Black Entertainment, Money, Style and Beauty Blogs - Black Voices

Dr Boyce Money: Barack Obama's Credit Card Bill - What You Need to Know

Dr. Boyce Watkins, PhD — 2009-06-01T10:51:00+00:00

Do you know the details of the new credit card legislation signed by President Barack Obama? Well, now you will have all the facts. Dr. Boyce Watkins, a Finance Professor at Syracuse University, breaks down the credit card legislation in this video. Americans are experiencing massive amounts of default in the current financial crisis, and African Americans are the greatest victims of the economic downturn. Black unemployment has reached 15%, which is nearly double the rate of unemployment for white americans. This massive black unemployment has impacted African American family finances nation-wide.

Click the video to watch!

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Obama's Cuba: A Step in the Right Direction

Paul Shepard — 2009-04-15T14:16:00+00:00

Filed under: Travel, Barack Obama, Caribbean News, Politics, Travel

For nearly a half century, America's wrongheaded and failed foreign policy toward Cuba has caused us to view the island nation through a fun house mirror -- distorting all reality and making it impossible to distinguish between truth and fiction.

So thanks should be given to President Obama for taking a first step to shattering that mirror by easing travel, spending and communications restrictions to Cuba earlier this week.

Depending on whom you speak to, Cuba is either a colorblind monument to racial harmony or a country where equality and political freedom don't exist. Like most things in life, the truth likely lies somewhere in the middle.

A reporting assignment to Cuba with the Congressional Black Caucus in 2000 didn't provide me with any great answers to the riddle that is Cuba. The majority of everyday people I talked to, white and black, expressed enthusiastic support for the government. I heard the phrase "viva la revolucion" from Cuban people more times than I could count.

And black Cubans said they were treated much more fairly and enjoyed greater opportunities than their grandparents had in the 1950s under the Batista regime.

But some people did voice anger at having to wait in lines for basic provisions and the rationing of cooking oil and electrical service.

My visit made one thing certain: allowing our distaste for longtime Cuban President Fidel Castro to stand in the way of letting Americans visit the island and talk to Cuban people is ludicrous.

I'm no apologist for Castro's regime. I know that those on the left who paint him as a flawless hero of the downtrodden are just as wrong as those on the right who say he is a tyrant who jails his critics for sport.

I'll admit I admire him for nothing more than keeping his country together through nine mostly hostile presidential administrations in the face of a broad U.S. trade embargo.

Castro is also to be credited for creating a national medical system that is the envy of the world -- supplying doctors and nurses to poorer nations around the world when disasters strike.

(Check out Michael Moore's 2007 documentary 'Sicko' for a fascinating glimpse of how doctors in Cuba aided American workers hurt in the 9/11 terrorist attacks)

But Cuba isn't without its problems.

It was impossible not to notice the heavy-handed police presence around the island. And on more than one occasion, conversations with locals were interrupted (and obviously discouraged) by snooping police officers.

After just a week there, it was easy to believe the testimony of Castro critics who say that protecting civil liberties is a back-burner concern in Cuba.

So if that is the case, what is the best help we can provide to change it? Dig in our heels and support a policy that has failed since 1963? I don't think so.

I hope President Obama goes a step further and really breaks the fun house mirror. Let every American who wants to visit Cuba go -- and not just those who have relatives there as is presently proposed.

If we are truly secure in the knowledge that our American way of life is superior to the communist model employed by the brothers Castro, let's put it out there for the Cuban people to see.

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Obama Weekly Address: No More Mr. Nice Guy?

Paul Shepard — 2009-02-02T08:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Barack Obama, Politics, Economy, News, Obama's Weekly Address

President Barack Obama stood by his word. In his first political outreach in support of his $819 billion spending package, he visited Republicans on the Hill to push the proposal. He did this even though he would have won the vote in the House with just the Democratic votes he had in hand.

His repayment was that not one Republican joined him to support the package. ...

Let us see if President Obama continues to court the opposing party to keep his pledge to seek bipartisan solutions for the nation - or if he begins a less friendly course of doing business with Republicans.

He offered an olive branch last week and was rebuffed. Let's see how many more chances President Obama gives Republicans to repeat that action.

________________
Paul Shepard blogs the Democrat side of politics for Black Voices. He has been a journalist for 16 years: on the national urban/minority affairs beat for The Cleveland Plain Dealer and for AP in Washington, D.C. He now runs his own public affairs firm, Shepard Strategic Communications.

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Now the Work Begins

Paul Shepard — 2009-01-19T14:16:00+00:00

Filed under: Barack Obama

From president-elect to leader of the free world, Barack Obama's improbable ride to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue will be complete in a matter of hours. He has asked this nation to tag along on this magnificent journey and we have - in droves.

