Best Seat In The House

Brewer Finger Pointing At President Obama Is Deeply Disturbing And Offensive

2012-01-29T17:46:00.002-05:00

Gov. Jan Brewer, of Arizona, confronts President Obama and points her
finger right in his face as a show of disrespect to the president of the
United States of America.

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer took political disrespect to a new level (a level far beyond mere politics) with her finger-pointing confrontation with President Barack Obama.

If you can't see the racial angle here, then you're blind.

Anyway, the now infamous photo of Gov. Brewer pointing toward the president of the United States with her finger has created some deep and troubling feelings about how some people view Barack Obama (and how some people will always view him as Barack Obama and never accept him as President Obama ... to some degree for racial reasons).

Gov. Brewer's blatant disrespect of President Obama could (and should) bring together all who support the president and minorities who have been treated in a condescending manner or in a manner that is highly disrespectful by people who do not see them as on their level.

This is a lessons that no matter how much status you may have or think you have ... there are still some who will see you as beneath them because of what you are to them and not what you made of yourself.

The message is a relative of people like some on the far right referring to him as a food stamp president. The idea is to make Barack Obama seem more black than ever and not on the same level as others. The food stamp issue seems to be a way of reminding the lowest common denominator that President Obama is as black as he ever was ... and especially now that it is an election year.

This diss of President Obama will not be soon forgotten.

Fox News' Anchor Wallace Advises Romney On Strategy Against Obama

2012-01-17T17:40:00.000-05:00

"Fair and balanced" Fox is the platform for anchor Chris "I'm Down With GOP" Wallace to offer leading GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney on the strategy he could use to defeat President Obama in November.

Brit Hume's Idea Of Despicable Differs From That Of Normal Human Beings

2012-01-15T17:36:00.004-05:00

Sad commentary, Brit Hume ... very sad on your part.

The Tim Tebow Issue Is Complicated ... Favoritism, Football, Race, Religion

2011-12-04T12:04:00.005-05:00

Tim Tebow, of the Denver Broncos, is generally either loved or hated by people who are loyal followers of the National Football League.

First and foremost, Tim Tebow is not hated because he is a Christian. That assertion is the biggest bunch of garbage that I have maybe ever heard come out of the media. Turn on pro and college football, watch it for any number of hours, and you're bound to see numerous players (of all races) kneeling in prayer, thanking God and otherwise expressing their faith. It is absolute garbage to say or imply that Tebow is the victim of some anti-religious media bias.

Now, as we know, that doesn't stop the right-wing nuts at Fox News from advancing such an absurdity.

In the video clip the panel of the disgraceful and disgracefully-biased Fox News Watch program tried to turn it into a Christian-Muslim issue on a couple of occasions. Again, this is absolutely absurd. In this clip, the right-wing panelists, either through their ignorance of bias, never talked about the many prayer huddles that happen before and after games, prayers that other players have after touchdowns or how players thank God in post-game interviews.

They could not do that ... you see, it doesn't go with their agenda to portray Tebow as a victim of religious or Christian bias.

Twice in that clip they invoked Muslims and even evoked the black Muslims led by Elijah Muhammad, who was followed by boxing great Muhammad Ali. This was not an accident. It was a subtle injection of race.

Tebow is criticized or disliked for the following reasons:

1. People do not like having stars shoved down their throat before they feel like an individual has truly earned that praise.

2. Defenders of Tebow irrationally shove his modest early success down the throat of people who are either neutral or critical.

3. He is winning with a style that is unorthodox and some people think is unsustainable.

4. He is getting all (or the vast majority) of the credit for the Broncos' success in spite of a strong running game behind Tebow and a strong defense.

5. He is getting praised where black quarterbacks (Randall Cunningham, Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick as examples), historically, have been criticized. For example, University of Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson is "winning" but is roundly criticized while Tebow is "winning" and gets national praised heaped on him. This has caused resentment.

6. Some people tend to want their sports free of religion.

Tebow is having success and I hope it continues for him. I just don't think his style is sustainable, but we will see. History will be the ultimate judge of Tim Tebow.

Mitt Romney vs. Mitt Romney ... Which Mitt Are You Running With In 2012?

2011-11-28T20:32:00.002-05:00

Mitt Romney debating Mitt Romney would be the debate I think most people would love to see. Wait no longer as it is in the video clip above this text.

He takes flip flops (not the ones you buy in the store to wear on your feet) to a new level.

Limbaugh Did In Fact Purposely Make The NASCAR Booing Situation Worse With Race-Based Attack

2011-11-27T13:22:00.003-05:00

Rush Limbaugh did make this situation worse by using the booing of Michelle Obama and Jill Biden (actually, it sounded like more of a mixed reaction ... granted you can hear the boos). When Limbaugh comes to save you that there is a chance that you did something pretty bad. Limbaugh made it worse.

Limbaugh used this as a race-based attack. He knew what he was doing and he knew it would work well with his audience.

Limbaugh's audience likes these kinds of comments and I find that about as disturbing as the comments themselves.

Limbaugh's Disguised Racial Attacks On Michelle Obama Continue

2011-11-27T13:13:00.002-05:00

Rush Limbaugh is at again using race as his weapon of choice against one of the Obamas. And, as you can imagine, his loyal followers are probably in denial and making excuses for their idol.

GOP Presidential Debate ... Meets The Peanuts!

2011-11-25T14:34:00.001-05:00

Love this...

Following Megyn Kelly's Pepper Spray 'Logic' Is Difficult

2011-11-23T14:39:00.000-05:00

Fox "News" anchor Megyn Kelly referred to pepper spray as a "food product" ... a comment that has, obviously, made national headlines.

I suppose next she will say waterboarding is simply a "shower" or a "bath" for people.

Coulter: Our Blacks Are Better Than Their Blacks

2011-11-01T21:06:00.004-04:00

Ann Coulter

Right-wing talking head Ann Coulter has been known to make some bizarre (putting it mildly) statements about a variety of topics.

I've always believed that she mostly made some of her insane comments for the shock value that helps her gain notoriety from outlets like Fox News. Still, one particular comment, with respect to Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain (one of her blacks),is one that makes me shake my head. Cain has gained an increasing level of popularity among Republicans ... mostly due to pressure that has been created by their treatment of President Obama and other black politicians during the last 30 or so years.

That makes it all the more interesting to see right wingers coming to the rescue of Herman Cain the way that they did(presumably another one of Coulter's blacks) Clarence Thomas, years ago.

I found this quoted on Your Black World:

"Our blacks are so much better than their blacks," Coulter went on to say, referring to the Democrats. "To become a black Republican, you don't just roll into it. You're not going with the flow...and that's why we have very impressive blacks in the Republican party."

It's a disturbing comment at best and a disgusting comment at worst. What in the world does she mean by this "our blacks" and "their blacks" comment?

Who is Coulter to make such an assessment about black people as if she is examining them like they are some kind of commodity?

She seems to rate black people like others would rate cats, cattle, lawns, houses, cars. Hidden in her apparent like for her blacks (people like Cain, Thomas, Allen West and others) is an inherent general lack of respect for black people.

Right-Wing Fox News Attacks Obama As 'Buying' American Youth

2011-10-26T19:03:00.000-04:00

Eric Bolling is a complete moron, but he fits in so nicely at Fox News he's almost lost in a sea of far-right extremists.

It's no surprise his anti-Obama messages are embraced on Fox News. In this clip, it's another example of class warfare as the right wingers portray lazy and undeserving young people as trying to take from the government (a government Fox News viewers and most officials believe is pretty much solely funded by the rich).

Some Halloween Costumes Are Flat-Out Inappropriate

2011-10-25T21:08:00.004-04:00

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.

But, if a mere picture is worth a thousand words; then what is a costume worth?

Some college students have started a movement to speak out about what they see as costumes based on negative stereotypes. Some of these costumes, critics believe, are outright racist.

So, the message is clear this Halloween: Be thoughtful about your costumers and the message that they may send.

Check out the story, here:
http://colorlines.com/archives/2011/10/in_the_immortal_words_of.html

Buchanan Goes On The Attack Against President Obama's Mother

2011-10-25T21:00:00.003-04:00

Far-right bigot Pat Buchanan goes into the gutter for a pathetic attack of President Obama's mother.

Buchanan is disgraceful.

Are You On Facebook Too Much?

2011-10-25T18:22:00.000-04:00

Fox News White House Correspondent Goes All In As GOP Mouthpiece

2011-10-13T19:46:00.003-04:00

The Fox News public relations team was back at it working on behalf of the Republican Party as White House correspondent became a mouthpiece for GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney and earned his keep at the network conservatives trust.

This is from Huffington Post:

Fox News Chief White House Correspondent Ed Henry experienced a tense moment with President Obama during a Thursday press conference. The President held a joint press conference with Lee Myung-Bak, President of South Korea. Ed Henry had the first question of the conference and asked Obama if he considered the alleged Iranian assassination plot to be "an act of war."
Henry decided to quote a Mitt Romney statement from last week when asking for the President's plans to address Iran's alleged terror plot. Henry asked the President "what specific steps will you take to hold Iran accountable? Especially when Mitt Romney charged last week, quote, 'If you do not want America to be the strongest nation on Earth, I am not your President. You have that president today.'"
Obama paused and answered, "Well I did not know you were the spokesman for Romney," and smiled down at Henry.

He may not be completely a spokesman for Romney, but it's clear that the network is speaking on behalf of the GOP and all who oppose Democrats.

Henry, who framed his question in a way that was disrespectful at best and unprofessional at worst, is beginning to buy into that philosophy.

Hank Williams Jr. Fiasco Is A Byproduct Of Fox News Bias

2011-10-04T19:53:00.003-04:00

Hank Williams Jr.

