Politirazzi

By LaShawnda

A few weeks ago I paused in my channel surfing to catch the tail-end of an interview with T. Boone Pickens. His name was scrawled across the screen and I must admit, it was the name that caught my attention. I have two uncles with similar names, one is called Boone and the other goes by T-Bone. So seeing the name T. Boone on a 24-hour news network was, at first, a bit startling.

After a short while of listening, I was a bit impressed by this man’s audacity, his self-assurance and his confidence. But most impressive was sales prowess. He was being interviewed about his new energy plan proposal for the United States, but he wasn’t sharing any details — not until a later date. The interviewer asked him which presidential candidate he was interested in meeting with to discuss his Pickens Plan. Mr. Pickens, said, “I won’t meet with either unless I meet with them both at the same time.”

Call me a sucker, but that statement made an impression. The oilman is campaigning like a politician. He even has TV ads outlining the problem and suggesting his solutions, not to mention he’s been doing the media circuit like he’s seeking office, perhaps Secretary of Energy ...

By LaShawnda

Sen. John McCain was visibly stumped by a reporters question regarding a comment made by his campaign co-chair, Carly Fiorina. Earlier this week, Ms. Fiorina stated:

“There are many health insurance plans that will cover Viagra but won’t cover birth-control medication. These women would like a choice.”

A reporter mentioned to Sen. McCain on his Straight Talk Express that he voted against legislation requiring insurance coverage of birth control and Fiorina’s comment suggested it wasn’t fair that Viagra is covered and birth control is not as one of the arguments against birth control being covered is the personal nature of its use.

The reporter then asked, “Is that still your position?”

“I don’t recall the vote right now, but I’ll look at my voting record and get back to you.”

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This was one of the funniest moments of political commentary I've heard in a long time.

Anderson Cooper was questioning Donna Brazile, a DNC member and superdelegate about Sen. Barack Obama. First, he asked if she was going to publicly declare her support of Obama. Her response: At this point, it really didn't matter. She went on to discuss Obama's June 3rd speech claiming victory as the presumptive Democratic nominee.

Anderson interjected a question: Do you think Sen. Obama was sincere in his praise of Sen. Clinton?

Ms. Brazile responded along the following lines: Absolutely. I was on the phone with him a couple of nights ago and he expressed his interest in sitting down with Sen. Clinton. Everything he said in that conversation was expounded on in his speech.

The video is queued for the close of this conversation ...
— LaShawnda

(Cagle Post)

By LaShawnda

Sen. Hillary Clinton and her supporters have had some very creative math over the last few months. They created their own guidelines and criteria to come up with a premise for her claim to receiving more votes than anyone in the history of the American primary.

However, even with the DNC throwing her conciliatory bones of the Florida votes and seating delegates (minus a 1/2 count-per penalty) in Florida and Michigan, her creative math did not stop the awesome movement that is Barack Hussein Obama from claiming victory as the Presumptive Democratic Nominee after the close of last primary on June 3, 2008.

Congratulations, Obama!

By LaShawnda

Another low of lows for Hillary Clinton. Just when you think she can’t sink any further, she proves you wrong. On May 15 the Washington post ran an article titled, Misogyny I Won't Miss, by Marie Cocco. Apparently, Hillary bi-passed my rebuttal here on Politirazzi, because she went and put both feet in mouth and hooked a ball and chain to her neck.

She had the gull to say she doesn’t believe racism has played a role in the presidential campaign. And in another of her double speaks went on to tell the Washington Post:

"There should be equal treatment of the sexism and the racism when it raises its ugly head. It does seem as though the press at least is not as bothered by the incredible vitriol that has been engendered by the comments by people who are nothing but misogynists."

(continued)

This is one of my favorite pics of this whole primary season; it represents the roots of this country and it’s fruit. At a rally on the Crow Indian Reservation in Crow Agency, Montana, Barack Obama was adopted by a Crow couple named Black Eagle and given the name “Awe Kooda bilaxpak Kuuxshish.” (Translation: One who helps people throughout the land.)
— LaShawnda

By LaShawnda

Here’s an interesting concept: a Web site dedicated to opposition research. (i.e. John McCain is the opposition; I’m in favor of Barack Obama).

The Democratic party created a Wiki on McCain in their continued effort to use the Internet to change the political process, scope and the participation of citizens.

Apparently, they were asking the same questions voters are asking: Where does McCain stand on the pertinent issues of the 2008 presidential election as opposed to Obama’s more fruitful agenda?

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By LaShawnda

I’ll go ahead and put it out there: I’m a black woman.

