The Latest, Not So Greatest, the Past, and Obama for President

As much as I love politics, the ridiculousness of our presidential campaigns sometimes gets the best of me. So I take a break and immerse myself in history where the characters seem more noble, less petty, and a hell of a lot smarter. Alas, negative campaigning and keeping women on the sidelines are as old as our country. But still, some of those 18th century guys were off-the-charts brilliant. If you missed it, buy the DVD for HBO's series John Adams and let freedom reign.

Generally speaking, though it's the media and the campaign experts and consultants and mercenaries (see David Alexrod and Mark Penn) who are more annoying than the candidates. For the first time in my life, I can understand some of the criticism of the Left. I'm not saying I agree with Republican policy but there isn't much intellectual or inspiring about today's liberal intelligensia. A few recent irritations and my reactions...

Samantha Power and Hillary the Monster
If you've read her book, The Problem From Hell: America and the Age of Genocide, which I highly recommend as it's one of my top-ten non-fiction books, you'd know she is no fan of the Clintons. Interestingly enough, she reserves praise in her book for only two American political figures - Bob Dole and George H.W. Bush with regard to foreign policy and action. When I was still an Obama fan I thought she was an excellent choice as a foreign policy advisor (one of many) because I thought she offered a unique view and understanding of the world.

Was I bummed that she called Hillary a monster?
Yea, I thought it was a cheap shot and it made her look like an amateur. It made me mad because I think she's brilliant. I hate when people I admire disagree with me!

Do I think she should have been fired or resigned?
Hell, no.

Democrats are always so spineless when demonstrating loyalty (and I count the Clintons among them) to their staffs when the press attention turns negative. She apologized a million times.
Get over it. She has a right to an opinion and a right to express it.


Reverend Jeremiah Wright and Chickens
I haven't watched any of the videos clips but from what I've read, I have to say I agree with a lot of what the man is saying. Did it really take Barack's overhyped (where he gave both his grandmother and the good reverend a slapdown) speech about race for people to realize that American blacks feel disenfranchised? Are you kidding me? I grew up in a very segregated city (not that New York is much better - it just hides it well) and I had enough relationships with African-Americans to know that they were treated and thought of differently by a large percentage of the white population. How is this news?

"The chickens coming home to roost" quotation (infamously used by Malcom X in response to a reporter's question about the assassination of JFK.) regarding 9/11 is exactly what Ron Paul said in one of the Republican debates, albeit, in somewhat less blunt terms. Rudy Giuliani then demanded that Paul apologize and he rightly refused to do so. If any American doesn't realize that our foreign policy plays a very large role in how we are viewed around the world then they need to immediately enroll in American History 101.

Does my statement mean I think 9/11 was an appropriate response? Of course not. I am pacifist who thinks violence only begets violence no matter how it can be justified. But America can't continue to intervene in political situations around the world and not expect violent ramifications. I do not believe there has ever been an American military action that was based solely on preserving human rights. Regardless of how we like to view ourselves, American economic interests are always in the foreground when it comes to military force.

I also like how the reverend reminded his audience that he served in the military unlike Dick-I-had-other-priorities-Cheney.

I haven't changed my mind about Obama but I think this is much ado about nothing. Do Catholics running for office have to defend some of the offensive, misogynistic messages that have come out of the Vatican? (Although the Catholic Church has always been right on poverty, war, and the death penalty - too bad most of their focus is on keeping women down.)

A small aside, Rudy is back in the news because he was given Communion during Pope Benedict's visit to NYC and as a twice-divorced man and pro-choice supporter, that's a no-no. The ever-evolved Cardinal Edward Egan of New York released a statement that he "deeply regretted" that Guiliani received Communion." How did Jesus Christ's teachings of love, forgiveness, and community get so distorted? Even if Rudy is a jerk and a professional Catholic who cares about giving him Communion? If he's going to Mass, doesn't that say something about his faith?

I always thought it was very revealing (and this is when I was for him) that Obama used Wright's "audacity of hope" line without giving him proper credit. It's such a powerful and a visual phrase - how could you not credit the source? Seems to me if he and Barry were really close, he would be laying low now instead of continuing to make speeches that inflame Fox News and force Obama to keep responding.