You never invoke "Hitler" in an attack if (especially) you're on television and you're some kind of celebrity, and that includes you Hank Williams Jr.

Of course, I am sure that Williams more than realizes that now, even as he tries to make all of the usual excuses.

I can imagine the thinking in the Fox and Friends pre-production meeting (relative to the ill-fated decision to bring on Hank Williams Jr.) going a little something like this:

We can bring on Hank Williams Jr., we'll all have a few Republican laughs before Monday Night Football, we'll have him take a few right-wing shots at President Obama and live happily ever after on Fox and Friends and Fox News ... business as usual in the name of our leader, Rupert Murdoch.

Unfortunately, the goofballs at Fox and Friends were sorely misguided and, ironically, sort of threw Williams, who sort of behaved as if he might have struggled to pass a field sobriety test, under the bus in their effort to take shots at President Obama and other liberals.

Williams should be more mad at Fox News and the dummies in charge of Fox and Friends than at anyone else.

It was Fox and Friends that really threw him under the bus ... not ESPN (which cut his famous... or is it now infamous opening this week).

Williams has "apologized" as apologies go these days. I don't care for his politics, but I am willing to give this dope a second chance if he keeps his nose clean.

Frankly, Williams was a willing pawn in the blatant right-wing bias of Fox News. It almost cost him dearly (if it hasn't ... we'll see how ESPN handles it).

Buchanan And Cain Seem To Think Little Of Blacks

2011-09-29T21:24:00.002-04:00

When I first read a story with a headline about alleged presidential candidate Herman Cain saying that blacks voters have been brainwashed (into essentially not considering conservative/Republican perspectives) I shook my head.

Then, of course, it was no surprise that MSNBC's Pat Buchanan jumped to the defense of Cain to imply that blacks voters are being brainwashed (translation: not smart enough to make rational, fact-based decisions).

Does this mean that black voters not smart enough to make decisions as much as white voters are smart enough?

Apparently, to Cain and Buchanan, black voters can be brainwashed, but white voters vote based on what they believe is the right thing to do.

This Is A Perfect Example Of Why 'We' Struggle

2011-09-27T17:08:00.003-04:00

Maxine Waters

Frankly, I have never been much of a fan of Rep. Maxine Waters and, I must confess, I doubt I ever will become a fan of the California democratic congresswoman.

One of the many reasons I have never been impressed with her is best exemplified by her silly whining about President Obama's strong comments to the Congressional Black Caucus. Basically, the president challenged the CBC to stop complaining about things, roll up their sleeves and get to work to help him shape this country for the better. If you want the specifics of what he said, you can go find it, here and here.

While Waters is whining about being challenged she is missing the point. She is engaging in the kind of politics that shows why Democrats are often weakened and why Tea Party Republicans are so strong. See, the Tea Party folks are ideologically strong and will stand by their beliefs through thick and thin while thin-skinned folks like Maxine Waters crumble like stale graham crackers and become defensive the minute they are called out. Like them or not, the Tea Party folks stand by their people through the tough times and work hard together while people like Maxine Waters jump off the bandwagon when things get rough.

See, Waters has whined and challenged the president and she thinks that is OK, but when the president challenges her back ... she wonders who in the "H" he thinks he is.

Instead of crying and taking shots at each other, folks need to work together, but that is not the way for Maxine Waters. It never has been and perhaps never will be the way for Rep. Waters.

If she is tired of supporting the president, then let her try on Mitt Romney or Rick Perry.

Superman ... the 'Illegal' Immigrant ... WHAT?!?!?!?!

2011-09-17T13:22:00.001-04:00

Oh, those "illegal" immigrants.

I guess we pick and choose the good "illegal" immigrants from the bad "illegal" immigrants.

It's Scary Where This Country Is Headed

2011-09-15T20:17:00.000-04:00

When Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry are potentially legitimate candidates to become president of the United States, that is a frightening sign of where our country is headed.

But, this should be taken as a signal that the extremists are finding a place in our society as proven by the platform the tea party folks received at the pathetic debate aired on CNN. The extremists may not be winning ... yet ... but their voices are louder than the silent majority.

That is the scary part.

Mr. West ... You're No Harriet Tubman

2011-09-03T08:05:00.007-04:00

As usual, when Fox News needs to attack black folks, one of its favorite people to call upon is Rep. Allen West, who absurdly likens himself (I can't even make this up) to a modern-day Harrien Tubman ... LOL.

You can visit the link and read about his delusions of grandeur (only on Fox News). It honestly sort of destroys all future credibility, but we'll proceed anyway.

West made a stop on Bill O'Reilly's Fox News show to take some shots at the Congressional Black Caucus. It was mainly so he could attack Rep. Andre Carson for some strong words he used in going after the so-called tea party when he said some of them would "love to see you and me ... hanging on a tree." Obviously, those are strong words and over the top, but I think it's fairly clear that the tea party has a fairly Republican agenda that is out of step with the way most black people tend to feel.

O'Reilly had to love having West on to attack the CBC. It was sort of black-on-black crime.

It's ironic, as News Hounds points out, that O'Reilly would welcome Rep. West as a guest on the show to attach the CBC. West is the same one who launched a vicious attach against rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (largely applauded by O'Reilly and numerous others on the far right of the political spectrum). You may recall, the thin-skinned West was lightly challenged by Wasserman Schultz and, with his ego bruised, called her:

This was how Crooks and Liars quoted Politico:

Florida GOP Congressman Allen West this afternoon dispatched a scathing personal email to Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, calling her "vile, unprofessional ,and despicable," "a coward," "characterless," and "not a Lady," and demanding that she "shut the heck up."

I thought I would add a bit of that reminder of what O'Reilly's pal Mr. West said to attack Wasserman Schultz.

Apparently, O'Reilly has no problem with that kind of rhetoric against a liberal woman, but there is a problem when he sees someone from the CBC attack the so-called tea party.

Strange ... he likes to verbally attack some women, but yet he thinks he is Harriet Tubman. If he starts dressing like Harriet Tubman then things really get scary.

NOTE: (In reference to the photo) I am not necessarily calling West a raging psychopath based on this photo I found on the Internet. But I did think there was some satirical value to the contrast the person who put this photo illustration together saw.

Bachmann Photo Can't Make Her Look Crazy Without Her Own Contribution

2011-08-14T18:22:00.003-04:00

It has been interesting to listen to some of the commentary about the Michele Bachmann cover photo that Newsweek selected.

I watched CNN's Reliable Sources as panelists whined about how unflattering the photo is and even (brace yourself) how it was some continuing conspiracy on the part of Newsweek to make conservatives look bad. Cry me a river.

If people think Michele Bachmann has a crazed look in her eyes then I think one has to begin by investigating her words and her record. Perhaps that is more indicative of the interpretations people have of this photo than anything else.

Perhaps people should look at it from a journalistic perspective and ask if the photo is appropriate for the person and the story. Judge it that way.

Tavis Smiley's Criticism Comes Across As Petty

2011-08-10T21:27:00.004-04:00

Tavis Smiley

It seems clear now ... the ego has landed.

Tavis Smiley may have some legitimate beefs with President Obama and his policies, but his arguments are lost in a storm of egomania.

Smiley, in his media tour with noted scholar Cornell West taking shots at President Obama, offered this beauty during criticism of President Obama:

“Once he got elected and my critique of him about holding him accountable to various things didn’t sit so well with him or the people around him, he has not at this point come on my TV or radio programs one time since he’s been in the White House. This is the first president in my professional career that hasn’t invited me to the White House.”

Smiley, who has a long history of taking shots of Barack Obama, has to be better than this kind of seemingly petty criticism. One of the reasons he has to be better is that one of the primary criticisms of Tavis Smiley is that he is an egomaniac who is in it for himself. If he is truly interested in the bigger picture then he can't look like he is whining about not getting an invitation to the White House ... as if he is some kind of a big shot.

Sure, there is room to legitimately criticize President Obama (pandering too much to the far right, continuing the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, continuing tax policies that benefit the rich, not doing enough for people who are hurting, etc.).

Smiley's message, however, gets lost in a vast sea of what appears to be self promotion on his part.

One gets the feeling there is a little haterism in Tavis Smiley ... coveting the kind of spotlight that President Obama enjoys (not unlike what some people believe the Rev. Jesse Jackson suffered from back in 2008).

Tavis could be doing so much more in a positive way if he could cut down on the hate and turn it into some kind of a positive.

Tavis is a hate addict when it comes to Barack Obama. Tavis, you're an addict, jack.

Ali On Being A Black President ... Long Before There Was A Black President

2011-07-28T17:34:00.001-04:00

Muhammad Ali's words are quite interesting today.

Allen West's Tirade Against Debbie Wasserman Schultz Is Highly Disturbing

2011-07-21T19:44:00.009-04:00

Rep. Allen West clearly is a lot of things, but it would appear that "gentleman" is one title he has not fully earned.

One has to wonder if the state of Florida is big enough for Allen West, his ego and the rest of the residents.

Mr. West would appear to be a man who struggles to find comfort in working across party lines with strong women, like Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who do not simply give in to him. While most politicians are capable of civilized discourse, it appears Mr. West is incapable of that and revealed himself as weak and thin skinned when rather mildly challenged.

This was how Crooks and Liars quoted Politico:

Florida GOP Congressman Allen West this afternoon dispatched a scathing personal email to Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, calling her "vile, unprofessional ,and despicable," "a coward," "characterless," and "not a Lady," and demanding that she "shut the heck up."
Wasserman Schultz, in whose neighboring South Florida district West lives, provoked his tirade with remarks after he left the House floor today, in which she responded -- without naming him -- to the Tea Party freshman's support for "Cut, Cap, and Balance" legislation to raise the debt ceiling.
"The gentleman from Florida. who represents thousands of Medicare beneficiaries, as do I, is supportive of this plan that would increase costs for Medicare beneficiaries, unbelievable from a Member from South Florida," Wasserman Schultz said, saying the legislation "slashes Medicaid and critical investments essential to winning the future in favor of protecting tax breaks for Big Oil, millionaires, and companies who ship American jobs overseas."
Her criticism of the legislation -- more or less what most Democrats are saying today -- provoked a furious response. West copied members of House Republican and Democratic leadership on the email, as well as his chief-of-staff, Jonathan Blyth.