But soon the hard work of leading the world's most powerful nation begins in earnest.

News reports say that Obama's inaugural address will echo that of John F. Kennedy's in 1961 that counseled " ...ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man."

It might be more than 40 years old, but that message couldn't be more on time.

This nation is is in terrible shape. Home values are falling. Jobs are getting hard to come by. The stock market drop is giving restless nights to those of us lucky enough to have some savings in 401 K plans. And businesses are shutting their doors.

In his speech at the Lincoln Memorial Saturday, Obama did a good job of managing our expectations. He said addressing the challenges facing this country will likely take many years. He is right and I hope that we have the patience to stick with him should he be right.

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The Shallow Obama Birth Certificate Challenge

Lenny McAllister — 2008-12-09T11:50:00+00:00

Filed under: Elections, Barack Obama, Politics, News

Last Saturday, Black Voices' blogger Carmen Dixon posed the question, "How Many Incidents Equal a Trend?"

She brought this sentiment to the national conversation as a response to the level of crass jokes, rude comments, and outright threats that have come in the aftermath of electing the first non-White person to the presidency of the United States.

After hearing about how far the lawsuit contesting President-Elect Obama's eligibility for the White House has gone, I'm sure that Carmen was ready to count this fiasco as the latest incident that keeps the trend going.

This challenge to the status of Mr. Obama's constitutional permission to become the next president of the United States is, by most accounts, shallow at best. ...

Although conservatives can make an argument that a failure to follow such a critical piece of the Constitution opens the door for more procedural disobedience (and, perhaps, electoral dysfunction), they can not make a logical leap and say that the Constitution is a sacred document that is directly threatened by a failure to address this situation legally. Besides, one would question how sacrilegious tampering with the US Constitution must be for a conservative when he is so willing to amend it with social edicts such as the definition of marriage.

Many will say that the birth certificate legal challenge will serve as another reminder of the dirty politics that Republicans have been accused of engaging in for years. Further, some will also conclude that this is symbolic of the racism that still exists in America, saying that people would rather challenge a place of birth in court than allow a Black man to have his place in the White House.

I disagree. If anything, this latest round of misguided energy is a reflection of the failures of some to get it right - no pun intended, of course.

Although this lawsuit was originally submitted by New Jersey attorney Leo Donofrio, the fuel feeding this fire came from some conservative bloggers and hard-core politicos around the nation.

If this effort was intended to be as effective as its supporters hope - that is, effective enough to remove Barack Obama from "The Office of the President-Elect" - its origin was too late, its momentum was too slow, and its champions were too predictable.

By making this "strategy" to eliminate Mr. Obama politically a last-minute tactic to halt his impending inauguration in January, those supporting this "effort" probably also held onto the "strategy" that a charismatic politician such as Obama could not escape the bloodbath Democratic nomination process, especially considering Obama's limited time in Washington, the presence of Hillary Clinton as the Democratic front runner, and, of course, the fact that African-Americans and young people just don't come out to vote in the numbers needed to make a difference for the Obama campaign.

Oops.

They probably "misunderestimated" America's distain with Washington, a frustration level that prompted a big leap of faith on someone that, despite a lack of Washington experience, exhibited the outward traits most want in a president, even if the political philosophies and voting records don't match with their personal beliefs.

And if the general mood of America was a resounding rejection of the current tactics and arguments of anti-Obama pundits (remember, folks had already turned on the "1st Black President of the United States" - Bill Clinton - and his wife months ago for harsh words towards Obama), what made people believe that this lawsuit had a chance to be heard by the Supreme Court?

Exactly.

The Constitution isn't going to go away because of the Obama birth certificate issue. Unfortunately for some, neither is Obama himself from his path to the White House.

____________________
Lenny McAllister is a political commentator and guest co-host for Fox News - Charlotte's morning show "Fox News Rising." His commentary can be heard every Monday morning at 6:15. His website is lennymcallister.com

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Essence Does Double Obama Tribute

Jeff Douglas — 2008-12-04T15:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Elections, Barack Obama, Politics, Michelle Obama, News

How do you choose which magazine to buy? Essence is slick. They think you might just buy both.

The magazine's double-cover 56-page Obama tribute hits the stands Dec. 12 and contains a time line of his life, never before seen photos and a profile on the Obama children. The issue also has essays and commentary from Maya Angelou, Bill Cosby, Chris Rock and Gwen Ifill.

BrownSista.com says ESSENCE.com has a behind the scenes video of the photo shoot, too.

+ GQ Names Obama Man of the Year

Click below to see nearly 50 Obama magazine covers.

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GQ Names Obama Man of the Year

Jeff Douglas — 2008-11-20T14:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Barack Obama, Power List

Eat your heart out Denzel. GQ magazine has named Barack Obama "Man of the Year."

