half in just a week. Obama is supported by only 10 percent of likely white voters now, and the rest of his white support appears to have shifted to John Edwards, according to the McClatchy-MSNBC poll.

Now that the damage has been done, The desperate Team Clinton machine, wants to stop the bitterness even though they started the color aroused mudslinging. Bill and Hillary Clinton knew full well that White voters would desert Obama when they started their color aroused bullshit. Yes, color arousal or racism as it is commonly known, is real in South Carolina and the Clinton's played on it like a red necks at a Arkansas cock fight. Team Clinton have proven they don't fight fair. The question is whether Obama is going to be another Micheal Dukakis or John Kerry, and be a loser, or will he Fight both Clintons and show them what he is made of? It truly is your balls on the line Obama, don't let Team Clinton emasculate you. We all know Obama's walking a tricky racial line, due to Team Clinton who has Bill polarized voters across America. Everyone is watching Barack Obama, from small cities, town, and communities across America. People are ready for him to do what is right. turn the focus back on the issues. Barack cannot continue to let Democrats or Republicans steal his message, and for the sake of our children - he should fight back against Monica Lewinsky's lover and the woman that supported Bush's war and other Republican things.

AAPP

Wichita Branch NAACP Leading The Way

You all know I'm not a big fan of the National NAACP. But I do have respect for the great work the local branches do. One local branch that stands in the gap, working smart to address issues of importance to our communities is the Wichita Branch of the NAACP. I enjoy reading the Wichita NAACP Blog.

This particular NAACP keeps me up to date on local :-) regional :-) and national : -( NAACP activities. Kevin Myles serves as the President of the Wichita Branch NAACP and the Political Affairs Chairman for the Kansas State Conference of the NAACP. He is also a former member of the National Board of Directors for American Mensa, a former Mensa Regional Chairman, and was a four-term President of the Wichita Chapter of Mensa. This brotha is great.
He recently posted on how Senator Ted Kennedy has introduced "The Civil Rights Act of 2008": Further action still needed to address Racial Discrimination and Summary Judgements

Check out his post below:

Senator Ted Kennedy has introduced "The Civil Rights Act of 2008"

by Kevin Myles, President of the Wichita Branch NAACP

Senators Kennedy and a host of co-sponsors introduced a bill being called the Civil Rights act of 2008. The bills co-sponsors include Senators Kennedy, Leahy, Dodd, Bingaman, Kerry, Harkin, Mikulski, Akaka, Boxer, Feingold, Murray, Durbin, Schumer, Cantwell, Clinton, Lautenburg, Obama, Menedez, Cardin, & Brown, along with 26 members of the House of Representatives including Congressmen John Lewis and John Conyers. The intent of this piece of legislation is to restore key enforcement provisions of existing Civil Rights laws that have been eroded or eliminated by recent court decisions and legislative actions. The bill seeks to:
.
Ensure that Federal Funds are not Used to Subsidize Discrimination
It allows individuals to seek relief when federal funds subsidize practices that have an unjustified discriminatory effect. Federal laws prohibit discrimination by recipients of federal funds based on race, national origin, disability, age, or gender. In 2001, however, the Supreme Court held that individuals may no longer challenge federally-funded programs that have an unjustified discriminatory effect, unless they also can meet the heavy burden of proving discriminatory intent. Thus, currently, only the federal government can bring such suits. This bill restores the individual right to challenge practices that have an unjustified discriminatory effect based on race, color, national origin, disability, age or gender. More HERE

Black Blogosphere Proves Potent Force in Story of Race in the New South

Here is a great interview on Chicago Tribune's Howard Witt by the Maynard Institute.
I personally consider Howard Witt a blue eyed soul brother. Check out the article, he has a lot to say about the afrosphere, black bloggers, Jena 6 and the New South that has gone retro racist in some places. Check out the article.

