The Angry Black Man and the Angry CNN Readers

What in the world? Who up and gave Barack Obama a spine transplant? He and got all indignant and whatnot with Missy. Now that was a good start, but stop being so polite about it. "Hillary You just spoke for two minutes!" Just jump in there. Now this is what you get for being all law professor-like talking about Ronald Regan. We live in a soundbyte generation, folks don't make distinctions. Um why are we talking about Ronald Reagan anyway? *crickets chirp*


Mr. Hopeful, you got to be careful with that Clinton Machine. They are like raw sewage, they love the gutter. If you get in a real brawl with them, that is exactly where they will take you... are you really ready to go there? Will you be able to tolerate the stench? This is great entertainment for a political junkie, not sure if it helps the Obama campaign, but at least the tea party masquerading as a primary is over.

Oh yeah and I am not the only one tired of this whole "Will Black women vote with their reproductive organs or their melanin?" foolishness. Well CNN is reporting that its viewers are NOT happy about this over simplistic strain of reporting and if ONE MORE MSM operation covering Black women in South Carolina does a segment from a beauty shop...

Many took umbrage at the story's suggestion that black women voters face "a unique, and most unexpected dilemma" about voting their race or their gender.

CNN received dozens of e-mails shortly after posting the story, which focuses largely on conversations about Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama that a CNN reporter observed at a hair salon in South Carolina whose customers are predominantly African-American.

YAY CNN viewers from not taking their spoon-fed pablum. I have been whining about the depiction of Black women voters in SC for months. We don't live in beauty shops you dolts. do some heavy lifting instead of relying on regurgitated storylines

• Michelle Obama Urges Black Women to Vote For Her Husband: Um, Why the Heck Should We?


• WAOD invites Barack Obama to the Black Women’s Roundtable(knock down drag out fight in the comments)


• Are We “Picking” On Obama?- The Barack Obama Omarosa Society (BOOS) – aka How to DEMONIZE Black Women Voters 101


• OH Lord: We Do Not HATE Barack Obama... We Just Ain't Enraptured

Comments

[Randi523]

LOL I thought I was the only one that was upset that the media seemed to only be getting comments about the SC primary from Black women getting their hair done! I mean, there are some college campuses in SC with Black women, I'm sure (that, I hate to say, are more likely to vote than older women getting their hair done), Black women in grocery stores, church, day cares, at nice jobs, etc.
Can the media get anything right??!!

[tryexcellence]

I listened to both CSPAN and the tv show, Morning Joe this morning. The overwhelming majority of CSPAN's callers felt that Edwards won the debate. The poll that Morning Joe did gave it to Edwards as well. Callers were generally displeased w/ the performance of Hillary and Barack relegating their behavior to unpresidential-like bickering.

Although I thought that Barack confronted the various attacks on him by both Hillary and Bill very well, most others thought that it hurt him. I feel that Barack is damned if he challenges the Clintons and damned if he doesn't. His performance in the debate may have helped him win the battle (S. Carolina primary), but is at the expense of losing the war (the nomination)?

Generally speaking, I don't think white folks like to see the angry black male Barack. Perhaps, if he had someone like Bob or Bill to do his dirty work as does Hillary, he could appear to remain above the fray and not receive what I believe is an unfair label. I don't think the Angry Black Man posture helps him.

[tusk91]

“To be black and conscious in this country is to be in a constant state of controlled rage.”
Malcolm X

Although that perspective will not go over quiet as well with white voters, I think that Obama showing he is strong enough to finally fight back just may help him a little.

I do believe that it will certainly help him solidify and win over even more black voters in South Carolina. I also think that it may do the same in some of the states where black voters make up a sizable amount(i.e. GA., AL, LA.).

I myself as a Obama supporter am hoping that “Clinton fatigue” starts to kick in by super Tuesday and he is able to pull a larger percent of the white vote.

He does need to use the “secrete weapon” used in Iowa in the form of actor “Hill Harper”, getting him out canvassing those college campuses to get young voter turn out.

Just curious to see how this all unfolds…

[Anonymiss -]

I was excited to see Obama on the offense with Billary instead of letting her snarky remarks slide. Poor Edwards though having to fight for some talk time.

I can't wait until important issues (i.e., the war, economy, healthcare, education, etc.) rather than personal BS take center stage.

And a sista is oh so tired of hairdressers and barbershops being the only places to find opinions from Blk ppl. As it was said earlier, go to college campuses, houses of worship, civic orgs, professional orgs, workplaces, the mall, etc.

Also, a sista ain't conflicted between my "reproductive organs & melanin." Good one Gina :-) Blk women can form their own opinions without mainstream media, Blk men, and White women chiming in with their meaningless two cents.

http://anonymissblog.blogspot.com/

[Woman in Transition]

If you can stomach it, see if you can get over to the Tom Joyner Morning Show site at blackamericaweb.com and listen to Tavis Smiley's commentary on the debates last night, particularly his words on the Reagan thing and Obama. There's only so much Tavis I can take in one week, but I gotta give it to the brotha on the commentary today.

BTW, Tavis is not on the same bus as Tom Joyner, who is, in his own words, "driving the bus" for the Obama for Prez campaign.

[tusk91]

Sadly, I can not figure out how to find Tavis’s commentary on blackamericaweb. But, I just got a rundown about it from someone and I am getting the jist of it from the postings on blackamericaweb.

I will say this, that I have yet to ever hear Tavis challenge Hillary or the Clinton’s in anyway.

I am willing to bet that Tavis is smart enough to realize the “Race” game Bill and Hillary has played in there campaign. The game of turning Obama into the “Black candidate” not to be judge by his on merits or his policies or his character but, only on the fact that he is “The Black Candidate”.

