The Legacy of the Obama Phenomenon

May 10, 2008 – 4:07 pm by Steve Levine

Win or lose in November, this Associated Press piece raises some interesting questions about the meaning of the Obama phenomenon:

The entire nation and countless foreigners are absorbing a moment that had seemed decades away, if possible at all. Smart strategists and rank-and-file voters ponder how Obama rose so far so fast, and theories abound. Historians will sort it out someday, but Obama’s blend of oratory, biography, optimism and cool confidence come to mind most immediately.

It’s not just about him, of course. If America can seriously think of putting a black man in the White House, surely it must also profoundly rethink the relevance of race, the power of prejudice, the logic of affirmative action and other societal forces that have evolved slowly through the eras of Jim Crow, desegregation and massive immigration.

Maybe the toughest question is this:

Is Obama, with his incandescent smile and silky oratory, a once-in-a-century phenomenon who will blast open doors only to see them quickly close on less extraordinary blacks?

Or is he the lucky and well-timed beneficiary of racial dynamics that have changed faster than most people realized, a trend that presumably will soon yield more black governors, senators, mayors and council members?

Posted in Barack Obama, 2008, Politics 2.0, General | 1 Comment »

Cindy McCain Wants To Have it Both Ways

May 8, 2008 – 9:57 pm by Joshua Rosenstock

Apparently, the heiress to a beer distribution company (who’s the elitist now?) does not understand what it means to be a public figure, creating the appearance and impression that she has something to hide.

“You know, my husband and I have been married 28 years and we have filed separate tax returns for 28 years. This is a privacy issue. My husband is the candidate.”

Sorry Cindy, but you don’t get to pick and choose when, as a public figure, you are open for scrutiny and public inspection. Senator McCain, a public employee, would not be where he is today without your wealth, making your fortune fair game. Want to play with the big boys? Better play by their rules. Remember all that grief Teresa Heinz received in 2004 for being a wealthy heiress? Maybe Cindy will receive the same scrutiny and abuse from the supposedly liberal press.

Plus, you have to love the irony of the presidential candidate of the party of family values initially bankrolling his presidential campaign on alcohol sales.

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Posted in Cindy McCain, John McCain, 2008 | 1 Comment »

On To West Virginia!

May 7, 2008 – 9:47 am by Joshua Rosenstock

Country roads, take me home.

Posted in West Virginia, YouTube, 2008, Video | 1 Comment »

This Election Is Exhausting

May 6, 2008 – 8:17 pm by Joshua Rosenstock

Posted in Utterz, 2008 | No Comments »

It’s No Longer Cool to Hang With Racists?

May 4, 2008 – 10:13 am by Billy Hallowell

I know that I’m a bit late on this, but I can’t resist commenting. Barack Obama has [finally] separated himself from his former father figure-pastor-confidant-spiritual advisor. In a speech that came approximately two months later than it should have, Obama called Reverend Wright’s media hoopla nothing more than a series of incomprehensible rants. If elected, let’s hope he’s quicker when it comes to addressing national security issues. Considering his vast political experience (cough, cough), I’m sure we have nothing to worry about. After all, Obama’s got more than enough hope and change to go around, right?

If Obama’s recent denunciation isn’t a sure-fire decree that his leadership skills need tailoring, I don’t know what is. Only now, when Obama’s numbers are slipping, has he decided to step forward against his bigoted former pastor. Not only do I find it reprehensible that Obama waited to long to disavow his mentor’s words, but it’s also laughably ironic. His supporters will say one of two things – either “Reverend Wright was right (no pun intended)” or “Obama is finally doing the right thing.” Both statements are shamefully incorrect.

Oh, but I almost forgot the third response – from those individuals who think they’re being fair-minded: “Well what does Wright’s connection to Obama matter anyway?” This response is quite possibly the most ridiculous of the three; I’d rather have someone agree with Wright than openly admit that a candidate’s allegiances don’t matter.

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Posted in Barack Obama, 2008, Republicans, Democrats | 4 Comments »

Quote Of The Day

April 30, 2008 – 8:24 pm by Joshua Rosenstock

“I’m sure that I can give you a list of projects the Mafia funds, and they would probably be good projects. But I can’t give you a justification for the Mafia. I can’t give you a justification for the corruption that’s been bred which has sent members of Congress to the federal prison. Look, if we reform the process, then the money will take care of itself. It’s a corrupt process.”

Posted in John McCain | No Comments »