By Reggie Royston

For the past four years, the Chicago Tribune's Howard Witt has been based in Houston as a civil rights correspondent and Southwest bureau chief. Witt's stories have probed legal discrimination that has led to uneven justice for whites and blacks in small towns such as Jena, La., and Paris, Texas. Witt has been with the Tribune for more than 22 years with stints as an international correspondent. He also served as editor of the Washington City Paper and briefly joined an Internet start-up. In this edited transcript, the veteran reporter talks with the Maynard Institute about his interactions with bloggers and other journalists regarding his stories on race in the South.

How long have you been Southwest bureau chief for Chicago Tribune?

Howard Witt

I've been in [Houston], Texas, four years [and with the Chicago Tribune] since 1982, with the exception of about three years. Twenty-two years altogether. I've been at the Tribune most of my career. From '99 to 2001, I was doing some Internet stuff and other stuff and then came back to the Tribune. What were you doing Internet-wise?

Pursuing pipe dreams. My timing was really bad: I joined an Internet start-up about three months before the crash, 2000. So that was a disaster. Then I was in Washington, D.C. I was the editor of the Washington City Paper, which is the alternative newspaper. I was there from summer of 2000 until right after 9/11, November 2001.

Were you encouraged or intrigued by the blogger reaction to your stories?

I was. The whole experience was kind of an awakening for me as to the even existence this black blogosphere. I didn't really pay much attention to blogs until early this year. I think I shared the stereotype of bloggers that most mainstream journalists have, which is [that] they were this bunch of lunatics sitting in front of the computer screen at midnight in their underwear expostulating on things. I thought it was a bunch of navel-gazing and a waste of time, but I changed my opinion pretty dramatically after the Shaquanda Cotton story.

[In the spring of 2006, Witt wrote about 14-year-old Shaquanda Cotton, who was sentenced to seven years in prison for shoving a school hall monitor in Paris, Texas. That story led to national criticism of the Texas juvenile prison system.]

That story was published in March of last year, and very quickly a day or two after that I started getting a lot of e-mails from people who were encountering that story across the Internet and I was just curious where they were finding that story. I did a little Google searching and discovered that the story had been picked up on a number of these African-American blogs. They were, generally speaking, quite thoughtful and had interesting things to say. It wasn't at all what I had assumed to be of blogs, which is generally a bunch of narcissistic stuff. More MERE

Black Americans wonder, " who is running for U.S. President " Bill or Hillary Clinton?

One has to wonder who is running for president, Bill or Hillary Clinton? I thought Bill Clinton could not be President again?

As reported in the Boston Globe article, During former President Bill Clinton's visit to a community development center, a very aggressive question came from a young white man who kept his video camera trained on the former president as he asked it:

You're often called the first black president, and I wanted to ask, a lot of us believe Senator Obama eventually will be the first black president. Are you going to be OK with having stood in his way? Do you think that will affect your legacy amongst the blacks in South Carolina?

Clinton took about three minutes to answer, managing both to show defiance and tug on the heartstrings of the audience, which was mostly white but about a quarter black.

I'm not standing in his way, I think Hillary would be a better president, he said, explaining that he thinks she's better prepared for the times. No one has a right to be president, including Hillary.

Clinton reminded the audience that he has praised Obama as a good man, and said he hoped to be able to vote for him one day presumably meaning after his wifes two terms in office.

AAPP: Why should we have Clinton 2 Terms, Bush 2 terms, and back to the Clintons for possibly for 2 terms? What is this a Bush and Clinton Family Presidential Dynasty? Based on the Boston Globe article, Bill Clinton is actually standing in the way of the first real black president, I say enough of The Clintons why do we need another of Hillary Wal Mart Clinton's Health Care fiasco Part 2, or Bill's "Monica Lewinsky Part 2." Yeah, and now, the great American Presidential race game experience - Clinton style.



Is this the type of experience they (the Clinton's) plan to bring back to the White House? Maybe it's time for Bill Clinton to 'Chill' on the Obama hating and get there on house in order.

Is anyone really listening to Bill Clinton's color arousal and gender baiting of blacks and women? Did anyone check out that Clinton said he expects blacks to vote for Barack Obama and women to vote for Hillary. Great words Mr. president, sounds real Presidential!

