Early Rise Headlines

Presidential Debate 9/26/08

The End of “Wall Street” as We Know It

Yankee Stadium Hosts Final Game

South African’s Ruling Party Names Mbeki’s Successor

Tainted Milk Sickens 53,000 infants–Chinese Quality Chief Resigns

College Panel Calls for Less Focus on SATs

The Presidential Debate…Kinda A Big Deal

Obama/O’Reilly Interview: Parts 3 and 4

In Case You Missed It!

“What If Obama Loses?”–by Mr. Jurist

Greetings,

 Check out this article written by Randall Kennedy and his connection to Election 2008. He talks about What if  Obama Loses.

What are your thoughts? Does anyone else feel the same way about this election? I have to say this article describes my emotional connection to the election because prior to 2008, I was connected to the election because I didn’t want the republican party to win the White House in 2000 and 2004. However, I quickly got over it. I do not know if I will be able to get over it again so quickly.

Lastly, I  would like to thank one of my favorite people and Red Lobster eating buddy for sending me this article.

IceColdJurist

The Latest Insult: “Obama Waffles”

AP Story Reported Sept. 13.  SUMMARY: Activists at a conservative political forum snapped up boxes of waffle mix depicting Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama as a racial stereotype on its front and wearing Arab-like headdress on its top flap.

“Values Voter Summit” organizers ceased sales Saturday, saying they had not realized the boxes displayed “offensive material.”

While Obama Waffles takes aim at Obama’s politics and public remarks through satire, it plays off the old image of the pancake-mix “icon” Aunt Jemima, which has been widely criticized as a demeaning stereotype.  Obama is portrayed with popping eyes and big, thick lips as he stares at a plate of waffles and smiles broadly.

Placing Obama in Arab-like headdress recalls the false rumor that he is a follower of Islam, though he is actually a Christian.

To read the full article, click here.

Comments?

Race does Matter in the Presidency and some news coverage is picking it up–by Mr. Jurist

Last Night on Anderson Cooper 360 CNN, I was shocked that CNN covered the pink elephant in the election: Race’s negative effect on Obama.

The Report interviews Southern Ohio’s Obama for President’s office.  Several of the workers reported that unfortunately, race matters.  While the clip is less than a few seconds. The poll workers reports  that when they call voters and ask about if they will support Obama for presidency, people respond  No, I just can vote for a Black Man.

While many of race advocates have said this for years that race still matters especially in this Election, most mainstream media seems to ignore this fact. Especially, know that Obama has secured the Democratic Nomination. Media reports  day in and out say  how can OBAMA win white rural voters? He has to do more! And they do not connect it with reality that most of the same White rural voters that will not support OBAMA are some of the same people were against African American freedom today and yesteryear.  White rural voters have always been a throne to Black peoples’ freedom (see KKK development in the South) . We would like to think America is not racist. However, the writing is on the wall, Americans are still racist. Not all but some. But enough to deny the Democrats the White House in 2009.

Interesting enough today as I scour through CNN.com like many recent law school graduates. I discover an interesting article by Roland Martin.  http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/10/martin.bias/index.html . Martin’s commentary is about a white labor leader who is talking to Whites about racism and this election. This labor leader is focused on “democrats” that are voting for McCain because they consciously or unconsciously not voting  for a Black Man. Even though some of his policies will help them more than the Republican candidate.   I think more White Supporters  should follow suit and begin this dialogue with thier friends.

Just a thought.

Next spot on Ify and them  is Sarah and Clarence ( what do they have in common)

Thanks to Contributor Mr. Jurist for this 🙂

Between the Lines: Gov. Patterson addresses racial undertones in McCain/Palin campaign

Though many of us are not surprised—it is still refreshing to see one who is not afraid to snatch the ‘invisible’ cloak off for awhile.  At a recent event in New York City, Gov. Paterson stated that “there are overtones of potential racial coding in the [GOP] campaign.”  Very much aware of how politics is played, he credited the Republican ticket as being “too smart to call Barack Obama ‘black’ in a sense that it would be negative,” but Gov. Paterson effectively communicated how a particular aspect of one’s life can be coded to exhibit the same sense of racism without uttering a single racial word.  The use of “community organizer” was such a word for Gov. Paterson, at which every time Palin mentions it, the crowd laughs.

“Well what’s wrong with that?” (Glad you asked).  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Malcolm X.  Paul Robeson.  Harriet Tubman.  All “community organizers”…individuals that worked outside of the establishment enough to make change, but were also smart enough to make the establishment work for their cause as well.  And noticebly, they are all black.  Community organizing is no small feat (but I guess one would have to do it first to appreciate such a conclusion).  Of course, the GOP denies such an insinuation…and they would.

And perhaps they should…there is so much in the subconscious that all of us do not know, do not understand, and would not accept, even if another were telling us the truth.

Perhaps this rant is another “bridge to nowhere”…but I’m still interested in your thoughts.

Obama/O’Reilly Interview: Part 2

Topic of Discussion: Economy

Thoughts?

Real Talk: Where Candidates Stand on the Issues—Healthcare

Sen. Barack Obama

General: Requires that all children have health insurance, with overall goal of universal coverage; plan paid for by rolling back President Bush’s tax cuts for households earning over $250,000

Specifics:

• Require employers to provide insurance or contribute to the cost, with exemption to the smallest businesses; reimburse all employers for catotrophic health costs
• Provide subsidize for low-income individuals
• Create purchasing pool with choice of competing private plans and one public plan (i.e. Medicare)
• Expand Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Program
• Prohibit insurance companies from denying coverage to people with health problems or charging them higher rates

Obama’s Healthcare Plan in Detail

Sen. John McCain

General: Supports free-market, consumer-based system; pledges affordable health care for all without a mandate; says universal healthcare is possible without a tax increase

Specifics:

• Against mandate requiring everyone to obtain health insurance–says he wants to give individuals freedom to choose their own healthcare
• Pledges affordable healthcare for all individuals
• Make healthcare plans portable from job to job and accessible across state lines
• Provide $2500 tax credits for individuals and $5000 for families to buy their own insurance
• Eliminate tax deductibility of employer-sponsored health insurance
• Compensate medical providers based on the quality of their work
• Bring greater competition to drug markets by safe re-importation of drugs and streamlining the process for introducing generic drugs
• Offer federal assistance for states to create high-risk pools that would contract with insurers to cover consumers who have been rejected on the open market.

McCain’s Healthcare Plan in Detail

Thanks to nytimes.com for summaries

Weekend Headlines In Review

Also check out Serena William’s winning point below…now #1 in world!

Federal Takeover of Freddie/Fannie Mac

Three’s a Charm: Serena Williams wins U.S. Open Title…again

Hurricane Ike hits Cuba…heads to states

Commentary: Obama wrong in not picking Hillary as VP

O’Reilly Interview with Obama: Part 1

Here is the first part of the recent O’Reilly/Obama interview.  Pay close attention at how O’Reilly downplays “diplomacy,” a strategy that, unfortunately, we have not utilized in the last 8 years.  Regardless, I respect the attack–it is only good practice for Obama.  Enjoy and critique away!