Poor, White People Are Racist and That's Why They Vote for Hillary
Yes, there are demographics that historically indicate that urban areas (with more minorities) will vote with Democrats. But in 2008, suddenly if you're white and poor, you are also racist and won't vote for Obama.

Why isn't the long list of rich, powerful, white men who quite publicly endorse and support Obama called sexist? Maybe because they are still the ones in charge - of our government, our corporations, our hospitals, our military, our educational institutions, our economy.

There is no question that neither candidate grew up poor or worried about getting a privileged and elite education. (Student loans don't cover the entire tuition tab.) It reminds me of the same tone after Hurricane Katrina. Why are the poor in this country continually regarded as stupid and/or criminal? Working-class -whether white, black, brown, yellow, female, male -does not equal stupid nor does it equal racist. Just like upper-class doesn't equal smart or evolved or liberal or open-minded. Racists come in all shapes and colors and genders. This is where Bubba always scored more points because even though he had an extremely privileged education, he never pretended he was better or smarter than the people voting for him. More about our Elvis president below.

Bill Clinton has forever tarnished his reputation
The man was impeached - do we really think some stupid comments in this campaign are worse than that? I don't think so. Bill's speciality is redemption. He'll be back.

But I do think he's more focused on Obama losing than Hillary winning. And so much for FOBs. All those people who the Clintons campaigned for (word to Claire McCaskill - there is a difference between a man who cheats on his wife and a pedophile. But if you are really worried, at the next Obama event, you might want to keep your daughter far from Bill Richardson -he is rumored to know a thing or two about sexual harrassment.) jumping ship like nobody's business. Political karma will eventually bite all of them on the ass, too. I wish one of them would just say, "Listen it's better for me to go with who I think is going to win -this way I'll get that political appointment I want."

And now a long-time MLW Readers and guest blogger, Kelly Johnson tells us ...

Why I Support Barack Obama
During the last eight years, I have either experienced or witnessed the negative changes that have occurred in this country. I am at the point where most days I can’t stand to look at the news anymore because of what I might hear next.

I’m either hearing about the number of people who have lost or are losing their homes due to foreclosure; or people losing their jobs due to outsourcing, off shoring, or the impact of the slowing/poor economy. I never would have thought that in 2008 we would hear about nooses hanging from trees or in places of business, or trees that only white people can sit under. Worse yet, that we would have a federal justice system that does not care or is no longer equipped to fight these injustices because they are inadequately staffed.

Then there’s the youth in this country. They’re either impacted by poor educational systems, lack of good health care, or have just run out of hope. All of this is just the tip of the iceberg as far as what I see as the slow decline of this country.

Now more than ever, something must be done to bring about serious change in this country. We need to be brought together more now then ever or we’ll continue to fight against each other, never move beyond where we are today, and just continue on a slow decline.

American needs a change…bad! We need a new point of view; we need someone who isn’t so out of touch with what’s going on in the real world because they’ve spent too much time in Washington. We need someone who has worked among us to bring about change. We need someone willing to work with the people who may be on the opposite side of the political aisle from them. Or someone who doesn’t have a problem meeting with our enemies in an effort to defend America’s interest. Remember the saying “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer?”

I believe that Barack Obama is that candidate and not only understands the issues that affect Black America, but America as a whole. He’s done something that no candidate running for president has done in many years; inspire hope in so many different people.

And to see so many young people inspired by his candidacy is also moving. The impact of Obama becoming president will send a ripple of hope to so many of our young people, it’s unbelievable. I think young minorities, especially men, will be impacted most of all. I think for the first time for so many of them, they will have real hope in their dream to become President of the United States some day.

I support Barack Obama because he’s smart, he’s capable, and I think he can bring about the right kind of change we need. I support Barack Obama because the issues I care about, he cares about and wants to correct the problems brought on by our current administration.

I truly and honestly believe he’s the right person for the job. That’s why I’m supporting Barack Obama for President.

Kelly Johnson is a communications professional who lives in Houston, Texas, and knows when to use a classic quotation from Don Vito Corleone.


The Last Word
This made me cry and reminded me of John Edwards best campaign line, "It's time to be patriotic about something other than war." Start watching at 4:16 if you don't have time for the whole clip.