There is more, Bill Clinton also said, voting for president along racial and gender lines "is understandable because people are proud when someone who they identify with emerges for the first time," the former president told a Charleston audience while campaigning for his wife.

Then Bill Clinton accuses Obama of stirring up the race issue. All of this as Hillary sends "race code messages' and racial stereotypes by saying Barack Obama came to fight, (you know trying to corner smooth Obama and making Obama to be the "Angry Black Man."

I guess she and her husband feel that her strategy of making Hillary out to be the southern bell scared of the angry, hostile black man, will work to "get out the "white female vote" in South Carolina. Get this, there is even more, the Clinton campaign aired a radio ad in South Carolina suggesting Obama approved of Republican ideas, this as Obama placed a radio spot that says, "Hillary will 'say anything to get elected and change nothing." Including a willingness to have her husband dance like a black man in order to get black votes. Hello folks, its time for Barack Obama.

Bye, Bye, Fred Thompson

The Republican Flop! Fred Thompson is going back to Hollywood. He is a failure. Never made it pass go.



"Today I have withdrawn my candidacy for President of the United States," read the statement. "I hope that my country and my party have benefited from our having made this effort. Jeri and I will always be grateful for the encouragement and friendship of so many wonderful people."

Good Bye Fred Thompson. You were truly a 'sleeper' candidate... you put us all to sleep. More HERE

Hillary would pick John Edwards As Her VP Running Mate

The Fix Is In, or is it?

Let the speculation begin! It appears that some people, including the Washington Post feel that "IF" (and that is a big IF as far as this Pundit is concerned) Hillary Clinton won the Democratic Nomination she would pick John Edwards as her running mate. No I'm not making his up. IF that would happen, I think there would be a whole lot of black Americans who would "stay home" on that election day. Candidly, I don't believe the Democratic base (blacks) would support that team. Particularly after John Edwards, being the white male is being able to go everywhere." comments.

Check this out, Washington Post Political columnist and the Fix Blogger, Chris Cillizza is speculating big time. My sense is black blogger Francis L. Holland won't be a happy camper about this speculation.

Check out what Chris has say: Source: The Fix

"The news that former senator John Edwards (N.C.) and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) huddled for 20 minutes or so following Monday night's debate in South Carolina stoked speculation that perhaps the duo were discussing the potential of sharing a national ticket together. Neither campaign offered any explanation for the gathering -- further driving the rumor mill. (Edwards, himself, did some work today to quiet the talk of a Clinton/Edwards ticket, decrying the "squabbling" between Clinton and Obama in last night's debate and adding: "I'm John Edwards and I represent the grown-up wing of the Democratic party." More HERE

American Economy .... Going, Going Gone!

The Bush plan to revive the world's biggest economy sucks big time. It has been greeted with big skepticism since Bush announced his intentions to pass a stimulus package to boost the U.S. economy, and the market responded with a yawn. So did Cramer of Mad Money.

Bush's plan calls for tax rebates for individuals and couples -- possibly $800 and $1,600, respectively -- and tax incentives for businesses, both of which could total $145 billion. While Americans might enjoy a little extra money, access to petty cash isn't the problem as far as Cramer's concerned."

Cramer says, "It's really just a good boost for Apple

Apple Inc AAPL 156.61 -4.75 -2.94% NASDAQ

Quote | Chart | News | Profile | Add to Watchlist

[AAPL 156.61 -4.75 (-2.94%) ]. People will buy iPods," he said. "Or maybe it's a bailout for Men's Warehouse."