I have not heard Tavis challenge that in anyway.

I have yet to hear Tavis challenge the Clinton’s on there statement of MLK and Lyndon Johnson and MLK’s role in the civil rights movement.

I have not heard Tavis challenge the Clinton’s in anyway on the fairy tail comment made by Bill Clinton. A comment that even the mayor of Atlanta challenged Bill on to his face.

I have not heard Tavis Smiley challenge the Clinton’s on both Hillary and Bill’s praises of Ronald Reagan.

Challenging Obama on the issues is something I think Obama not only expects from the black community but, welcomes. But, this does not seem to be Tavis Smiley’s role; he to me appears to be a mouth peace for the Clinton’s is all. He seems to have a one sided agenda.

A last point I would wish to make is that yes what first drew my attention to Obama back when he was running for the state senate was the fact that he was a capable and well verse young black politician. But, just as a pretty face may peek your interest it takes substance to keep your interest. After having read his life story and followed his campaign from his run for senator until now, as well as meeting him in person he showed me that there was plenty of substance.

Just as I resent the way the media portrays black woman going to the polls in South Carolina as only “2 dimensional” voters. I resent black people portraying my support for Obama as anything but, well definded, well researched, and well informed.

[lildiva4u]

I think that it was a GREAT debate ! Was proud that he stood very strong againist the attacks. Let me start off my saying that at the end of the day Obama will get my vote, but I have to say that I have some reservations. After watching last night debate, Edwards was the only one who consistently brought up issues that disproportionably affect Black America (i.e. the poverty, predatory lending, and extremely high unemployment rate when compared to our white counterparts). Hillary and Obama tap around them too much for me. I heard the whole K-12 overhaul, but I need more. Politics is dirty so the mud swinging doesn’t bother me as much Hillary and Bill will be who they are it’s a fight that that’s what happens in ANY political arena. For us to make real gains we can’t just hope that Obama will be the spook by the door. I need leverage and that means hearing you talk about issues that affect my community. Yeah I know he can’t alienate the white vote to become viable, but at the same time I need a chip that I can cash in when payment comes due. I would also like to see what his administration will look like.

www.urbanplaydates.com

[mrshadow33]

I have to agree that when it came to the issues that matter, John Edwards came out the clear winner. On my blog I previously stated that Obama was the candidate to beat after Iowa. This wasn't because I am enamoured with him because I am not, it was simply because of his momentum.

However I think we can't forget that this is essentially a three person race. I think if Edwards can win South Carolina, then it will light a fire under Obama and Hillary and they can stop tap dancing around the issues and give some concrete solutions to them instead of damn cat fight that they are engaged in.

Let us not forget that we must not only be registered to vote but also educated voters. To me we need to agitate like the sister Iman did so that we can have the best Democratic candidate that has our best interests so that we can take this country back from these Neo Republican fanatics. Let us ALWAYS keep that in mind.

[stop]

I've read a lot of posts about cautioning Obama against the angry black man type. Most people, including white people, respect people who show some sort of gumption. People are more likely to be irritated by spineless, voiceless folks. Obama can both defend himself and continue on his same campaign strategy of unity. It's not an either or.

[stop]

today at a rally in greenville sc, obama said that hillary's politics are trending and changes with the wind and that voters should vote for someone that is not only ready to lead on the first day but know what to do on the first day.
clearly a jab at hillary's "ready for change and ready to lead" campaign slogan.
bada bah bah bah. i'm lovin it!

[Kesha Boyce Williams]

I believe Obama has long had a spine. You don't get as far as you have in America the way that he has without one. He had to fight to be a U.S Senator. He had to fight to be a Illinois state senator. He's going to have to fight to be President of the United States. Africans are fighting people though..Go on Obama! People need to stop underestimating this man. Look at his wife..strong woman wouldn't attract anything less than a strong man.

[Woman in Transition]

tusk91 said "I am willing to bet that Tavis is smart enough to realize the “Race” game Bill and Hillary has played in there campaign. The game of turning Obama into the “Black candidate” not to be judge by his on merits or his policies or his character but, only on the fact that he is “The Black Candidate”. . . .

Tusk: you will have to listen to Tavis's commentaries yourself. I will admit that he is, for the most part, an impartial "judge" so to speak when it comes to this particular election. He is not in the grandstand of the Billary parade and he's not riding on the black Obama for Prez bus with Tom Joyner. He, like many of us, is simply concerned with the issues that relate to the black community as a whole and how the next U.S. president will deal with those issues.

His commentaries on BAweb go pretty far back from what I can see. If you go to the Tom Joyner morning show page and then the "In Case You Missed It" link, there should be a link that will take you out of the BAweb to Tavis's commentaries.

[tusk91]

Woman in Transition

- Funny that you said that because I did go back and listen to Tavis's commentary myself.

Although I believe that it was a bit one sided and I would like to hear him ask some tuff questions of the Clinton's.

1) Rhawanda?
2) 3 Strike Law?
3) Crack vs. Powder Cocaine disparities?
4) Hillary originally being a Goldwater Republican?
5) MLK's Legacy according to Hillary?

Although, I am still waiting for Tavis to ask those questions and many more of the Clinton's.

I do think that "Tavis Believes" in his own way that he is keeping it real with Obama. I think that "Tavis Believes" that he is holding true to the covenant with Black America.

So after listening for myself I am not so disappointed in his commentary.

[Gorgeous Black Women]

Edwards didn't win. Hillary and Obama lost. There's a difference. All three got less appealing to me as a result of yesterday's debate.