There have been a couple of instances in life when I’ve felt a sense of double discrimination. However, there have been innumerable occasions where I’ve cringed on other’s behalf -- usually minorities and women. I think Marie Cocco’s Washington Post article is a bit biased and blind to the realities of the personal attacks on both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Cocco blatantly and stupidly suggests that there would be more of an uproar in the upper echelons of the Democratic party if Barack was characterized as a blaxploitation film character versus Hillary being reduced to a character who is paid for her sexual services.

Sorry, but Obama’s critics didn’t give him the courtesy of comparing him to an overproduced black film character. This week alone, the week of Ms. Cocco’s article, Barack has been likened to the monkey, Curious George and to the monster, Adolf Hitler. There is no red carpet of niceties laid out on the road to the presidency for either candidate. All the personal attacks are demeaning, belittling and reprehensible. For Cocco to suggest that Clinton has it harder because she’s a woman is, frankly, insulting. It’s offensive to my intelligence. Is it offensive to yours?

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By LaShawnda

Bush sounds like he has a new speech writer. I was somewhat impressed by his history references in his speech to Israel’s Knesset on Thursday. I had to reread his statements a couple of times because they were rather stronger (and dare I say more intelligently presented -- word choice and usage, not content -- than most of the stuff he parrots). He came out strong, unexpectedly so. Why hasn’t someone told him he’s a lame duck? He’s not even supposed to be in the fight, so why is he messing with Obama?

I guess Obama had the same question. He snapped back like a souljah! Say, what? You know who I am? (In my mind I saw the neck roll and heard his knuckles pop as flexed in his boxer stance.) Bring it, for real, tho! I’ve been holding down the Clintons for months, I can handle a Bush!

I am cracking up ... seriously. I can’t think of anything that validates Obama as presidential threat more so than the incumbent president attacking Obama while on foreign soil.

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By LaShawnda

After the Indiana primary. Clinton stated in her speech that she is “running to be the president of all of America — north, south, east and west, and everywhere in between. That's why it is so important that we count the votes of Florida and Michigan.”

Yesterday, one day after proclaiming her desire to be a president for all Americans, Clinton suggested "white Americans" are increasingly turning away from Barack Obama’s candidacy. Clinton cited an Associated Press poll "that found how Sen. Obama's support among working, hard-working Americans, white Americans, is weakening again, and how whites in both states (Indiana and North Carolina) who had not completed college were supporting me. These are the people you have to win, if you're a Democrat, in sufficient numbers to actually win the election. Everybody knows that."

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By LaShawnda

CNN quotes Rush Limbaugh as saying, “I now believe he [Obama] would be the weakest of the Democrat nominees. Barack Obama has shown he cannot get the votes Democrats need to win — blue-collar, working-class people ... He can get effete snobs, he can get wealthy academics, he can get the young and he can get the black vote, but Democrats do not win with that."

Hello, McFly! (Knocking on hollow wood to represent Limbaugh’s noggin.) Where have you been? There’s nothing ordinary about this election process. If you’re basing your erred analysis on historical statistics, wake up and take a good look at the candidates. Neither are your usual presidential candidate types. Also, Americans are coming out in record numbers to be a part o this election cycle. McCain did not inspire that. Hillary may have lit a fire under some. But the motivational star of this election cycle is Barack Obama. Nothing about his rise translates to ‘weakest link’.

An idiot with a mic and audience is a disastrous thing. People listen to him, unfortunately. Limbaugh is credited with talking Republicans into crossing over and voting for Clinton as he had previously deemed her the weakest candidate in a general election match-up with McCain. He’s probably switching his stance simply to gauge his effect. It’s too late in the game for his listeners to benefit Obama at all. Take your ego off the air, Limbaugh and make room for someone with some decency.

By LaShawnda

The most ridiculous sideshow has been the media’s concentration on the Rev. Wright. It’s interesting that during this whole primary season, the only “negative” the media Hillary and her peeps can poke at Obama about are his associates.

They haven’t found anything about him personally that’s been bad enough to create a national uproar over. Very little to criticize about Obama’s own words and actions. So, the media created a circus act out of Wright’s career and comments.

(continued)

I feel like I’m in the middle of a suspense thriller, sitting at the edge of my seat for the finale. Waiting for the twist. For the one possible thing I never expected. Like on "Law and Order" last night, where the antagonist was the prime suspects’ attorney. The attorney was also in love with her client and her final act to protect him was to yank him with her as she jumped off a roof.