Come on, tough guy West ... you're supposed to be a grown man. What's next? Are you going to leave a nasty message on her Facebook wall and then block her so she can't reply?

This is weak brother West ... weak. It's almost as if he wanted to tell her to know her place in society, but was too angry and went straight to one-dimensional insults. That is just way too much anger at one time to be excused.

But, here is another pathetic sidebar to this story ... the conservative women rushing to assist West in attacking Wasserman Schultz.

Monica Crowley: "She of the Angry Perm"
Michelle Malkin: "Alan Grayson in Heels ... Anthony Weiner, Only An Octave Higher."

Then, you have the good-ole boys almost irrationally attacking Wasserman Schultz:

Rush Limbaugh: "Debbie Wasserman Blabbermouth Schultz Uses 'Mayonnaise' in Her Hair."
Eric Bolling: "Drives a Machete Into Colonel Allen West's Back As He Walks Off The House Floor."

Yes, these are the same folks (conservatives) who whine any time a person even thinks about saying something even remotely negative about poor Sarah Palin and poor Michele Bachmann.

If West does not want to apologize then that's fine, but he must live with the fact that he looks like a misogynistic bully with anger and issues regarding women.

Rep. West, remember the old Temptations song, "Treat Her Like a Lady."

Maher Comes Out With Race-Based Attack On Kim Kardashian

2011-07-08T20:42:00.007-04:00

Bill Maher was at his predictable worst as he used Twitter as a platform to issue what was, by his standards, a fairly standard distasteful attack of Kim Kardashian. One sort of expects that Maher will say tasteless things, but then there are comments that are even bad for his standards (such as his standards are).

It started when Kardashian Tweeted this in response to the verdict in the case of Casey Anthony (you can look it up on your own if you don't know about it):

“WHAT!!!!???!!!! CASEY ANTHONY FOUND NOT GUILTY!!!I am speechless!!!”

Maher, smelling blood in the water, responded as he Tweeted the following:

“Kim Kardashian is upset with Casey Anthony verdict? Ur father defended O.J.! Starting the Kardashian tradition of getting black men off.”

A few thoughts about the original comment and the responses that went through my head:

He has probably been looking for an opportunity to unload this kind of comment on the Kardashian women.
He perhaps has some underlying issues with the Kardashians and their relationships with black people.
He is tired of seeing the Kardashians with guys like Reggie Bush, Lamar Odom, etc... Maybe he wants to see them getting off more guys like Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki and Bill Mah ... nevermind
His comment smacks of racism (not that he cares one bit about what anyone things of him ... good, bad or indifferent ... this is how he makes his money).

Interesting Interview With O'Reilly And Rapper Lupe Fiasco

2011-06-24T13:12:00.003-04:00

Conservative Fox News talk show host Bill O'Reilly was in the zone as he hosted rapper Lupe Fiasco, who referred to President Obama and all presidents of the United States as "terrorists."

O'Reilly puts rappers on a pedestal to inflate their political influence so he can portray them as too black and too dangerous as he tries to tear them down.

Notice in the interview how condescending O'Reilly is as he talks to his guest. It's not an accident.

As a side note, O'Reilly hosted this segment also to disingenuously appear unbiased by "defending" President Obama against this man referring to him as a "terrorist." I am not buying it and neither should anyone else.

This was a cultural attack by O'Reilly that allowed him to fake a defense of Obama. In a way, it's kind of brilliant on the right-wing host's part.

Source: Color Lines

Right-Wing Audience Laughs At Comparison Of Obamas To Sanford And Son Characters, But Not Pleased With GOP Jokes

2011-06-22T20:20:00.005-04:00

Reggie Brown, the man paid to impersonate President Barack Obama, was welcomed with open arms as he made fun of the Barack and Michelle Obama and at one point likened them to Fred Sanford and Aunt Esther Anderson fighting from the old Sanford and Son show (you know ... because black couples are supposed to fight, be loud and act obnoxiously ... black marriages are not supposed to stand the test of time and challenges). Apparently, it was funny to laugh at a black couple fighting, but it was not so funny to hear stereotype jokes of Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty and other jokes about GOP presidential candidates.

There were a few laughs with the Romney joke, but it clearly did not go over well with the right-wing audience and right-wing organizers.

Go on Reggie ... I guess you gotta get paid.

Random YouTube Video: A Mormon Explaining How Blacks are Cursed

2011-06-22T19:48:00.001-04:00

It is interesting to look at this guy and try to figure out his body language. I hate to get into the Bill O'Reilly body language crap, but in this case it would be kind of interesting to get a feel for what someone thinks is going on with this guy.

Color Of Change Starts Petition To Get Fox News To Dump Fox "Business" Host Bolling For Racial Comments

2011-06-18T11:53:00.002-04:00

Dear ColorOfChange.org member,

"It's not first time he's had a hoodlum in the hizzouse."

That's what Fox Business host Eric Bolling said on Friday about President Obama's meeting at the White House with the President of Gabon, Ali Bongo, while photoshopping a gold tooth onto the man's image. Then a photo of popular hip-hop artist Common, who participated in a White House poetry event last month (and was later smeared by Fox), appeared on-screen .¹

It's just the latest from Bolling, who last month accused President Obama of "chugging a few forties" in Ireland.²Bolling's attacks are part of a long history of racially-coded language and stereotypes that Fox uses to create a negative perception of the president.

Please join us in demanding that Roger Alies Chariman of Fox News and Fox Business fire Bolling. If enough of us speak out, it will ensure that Fox's leaders face some public accountability for its consistent race-baiting. It only takes a moment:

http://act.colorofchange.org/sign/bolling

Fox Business and Fox News continue to be safe havens for commentators who try to whip up race-based fears and peddle racial stereotypes as hard news.

President Ali Bongo currently holds the rotating presidency of the U.N. Security Council and was visiting the White House on official business. While Bongo has a troubling human rights record, past U.S. presidents have met with problematic figures for diplomatic reasons or to get them to change their behavior. Hip hop artist Common is a well-educated cultural and charitable ambassador and a talented musician. We doubt that Fox would ever have referred to the White House as a “hizzouse” while George W. Bush, Bill Clinton or any other president resided there.

But on Friday, Bolling seized an opportunity to race-bait. He opened the segment by asking, "So what's with all the hoods in the hizzy?" Later, when a guest challenged him, asking why Bolling was treating the meeting as a social event rather than an official meeting between two heads of state, Bolling said, "How do you know what they did? Maybe they did have s'mores and watch movies. Maybe they watched a basketball game." ³

Such obvious promotion of racial stereotypes is nothing new at Fox.^4,5 In fact, it's what made Glenn Beck's career at Fox News before he took things too far⁶ — a move that eventually cost him more than 300 advertisers and his 5pm show on the network. Beck will leave this coveted time slot vacant at the end of this month, and some observers believe Bolling's over-the-top race-baiting last week was an audition for Beck's spot — his attempt to show Ailes and other executives at Fox that he's up to the challenge of stoking Fox viewers' anger at President Obama in a way fitting of Beck's legacy.⁷

Please join us in demanding that Fox Business Chairman Roger Ailes fire Eric Bolling. Ailes might not care what we think — but he has to care about Fox's public image. If Ailes fires Bolling, it's a step towards accountability. If he refuses, it will make it abundantly clear to the public and the media that stoking racial division is part of Fox's agenda.

Please join us by clicking the link below. And when you do, please ask your family and friends to do the same:

http://act.colorofchange.org/sign/bolling

Thanks and Peace,

-- Rashad, James, Gabriel, William, Dani, Matt, Natasha, and the rest of the ColorOfchange.org team
June 18th, 2011

Help support our work. ColorOfChange.org is powered by YOU — your energy and dollars. We take no money from lobbyists or large corporations that don't share our values, and our tiny staff ensures your contributions go a long way. You can contribute here:

http://www.colorofchange.org/donate

References:

1. "Fox's Eric Bolling: Obama Is Hosting "Hoodlum[s]" In "The Hizzouse"," Media Matters, 6-11-2011
http://mediamatters.org/blog/201106110002

2. "Bolling: Obama Was "Chugging A Few 40's" Instead Of Responding To Joplin Disaster," Media Matters, 5-24-2011
http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/201105240034

3. See reference 1

4. "Tell CNN: Stop echoing Fox's race-baiting," ColorOfChange.org, 7-10-2010
http://orig.colorofchange.org/cnnfox/message.html

5. "An overview: Fox News and its problem with African-Americans," ColorOfChange.org
http://orig.colorofchange.org/fox/summary.html

6. "Call on advertisers to drop sponsorship of Glenn Beck," ColorOfChange.org, 7-30-09
http://orig.colorofchange.org/beck/message.html

7. "Is Race Baiting Part of Eric Bolling’s Fox News Audition?," Media Matters, 6-13-2011
http://mediamatters.org/blog/201106130006

Perfect Example Of An Insincere Apology: Featuring Eric Bolling Of Fox News

2011-06-15T20:26:00.004-04:00

I chose this photo of Eric Bolling because of the caption that attacks MSNBC talk show host Ed Schultz. When Schultz made offensive comments about right-wing radio talk personality Laura Ingraham, he offered a sincere apology. He was truly sorry. Eric Bolling is sorry as a human being, but he is not sorry for the racially offensive comments he made in reference to President Barack Obama.