The President-elect shares the honor with Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael Phelps and Jon Hamm, who each have their own covers too in the magazine's latest issue.

GQ Deputy Editor Michael Hainey tells CBS News: "We had Ted Kennedy write the piece for us in the magazine about the senator. He said the torch has passed to a new generation. He really is. I mean -- he's young, he's vibrant, he's vital -- all those qualities of a GQ guy."

And GQ made the call for Obama to be MOTY back in October, win or lose on Election Day.

Look close. It would have been nice if GQ air-brushed OUT some of that gray hair Obama got on the campaign trail.

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Obama's Grandmother Dies On Eve of Election

Jeff Douglas — 2008-11-03T17:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Elections, Barack Obama, News

Just hours before Election Day, Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama announced that his 86-year-old grandmother died Monday after a battle with cancer. The news comes a week after he visited Madelyn Payne Dunham in Hawaii after she fell seriously ill following a hip fracture. "She was the cornerstone of our family, and a woman of extraordinary accomplishment, strength and humility. She was the person who encouraged and allowed us to take chances," said Obama in a released statement with his sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng. "Our debt to her is beyond measure."

Said rival candidate Sen. John McCain in a released statement with his wife Cindy: "We offer our deepest condolences to Barack Obama and his family as they grieve the loss of their beloved grandmother. Our thoughts and prayers go out to them as they remember and celebrate the life of someone who had such a profound impact in their lives."

A "small private ceremony" is to be held at a later date. The Obama family has asked that in lieu of flowers that people make a donation to "any worthy organization in search of a cure for cancer."

Please add your thoughts and comments below.

+ VIDEO: Obama Talks About His Last Visit With Grandmother

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Gentrification "Spreads the Wealth" Into Your Neighborhood

Lenny McAllister — 2008-10-31T12:14:00+00:00

Filed under: Elections, Barack Obama, News

In a political season where the phrase "spread the wealth" has become increasingly popular among the candidates, it would be great if Black America was able to share in the wealth that has accompanied the gentrification movement in urban America over the past 20 years.

I looked up the word "gentrification." The word has origins rooted in the French word genterise, roughly translated to mean "people of noble birth."

With this definition in tow, if the gentrification of urban America is the movement of people of "noble birth" (that is, middle- and upper-class professionals) into inner city communities, then gentrification is a "bad thing" if the Black community can not do two things. ...

1. Leverage the talents and resources of the "noble people" in order to create new opportunities to create Black wealth of resources (e.g., increased job opportunities, better educational avenues and accomplishments, more Black talent infusion); and

2. Become more of the "noble people" that benefit from gentrification.

Of course, the problem inhibiting this movement towards a better position for the Black community is the fact that there is movement of the Black community - namely, as many of the benefits of gentrification move in, much of the Black community often is forced to move out.

Without changing the dynamic, gentrification will remain a cyclical occurrence within the Black community where we are moved like nomads each time land values dictate a potential sound investment opportunity for developers.

So, how do we change the dynamic?

We must be involved in the voting districts that we live in, especially as urban development plans are currently made around us without us in mind. That dynamic must change. We must see to it that we are more involved in planning boards, zoning discussions, and land development proposals that exist in our communities. This will allow us to be proactive in the process rather than being reactive to discussions and decisions that occur without our input.

If we are homeowners and/or land-owners in the areas that gentrification is likely to occur, we must be wiser with our negotiations and decisions as change comes to the neighborhood.

If we decide to stay in the neighborhood, we must position ourselves to ensure that we are capable of providing valuable feedback and influence over the new developments coming into our communities. By knowing the laws, the vision of the city and/or developers, and the history of the area(s) affected, we would be better equipped to save historic areas and aspects of our communities as well as carve out niches within the new developments that we can leverage and/or influence.

If we decide to sell and leave the area, we must negotiate prices closer to the potential future land values that our land will command after new development is complete, not settle for the current value. That is the benefit of urban revitalization for investors - buy land at low values and create high-value properties afterward. As smart capitalists, we must make sure that these deals benefit us as much as possible as well. If we are going to create Black wealth as a result of gentrification/urban revitalization, we must make sure that the subsequent wealth created touches a maximum amount of people, including those that no longer live in revitalized areas.

Even if we are not homeowners and/or land-owners, we still have an opportunity to benefit from gentrification should we be forced to endure it. For example, any move by governments of cities or towns to move one set of the population out of an area for the "benefit of urban revitalization" must be politically accompanied with dedicated, premeditated focus on destination schools, crime prevention efforts, and job opportunities. Initiatives such as job fairs in the new area would allow for those affected by gentrification to have opportunities to benefit from the revitalization of the area even if they do not remain residents.