The show closed on the contorted, bloody bodies of the suicidal attorney and her unsuspecting client. I wasn’t expecting that. I didn’t see it coming. My biggest fear now for this country is that Hillary’s finale will be a similar show stopper for the Democratic Party.
— LaShawnda

By LaShawnda

I’ve always been puzzled by anti-affirmative action people. Affirmative action has never been about taking away from people who already have. It’s about providing opportunities for those who don’t have. Whether people want to admit it or not, American society is biased. It is biased, primarily, in favor of white males with black women primarily seen as non-competitors, with everyone else in between. So speaking from the bottom of the socio-economic totem pole, “Why is the man trying to keep me and others down?”

Honestly, I didn’t think this was something Barack Obama should’ve addressed outside of his actual presidency. The affirmative action debate is fraught with so many racial over- and undertones, I thought any position he took would be held against him. That surprisingly he covered it well during the April 16 debate against Hillary Clinton. I didn’t think Hillary would have any problems addressing affirmative action, but I was even more pleased with her reply.

I started writing this piece in response to Ward Connerly launching an initiative to block race, sex or ethnicity from playing a role in college admissions and hiring procedures by placing the issue on ballots. Connerly is founder and chairman of the American Civil Rights Institute, a national NPO opposed to racial and gender preferences. Ward Connerly’s unwillingness to acknowledge the fact that legal recourse is still necessary in American society is offensive and ignorant. Or perhaps he is truly idealistic. Perhaps in his mind we have reached a level in society where gender and race are not visible to the naked eye. Where powerful people look down on the masses at their feet seeking education, employment, shelter, food and opportunities and see only, skill, ability, experience, initiative and performance. Perhaps that’s the scenario in Connerly’s mind and I shouldn’t judge him too harshly because I’m not able to see what he sees from my vantage point at the bottom of the totem pole. Or maybe he should come back to where he started, reacquaint himself with the obstacles minorities and women face daily in pursuit of basic things like education, good jobs with benefits, and homes in nice neighborhoods. Perhaps he should think about where he was before he was inducted into the Old Boys Country Club rubbing elbows and strings with other political puppets.

(continued)

(AP)

By LaShawnda

The Pa. primary is going to be an upset for Hillary. She’s banking too much on the perceived ignorance of the public and their lack of interest in the political process. I think she’ll have a rude awakening in the morning. Obama will win, albeit by a 1-3 points. It’ll be a close race, but I think Obama has gained on Clinton much more than the polls are suggesting.

Tomorrow we’ll read headlines similar to:

Upset in PA!
Clinton Machine Comes to Halt!
Women Turn Out For Obama!

The pundits will be discussing how Hillary lost her base — the female vote — because she spent too much time trying to churn up bitter gunfighters in bars.

All this being said, I don’t think she will bow out gracefully, even with a loss in Pa. Her selfish determination will not allow her to step aside for the good of the party. But hey, it’s her right and prerogative to stay in. Besides, I don’t think anyone is expecting grace from Hillary at this point anyway.

Hell-to-the-NAW!

Hillary admitted to the need for careful thought on how she would possibly use GW Bush during her administration.

And Obama gave a thoughtful reply. He would prefer to use Bush Sr because he implemented wise foreign policy during his administration.

They both answered better than I would’ve, i.e., Hell-to-the-NAW! I would send him on a foreign mission to a disserted island for a four-year assignment. Psst! It’s Top Secret Mr. Bush. You can’t tell anyone!” He would buy it.
— LaShawnda

Hillary is for affirmative action. In one of the few very straight answers she said we should “create conditions to allow people to live up to their God-given potential. Let’s affirmatively invest in our young people.” Great answer, Hillary! I think I just heard a snippet from the Hillary I used to love and support.
— LaShawnda

Obama suggests a “common sense approach to handling guns on the streets. Get beyond politics, figure out what is working.” Why is this such a difficult concept to grasp? Because, common sense isn’t so common.

Clinton agrees with sensible regulation consistent with constitutional right to bear arms. She does not support a federal blanket on gun regulation. I agree with the statement she spoke during the debate, not sure how it’s going to translate in a couple of months.
— LaShawnda

(Cagle Cartoons)

Can Hillary ever say yes or no? Every time she’s asked a “simple yes or no question”, she qualifies her response with double possibilities.
— LaShawnda

George Stephanopoulos asked Obama, “Do you think Rev. Wright loves America as much as you do?”