According to Cramer, it's the collapse of the mortgage and mortgage-backed securities insurers -- like MBIA

MBIA Inc MBI 11.98 3.43 +40.12% NYSE

Quote | Chart | News | Profile | Add to Watchlist

[MBI 11.98 3.43 (+40.12%) ], Ambac Financial

AMBAC Financial Group Inc ABK 8.43 2.23 +35.97% NYSE

Quote | Chart | News | Profile | Add to Watchlist

[ABK 8.43 2.23 (+35.97%) ], PMI Group

PMI Group Inc PMI 7.09 0.62 +9.58% NYSE

Quote | Chart | News | Profile | Add to Watchlist

[PMI 7.09 0.62 (+9.58%) ], MGIC

MGIC Investment Corp MTG 15.18 1.07 +7.58% NYSE

Quote | Chart | News | Profile | Add to Watchlist

[MTG 15.18 1.07 (+7.58%) ] -- that's hurting the financials so much and causing the paralysis in the market. "I think these are the companies that are the lynchpin of what's wrong," he said.Cramer offered a plan that called for a government handling of the pre-packaged bankruptcy of these companies and a guarantee of 50 cents on the dollar for all $500 billion in insured loans. Even if every loan defaults -- "which is way, way too negative," Cramer said -- it will take just $250 billion to get the economy moving again.

AAPP: That's about how much we spent in Iraq in the past two years right?

"The Federal Reserve, confronted with a global stock sell-off fanned by increased fears of a recession, cut a key interest rate by three-quarters of a percentage point on Tuesday."

Bloomberg writes that President Bush has become a "supplicant" to the Saudis for assistance to overcome a recession. "The Saudi monarchy once depended on the U.S. to protect its reign and its oil from foes like Saddam Hussein. These days, President George W. Bush needs the world's biggest exporter of crude more than it needs him."

Political Slug Fest - Hillary, Obama Come Out Swinging

It was Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in a political slugfest, a political boxing match, at the CNN-Congressional Black Caucus debate last night. The debate provided an opportunity for both Hillary, Obama and Edwards to highlight their political differences. It was truly a political slugfest between Hillary and Barack, with John Edwards in many ways acting as a referee. It seemed just a little personal between Hillary and Obama, with Obama pointing out his dissatisfaction with they tone on Hillary and Bill Clintons smearing of his record. Obama said, “I can't tell who I'm running against sometimes.”

Both Hillary and her husband have dogged Obama for saying: “Ronald Reagan changed the trajectory of America in a way that, you know, Richard Nixon did not and in a way that Bill Clinton did not. He put us on a fundamentally different path because the country was ready for it. He tapped into what people were already feeling, which is we want clarity, we want optimism, we want, you know, a return to that sense of dynamism and, you know, entrepreneurship that had been missing.”

Obama was having none of that last night when he told Hillary:

“The irony of this is that you provided much more fulsome praise of Ronald Reagan in a book by Tom Brokaw that's being published right now, ... as did Bill Clinton in the past,” Obama said. “So these are the kinds of political games that we are accustomed to.”

He suggested the tactics were indicative of a lack of integrity. "What's also important [is] that people are not just willing to say anything to get elected," he said. Ouch!



Hillary attempted to portray Obama as ducking political responsibility for his actions, citing a series of more than 100 votes in the Illinois state legislature in which he voted "present" rather than "yes" or "no."

Hillary said, "It is very difficult to have a straight-up debate with you." She went on to say,
"You never take responsibility for any vote."

Hillary went on to say, Obama "basically did the bidding of health insurance companies" in work he did in the Illinois state legislature on health care reform.

Obama was having none of Hillary's bull, and countered Hillary's comments by noting Hillary carried political water for credit card companies in voting for bankruptcy legislation that would have made it harder for consumers to discharge debts. The legislation failed and Clinton voted against a later version of the bill that has now become law.

Let us not forget John Edwards, and the his under the radar seemingly racial and sexist comment (H/T Francis L. Holland Blog) - "Being the white male is being able to go everywhere."

Now get this, John Edwards thought that his trial lawyer type of 'qualifying' his statement would make it less sexist or less part of the color arousal/racism when he said, The ONLY thing I would say -- and I think it has nothing to do with race and gender. Let me be really clear about that. It's amazing now that being the white male...is different...is being able to go everywhere in America and campaign and to compete -- and I . . . I think I can go everywhere and compete head-to-head with John McCain. CNN.Com, Washington Post video segment entitled, "Edwards Says He Can Compete Against McCain".