Again, this takes regular political activism at the polls and in the government meetings to make sure that the wealth created from revitalization touches everyone impacted by new urban development. By not doing this, cities and towns merely move a challenged area to another geographic location. The pattern stays cyclical.

As long as Black people continue to be highly impacted by revitalization efforts as displaced residents without strengthening their political, legislative, and economic standings to change the dynamics, "urban revitalization" will continue to be synonymous with gentrification for Black people. If so, we will continue to get the short end of the stick. Once we begin to influence these new developments at a higher level, Black communities will find that we can benefit from revitalization and, eventually, be leaders during these societal changes as well.
____________________
Lenny McAllister is the Political Guru for Fox News - Charlotte and blogs the Republican side of the election for BlackVoices. He is a frequent contributor to The Charlotte Post and The North Carolina Conservative.

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Hastening the Straight Talk Express

Lenny McAllister — 2008-10-07T16:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Elections, Barack Obama, John McCain, News

Throughout the campaign, we have heard about how Senator John McCain performs during town hall meetings, using the forum to project an image that makes him accessible, believable, and presidential.

In order to get the Straight Talk Express moving quickly back on the right track towards the White House, he is going to have to excel this evening.

Recent polls are showing that the presidency is slipping away from the McCain-Palin ticket. Unfortunately, some of the factors for this development are out of Senator McCain's control. For example, the recent economic crisis has tilted the scales of this election towards not only Senator Barack Obama, but towards all Democrats running for federal office at this time.

The pall of the Bush Administration may be a blemish against the Republican brand for a good while, time that Senator McCain just does not have. ...

He also does not have the time to deal with the Sarah Palin issue appropriately, so he will have to deal with her presence on the ticket as best as possible. Instead of the governor from Alaska bringing a fresh, exciting perspective and presence to the ticket for Republicans and undecided voters, the Palin Effect invokes very different responses from different segments of the electorate.

For conservatives, she is the Republican Obama, a relatively-unknown young politician whose rise to the top is one that has garnered excitement within the base due to her personality and traditional right-wing values. For others (in an increasing fashion), she is an unprepared second-choice candidate that is in over her head and, as a result, is best suited to play the role of attack dog since she has failed to install the confidence needed in a vice presidential candidate.

Of course, some of Arizona senator's actions have not endeared him to the undecided voting bloc, either. Although Senator McCain fared well during the first presidential debate on the September 26, nuisances such as McCain's failure to address Obama directly did not play well on television. Senator McCain came across as unnecessarily adversarial, and when coupled with the latest GOP negative attack tactics against the Obama-Biden ticket, the McCain brand risks souring the undecided voter base against it.

These factors would seem to make a McCain victory in November close to impossible, but this is not the case - yet.

Tonight's second debate will play a major factor in determining Senator McCain's election fate this fall. He does come into the debate with some glimmers of hope to utilize as he attempts to cut into the lead that Senator Obama has created over the past few weeks.

For starts, Governor Palin's performance Thursday evening during the vice presidential debate allowed her not only to salvage her own credibility among many within the GOP and conservative base, but it also provided a small opportunity for the McCain campaign to turn the page on intense focus on Palin's qualifications.

This gives Senator McCain a chance to highlight the experience gap between Senator Obama and himself. As well, with the Palin-Biden debate over, it would appear that the Palin Bounce is over: those that have become invigorated as a result of her presence on the ticket will remain that way as this point while those that reject Palin as a VP candidate will not be swayed away from that viewpoint.

With the passage of the bailout legislation, Senator McCain may have an opportunity to have the focus of the presidential discussion become more encompassing, including an in-depth discussion on foreign policy issues. Even the impact of our financial crisis on the global market may allow Senator McCain to use his years of experience in Washington as an advantage over Obama that America should choose. However, foreign policy and national defense are clearly his best bets to gain support.

For example, the recent air violation incident in Iran (depending on which country comments, it was either a business jet without US civilians on-board or a US "Falcon Fighter") threatens to bring back into focus the importance of the president as Commander in Chief. International incidents may work in McCain's favor due to his tenure in the US Senate as his status as retired military personnel. Further, any opportunity to show a break from President Bush's viewpoint or reactions in this realm (such as with Putin during the Georgia-Russia tension this summer) will give Senator McCain another chance to break his tie with the Bush White House, a move he must make (and quickly) if he is going to gain votes from disgruntled undecided voters that constitute the 75% of those polled that disapprove of the president.

The third possible advantage brings us full circle: the town hall forum format that will be used this evening. Senator Barack Obama came across too professorial in the Saddleback Forum on the Presidency, a debate-like event that seems eons ago in the political lifecycle but is the only valid instance that allowed us to contrast the Obama and McCain styles directly aside from the first debate.