What an offensive question! That would’ve been my response. Why do people assume love and patriotism is only properly expressed by blindly supporting and defending a country no matter its wrongs and atrocities? I love America. I am patriotic. But this country has done great harm to it’s citizens and enemies on many occasions. Proverbs 13:24 says, He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him. Correction is an expression of love. Someone pointing out a couple of America’s wrongs does not make him unpatriotic. I’m sure some of you may think differently.
— LaShawnda

Hillary calming espoused her history and “passion of empowering people, starting from a base of respect and connection.” What is she smoking? None of her rebuttals have been respectful. I’m talking about the rebuttals spoken though her lips, Bill’s lips and serveral of her campaigners lips. I haven’t witnessed any passion for empowering people from a base of respect and connection” this cycle. But I’ve noticed she continues to lose respect from her base.
— LaShawnda

Go Obama!

Yeah, I said it! And I’ll say it again.

I can’t stand empty apologies and this political cycle has been full of them. Charlie Gibson’s second question to the candidates was in regards to offense small town American may have taken from remarks Obama made last week about people clinging to religion and guns. Of course they were taken out of context but even out of context they made sense to me.

Obama eloquently confirmed his statement, repeated it and went into detail about what he was taking originally and will continue to talk about.

“Yeah, I said it. Publicly, on TV and I’ll say it again,” he started off with his answer.
— LaShawnda

(Yahoo News)

I am all for getting everything you can out of the political process, i.e. make the system work for you. That being said, for every decision and action there is a consequence. The primary season started early and it’s ending late. Long exposure is good for recognition.

However, Americans have been over-exposed to a lot of issues that are not relevant to our decision making process to elect a president. We been exposed to so many tidbits, misspeaks, ideas, suggestions and ironies of the candidates that we are now judging personalities and attitudes. We haven’t gotten concrete outlines or plans for Hillary’s or Obama’s future administration for fear of being picked apart by one another. The media is dissecting every public comment of the Democratic candidates. This extended season is harmful to whoever receives the democratic nomination because there will be a boatload of embarrassing fodder for McCain to pick from during the general election to impede his opponents run. He will have his choice of rehashing almost any hot topic from the last 18 months and confront his opponent with their own words. At this point, Hillary or Obama would be hard put to rebut McCain verbatim because there’s been so little media coverage of McCain and his blunders.
— LaShawnda

Obama and Richardson, who has endorsed the Illinois senator

By LaShawnda

The importance of endorsements is an angle thing. Though I am not influenced by Barack Obama’s endorsers, I am impressed.

Ted Kennedy and Caroline Kennedy are part of a dynastic democratic family which practically chartered the Old Boys Club for Marginalized Americans (being Irish Catholics at an unpopular time). Now, the Kennedys are the closest thing Americans will claim as royalty. Ted worked with and rubbed elbows for nearly two decades with Hillary and Bill Clinton. Caroline wrote an op-ed piece for the New York Times stating her preference. Ted and his son Patrick fell in step with Caroline and threw the weight of the Kennedy’s behind Barack Obama.

Bill Richardson was a direct appointment to Bill Clinton’s cabinet (Sec of Energy) and appointed as Ambassador to the UN. He and the Clinton’s are friends. Yet he, too, chose Obama.

(continued)

By LaShawnda

It pains me to say this — as my answer, six months ago, would have been an absolute: McCain trails a distant third. But now, I would least like to see Hillary Clinton run the country.

McCain for all his wrong-thinking, in regards to our invasion of Iraq and continued occupation has at least remained consistent in his viewpoints and allowed us to follow his thought process. He has remained stately in presentation and resilient throughout the primary season. We know what McCain is thinking and in many respects we know how he came about those thoughts. Hillary Clinton on the other hand, is proving herself unworthy of the public trust.

(continued)

By Peter Brookes, Times Online, UK

By LaShawnda

Did you scratch your head with a, huh? when Hillary Clinton suggested she would consider Barack Obama as her running mate a few weeks ago? Did your head tilt to the side when the former First Lady retold her commando combat moment in Bosnia as she evaded enemy sniper fire?

Perhaps your heart tugged a bit when her eyes watered in New Hampshire.

And maybe you cheered when she strongly suggested the media wasn’t playing fair by catering more to Obama.

Have you noticed Barack Obama hasn’t done anything remotely offensive or antagonistic? Hillary has been running a slash and cut (or in Bill’s word, clipping) campaign offense, while painting herself in the woe-is-me victim to Obama’s big-ole-bully campaign defense. Her strategy has been so successful that every time Obama responds to her attacks he is assigned equal blame for the nasty turn this campaign is taking. She’s brilliant! But we knew that.

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