One of the funniest moments in the slugfest was when Barack was questioned about Bill Clinton being the first black President. When he was asked about writer Toni Morrison’s infamous claim (Toni Morrison, who I respect as a writer, may go down in history as a fool for saying that garbage) that Bill Clinton was “our first black president, blacker than any actual black person who could ever be elected in our children's lifetime,” Obama was great, he did not address this stupid non issue head on. I guess we can call it comedy relief, when he said; “I would have to, you know, investigate more of Bill's dancing abilities ... and some of this other stuff before I accurately judge whether he was, in fact, a brother.” Hillary responded, “Well, I'm sure that can be arranged.”

AAPP: I bet you $1.00 that Bill Clinton is taking dancing lessons today. He will probably show up tap dancing in blackface.

Overall, Edwards may have gained in this debate, which is Hillary's loss. Barack may have won over more black, white and latino voters on the fence in South Carolina.

Hillary should have never stated that Obama worked for a slum-lord. Her facts were inaccurate, at best. It was no Presidential. but guess what she knows Momentum is turning toward Obama in SC.

Great unscripted debate In South Carolina

It was an unscripted debate. It was one of the better Presidential debates I have witnessed. The majority of South Carolina black Democrats are leaning toward Obama, according to a CNN/Opinion Poll and because of this Clinton, Obama and Edwards came out to win this debate. Here is a copy of the debate transcript provided by CNN.

• Debate transcript part 1
• Debate transcript part 2
• Debate transcript part 3

More on the debate tomorrow.

Politico Blog Jam - African American Political Pundit

Hat Tip: Politico.com - For providing a link to my blog on Martin Luther King's holiday.

Another Clinton Lover and Obama Hater Speaks His Mind

Source H/T: Jamaica Observer.com

AAPP: Here is another view of the 2008 Presidential election from the eyes of another Clinton supporter. He makes some interesting points on: Why Vote for Obama?

by Rev. Mervin Stoddart

The United States of America has seen many credible black people run for president over the years but in the 2007-2008 campaign, especially after his victory in the Iowa state caucus, Barack Obama has managed to generate near fanatical following in the USA and worldwide. The most obvious question to be asked is why. Prior to Obama, the black presidential candidate who generated the greatest following was the Rev Jesse Jackson, and comparing the candidacies of both black men should provide some answers for the supposed Obama-rama now underway.

Jumping out at readers immediately should be the fact that Jackson had much more leadership experience and down-in-the-trenches political achievements than Obama, especially in the civil rights movement. Three conclusions may be drawn from this comparison to Obama, whose "few years as senator" completes the experience section of his political resume. First, the Obama frenzy is typically American, that is, more froth and appearances than solid foundations. America, with its Machiavellian movers and shakers, is one big Hollywood and so the Oprah factor in the Obama campaign might give it more fizz than the Jackson attempt. Second, experience or not, another black person running for the US presidency in a century when a black president is decades overdue is bound to draw strong following. Thus, Obama's showing owes much to Jackson's record and work in more ways than one. Ergo, Obama is the beneficiary of the years of fighting for black rights in the USA by Jackson, Marcus Garvey, Dr Martin Luther King, Jr, and hundreds of others, and so now the rise of Obama is being helped along by the zeitgeist. Third, despite being inexperienced, Barack Obama has one thing that Jesse Jackson lacked, namely, a white parent, which in racist America is half the qualifications needed to be president. But I believe that solid leadership experience is important, and if America is to get back on track after eight years of disaster under George Bush and Dick Cheney, and if the welfare of blacks is to be advanced, then Hillary Clinton is the only logical choice for US president this time around. The economic success and black advancements of the Bill Clinton presidency speak for themselves; and Hillary's leadership in the White House then was commendable.

Black Americans would be foolish to look for their next president among the Republicans in that grand old racist party with its right-wing fundamentalist Christian bigots. This hints at another potential reason for the Obama frenzy, namely, the possible Republican conspiracy to register as Democrats, vote for Obama in the season of primaries, and set him up for the downfall in the real elections, thus socking it to Hillary, who, among the Democrats, has the best chance of being elected president against any and all of the Republicans now running.