If Senator Obama comes across as more professorial and less personable, he will risk alienating the undecided voters in the audience and, quite potentially, a significant portion of undecided voters exactly 4 weeks before Election Day. If McCain is able to use the same demeanor, verbiage, and arguments in Tuesday's debate that he did with Rick Warren - while attacking Obama's policy points and senatorial tenure that is littered with strong liberal partisanship - he will be able to put a dent into the Obama that, with persistence, can be overcome.

Overcoming that lead, however, starts with a performance this evening that trumps Barack Obama in the quest to not only win the debate, but to clearly look more presidential as well.

____________________
Lenny McAllister is the Political Guru for Fox News - Charlotte and blogs the Republican side of the election for BlackVoices. He is a frequent contributor to The Charlotte Post and The North Carolina Conservative.

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Important Bedtime Reading, Obama's Policy Book

Felicia Pride — 2008-08-12T09:30:00+00:00

Filed under: More Than Words, Barack Obama

By Felicia Pride, BlackVoices.com

Come September 9, you'll be able to read Barack Obama's proposed plan for changing America.

The presidential candidate's campaign will be releasing a new paperback book called 'Change We Can Believe in: Barack Obama's Plan to Renew America's Promise.'

According to AP, the book will include "a foreword by Obama, the Democrats' presumptive presidential nominee, and feature sections - written by members of Obama for America, his presidential campaign - on such issues as health care, energy and national security."

Some of his speeches--including his powerful address on race and his talk in front of thousands in Germany--will also be included in the book.

This may be a lot of pages thick with policy and numbers, but it's probably the most important bedtime reading a serious Obama supporter can pick up.

Celebrity Ad Battle

The Spark: Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama appears before a massive crowd July 24 in Berlin, the highlight of a tour of the Mideast and Europe that was aimed at bolstering his foreign policy credentials. Days later, his rival used the Berlin appearance in a withering attack.

Michael Gottschalk, Getty Images

The Attack: On July 30, Republican John McCain's campaign unveiled an ad that used footage from Berlin and called Obama "the biggest celebrity in the world" and compared him to pop stars Britney Spears and Paris Hilton. "Is he ready to lead?" the ad asked.

YouTube.com

The Counterattack: Hours later, the Obama campaign released an ad accusing McCain of practicing "the same old politics." It also called McCain's attacks "baloney" and "baseless."

YouTube.com

McCain Stands Firm: At a July 31 campain appearance in Racine, Wis., a woman referred to the celebrity ad and asked McCain whether he had "flip-flopped" on his pledge to run a clean campaign. "Campaigns are tough, but I'm proud of the campaign we've run," McCain responded. "All I can say is we're proud of that commercial."

Scott Olson, Getty Images

Mom Speaks Out: On Aug. 3, Kathy Hilton, Paris Hilton's mother, posted a response to the McCain ad, calling it "completely frivolous," a "complete waste of money" and a "complete waste of the country's time and attention." Kathy Hilton and her husband have donated $4,600 to McCain's campaign.

Frederick M. Brown, Getty Images

Poolside Rebuttal: In a video from funnyordie.com, Hilton declared that McCain's ad must mean one thing: She's running for president. She thanked the "white-haired dude" for his endorsement and assured America that she's "like, totally ready to lead." She even presented an energy plan, a hybrid of McCain's and Obama's.

Funnyordie.com

Postscript: The McCain campaign's reaction to Hilton's video was swift. "Perhaps the reality is that Paris has a more substantive energy plan than Barack Obama," spokesman Tucker Bounds told tmz.com. Sources: AP, Reuters, nytimes.com, huffingtonpost.com, tmz.com

LEFT: Chris Weeks, WireImage RIGHT: Scott Olson, Getty Images

The book will be published by Three Rivers Press/Crown and Obama's campaign will donate all net proceeds to charity.

In essence, this is an opportunity for Obama's campaign to outline, on paper, how he will address the biggest issues and problems facing America--which could silence or amp up detractors and/or upset or excite supporters. Risky.

Even still, I don't know about you, but I'm definitely going to read it. How can you not?

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Barack Obama: Pictures Speak 1000 Words

Felicia Pride — 2008-07-15T17:00:00+00:00

Filed under: More Than Words, Elections, Barack Obama

By Felicia Pride

While publications like The New Yorker have been trying to capture Barack Obama's campaign visually--even if in the most grotesque ways--Amistad, an imprint of HarperCollins, recently announced that it will be publishing the ultimate photographic collection that documents this incredible moment.

Obama: The Historic Campaign in Photos is slated to drop right before the November election and will illustrate his campaign from its start until now, through more than 150 color and b&w photos, reports Publishers Weekly.The photo collection will be curated by NYU professor Deb Willis who works in the university's Tisch School of the Arts Photography and Imaging. Washington Post journalist Kevin Merida will pen the book's introduction.

