Bloggers' Roundtable

NPR's News & Notes , April 17, 2008

Farai Chideya holds it down again at NPR. This time asking the question:

Are historically black colleges doing enough to prepare the next generation of professionals?

There was a special Bloggers' Roundtable, in which NPR took a look at the issues of importance to Atlantans.

The group of Atlanta bloggers share their opinions about Election 2008. I must say this is a session you don't want to miss. It included some great bloggers, including afrospear member Amani Chanel of My Urban Report. Listen Now [17 min 11 sec]

Also joining in the conversation were two other dynamic bloggers, Andre Walker of Georgia Unfiltered, and the always insightful, Michael Fisher of The Assault on Black Folk's Sanity.

Thank you NPR for continuing to provide alternative views and opinions on important topics of the day. Thank You Farai Chideya and NPR's News & Notes producers for another great program.

AAPP

Bill Clinton In The White House Again?

Are people ready for Bill Clinton part III? That is what we get if Hillary gets into the White House.

He wants to Bring his "Badge of Honor" Back to the white House.

You remember Bill Clinton, the guy who called his impeachment for perjury and obstruction of justice ''illegitimate'' and an ''abuse of power.'' the same guy who said ''The whole battle was a badge of honor.'' The guy who called his affair with Monica Lewinsky, a White House intern, ''a terrible moral error'' and sought to explain how his family handled the crisis in an interview with Dan Rather on the CBS program ''60 Minutes,'' to be broadcast Sunday.

H/T The Swamp for photo

Check out The NY Times article 4 years ago when he explained the situation in interviews at his homes in Chappaqua, N.Y., and Arkansas, Mr. Clinton said: ''I did something for the worst possible reason. Just because I could. I think that's just about the most morally indefensible reason anybody could have for doing anything.''

Also reported that in his most extensive remarks about the Lewinsky scandal since leaving the White House, Mr. Clinton said that he and his family had sought counseling while his wife, Hillary, decided whether to remain married to him in the aftermath of the 1999 Senate vote on his impeachment. He told Mr. Rather that through counseling his family was able to overcome the effects of the scandal. Is this the type of family that deserves to be in the white House again?

More HERE

The ABC's of how to attack Barack Obama

AAPP: Why didn't ABC ask this question - Was Hillary Clinton's strongest supporter and surrogate, Bill Clinton wearing an American Flag Pin when he was having sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky in the White House?

The Field Negro said it best, There was an Ambush at 5th and Market. But this was expected. Even before the Clinton-Obama debate in Pennsylvania, highly respected blogger Eddie Griffith wrote "Propaganda War Starts" in anticipation of what ABC's devilish duo, Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopoulos, would do during the debates. There is no doubt in my mind and the mind of black bloggers across the afrosphere that there are some pitiful Black Politicians enjoying the moment. The controversy around the ABC debates is bringing out the regular MYDD Hillary hacks. While many bloggers are calling it the way really was, with one blogger noting ABC’s Debate Sucked. Another blogger talks about all the Shi** they are going to use against Obama. Regular blog contributor Agent X has noted that The ABC debate; the worst ever. Check out the Transcript of the Democratic debate in Philadelphia

It's great Obama is ignoring the hate, with the "Wonder Boy" comments and the ABC (anti-Black Coalition Network). I guess one major gun owners group is not buying Hillary and ABC attempts to pigeon hole Barack into the "angry black man" corner. Yes a major Gun group is not bitter, and they are backing Obama.

The Obama wearing of an American flag pin is a non issue to this blogger. There are many politicians who have worn the American Flag in disgrace. One has to wonder was Bill Clinton wearing an American Flag when he was having sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky?

Former Gov. George Wallace wore an American Flag Pin, so did millions of American segregationist and members of Congress who supported legal slavery and segregation of blacks. Is now the wearing of the American Flag the new test? Flag pin equals patriotism?
For ABC and many stupid people it just must be. I also agree with Shawn Williams at Dallas South, when he wrote: The Pennsylvania debate should be the last for the democrats.
As fellow international black blogger, afrospear member and political activist Francis L. Holland noted ABC Screwed Up Debate Royally.

I'm in agreement with Moveon.org when they wrote: If you missed the Democratic presidential debate on ABC last night, Editor & Publisher called it "perhaps the most embarrassing performance by the media in a major presidential debate in years."¹ (Click below to see video excerpts.)

Moderators George Stephanopoulos and Charlie Gibson spent the first 50 minutes obsessed with distractions that only political insiders care about—verbal gaffes, polling numbers, the stale Rev. Wright story, and the old-news Bosnia story. And, channeling Karl Rove, they directed a video question to Barack Obama asking if he loves the American flag or not. Seriously.

Enough is enough. The public needs the media to stop hurting the national dialogue in this important election year. Can you sign the petition to ABC and other media outlets and pass it on to friends who are also fed up? Click here for our must-see video with excerpts from last night—and to sign the petition:

http://pol.moveon.org/enoughdistractions/?id=12457-8045350-_feSpi&t=4

The petition says: "Debate moderators abuse the public trust every time they ask trivial questions about gaffes and 'gotchas' that only political insiders care about. Enough with the distractions—ABC and other networks must focus on issues that affect people's daily lives."

We'll deliver petition signatures to ABC and the networks hosting future debates. And if we reach 100,000 signatures, we'll reprint the petition in an ad campaign targeting the networks on this issue.