Furthermore, in this era of stealing elections in the USA, demonstrated in Florida and Ohio by Bush in 2000 and 2004, it would be much easier to get the US Supreme Court to decide in favour of a white Republican male than for a black male Democrat, by using that tried and proved trick of 2000.

But even if Obama did slip through and become president with a majority popular vote, it would be easier to persuade the Electoral College to deny that black man the presidency, than to deny a white woman. And even if by luck or design Obama were to be sworn in as US president, it is certain that those haters, who murdered people like Dr King, John F Kennedy and Bobby Kennedy, would find it easier... Read More HERE

Obama, Reagan, Blacks, Republicans and Obamacans

During a meeting with a Reno, Nevada, newspaper last week, Senator Barack Obama said: “Ronald Reagan changed the trajectory of America in a way that Richard Nixon did not, and a way that Bill Clinton did not.” Obama went on to says, “I think it’s fair to say that the Republicans were the party of ideas for a pretty long chunk of time there over the last 10 to 15 years in the sense that they were challenging conventional wisdom.”

Obama was criticized for his comments, by Hillary, Edwards and this African American Political Pundit. Now Senator Obama has responded to the criticisms. Check out the Obama response:

“I didn’t’ say I liked Ronald Reagan’s policies,” Obama explained. “What I said was that was the kind of working majority we need to form in order to move a progressive agenda forward. So when I see, you know, Senator Clinton or President Clinton distort my words, say somehow that I was saying Republican (sic) the only ones who had good ideas since 1980 – then that is not a way to move the debate forward. That is not a way to help the American people. And I am not running for president just to become president – I’m running to help the American people and move the debate forward. I’m not willing to say or do anything just to win an election, because when you start operating that way, you lose the trust of the American people and we need trust if we’re going to build the kind of country that all of us want for our children and our grandchildren.”

Obama also said Reagan “was able to tap into the discontent of the American people and he was able to get Democrats to vote Republican – they were called Reagan Democrats.” This skill of bridging party divides is one that Obama admits he hopes to emulate. “We as Democrats right now, should tap into the discontent of Republicans. I want some Obama Republicans!”

AAPP: I guess we will see if he can get Republicans to become “Obamacans.”

N.Y. Poll: Hillary Clinton maintains her lead over Barack Obama, 48-23

John McCain now leads Rudy Giuliani, 36-24, in the former mayor's home state of New York, according to a new Siena poll. Hillary Clinton maintains her lead over Barack Obama, 48-23

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani trails Senator John McCain by 12 points among Republicans in the upcoming New York presidential primary and Senator Hillary Clinton continues to have a commanding lead over Senator Barack Obama in the Democratic primary, according to a new Siena (College) Research Institute poll of registered voters released today.

“Among Democrats, Hillary Clinton still has a strong home field advantage, maintaining a two-to-one lead over Barack Obama,” Greenberg said. “While he has picked up considerable support with African- and Caribbean-American Democrats, Obama still trails Clinton 46-36 percent among black Democrats, and Clinton has a 50-18 percent lead with white Democrats. Hillary leads by at least 30 points with voters 35 and older, however, Obama leads 40-38 percent with Democrats younger than 35 years of age.”

Clinton leads the primary with 48 percent, followed by Obama at 23 percent, and former Senator John Edwards at 10 percent. Nineteen percent of Democrats are still undecided. Clinton has at least 47 percent support in each of the three regions of the state. Clinton is viewed favorably by 60 percent of voters and unfavorably by 35 percent, her strongest results since January 2007. Obama has a comparable 57-28 percent favorable rating. Among Democrats, however, Clinton has an 80-17 percent favorability rating, compared to Obama’s 63-23 percent rating.