For all of those who have been collecting Obama magazine covers, pictures, and other memorabilia, this sounds like a must-have.

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The Faith of Barack Obama

Felicia Pride — 2008-07-03T10:00:00+00:00

Filed under: More Than Words, Elections, Barack Obama

By Felicia Pride

Are Barack Obama's religious beliefs important?

The author of the forthcoming book The Faith of Barack Obama (Thomas Nelson, July 2008) seems to think so.

Obama's religious life was the center of controversy because of his close relationship with Reverend Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr., pastor at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.

Author Stephen Mansfield, who also wrote The Faith of George W. Bush, believes that as early as 2004 when Obama delivered his memorable speech to the Democratic National Convention, he was taking a stand for his faith by saying, "We worship an awesome God in the blue states."

The Faith of Barack Obama explores the presidential candidate's religious faith and how it shapes his life as a way to understand the type of leader he will be.About the book, Archbishop Desmond Tutu said, "You must read this perceptive and well written book. Then you will know why Barack Obama has such a passion for justice and equity, such a gift for filling people of different generations with a newfound hope that things can and will change for the better. His inspiration comes from his faith; he is an ardent believer. Yes, he is a Christian and proud of it."

In The Faith of Barack Obama, Mansfield is exerting the premise, "If a man's faith is sincere, then it is the most important thing about him."

Do you think Obama's faith is sincere? And if so, what does it say about the type of president he might be?

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The View, Michelle Obama, and Another Dap

Jeff Douglas — 2008-06-18T17:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Elections, Barack Obama, Michelle Obama

Appearing on The View Wednesday, Michelle Obama said Sen. Hillary Clinton is right that sexism played a role in the presidential primary campaign.

"Yes, there's always a level (of sexism). People are not used to strong women," Obama said.

The first-lady hopeful had a captive female audience, being The View and all. So the topic was on point.

She handled the show like a PRO! She opened the show with, what else? A bump! ...
"Of course I'm proud of my country," Obama told Barbara Walters, in reference to a months-old miss-quote that's still stalking her.

Check out the show above.

The Next First Lady?

Career: Obama gave up her job as a vice president at the University of Chicago Medical Center to campaign with her husband.

Charles Rex Arbogast, AP

Career: McCain is the chairman of her family's business, Hensley & Co., one of the country's largest distributors for Anheuser-Busch. She's also involved with several children's health care organizations.

Mary Altaffer, AP

Childhood and Education: Michelle Obama, 44, grew up on the South Side of Chicago. She earned her undergraduate degree from Princeton and her law degree from Harvard.

Scott Olson, Getty Images

Childhood and Education: Cindy McCain, 54, who was raised in a wealthy Phoenix family, has a master's degree in special education from the University of Southern California.

Win McNamee, Getty Images

Family: The Obamas have two daughters, Malia, 9, and Sasha, 6.

Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images

Family: The McCains have four children together -- Meghan, 23, pictured above with her parents; Jack, 22; Jim, 20; and Bridget, 16. John McCain also has three children from his first marriage.

Charles Dharapak, AP

Marriage: Michelle Robinson married Barack Obama in October 1992. The couple met while working for a Chicago law firm.

Obama for America / AP

Marriage: Cindy Hensley married John McCain in May 1980. It was the second marriage for McCain, who is 18 years older than his wife.

Corbis

Style on the Trail: Obama has been known for being strong-minded and outspoken during her husband's campaign. Here, the couple bump fists before his speech on the night he earned enough delegates to claim the Democratic nomination.

Scott Olson, Getty Images

Style on the Trail: McCain "is more in the classic mold of the candidate's wife on the campaign trail," said one political scientist. She's been less likely to speak out on the trail.

Alex Wong, Getty Images

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Clinton, Obama Go Another Round

Faye Anderson — 2008-05-06T01:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton

It's another super Tuesday. Voters in Indiana and North Carolina will have their say in primaries that may change the game.

In the Tar Heel State, 500,000 people - one out of every 10 registered voters - already have cast their ballots during the early voting period. African Americans represented over 40 percent of early voters.

A local newspaper reports that long lines formed even before the polls opened this morning. Election officials expect a record primary turnout.

Voter interest is also high in Indiana, but voters will have to bring more than enthusiasm to their polling place. They better bring a current photo ID.

In the most important voting rights case since Bush v. Gore, the United States Supreme Court last week upheld Indiana's law requiring voters to present a valid government-issued photo ID. The law was passed by Indiana's Republican-controlled legislature on a straight party line vote.

In a 6-to-3 decision, the Supreme Court held the requirement did not impose an unconstitutional burden on the right to vote. Justice John Paul Stevens wrote:

The application of the statute to the vast majority of Indiana voters is amply justified by the valid interest in protecting the integrity and reliability of the electoral process.