Fox News has a long and well-documented history of hosts and guests making hostile and offensive comments about people of color.

So, when the Eric Bolling (who seems to be auditioning to replace Glenn Beck) started making racially offensive comments about black people it was hardly a big surprise. If he is indeed sort of auditioning for the Glenn Beck role then this kind of racially offensive mentality would be totally expected, if not encouraged.

I am going to start with his apology expressed by this guy Bolling, first:

One editorial note. On Friday, we did a story about the president meeting with the president of Gabon. We got a little fast and loose with the language, and we know it's been interpreted as being disrespectful, and for that, I'm sorry. We did go a bit too far.

"Interpreted as disrespectful" sounds a lot more benign than calling it what it was, in my opinion: "racist." That alone should be indicative of a lack of sincerity.

It almost sounds like he is sorry it is being (not been) interpreted as disrespectful. Does this guy have a heart or a conscience in his body? This man seems as an arctic icecap.

First off, why is this man discussing this topic and using such offensive language on the so-called Fox Business channel?

Now the comments expressed by Bolling. This is an excerpt from News Hounds:

In other words, Bolling is not apologizing for using such offensive language as "It's not the first time (Obama has) had a hoodlum in the hizzouse" or posting a photo of Gabon’s leader with a shining tooth or the repeated use of a banner saying, "Hoods in the House." No, he's apologizing for how that language has been interpreted.

You think he would have said this about George W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush or even Bill Clinton? There is no way he would have said this about a white president.

He is flat out not sorry for what he said. It was not his first time making offensive comments and it will not be his last time. He is almost certainly making his case to replace Beck as the host of one of the Fox News hours of hate.

Look, this is a weak, WEAK "apology" from Bolling. It is completely insincere and sounds every bit the part of a man forced to apologize for something he is not the least bit sorry about.

White Rapper Kreayshawn Sparks Controversy With N-Word Issue

2011-06-10T12:00:00.005-04:00

Natassia "Kreayshawn" Zolot

The issue of whites and white rappers using the so-called N-word has come into focus again, with a story about Natassia "Kreayshawn" Zolot, a white rap artist.

She uses the word and doesn't much apologize for her use of it - in spite of the fact that she has now found herself knee-deep (at least) in a controversy. One of the general arguments in this case, and as is typical with use of the N-word, one of the primary arguments is that if they (black people) can use it then everyone else should be able to use it.

Here is a comment she recently tweeted about the controversy:

“People are acting so funny OMG lol. I got 200k views, not 200k dollars. WTF YOU WANT FROM A NIGGA. DMX VOICE.”

That comment tells me a few things: 1. She feels passionate about this issue, 2. she doesn't care too much what other people think (at this point) and 3. she is getting a WHOLE lot of marketing value out of this controversy.

A report from News One added this little nugget to the issue:

“In Oakland, Asian people will call Mexicans that. A Mexican will call a black dude that. A white person will call an Asian that. Everyone calls each other that. I feel like that word is used in the low-income community more than anything. I can see if I was some rich crazy trick and I was just saying this because it’s hip-hop,” Kreayshawn said, “I was raised around this. Me and my sisters were all raised around this. People call me that. But personally I’m not flaunting it around.’’

Whether she is flaunting or not is an interesting discussion. One thing is for sure, this controversy is helping Kreayshawn big time.

Honestly, she has the right to use it (like anyone else), but no one has the right to everyone's approval of use of the word. Based on what I've read, she probably has built up some credentials to be able to use it more than some (based on where she is from), but it doesn't mean everyone has to like it. Some do not and will not like it.

It's a controversy and not an easy one.

Weiner-gate Is Pathetic On Many Different Levels

2011-06-07T20:37:00.003-04:00

The trouble that Rep. Anthony Weiner finds himself in is sad on so many different levels.

First, we're subjected to the pathetic and disgraceful right-wing blogger Andrew Breitbart gloating about his fetish for photos of Anthony Weiner's penis - disguised as a politically-motivated pursuit. The gloating that far-right extremist Breitbart is doing over having nude photos of Weiner is disturbing on its own. No one wants to imagine how often the excited and happy Breitbart has looked over and carefully examined the photos of Weiner's penis.

On the other hand, it's sad to watch how much Weiner has deservedly fallen from grace for his actions followed up by a weak, weak attempt at a cover up. In hearing some of his initial responses I had little doubt that his story seem farfetched to say the least. Frankly, my first thought was that he was embarrassed and was lying his butt off.

Weiner was emerging as a strong advocate for liberal positions bolstered by his toughness and intelligence.

Now, quite frankly, he has screwed up so bad he is in danger of being forced out of office. As is often the case, it was the cover up that caused more damage than the actual "crime" he is seen as having committed. He has fallen in his self-created mess and now has a lot of work to do to rehabilitate himself.

It won't be easy and it should not be easy.

Fox News Host Says Obama Was 'Chugging A Few 40s'

2011-05-26T01:27:00.000-04:00

None of this should surprise us coming from those idiots over at Fox News.

I guess at least they didn't accuse the president of sipping on gin and juice. Obviously they haven't seen the old Snoop Dogg rap in their efforts to describe how they believe black people live.

Common Controversy Makes It Easy To Ask Questions About Racism Regarding Some At Fox 'News'

2011-05-13T19:32:00.006-04:00

Common

The whole Fox News-generated overblown controversy regarding the rapper and poet Common is one that I'd like to say I find interesting and surprising, BUT ... I don't.

I'd like to say say that the Fox News hysteria over Common's performance at the White House was strictly related to the network's misguided belief that he is some sort of a gangsta rapper ... or something along those lines.

Frankly, I am not going to go into a long explanation of how ignorant this whole issue is (which is pretty much a given coming from Fox News).

But, I will offer the obvious ... this clearly is racially tinged (even if somewhat coded). Once again, Fox News is taking an opportunity to try and portray President Obama as some kind of black nationalist or racist (or someone who sympathizes with black nationalism or anti-white racism). To normal people, this is utterly ludicrous, but to call most of the people at Fox News normal is to borderline defame real normal people.

This whole issue with Common is largely based on race and trying to portray President Obama as an angry black man who is "not really one of us" to the highly conservative Fox News audience. This is the strategy of people like Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity and Sarah Palin. This is why they attack Common and excuse Ted Nugent.

Hannity, and this is no surprise coming from him, was comfortable with this attack on a black man (that is never a surprise from this man) and a woman running for President of the United States of America.

Nugent's comments were OK, to Hannity, but the Fox News bigots jumped all over Common and took every shot possible at someone who has a high level of integrity and is quite the conscientious man with very positive messages.

Coming from Fox News, this is no surprise ... in fact, it is ironically common.

Tuberville Jumps On The Birtherism Hate Train

2011-05-01T20:01:00.004-04:00

Tommy Tuberville

I will get right to the point on the birther comments made by Texas Tech University coach Tommy Tuberville just prior to President Barack Obama release the long form of his birth certificate.

My message is simple: Black recruits, and recruits of color in general, should think twice before signing to play for this man or even letting this man come into their home for a recruiting visit. Is this a man who is truly open minded to what you believe in, culturally and politically? How deep is his hostility toward President Obama? Is this birtherism merely scratching the surface of a deeper hostility. Will Tuberville truly be supportive of you?

This is an excerpt of a story highlighting Tuberville's controversial shot taken at President Obama with far-right talk show extremist Sean Hannity:

Texas Tech football Coach Tommy Tuberville does not subscribe to that theory, which is not to say he isn’t a fan of any conspiracy theory.
Tuberville might need to do his recruiting at Donald Trump rallies after his performance last week on the Fox News show “Great American Panel.” It was there that Tuberville joined in the “birther” chorus, demanding President Obama prove he is an American citizen by showing us his birth certificate.
“As a common American, I just don’t understand why we just go through this,” Tuberville said. “And I think it’s continued to divide the country.”
The show’s host, Sean Hannity, gently tried to steer Tuberville back to the center from whichever precinct of Wingnutville is circled by the most black helicopters.
“By the way, for the record, I think he’s probably born in the United States,” Hannity said of Obama.
The coach was undeterred.
“I don’t know why he wouldn’t just step up and say, ‘Here it is,’ ” Tuberville said. “Obviously, there’s got to be something on there he doesn’t want anybody to see.”

Tuberville has exposed himself as being someone who buys into birther theories and birtherism in general. His message, to people of color, seems to be one of disrespect. As I've stated before, I believe birtherism to be largely rooted in disguised racism.

This is not to say all birthers are racist, however. But, it is to say that birthers hold an irrational anger toward President Obama that is illogical and racially motivated.

Tommy Tuberville seemed mighty comfortable in the presence of Sean Hannity expressing his birtherism and hostility toward our president.

If I were a black student-athlete being recruited by Texas Tech ... the Red Raiders would be scratched from my list. I would rather play for a Division II than play for Tommy Tuberville.

Bill O'Reilly, Barack Obama And Racial Politics

2011-04-28T19:08:00.005-04:00

This video is a case of Bill O'Reilly at his racial worst.

In this clip, we see a lot of what makes Fox News (some might call it Fox Views) a hostile network toward President Obama and to black people in general.

In this video, O'Reilly (in early campaign seeking to assist potential Republican candidates who will oppose President Obama) is at his hypocritical and racially-antagonistic worst as he hosts a segment with Amos Brown of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

O'Reilly (stoking racial fears about President Obama) was all too willing to ignore the clear double standard of the appearances of white presidents Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton at Shiloh Baptist Church to slam President Obama for his decision to attend service at Shiloh.

Why were Reagan and Clinton not under fire for their views on the nobility of the country? What is the difference between them and President Obama?

It seems to come back to race. O'Reilly, in his utopian world turns a blind eye and deaf ear to that reality.

