Presidential Hopeful ...

[imbroglio]

Obama is indeed a safe n-word -- he's not that black, after all -- he is not angry all the time, never brings up discrimination, civil rights. Also, as a new school safe n-word he can hang out and make appearances at black churches and organizations to show that he is still "hip" and one of them. For one thing, the new school safe n-word can be all things to all people. As long as he can skim any topic and never tells it like it really is. The point is the same as always: pretend that you don't know about any of that deeper "black" stuff, do not appear interested in white women, and most of all -- do not scare white people under any circumstance.

August 12, 2007 CHICAGO

The wife of Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama on Sunday admonished those who question her biracial husband's credentials as a black man, calling the issue "nonsense." "We're still playing around with the question: Is he black enough?" Michelle Obama told a campaign event on Chicago's South Side. "Stop that nonsense." Michelle Obama, who was raised on the South Side, was speaking at a predominantly black "Women for Obama" rally, which cheered her comment about the U.S. senator from Illinois.

She added that raising the specter of whether her husband -- whose mother was white and whose father was Kenyan -- was sufficiently black sent a confusing message to kids. "We are messing with the heads of our children," she said. At the gathering, Michelle Obama also thanked the South Side community for supporting her family over the years. "This community of people has raised us ... has helped create our moral fabric," she said. "We couldn't do it without the South Side." She also told the several hundred people at the elaborately decorated Grand Ballroom that she hoped her husband serves as a role model in how he helps raise their two young daughters. "If you can't run your own house, you certainly can't run the White House," she said.

[deja vu]

He does not talk too fast, in fact he makes long pauses at times..

a...er...er...i...er...um...

lol

[assiduous]

It's all evident by now that on the War issue, a vote for Obama is a vote for Republican candidates ...

Aver, don't you think that's the case when it comes to other issues as well?

[abash]

August 12, 2007 CHICAGO

The wife of Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama on Sunday admonished those who question her biracial husband's credentials as a black man, calling the issue "nonsense." "We're still playing around with the question: Is he black enough?" Michelle Obama told a campaign event on Chicago's South Side. "Stop that nonsense." Michelle Obama, who was raised on the South Side, was speaking at a predominantly black "Women for Obama" rally, which cheered her comment about the U.S. senator from Illinois.

She added that raising the specter of whether her husband -- whose mother was white and whose father was Kenyan -- was sufficiently black sent a confusing message to kids. "We are messing with the heads of our children," she said.

Yeah right!

[actuate]

Barack Obama announced recently the formation of a National LGBT Leadership Council, headed by his campaign's national LGBT liaison, Stampp Corbin. It's unclear what the role of Obama's National LGBT Leadership Council will be, other than to reflect his support within the LGBT community to potential voters. Edwards flashed a similar list in April. Obama also announced that house parties will be taking place across the nation concurrent with tonight's "gay debate". The senator also recently launched an "Obama Pride" section of his campaign website, capped with a flashy rainbow logo.

Seven days ago The Episcopal Church's first openly gay bishop endorsed Sen. Barack Obama for president, even though they don't share the same views on issues critical to gays and lesbians. "Frankly, I don't think there's any major candidate that is where we in the gay community would hope they would be on our issues," V. Gene Robinson said in a conference call with reporters. "That being said, I would say the senator has been enormously supportive of our issues. We appreciate his support for civil unions." The continuing repercussions from Robinson's 2003 election as bishop of New Hampshire threaten to break up the worldwide Anglican Communion, of which the Episcopal Church is part. His supporters hail him as a role model and civil rights pioneer. He stressed that his endorsement was as an individual, not as bishop. "I will not be speaking about the campaign from the pulpit or at any church function," he said. "That is completely inappropriate. But as a private citizen, I will be at campaign events and help in any way that I can."

Robinson said he hopes to persuade Obama to embrace marriage for gay and lesbian couples. Obama supports civil unions and rights for gay couples, but stops short of supporting gay marriage. Robinson, a registered independent and opponent of the war in Iraq, said he was drawn to Obama because of the Illinois senator's experience with racism and discrimination, which Robinson also has experienced. "I think it would be hard to be a person of color in this country and not be on the receiving end of that. I think we make a mistake when we think there has to be an act of hatred from one person to another for racism to occur, where our whole culture is set up to benefit one race over another."

[dissipate]

The possibility that a potential Democratic presidential primary matchup between Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama could lead to a Clinton-Obama ticket is raising concerns in GOP circles that it might be unbeatable. While Democratic strategists are more skeptical of the success of a ticket composed of two minorities, some Republican advisers to the White House and leading 2008 hopefuls Sen. John McCain and Rudy Giuliani see the ticket as an easy winner built on the enthusiasm it would generate in Democratic circles. Their theory is that Clinton would stand a good chance to pick up the states that Sen. John Kerry won in 2004. While not enough to win the election on her own, the addition of Obama would help push closely divided states like Ohio over into the Democratic column, thereby giving the Clinton-Obama ticket the White House.

[apiary]

Clinton-Obama ticket? Why not Obama-Clinton?

[saturnine]

Clinton-Obama ticket? Why not Obama-Clinton?

I can agree with this .. I mean, in terms of "less discriminated against" Mrs. Clinton, as a woman, wins over Obama, a black man. 

[incontinent]

Imagine the three of them in the White House: Hillary, Bill and Barack...

[Cathy Vernon]

If the opulent Winfrey reception and concert fund-raiser for Barack weren't enough, for a chosen few hundred elite donors there were two die-to-go-to after-parties. A masseuse in a Zen garden. A big pool. Fantastic desserts. P.I.N.K. Vodka. That's the report from one Obama donor who, after attending the extravagant fest at Winfrey's estate in Montecito, drove over to 936 Hot Springs Road in the same community just south of this coastal city for a party co-hosted by actor Hill Harper. Most of the VIPs from the entertainment industry and Obama's best donors and bundlers -- about 200 -- remained at Winfrey's estate for a long night of eating under a huge tent with chandeliers. "It was a magical night that I will never forget," said Habitat Co. honcho Valerie Jarrett, a charter member of Obama's kitchen Cabinet. "Oprah created a spirit and enthusiasm and pure unfettered support for Barack's candidacy that connected with everyone. Everyone felt they were a part of this campaign."

The guests were served at two long tables. Winfrey beau Stedman Graham headed one table, Michelle Obama another, with Obama somewhere in the middle. Among those present from Chicago, besides Jarrett, were Johnson Publishing president and CEO Linda Johnson Rice and her husband, Mel Farr; Penny Pritzker, Obama's national finance chairman, and Obama friend and campaign treasurer Marty Nesbitt and wife Anita Blanchard. While the dinner was going on, the Hill Harper party was taking place for about 150 guests, including a selection of Obama staffers and campaign professional fund-raisers who wrangled invites for some of "their" donors. "The crowd was across all age groups, across all different walks of life," said a contributor. He added that he got a 10-minute seated massage at the party. The donor said he was invited through a network of people involved in one of the regional Obama campaign fund-raisers and did not know Harper, the "CSI: NY" star who, like Obama, graduated from Harvard Law School.

"It was not a campaign-sponsored event," said Obama spokesman Ben LaBolt. The evening raised at least $3.2 million for Obama, but the actual take will be less because federal law mandates that the campaign -- not Winfrey -- pay the costs for the extravagant arrangements, including the portable toilets with running water, attendants hired to drive guests around in golf carts, rental of at least a dozen buses and -- a nice touch -- a red carpet for attendees to stand on while the rest went through security.