The 2005 law was designed to stop voter fraud. Funny thing though. There is no evidence of in-person voter fraud in Indiana. But there is evidence that the ruling will have a disparate impact on elderly and low-income voters.

There is concern that the ID law will depress turnout in the Hoosier State. Julia Vaughn, policy director for Common Cause/Indiana, warns:

I think there is a chilling effect of the voter ID law. People don't want to get hassled when trying to vote.

The extra hurdle will lead to confusion and more Election Day drama. To help maintain order at the polls and ensure every vote is counted, voters should check their state's voting requirements here.

More elections coverage

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+ Indiana, North Carolina Hold Primaries

+ Tom Hanks Backs Obama

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Decision Day in Pennsylvania

Faye Anderson — 2008-04-22T10:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton

After six weeks of an increasingly bitter campaign and presidential preference polls all over the map, the only polls that matter are finally open. A record number of voters are expected to turn out and vote in the Pennsylvania primary.

Secretary of the Commonwealth Pedro A. Cortés cautions:

Voters should anticipate longer lines at the polls and plan accordingly. If you can, head to your polling place during a non-peak time, such as mid-morning or mid-afternoon.

While it's decision day in Pennsylvania, undecided superdelegates remain, well, undecided. With only nine contests left, the end game will be decided "by rules, committees and uncommitted superdelegates, and possibly by a floor fight at the Denver convention in August." The Wall Street Journal reports:

Sens. Clinton and Obama have raised a combined $400 million, which has allowed them to keep fighting. As long as they stay in, however, Florida's and Michigan's status remains unresolved, setting up the possibility of a convention battle, and voter wariness grows that the superdelegates will override their choice. ...

So far, both candidates are saying a lot, and that is one of the dangers for the party. The Clinton campaign has charged relentlessly that Florida and Michigan voters will be "disenfranchised" if their primary votes aren't counted. That has infuriated Sen. Obama's supporters, because recognizing the two states' contests would largely wipe out his popular-vote lead.

Obama supporters argue that the superdelegates should vote for the winner of their state's primary. That has infuriated Clinton supporters, who note that party rules let the superdelegates vote as they choose and are counting on them to wipe out Sen. Obama's delegate lead.

Sure, it's a messy process but as Winston Churchill observed: "It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried."

More elections coverage
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+ Democratic Primary Preview: Keys To Pennsylvania
+ Black Political Pundits - RANK 'Em

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Democratic Primary Preview: Keys to Victory in the Keystone State

Faye Anderson — 2008-04-21T08:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton

Barack Obama rocked the City of Brotherly Love on Friday. An estimated 35,000 people jammed into Independence Mall for the "On Track for Change Rally."

Folks began gathering hours before Obama was scheduled to speak. As I walked towards Market Street, I heard the crowd chant:

"We're fired up and ready to go!"

In the shadow of Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, Obama took center stage and declared:

We can declare independence from the say-anything, do-anything politics that's all about how to win and not why we should; that politics that exploits our differences instead of speaking to our common concerns and our common destinies as Americans. ...

I'm running to change the game in Washington. I'm not running to fit in. I'm running to change Washington.

Obama has won the endorsement of the Philadelphia Inquirer:

The 46-year-old Obama offers the better chance of rising above the partisan rancor in Washington to achieve bipartisan goals. After eight years of George W. Bush's my-way-or-the-highway rule, Obama could become the uniter that Bush never was. His campaign has attracted people of all backgrounds and political persuasions.

Though African Americans make up nearly half of the city's Democratic primary voters, Obama has steered clear of predominately black neighborhoods. Still, Philadelphia is signed, sealed and delivered.

But the election will be decided by voters in the Philly suburbs, and Western and South Central Pennsylvania. As the Inquirer editorialized:

Unfortunately, Obama followed up that memorable speech with a gaffe about "bitter" small-town Pennsylvanians clinging to religion and guns. He still hasn't explained adequately what he really meant. For someone whose eloquence usually seems effortless, it was an unforced blunder that may have cost him the chance to put away Clinton here and now.

Indeed, voters in the land of the cling-ons will likely keep Clinton "hanging on."

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Old BET Boss Gives His 2 Cents, Again

Faye Anderson — 2008-04-16T09:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Elections, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton

The Democratic presidential nomination battle is stuck on race. Former BET chairman Bob Johnson, a Hillary Clinton backer, is roiling the racial waters. Johnson told the Charlotte Observer that Geraldine Ferraro was right:

What I believe Geraldine Ferraro meant is that if you take a freshman senator from Illinois called 'Jerry Smith' and he says I'm going to run for president, would he start off with 90 percent of the black vote? And the answer is, probably not....

