|
John McCain's campaign sure knows how to evolve! Realizing that their Barack Obama as Paris Hilton angle wasn't sticking, the Republican's ad team has thrown together this Biblically-proportion video: "Praise The One," which paints Obama as a self-entitled, self-professed messiah. A placidly sarcastic narrator opens the piece, "Let it be known that in 2008, the world will be blessed. They call him 'The One." Thus begins a collection of Obama footage that a fearful person might read as evidence of a false prophet - or, perhaps, as an exceedingly presumptuous charlatan. |
|
There’s only one thing different about Barack Obama when it comes to being a Democratic presidential candidate. He’s half African-American. Whether that will make any difference, I don’t know. I haven’t heard him have a strong crackdown on economic exploitation in the ghettos. Payday loans, predatory lending, asbestos, lead. What’s keeping him from doing that? Is it because he wants to talk white? |
|
That is, of course, unless you’re a religious African American… |
|
|
|
They suggest that “this might be a great opportunity to take this moment to really try and transcend still existing racial biases.” |
|
Oh, Bill, Bill, Bill. If you're going to tell someone they're misquoting you, make sure you're right. Reporter Mike Memoli caught up with Mr. Clinton today in Pennsylvania and asked him about his remark that Obama played the "race card" after the Jesse Jackson debacle last January. And, like Hillary's Bosnia memory, Bill's remains a bit hazy. |
|
His last jaunt across the nation, the "Service To America" tour meant to spread McCain's war-torn story and other biographical bits. Now the Senator from Arizona's launched his "Time For Action" adventure, which is also being referred to as the "Forgotten Places" tour. |
» Black Is, Black Ain't
Our pals over at Stereohyped, Cord Jefferson and Lauren Williams, ask the eternal question: Am I Black Enough For Ya?" Also, if you don't understand the headline, it's the title of the late, great, gay Marlon Riggs' seminal, cinematic exploration of race. You should watch it, own it and love it. |
|
The initiative comes from the Gay Men's Health Crisis (which, of course, is launching a parallel campaign aimed at men-on-men) on the back of statistics that show new HIV diagnoses among black and Hispanic women and women aged 13-29 in NYC is on the rise, even though, city-wide, the number is decreasing (down 5 percent between '05 and '06). Our one caveat: This looks to be yet another campaign that encourages testing, but doesn't have any message for those who walk into a clinic and learn they're actually infected. Perhaps we'll just rely on HIV counselors to tell them their options? |
|
Obama wasn't simply addressing political woes. He wasn't making excuses for past associations. This was not some political media play. It was a lesson in liberation - and it's up to Americans to take up the Senator's challenge. |
» Ferraro Out!
1984 VP nominee Geraldine Ferraro resigned from Hillary Clinton's campaign today. Ferraro's faced a cacophony of criticism following remarks that Barack Obama's only gone so far because he's black. Apparently she thinks the country is caught up in the "concept" of the candidate's race. [NY Times] |
» Black Is, Black Ain't
Obama's blackness gets highlighted in all sorts of shades today. First journo Amir Taheri's recent NY Post piece comes under fire for its explicit "racial innuendo," then the Clinton campaign gets accused of blackening their rival. [HuffPo and MG] |
|
Get all the post-modern details, after the jump… |
|
Many analysts attribute Obama's victory to a high black turnout, which, yes, definitely helped give Obama an electoral boost. According to the AP, four out of five black voters leaned toward Obama. Only 25% of white folk gave him their blessing. More importantly than race, however, is the fact that Obama has been preparing for South Carolina far longer than his party peers: Democratic activists here in South Carolina said that the Obama campaign had perhaps the most extensive field operation ever seen in this state. Regardless of one's political leanings, South Carolina illuminates the unprecedented level of excitement within the States' Democratic circles. The last election only brought out 293,000 democrats. MSNBC points out that Obama alone received more than that amount of primary votes. The campaigns certainly turned out the vote, but let's not forget the gay rights activists who worked tirelessly to break South Carolina's records. The National Stonewall Democrats focussed their energies on South Carolina because of the state's high concentration of black homos and homettes. Said Jon Headly, executive director of the National Stonewall Democrats: Of all the early presidential states, it is the only one with a significant LGBT African American population. We decided to use that as an opportunity to deepen our organizing within the LGBT community, and especially LGBT communities of color. The Wallers' eschewed traditional events, like fancy-schmancy fundraisers, and instead focused on drawing candidates and their campaigns to a common ground with their potential supporters. For example, the National Stonewall Democrats worked to - and succeeded - draw the candidates to Black Pride events. South Carolina's Stonewall leader, the uber-titled Rev. Dr. Keith L. Riddle explains: I think presidential candidates expect to encounter our community at black-tie events on the Upper West Side, but not necessarily on historically Black college campuses in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Our presence this season has demonstrated that our community is everywhere and that Democratic politicians should be prepared to address hard questions and issues that impact our families no matter where they find themselves. We think that's just swell. For too long the national LGBT debate has been framed within insider institutions. It's nice to know that non-profits - and the candidates themselves - are looking elsewhere for perspectives on homo matters. Let's hope that the Democratic candidates remember the little people if elected to office. |
|
New Research Indicates Bigger Problem Than Just Safe Sex
The problem may find its roots elsewhere: …New studies point to possible reasons [for skewed infection]. Black gay men in one study were more likely to be currently infected with a sexually transmitted disease, which can make them more likely to catch or transmit HIV. |
|
• South Korean soccer fans decided to turn themselves into human light emitting diodes. It's incredible. • Harvey Keitel presented Snoop Dogg with his Hip-Hop Honor, saying: "There really is no artist in any discipline, any of the arts, that I would rather give an award to. Your work effects the way young people think. I can’t think of a better honor than that. You deserve it.” There you have it: all artists should stop what they're doing. Snoop's way better than you in every single way. |