In hypothetical general election match-ups, Clinton’s lead over Giuliani, 56-34 percent, is the largest ever in a Siena New York poll. She leads McCain by a 53-39 percent margin. Obama leads Giuliani 53-35 percent and he has a small 44-42 percent lead over McCain. Adding Mayor Michael Bloomberg as an independent does not weaken Clinton’s lead. She gets 46 percent to 23 percent each for Giuliani and Bloomberg. And in another three way contest, Clinton gets 44 percent, to 27 percent for McCain and 22 percent for Bloomberg.

“With nine months until the November election, Hillary is in a strong position to keep New York in the ‘blue’ column regardless of who her opponent is or opponents are,” Greenberg said. “However, if it turns into a McCain vs. Obama match-up with no home court advantage, for the moment, New York is a jump ball.” More HERE

The 40th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. will also be marked this year.

“As we commemorate Dr. King’s life today, on the holiday created in his honor, it is interesting to note that voters are very divided – 48 percent positive, 49 percent negative – on the state of race relations in New York State today,” Greenberg said. “Only three percent of voters describe race relations as excellent, with 45 percent saying good. On the negative side, 36 percent call race relations fair, with 13 percent saying poor. African American voters are most negative, with 40 percent saying fair and 30 percent saying poor. While it is encouraging that young people are a little more optimistic about the state of race relations (55-43 percent), it is disappointing that no demographic group rises above that 55 percent mark.”

AAPP: I guess I will just keep on blogging about Obama, Clinton and the other candidates,

Update:

A whole bunch of people are pissed off with how Bill Clinton has been acting out, and showing the racial side of his ignorance.

Newsweek reports there was a heated exchange when Bill Clinton called Ted Kennedy, the Massachusetts senator and still one of the most influential figures in the party. The magazine reported that Kennedy told Clinton he bore some of the responsibility for making race an issue in the campaign. Kennedy's office says he is making no endorsement "at this time", amid fears in Hillary Clinton's campaign team that he is now leaning towards Obama because of her husband's behavior - More HERE.

Clinton, Obama, King and John A Different View

MOYERS ON CLINTON, OBAMA, KING AND JOHNSON (by Bill Moyers)
[Lyndon Johnson signed] into law the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and black people were no longer second class citizens. Martin Luther King had marched and preached and witnessed for this day. Countless ordinary people had put their bodies on the line for it, been berated, bullied and beaten, only to rise, organize and struggle on, against the dogs and guns, the bias and burning crosses. Take nothing from them; their courage is their legacy. But take nothing from the president who once had seen the light but dimly, as through a dark glass — and [then] did the right thing. Lyndon Johnson threw the full weight of his office on the side of justice… [T]here is no inevitability to history, someone has to seize and turn it. With these words at the right moment — "we shall overcome" — Lyndon Johnson transcended race and color, and history, too — reminding us that a president matters, and so do we. More HERE

H/T MakeThemAccountable.com

Blacks, against Latinos, Blacks against Whites, Are Hillary and Bill Clinton Using Race To Win The Election?

I get reader responses via email. Most of them are personal that I keep to myself, but from time to time, I like to share a readers response. This is one of those times.

Bill Clinton and his supporters wanted to have the constitution amended to permit him to run for another 4 years. Now, in 2008, he is running as hard if not harder with his wife to actively step back into a historical position beyond his wildest "fairy tale". As he sees it, he is legally running as a "spouse" to his wife ultimately getting him back into the White House. He has called on the Democratic Black Caucus to not support Senator Obama and if possible, align with his wife. He has split the Democratic Black Caucus, silenced senior black congressional leaders, and rallied the wealthiest black businessmen and religious leader for his plan. He has successfully castrated the nations first electable black president in this drive for reelection. The egocentric masterful orchestration that Bill Clinton has successfully completed is beyond belief and will put the accomplishments of African Americans back decades. The headline soon will read, "Blacks not ready to accept their own as POTUS". All because of one man and his personal desire to find the impossible, his open door to his White House.

By Steve Swenson


NOTE:

AAPP says: I agree with Steve Swenson. In many ways, Ronald B. Saunders of the new blog Black Buzz seems to be saying much of the same thing but at another level in his most recent post, The Clintons Have Always Played the Race and Gender Card.

What do you think? Are these folks right?