Geraldine Ferraro said it right. The problem is, Geraldine Ferraro is white. This campaign has such a hair-trigger on anything racial ... it is almost impossible for anybody to say anything.

Johnson, the billionaire owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, also suggested that Obama is an elitist:

I don't think he has that common -- what I call "I-want-to-go-out-and-have-a-drink-with-you - touch."

At the American Society of Newspaper Editors' panel discussion on race and the presidential campaign, Donna Brazile, Al Gore's former campaign manager, observed:

It's very important 40 years after passage of the Voting Rights Act and 88 years after women gained the right to vote, the oldest political party in the United States is about to nominate the first woman or first minority.

Brazile was asked about the impact of "Bittergate" on Obama:

Every four years we have these Harvard-educated or Yale-educated, I-know-everything- about-policy but they don't know how to relate to ordinary voters. They lack that common touch.

Obama is leading in pledged delegates, leading in popular vote, and has raised a lot of money. He's already captured the white vote, white people and white money. He was trying to let the folks in San Francisco know that these people are not voting against him because he's black.

Brazile noted that Obama is half-white. To bridge the racial divide, she said he should "stop denying people his whiteness."

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Obama's Super Saturday Stirs the Clinton Camp

Faye Anderson — 2008-02-10T11:25:00+00:00

Filed under: Elections, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton

The good times rolled for Barack Obama this weekend. Powered by black voters, Obama won the Louisiana primary with 57 percent of the vote.

Obama also rocked the Nebraska and Washington caucuses, winning both in a landslide. Obama beat Hillary Clinton two to one.

I spoke with Charles Rolland, who organized one of the 12 precincts that caucused at Washington Middle School in the Emerald City. Rolland, a former deputy mayor of Seattle and former chair of the Washington State Democrats, told me the lunchroom was "overflowing. I haven't seen this many people ever. I saw people that I've never seen at a Democratic caucus, including Republicans."

One black Republican said: "See what Obama has done."

In Washington, voters do not register by party. Caucus-goers declare their candidate preference or indicate "uncommitted" on the sign-in sheet.

Of the112 caucus-goers in Rolland's precinct, 25 percent were black and approximately 75 percent (there were a few Asians). Half were women.

Caucus-goers discussed the issues for roughly 30 minutes. Obama's supporters said that they were voting for him because of his message of "change," and the hope that he will "heal and bring the community together," and restore global respect for the U.S.

Up until two weeks ago, Rolland was neutral in the Democratic primary race. But "young people came to me and said that's not acceptable, especially for you. They expressed such passion for him that I felt compelled to support what they were supporting."

So, when it came time to stand up in the caucus, Rolland stood up for Obama. And he had plenty of company.

Obama received 99 votes compared to Clinton's 11. Of the 7 uncommitted, five switched to Obama; two remained uncommitted. "Nobody switched to Hillary."

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Obama's Super Tuesday Hype

Faye Anderson — 2008-02-07T13:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Elections, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton

So much for a "dream ticket." Barack Obama's allusion to Hillary Clinton's political baggage during his post-Super Tuesday press conference likely shattered any hope the two of them will be running mates.

At the same time, Obama said: "I have no doubt that I can get the people who vote for Senator Clinton. ... It's not clear that Senator Clinton can get all the people I'm getting." ...

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If Obama is referring to black voters, he needs to get a grip. Black folks voted long before he hit the campaign trail. There was a record turnout in Georgia in1988 as black voters flocked to the polls to support their candidate of choice, Jesse Jackson. Black voters propelled Jackson to victory in Alabama, Delaware and Georgia. Still, in the general election, Democratic presidential nominee Michael Dukakis received 88 percent of the black vote.

In a conference call, Obama campaign manager David Plouffe said: "By winning a majority of delegates and a majority of the states, Barack Obama won an important Super Tuesday victory over Senator Clinton in the closest thing we have to a national primary. From Colorado and Utah in the west to Georgia and Alabama in the south to Senator Clinton's backyard in Connecticut, Obama showed that he can win the support of Americans of every race, gender, and political party in every region of the country."

Plouffe concluded: "That's why he's on track to win the Democratic nomination, and that's why he's the best candidate to defeat John McCain in November."

Get real. Obama was the choice of Democratic primary voters in states that no Democrat will win in the general election. States like Georgia, Alabama and Utah.

As one Black Voices community member pointed out: "Obama is an inspiration for blacks and whites. He is picking up momentum and is very presidential. However, when I review the votes, I have some concerns. He had a good night, but many of those states will be red states in a general election and that could be a set up for a Democratic disaster."

The late Ossie Davis cautioned: "It's not the man, it's the plan." The New York Times likewise editorialized against the "cult of personality."

Black voters overwhelmingly support Obama out of racial pride. But they plan to win in November.

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