Birth Certificate Hysteria Is Hillbilly, Racially-Tinged Politics

2011-04-27T21:17:00.006-04:00

Now that President Barack Obama has released yet another birth certificate he has confirmed what rational people already knew: that he was born in the United States of America.

Yes, to all of those behaving with a backwoods political hillbilly mentality, Hawaii is in fact one of the 50 states. For many tea party members, it probably remains a challenge to think of Hawaii as one of our states, but it is in fact part of the U.S.

As I have long predicted, the bigots on the right and the far right have far from been appeased by the release of the second Obama birth certificate.

In fact, many have stepped up their ignorant attacks on President Obama and taken their birtherism to new levels.

This is no surprise. Birtherism is disguised racism. Oh, and if you want proof it is disguised racism, wait for the next wave of attacks on President Obama to heat up: going after his school records and accusing him of being an affirmative action beneficiary as an academic.

You see, it's not about the birth certificate.

It's disguised racism designed to attack Barack Obama as a human being, as a black man and as a man in general.

It was never truly about this piece of paper. The birther nuts are proving that right now as their argument now shifts to "why didn't he release it earlier?" and other foolishness.

Remember, birtherism, for the tea party buffoons and the Republicans is about showing that President Barack Obama is "not really one of us" (whatever that means) and is different from the rest of "us" to their extremist constituents.

West's Hateful Comments About President Obama Are Not Surprising

2011-04-24T16:50:00.005-04:00

This is a very good example of why I have an issue with a large number of black conservative Republicans.

Rep. Allen West is all too willing to be used by the far-right element of the political spectrum to say nasty and borderline hateful things about President Obama ... black-on-black crime if you will (in politics).

Rep. West goes on the attack and his fellow conservatives are all too happy to watch him go on the attack while their hands remain clean. This man is a disgrace to his district, but it is his district and if they support his nasty views then that is a stain on the character of his voters.

Here is a little of what West said, as documented by Huffington Post:

Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) stood by eyebrow-raising remarks he recently made about President Barack Obama during an interview with Fox News host Greta Van Susteren on Thursday night.
Speaking recently on "The Laura Ingraham Show," West asserted that the president demonstrated "third world dictator-like arrogance" in delivering a speech on the federal budget and government spending.
"I do stand by those words," said the conservative congressman, who was elected into office last November with support from the Tea Party movement. "The truth needs to be said."
"I am sick and tired of this class warfare, this Marxist, demagogic rhetoric that is coming from the President of the United States of America," West explained. "It is not helpful for this country and it's not going to move the ball forward as far as rectifying the economic situation in our country. And I'm not going to back away from telling what the truth is."

In that excerpt, we see a snapshot of so many of the politically hateful things that have been said about President Obama coming out of one filthy mouth for the gratification of a far right that has been mostly hostile to minority voters.

West's words are hateful and disgusting, but they obviously bring comfort to his voters and to the far-right commentators (such as Laura Ingraham) and networks (Fox News) who relish the opportunity to witness black-on-black political crime as they keep their hands relatively clean.

I will leave you with this excerpt from a commentary by Dr. Boyce Watkins:

West being a Republican doesn’t offend me. What offends me is that he is an unintelligent Republican who lacks the kind of class that men like Colin Powell have shown in their disagreements with the Democrats. West doesn’t have to call Obama names; he can simply critique his policies. There is almost nothing insightful or substantive about his remarks about the president, for he simply appears to be basking in the sunlight.
Another interesting thing about political pawns like Allen West and Michael Steele is that their love affair with the Republican Party will be short-lived. Once their usefulness has passed, they will be thrown to the side like worthless political prostitutes, for the need for a black face on racial hatred is what has kept them in business. To some extent, they should send President Obama a thank you card, for they could never get this much attention without him.

Fox 'News' ... I Think Not

2011-04-23T11:52:00.006-04:00

Here, we see yet another example of why Fox "News" is really nothing of the kind.

This is a story I read at Crooks and Liars regarding an interview Fox "News" promoted about a so-called indoctrination attempt on the part of a school district. Now, the subject in the interview is positioned as a concerned parent who is upset about what she sees as an inappropriate song being sung by children in the Tennessee school. In other words, this woman (Rachael Proctor) is portrayed as just an everyday mom who saw something that outraged her in school and decided to take a stand.

What Fox "News" apparently failed to disclose, however, is this woman's strong tea party public relations work and her affiliations with the far-right movement.

The Crooks and Liars blog entry is a pretty interesting read that illustrates a small example of the bias of Fox "News" as a media outlet.

Lansing, Mich. Mayor Virg Bernero Destroys Fox News Right Wing Talking Points

2011-04-14T20:04:00.003-04:00

Not much to add here other than that I enjoyed watching a mayor from my home state crush a Fox News right-wing slappy making advancing weak Republican talking points.

Colbert Report Calls Out Those Who Wipe Their Feet On The Truth

2011-04-12T23:25:00.002-04:00

The Colbert Report
Tags: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

Simpson Calls Out Homophobia In Politics

2011-04-11T23:02:00.003-04:00

This falls in the category of an "ouch" statement for the GOP as one of its own, Wyoming Sen. Alan Simpson, made some interesting statements on MSNBC as documented by Think Progress:

On MSNBC’s Hardball with Chris Matthews today, former Senator Alan Simpson (R-WY), co-chair of President Obama’s debt commission, railed against the social conservatives in the Republican party. He admonished male legislators for voting on abortion issues and “homophobes” like Rick Santorum who say “cruel, cruel things” about gays and lesbians:

SIMPSON: Who the hell is for abortion? I don’t know anybody running around with a sign that says, “Have an abortion! They’re wonderful!” They’re hideous, but they’re a deeply intimate and personal decision, andI don’t think men legislators should even vote on the issue.
Then you’ve got homosexuality, you’ve got Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. We have homophobes on our party. That’s disgusting to me. We’re all human beings. We’re all God’s children. Now if they’re going to get off on that stuff—Santorum has said some cruel things—cruel, cruel things—about homosexuals. Ask him about it; see if he attributes the cruelness of his remarks years ago. Foul.
Now if that’s the kind of guys that are going to be on my ticket, you know, it makes you sort out hard what Reagan said, you know, “Stick with your folks.” But, I’m not sticking with people who are homophobic, anti-women, moral values—while you’re diddling your secretary while you’re giving a speech on moral values? Come on, get off of it.

Diversity Challenged Panel Slamming First Black President

2011-04-02T09:32:00.003-04:00

This is a rather disgusting clip in my opinion. First, the panelists gloss over a shot that calls out President Barack Obama's blackness and then a panelist says "it's sad that our first black president is Barack Obama."

A Perspective From Booker Rising On Rose-Michigan-Duke-Uncle Tom Issue

2011-03-30T19:37:00.004-04:00

Here is the anatomy of a mischaracterization of a statement made by Jalen Rose from his time as a basketball star at the University of Michigan.

I found this on Booker Rising, which also took a personal shot at Rose early in the blog entry.

Joe Hicks: "Uncle Tom's College Basketball: Racial Madness & Angry Victim Politics"

Jalen Rose recently questioned the blackness of college basketball players coming from two parent, middle class backgrounds. The conservative Pajamas TV host gives his thoughts on NCAA basketball and asks: does wealth or education make one an "Uncle Tom"? Does poverty and single parenthood define race? There is no embeddable video, but you can view Mr. Hicks' commentary here.

First of all, Rose did not recently question the blackness of college basketball players.

The documentary was produced and broadcast recently, however Rose was talking about his impressions (as a teenager) of the Duke program and some of its players.

Booker Rising:
http://www.bookerrising.net/2011/03/jalen-rose-uncle-tom-bookerista.html

Breaking Down Mike Krzyzewski's Response To Jalen Rose

2011-03-29T19:03:00.006-04:00

Fab Five: Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Jimmy King, Ray Jackson and Juwan Howard

At long last, Duke University men's basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski has made his comment to former University of Michigan star Jalen Rose's comments regarding the program he has built.

From an article published on the ESPN website: Rose, as part of an ESPN Films documentary "The Fab Five" that aired March 13 (Rose was an executive producer), said black Blue Devils basketball players recruited in the early 1990s were "Uncle Toms."

"I hated Duke and I hated everything Duke stood for. Schools like Duke didn't recruit players like me. I felt like they only recruited black players that were Uncle Toms," Rose said in the documentary.

Rose's comments, obviously, have touched off a firestorm of controversy that just continues to boil over in the media and in the world of blogs.

Krzyzewski has finally decided to respond.

"Obviously, that was a poor choice of words and very insulting to everyone here at Duke but especially, not just our African-American players, but any African-American students," Krzyzewski said on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000 in Chicago Tuesday. "When you judge within a race, you start judging, like you put categories as to who you are. I think that's just the wrong thing to do."
Krzyzewski said one of the Fab Five could have ended up at Duke.
"We were very successful against them and, to be quite frank with you, we recruited Chris Webber," he said. "I didn't recruit Jalen Rose because we had Grant Hill and I'm happy with that. We didn't look at the other, Juwan Howard [because] we knew he wasn't going to come to Duke. The other two kids we didn't think were the caliber that could play as well as Thomas Hill and Brian Davis and Billy McCaffery. They're good kids. They were good kids."

Some of what Krzyzewski says is probably fair. I still don't think there is any way he would have recruited a player like Jalen, but Krzyzewski seems to suggest that he would have (if not for Hill already being on the roster). Krzyzewski also suggests Juwan Howard might have been an option, but he would not have chosen to go to Duke. He also seems to indicate that he didn't think Jimmy King and Ray Jackson were of the caliber of the players he already had in his program.

If Krzyzewski doesn't recruit players then doesn't help perpetuate the stereotype of Duke ignoring certain types of black players?