ABC's natural inclination will be to ignore their critics, so we need to go above and beyond to show them that the public is truly outraged. So, please, think about some friends who may be fed up with 2008 media coverage and forward them this email. If thousands of us do that, it'll make a huge difference.

Live Blogging The Presidential Debate - PA

"Barack Obama from Man To Boy" Now Wonder Boy

Boys to Men, or Man to Boy? Or maybe as Francis l. Hollands notes, White-News Media seem to love to call a black man like Barack Obama "Wonder Boy." Well it is so easy for some people to call a black man " 'BOY'." You know when Democrats, Republicans, Independents or the anyone white calls Obama "boy." that's southern code for nigger. Now the question is: Where is the Outrage?

No Outrage from the Hillary camp about Republicans making bigoted remarks about Barack. I guess when Republicans start calling Hillary, "Trailer Trash Bitch," Barack should say nothing as well?

Tax Expert Offers Advice on Finishing Returns

Check out Dwight D. Hunter, Esq. Managing Partner of Exodus Tax & Business Services on NPR's News & Notes
Listen Now

If you haven't filed yet, don't panic. NPR's Tony Cox gets some last-minute tax tips.

Hillary Clinton attempts To Revise American Presidential Election History

While Most American's know the the 2000 election was stolen from Al Gore, and the 2004 election was stolen from John Kerry she wants to continue to stick with supporting George Bush over Democrats.



Maybe Hillary did not read, (H/T Buzz Flash) an exhaustive 23,422-word Vanity Fair article, published just prior to the election (October), spilled the beans that at least four of the five Supreme Court justices who stole the election from Al Gore did it with willing forethought. And the fifth, Justice Kennedy, who came up with the hypocritical, convoluted reason for awarding the election to Bush, was probably just pretending to be "open-minded."

In short, the story, the first one to reveal the inside machinations of the infamous decision of 2000, confirmed that this wasn't a judicial decision that decided the election 4 years ago; it was a premeditated theft of democracy from the American voters.

Now, As reported By Shailagh Murray and Perry Bacon Jr. in todays The Washington Post Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) asserted Sunday night that Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), through his recent description of sentiments in small-town America, reinforced a stereotype of "out-of-touch" Democrats that doomed the party's past two presidential nominees.

"We had two very good men, and men of faith, run for president in 2000 and 2004. But large segments of the electorate concluded that they did not really understand or relate to or frankly respect their ways of life," Clinton said at Messiah College, referring to former vice president Al Gore and Sen. John F. Kerry (Mass.). She repeated her view that Obama had been "elitist . . . and, frankly, patronizing." Read More HERE

Who is the real elitist and presidential election revisionist who is disconnected from the American people. Who is the Democratic president who has failed to acknowledge the real premeditated theft of democracy from the American voters in 2000 and 2004? Is this the same person who failed to acknowledge her bad decisions regarding supporting Bush's War? Come on Hillary we can see right through your garbage. Maybe she does not get her facts straight because her and Bill have been too busy counting thier $110 million dollars in earnings.

In Solidarity: Global Day for Darfur

Black American Indifference Is Not An Option!

This blog is joining with bloggers from around the world in an effort to to raise awareness to the genocide in Darfur. This blog is participating "In Solidarity: Global Day for Darfur" today, April 13th, 2008 along with several other afrospear bloggers. These bloggers includes but is not limited to:




Modern Musings
A Political Season
Black and Missing but not Forgotten
Black Perspective
Black Women Vote
CEO Mum
Darfur: An Unforgivable Hell on Earth
Eddie G. Griffin
Electronic Village
Musings of the Night
My African Diaspora
Regina's Family Seasons
Slant Truth
Take Political Action
The Jose Vilson
Travs Thoughts
Ultraviolet Underground
Vanessa: Unplugged
What About Our Daughters
Black and Missing - But Not Forgotten
African American Political Pundit.com
African American Opinion.com
African American Opinion and Social Networking
African American Political Opinion
Black Accountability Project

(H/T Black and Missing But Not Forgotten and Black Perspective for the links)

As reported by Save Dafur.org After five years of conflict in Darfur, children are reaching school age having experienced nothing but armed conflict. A million Darfuri children have grown up displaced, living in camps for refugees and internally displaced persons, many without opportunities for education, without knowing the meaning of home.

On the Global Day for Darfur on April 13, tens of thousands of citizens around the world will call on their governments and the United Nations to act decisively to get the U.N.-African Union peacekeepers deployed in Darfur as fully, effectively, and quickly as possible.

The children of Darfur - and the millions of civilians affected by five years of brutal violence - can wait no longer. They need the protection of peacekeepers NOW.

What Can Black Americans Do?

There is a great number of things black Americans can do to get involved. As an example we can find an existing Darfur activist group to get involved locally. We should learn about hot-button legislation under consideration in the United States Congress. Let us not forget the power of the pen, or computer in contacting world leaders. As reported by Darfur Genocide.org world leaders are closer than you think. As an example, Darfur Genocide.org has a new 24 Hours for Darfur initiative that helps concerned citizens understand the situation and transmit their concerns to political leaders.

Learn about the situation from expert videos. Watch testimony from Darfurians. View appeals from people around the world. Record a message for your representatives right in your browser, or upload a video file. And email any video message directly to world leaders.

The power is in the worlds hands to change Darfur.