Webber was from Detroit, but he was attending the exclusive Detroit Country Day School.

Here is a little shot Coach K takes at the Fab Five:

"They had a heck of a run but, they didn't leave anything, they didn't establish anything there," Krzyzewski said. "The guys that I had established something that Jay Williams continued to do 10 years later -- the standards of what it meant to be a Duke basketball player."

I bet more people remember that Chris Webber and Jalen Rose played at Michigan than remember Brian Davis, Thomas Hill and Billy McCaffery (who went on to blossom as a player after he left Duke). Like so many people, Mike hates (to some extent) on the legacy left by the Fab Five.

There may be some truth to that, but only because of the sanctions and scandals. Krzyzewski got his shot in and he definitely has a lot to brag about with the success he has had as a head coach. But, the defensive nature of his comments still suggests some validity to the statements.

The dislike of Duke is not all about winning. North Carolina, Kansas, Connecticut and Kentucky are other programs with histories of success. None of those programs are as disliked as Duke.

ESPN:
http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/ncb/news/story?id=6270285&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines

Fox News ... Fair And Balanced ... Yeah Right

2011-03-27T11:34:00.001-04:00

Typical Fox News. Finishes an interview with flip-flopping right-winger Newt Gingrich, bashes the Obama Administration for not coming on its network and then teases a segment with right-winger John McCain and Joe Lieberman, who has essentially become a right-wing politician.

Fox News showing how fair and balanced it is once again.

Paris Hilton: I Can’t Stand Black Guys, They’re Gross

2011-03-24T21:46:00.005-04:00

Paris Hilton

I found it interesting to read this little comment allegedly made by famous (some might say infamous) Paris Hilton as documented on the Newsone website. When you read enough things in different places related to different people it becomes less and less possible to feel surprised by what's out there. Thus, I hardly feel surprised by the words of Hilton.

HILTON: I went out with that guy last night.

STRAUSS: Which guy?

HILTON: (points to an actor in Saving Private Ryan): We were making out, but then we went somewhere where it was bright and I saw that he was black and made an excuse and left. I can’t stand black guys. I would never touch one. It’s gross. (pauses). Does that guy look black to you?

STRAUSS: How black does a guy have to be?

HILTON: One percent is enough for me.

I find interesting that he said "it's gross" when talking about black men. It could just be her way of talking, but it could be something more.

Actually, I find it interesting she would say something about someone else is gross, but ... yeah.

At any rate, I would say there's no big loss here.

People Would Actually Vote For Donald Chump?

2011-03-23T22:25:00.005-04:00

It's chilling to think that millions of people would actually vote for this man, Donald Trump, to be president of the United States of America.

That should send a chill up and down your spine.

Glenn Beck; President Obama Is Sympathetic To (Terrorists) Cause

2011-03-18T18:42:00.000-04:00

Glenn Beck

Normally, I tend to avoid writing much about Glenn Beck because I see him as one of two things: a con man using racial politics and nutty extremism to get an audience of crazies or a freak.

I suppose he could be a little of both.

Anyway, here is the latest craziness coming from Beck that I found particularly disturbing even by his pitiful standards of human decency.

From Media Matters for America:

GLENN BECK: The Japanese government has no plans to expand the 12 mile evacuation zone. Meanwhile, we're loading up all of the diplomats from the State Department and getting out of there. Also something that I'm going to do tonight, I'm going to give the speech that the President should give in the Oval Office that he hasn't, and I don't know why. Our donations are way, way down for Japan. I don't see Hollywood mobilizing. So, we will. The speech from my Oval Office, tonight. It's amazing what's going on, and I don't really understand why yet I haven't figured it out yet.

There's another story that is very disturbing. And this just came in, it's an alert from the Wall Street Journal. The Obama Administration is seeking an United Nations security resolution that would authorize a wide range of possible military strikes against the forces of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. It is aimed at preventing them from overrunning the rebels and civilians in the country's east. In discussions with other Security Council members, the Obama administration is making the case that a no-fly zone is not enough. It would be insufficient to save the rebel capital in Eastern Libya. So the U.S. is seeking a broad UN authorization for strikes aimed at holding back Libyan ground and air forces with the aim of protecting the rebel capital and avoiding a humanitarian crisis there. Military operations could include a no-fly zone but wouldn't be limited to that.

Holy cow. What does this mean? You know we've been saying that - where is the President on Libya? Tonight, I lay out the case, and it's not a smoking gun, and it's not an open and shut case, but it is something that I haven't found the right people yet, or the right evidence to link it all together, but I can feel it, that there's something wrong with this Libyan thing. We were talking about it this morning, Pat. That the time to have a no-fly zone is not now.

PAT GRAY: Yeah, right at the beginning. Right at the beginning. Seriously, I mean, it's progressed way too far just to do a no-fly zone.

BECK: Now it's going to be a civil war. Now, now, this would be - think of this America, this would be the third country that America has ground forces or air forces or sea, that is in battle and engaged in a Muslim country. That's insanity.

GRAY: Mmhmm.

BECK: And the time to support the rebels was at the very beginning when the momentum was there. There's no momentum now. The momentum is the other way. I'm not saying we don't do something to protect these people, but I'll tell you, it's very disturbing to me that our military could be engaged in yet another war in the Middle East.

GRAY: I think if you would have done this at the beginning, you would have been far less likely to have any kind of confrontation. You remember 1989 when we had that little run-in with the MiGs, the Libyan MiGs? And our -

BECK: - our guys

GRAY: Our F-14 tomcats took 'em down.

BECK: Yeah.

GRAY: And there was not a peep out of Libya for the next 20 years. Libya didn't make a sound. Well -

BECK: Yeah. [unintelligible]

GRAY: I mean, they had the couple terrorist activities. But, for the most part, Moammar Gadhafi was pretty quiet after that point.

BECK: Oh yeah. We were bombing his tent.

GRAY: Yeah.

BECK: There's no - there's, I mean, now, this is the problem with this president, it's the same thing. Look at his pattern, the BP oil spill. This is the thing that bothers me. And it's always patterns. The BP oil spill - we all know he used that to his advantage - never let a good crisis go to waste. And so what did he do? He wasn't there - he was engaged, of course he talked about it, but he wasn't engaged. Until it started getting out of control, and all of us were saying, where is the government?

GRAY: Mmhmm.

BECK: Where is the president on this? And he was strangely absent.

GRAY: Hasn't it been like that with every crisis -

BECK: Everything. Every crisis.

GRAY: The Fort Hood - the Fort Hood shooting. He wasn't really out front with that, and that was, you know, 13 U.S. soldiers being killed on their base. And then when he finally did make the statement, he comes out and talks about the - the Indian medicine man first -

BECK: Right. OK.

GRAY: - for two minutes before he even got around to the mention.

BECK: But here is - here is the point on that. I believe that's because he just sees us as the oppressor nation. He just sees us as a nation who is and has oppressed the Native Americans and, and the Muslim communities around the world. And so he's - he's - he's not with the terrorists, I'm not saying that, but he is sympathetic to their cause, which slows people down. You know what I mean?

GRAY: Mm.

BECK: You agree with that or disagree with that?

GRAY: Well, I don't know if sympathetic to the cause is the right -

BECK: Sym -

GRAY: - phrase.

BECK: Sym - oh, uh - wait a minute, I'm not saying that he's sympathetic with people blowing people up.

GRAY: Yeah.

BECK: I'm saying -

GRAY: I just wanted to make sure -

BECK: Yeah, yeah.

GRAY: - that people know that you're not saying that.

BECK: He's sympathetic, he's sympathetic [unintelligible]

GRAY: Well I think he sympathizes that America has done some bad things -

BECK: Yeah.

GRAY: And, and so - [unintelligible]

BECK: The Palestinian plight.

GRAY: Yes.

BECK: The Palestinian plight - only like 23 percent of Americans agree with the Palestinians. But he is, I believe, he's probably one of the 23 percent.

GRAY: Well, his pastor said it best, didn't he, when he said America's chickens have come home to roost.

BECK: Yes.

GRAY: Maybe he has a little of that sentiment -

BECK: Yes.

GRAY: - I don't know.

BECK: Yes, yes. I'm not saying that he's in league with the terrorists, I'm not saying that he agrees with bombings like that. But he is slower to react because he is a guy who is sympathetic to something that most Americans are not. We don't - he has said it himself over and over, I'm tired of Muslim-Americans being rounded up in the middle of the night. That's never happened. And if it has, show it to me, Mr. President because I will be with you on that. I agree with you that that shouldn't happen. So show me the evidence, and I will stand with you.

But what's disturbing about the BP oil crisis is it worked to his favor, it worked to his advantage by leaving it go for a while and not capping it, he had to have a massive disaster to be able to do what he did. Now is this what's happening in Libya? Because the time for that, I mean, even France is leading this. Nobody, is - and the people are crying out, America. And everybody knows we're the only one that can do it. We have the carriers right there. I've been on the aircraft carriers in the fifth fleet - 90 miles off the coast of Libya. We have them. We can do it. But the time to do it was when we had momentum and now, what're we gonna - we have more troops going someplace? The possibility of it? We're going to engage people with our military? What're - what - we're going to get involved in another war? What are you, out of your mind? It doesn't make sense. It doesn't make sense.

And here's the other thing that I just want to share with those who think that the workers of the world can unite. What is happening in the world right now is exactly what happened in the 1920s and early 1930s in Europe, and it is the communists, and the socialists, and the Marxists that believe in one global order, and they believe that if the workers will unite - I mean, the people who took out the permit for the unions for the American Dream Act in Washington D.C., they say it clearly on their own website, the International Socialist Organization, that they believe that only the workers uniting will actually cause the revolution to happen.

Well here's where they go wrong. If you look at what's happening in Japan right now and you look at the spike of the yen, that is because people love their country and they are selling their stuff, and they are getting out of gold or whatever it is, and they are buying their own dollar, their yen, and they are going to invest it in their own country. When the whole world melts down, when America begins to fall on real hard times - and I mean, I - I hope I'm discredited on this, but I believe it's coming. And when we fall on real hard times, they will say workers of the world unite, and they will unite all of the workers, but at some point the unions - the union workers will say, wait a minute, how are you going to balance the world, you're giving our jobs to India, or Mexico, or whatever. And people become nationalists, that's what's happening in Japan. There's no - I'm not saying it's communist or anything else, I'm just talking about the yen - they're becoming nationalists. We did it after 9/11. We protect our own countries.

And that's what the Soviet Union, that's where Lenin and Marx and Stalin all went wrong - is they think they can unite the whole world with the workers. But the first step where it starts to go wrong is people start to protect themselves and their own communities that they understand as communities. And the world does not accept this global order, it doesn't, and when things get better in India or jobs go to India instead of here, they will not listen to a socialist saying, "workers of the world, unite" what they will listen to is a national socialist, somebody who says take care of America first, workers, you're already unionized, you're already together right? It's them that is the problem, and they become national socialists, not international socialists. International socialism will not work, and it will turn the world to national socialism, which is the Nazi regime.

I don't know how people don't understand the logic of this, but it is true, and it happens the same way every time, and governments, and they, the, governments, or the people, that the radicals, they use the youth - which is happening, and they also use giant corporations. And they get giant corporations, some of them willingly, and some of them just acquiesce because they say, I'll just get, 'cause they'll let me survive, and I'll be part of the survivors. You do not want to be part of those survivors, because in the end, they do not survive, because they always end the same way, always. Whether it's Mao, Stalin, Hitler, or Mussolini, they always end the same way.

Beck, no one knows what you mean because you're a freak.

One expects insane rants from Beck, but some of the stuff in here, with regards to terrorism and President Obama is disgraceful.

Source: Media Matters for America

Whitlock's Anti-Fab Five Column Proves One Thing ... He Is A Bitter Buffoon

2011-03-17T18:23:00.005-04:00

I've never been much of a fan of controversial columnist Jason Whitlock, who has positioned himself in the national spotlight by taking contrary positions on race ... I believe strictly for the purpose of notoriety.

Whitlock, who shows his narrow-minded prejudice in the very beginning of this column, is back at it with a column taking shots at the Fab Five ESPN documentary (this is not at all unexpected considering his past connections to the Fab Five of Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Ray Jackson, Juwan Howard and Jimmy King, and my comments above).

So, I will lay out some of the points Whitlock has made and make rebuttals.

Whitlock point:

With the help of the Worldwide Leader, Rose took baggy shorts, black socks, bald heads and trash talk and created the illusion the Fab Five were some sort of transcendent, revolutionary freedom fighters cut from the same cloth as Jackie Robinson, Jim Brown, Arthur Ashe and Muhammad Ali.

Rebuttal:

This is a classic case of gross overstatement to set the stage to tear down the product. By insanely invoking Jackie Robinson, Jim Brown, Arthur Ashe and Muhammad Ali, Whitlock reveals himself as more of an irrational buffoon. This is less of a commentary on Jalen Rose (executive producer of Fab Five) and more of a statement about the lack of credibility coming from Jason Whitlock.

Whitlock point:

The legacy of the Fab Five is that they were on the cutting edge of America’s unashamed embrace of style over substance.

When Rose ended the documentary waxing about how no one knows the names of the starters on North Carolina’s 1993 national championship team and everyone remembers Rose, Webber, Howard, King and Jackson, it dawned on me the Fab Five were the original Charlie Sheen.

Let me make this clear: I do not dislike the Fab Five. I made my bones as a journalist covering the Fab Five for the Ann Arbor News.

Rebuttal:

The last part is akin to "I'm not racist ... I have black friends." Whitlock's entire column reveals a dislike for the Fab Five or some aspect of the Fab Five he never truly reveals (either by ignorance or cowardice). By the way, Whitlock never challenges the truth of the point about the naming of the starters.

Whitlock point:

The Fab Five are taking credit for the real accomplishments of John Thompson’s and Patrick Ewing’s Georgetown Hoyas.

It was Thompson’s all-black, Ewing-led teams a decade before the Fab Five that shook the foundation of college basketball, changed the complexion of starting lineups across the country, opened coaching doors that had previously been closed to blacks and paved the way for black sportswriters at major newspapers.

It’s easy to forgive Rose for his lack of self-awareness. It’s America. In this country, self-awareness and common sense are our most rare commodities.

Rebuttal:

Whitlock thinks it's all about race. It's not all about race, Jason. This was as much about culture, hip-hop, rap music, etc. It's not all about race, Whitlock. It's not easy to forgive Jason for his lack of self-awareness. It seems that Whitlock is stuck on the race aspect of it and misses the point of the influence the Fab Five had ... stunning considering he was actually there, supposedly.

Whitlock point:

Five super-talented black kids enrolled at a prestigious, white university to play for an inexperienced, piss-poor-at-the-time white coach and, 20 years later, had the audacity to embark on a media tour preaching about black Duke players being Uncle Toms.

Are you kidding me?

Are we really this lost as a people?

Let’s end the facade that Rose’s words about the Duke players are being taken out of context.

Rebuttal:

Here's Whitlock playing the so-called race card. He takes a shot at Steve Fisher who took the Fab Five to two Final Fours and won a national championship. All that and the guy was a "piss-poor-at-the-time white coach. Sounds racist, huh? I guess I will have to watch the documentary again because I thought the Uncle Tom thing (not that I condone it) was in reference to how they perceived Duke when they were college freshmen.

Whitlock point:

The Fab Five clearly believe Coach K and Duke didn’t and don’t recruit inner-city black kids, and they believe race/racism/elitism are the driving forces behind the philosophy.

Rebuttal:

I believe this is a micharacterization of what the Fab Five guys were talking about in the documentary. It wasn't about race or racism ... maybe elitism. I think it was more about classism and trying to project a certain kind of image that appealed to the kind of audience that likes Duke ... an elitist largely white audience (truth be told). People felt this way when the Blue Devils played against UNLV.

Whitlock point:

During the three-year run of the Fab Five (one season without Webber), Duke beat Michigan all four times the schools met while winning two ACC titles and one NCAA title. During the same span, Michigan won zero conference or national titles. In addition, Webber’s interactions with booster Ed Martin put the program on probation and caused Michigan to forfeit all its games.

Rebuttal:

True, but Duke should have beaten the Fab Five. Duke had more experienced teams with about as much talent. The Fab Five were freshmen and sophomores. The Webber-Ed Martin thing is well-documented for the harm it caused Michigan and Webber.

Whitlock point:

Coach K probably thought the same thing I thought watching the Fab Five play: They’re immature, arrogant, interested in playing for a coach they could ignore and incapable of putting together the consistent focus and effort necessary to win a conference championship.

Two teams consistently beat the Fab Five — Duke (4-0) and Indiana (4-2).

Let me translate that for you: Structured, disciplined, well-coached teams beat Michigan.

Rebuttal:

If Coach K thought that then he was an idiot like you. He would have been disrespectful of how good Ohio State and Indiana were at the time. He also would have been too ignorant to realize how amazing it was for five freshman to accomplish what these guys accomplished. Two teams consistently beat Michigan, Whitlock writes. He cites structure, discipline and coaching. What this moron doesn't cite is experience. Is that an accident? If it is then he is a complete tool. If not then he is corrupt as a journalist.

Whitlock point:

While making money for their white university and allowing their incompetent, white coach to learn on the job, the Fab Five were not man enough to harness the courage and focus to outduel — in their minds — inferior, racist teams.

Rebuttal:

Steve Fisher was a lot of things, but he has proven over the long haul that he is a pretty damn good coach. His accomplishments stack up nicely against a lot of other coaches. Is Whitlock to stupid to realize that these guys were freshmen and sophomores? This last comment from Whitlock shows how much of an idiot he is as a writer and analyst.

Greater Respect For Christian Laettner

2011-03-16T22:03:00.007-04:00

While my level of respect for Bobby Hurley plummeted (after his weak comments challenging the words of the University of Michigan players following the airing of the Fab Five documentary on ESPN), my respect level for Christian Laettner increased tremendously.

While I didn't always like Laettner as a player for Duke University (admit it ... unless you were a diehard Blue Devil you hated Laettner in college), I did come to like him much more as a professional player. Full disclosure: I respected the hell out of his game as a college player though. He earned all of the accolades he got in college (although some question his spot on the 1992 Dream Team over Shaquille O'Neal).

While Hurley whined and tried to act like Jalen Rose and the Michigan guys could not have played for Duke or would not have played much for Duke, Laettner took the high road and seemed to understand the greater context and bigger picture of what was being said in the documentary (either that or he figured it was not worth being a Scottie Pippen).

Here is some of what Laettner had to say from the Bay City Times (Mich.):

Referred to by members of the Fab Five as "soft, overrated, pretty boy" — and far worse — Laettner said he found it all "kind of funny."
“When you’re competing against people, trying to cut their heads off and beat them, you can’t expect them to love you — or even like you," Laettner said. "All you can ask is they respect you after the game and say the game was decided fair and square.
“Jalen Rose has always been a good guy to me. Chris Webber has always been a good to me... But I don’t expect them to love me. I can’t even get Grant Hill to love me all the time.”
Laettner and the Blue Devils defeated Michigan during the regular season and again in the national championship game when the Fab Five were in their freshman year in 1992.
In the Fab Five documentary, former Michigan center Juwan Howard said "Duke was America's team and Christian Laettner was like God. And I did not like him."

Laettner took the high road and realized that, in the end, it was all about respect and the comments were more about initial impressions and honesty. In the end, Laettner and Duke earned the respect, victories and championships.

Laettner earned more respect. Too bad Hurley stopped learning when he left Duke.

No Respect For Bobby Hurley At All

2011-03-16T19:55:00.004-04:00

I can totally understand former Duke University guard Bobby Hurley have his feelings hurt and ego bruised a bit by some strong words uttered by members of the University of Michigan's Fab Five during the highly-publicized documentary that aired on ESPN.

But, Hurley obviously has his panties in a bunch (and he has virtually no true basketball cred) if these words attributed to him have even a shred of truth to them.

In fact, Hurley lost major stripes for these comments:

On the Dan Patrick Radio Show on March 14, former Duke guard Bobby Hurley had strong words for "Fab Five" ringleader Jalen Rose.

Rose had been critical of Duke while promoting his ESPN documentary "The Fab Five."

"Jalen, on the other hand, I can understand why we didn't recruit him. He might have had a hard time hitting the floor, because he wouldn’t have taken my spot," Hurley said to Patrick.

Hurley, come on, now. Duke not recruiting Jalen Rose had nothing to do with whether or not he could have taken your spot. Besides, Jalen can play three spots on the floor. Hurley's little ass could only play one. Duke recruited Cherokee Parks and Christian Laettner was ahead of him.

Hurley knows why Duke didn't recruit Jalen Rose and it has nothing to do with talent. It's clear that Rose's comments struck a nerve. Go back and look at the Duke roster and the guys who played and ask yourself if Jalen Rose could have played. Hurley has no credibility on the topic and looks like a bitter guy ducking the truth on a sensitive racial topic that is a tough one for him to handle considering he wants to also defend his legacy.

Lets be honest, Duke didn't have too many (have they had any?) brothas from the hood.

Scottie Pippen = Bitchassness

2011-03-16T19:34:00.005-04:00

To all my friends from Chicago or fans of Scottie Pippen ... turn away right now.

Quite frankly, I've never been much of a fan of former National Basketball Association player ... ho ass Scottie Pippen.

Yeah, he was a pretty good basketball player and he enjoyed a lot of success ... riding the coattails of Michael Jordan's greatness.

Pippen was one of those guys who always talked big game, but did so on the strength of success he achieved thanks largely to Jordan's greatness.

This all brings me to some current bitchassness coming from Pippen who, 20 years later, is still hating on the Detroit Pistons.

In the truest sense of what it means to be a hater, Scottie just can't let it go ... two decades after Jordan (you too Scottie) finally beat Detroit and ultimately started a string of NBA championship success.

Here is some of the bullshit Scottie had to say recently about the Pistons:

‘‘The Pistons were a nasty team,’’ he said. ‘‘You always had to expect them to play dirty because, remember, they were the Bad Boys of Motown. They’d go out of their way to be mean and try to hurt you. And because we had better athletes, coach Chuck Daly just let them play the way they had to play to win.

"Bill Laimbeer was no real athlete. The same for Rick Mahorn and Joe Dumars and James Edwards. We were faster, quicker, more competitive and smarter."

So, Scottie (who was known to take his shots at people ... see right) ... if you were so much smarter, quicker and faster ... how did the Pistons keep getting to the NBA Finals, win two championships and keep beating that ass all those times?

You couldn't have been that much quicker, faster, smarter and more competitive if you couldn't beat them. You should have been killing them if that was really the case.

Secondly, how can you take a shot like that at Joe Dumars, who is about the most sportsman-like guy in all of sports?

Dumars discarded more class the last time he clipped his toenails than Scottie Pippen ever had as a basketball player.

Greg Gutfeld Is A Tool In The Fox News Toolbox

2011-03-14T19:27:00.000-04:00

Checking out this little nugget from Media Matters for America reminds me of just how much of a tool Greg Gutfeld is and just how much he must feel at home in the toolbox known as Fox News.

Red Eye's Gutfeld Calls Women's History Month One Of Obama's "Childish Distractions." From Fox News' Red Eye:

GREG GUTFELD: While the world wrestles with sadness he finds joy in March Madness. So on Tuesday President Obama taped a segment for ESPN, announcing his picks for the NCAA, or n-ca tournament. With uprisings in the Mideast and catastrophe in Japan and critics say his priorities are screwy. But there is more, there's more-ers.

On Saturday Obama hade his 873rd outing to the golf course as president. On Friday he took time out to honor last year's Stanley cup's champion. He then celebrated Women's History Month on his radio show, and then, of course, he built the giant sandcastle. And then there was the ice sculpture he built for the Delaware beach ice sculpture contest. Check it out. And then on Monday he participated in a hot dog eating contest. I guess he is in the back there. He won handily.

Yeah, you can say it has been a busy week for Captain Perfect. I didn't even mention the bear wrestling, but I guess I just did. So should Obama leave behind these childish distractions as one blogger put it? Or is Commander Awesome allowed to have a life when there is so much strife? [Fox News, Red Eye, 3/16/11]

Only a moron like Gutfeld would refer to Women's History Month as a "distraction."

Rush Limbaugh Says He Will Not Be Intimidated, But ...

2011-03-10T18:24:00.003-05:00

This has to be something of a Freudian slip coming from Rush Limbaugh (or so I thought as I read the headline on Media Matters for America):

Limbaugh: Jesse Jackson, Michael Moore "Better Remember ... Their Fire Hoses Not Gonna Intimidate Us"

It's not good when I hear Limbaugh talking about the hoses of Jesse Jackson and Michael Moore, but maybe he is interested in what they're shooting.

Bill O'Reilly's Version Of Black History Is Predictably Ignorant

2011-03-09T18:12:00.003-05:00

Bill O'Reilly's arrogance and ignorance know no bounds.

The right-wing Fox News host was at his head-scratching worst with comments he made during this ridiculous exchange with Charles Krauthammer (a fellow right-winger who was forced to call out the Fox News show host for his stunning ignorance).

This from Crooks and Liars (along with the video):

Krauthammer: It's not a strong field. Not being known now is not dispositive -- nobody had ever heard of Barack Obama at this time in the cycle.

O'Reilly; That's what they always said, but let me challenge you. Barack Obama, a black man. OK, I mean he's half black and half white, but his appearance is black. The first black to ever run, OK? Huge, huge advantage in a campaign. Enormous. The press loved him. LOVED HIM, alright? Promoted him, actively promoted him. NBC News actively promoted his candidacy and so did their parent company General Electric. HUGE advantages Nobody on that list has anything.

Krauthammer: All of that is true, although Jesse Jackson actually was the first who ran.

I could go way back in history and point out all of the black men and women who have run for president, but O'Reilly's ignorance ignores even the last 30 years. Jesse Jackson running in 1984 and 1988 is so obvious it makes O'Reilly look appear ignorant on a scape to epic to believe.

Enough of that, however.

Lets get to another point in O'Reilly's puzzling rant: His implication that Barack Obama was essentially elected president because he was black and he was loved by the media. This is an insult to Barack Obama and implies that Obama is some kind of affirmative action candidate elected president just because he is black.

Even Krauthammer later gave Obama credit for running a good campaign even as O'Reilly tried to portray the president as an affirmative action candidate.

Wikipedia:

In 1888 Frederick Douglass was invited to speak at the Republican National Convention. Afterward during the roll call vote, he received one vote, so was nominally a candidate for the presidency. In those years, the candidates for the presidency and vice-presidency were chosen by state representatives voting at the nominating convention. Many decisions were made by negotiations of state and party leaders "behind closed doors." Douglass was not a serious candidate in contemporary terms.

In 1972, Shirley Chisholm was the first African-American major party candidate for president. She was a candidate for the Democratic Party nomination and participated in the Democratic primaries in numerous states.[1] She campaigned in 12 states and won 28 delegates.[2] In 1984 and 1988, Jesse Jackson was the first major party black candidate to run nationwide primary campaigns. He also ran as a Democratic Party candidate.[3]

In 1992 Alan Keyes was the first African-American candidate to run in the Republican presidential primaries.[citation needed] Keyes ran again, unsuccessfully, in 1996, 2000, and 2008. In 2004, Carol Moseley Braun and Al Sharpton ran as unsuccessful candidates in the Democratic primaries.

O'Reilly's comment was absolutely pathetic.

Fox News Commentator Megyn Kelly Pwned by Anthony Weiner

2011-03-06T19:40:00.002-05:00

Mike Huckabee Proves He Really Is No Different Than A Glenn Beck When It Comes To Use Race To Incite Anti-Obama Hate

2011-03-05T20:33:00.004-05:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

This is an excellent discussion on MSNBC that gets to the roots of the racially charged comments being spewed by Mike Huckabee.

This shows a darker and more sinister side to Mike Huckabee than I ever thought existed. This is incredibly disappointing. I always knew he was a far-right guy, but this is a sad turn of events that exposes him as someone who is willing to use race to stir up his far-right base.

Mike Huckabee is now clearly in the category of an Andrew Breitbart and a Glenn Beck (maybe not to that extreme, but certainly comfortable on that wing of the political spectrum).

The Term 'Obamacare'

2011-03-05T17:32:00.003-05:00

Pay close attention to people in the media who use the term "Obamacare" when they talk about health care reform.

This, generally speaking, is the tip off of right-wing bias. The right wingers (check out Fox News pretty much any time there is a discussion on health care reform) use this term as their way of trying to damage the effort by tagging the president's name to it.

Those in the mainstream media (and outside of the mainstream media and to the far right as is the case with Fox News) use it quite often.

"Obamacare" usage is a sign of their bias.

African American Expert Mike Huckabee Lectures Barack Obama On Race Relations

2011-02-28T18:56:00.005-05:00

Mike Huckabee

Mike Huckabee, a Fox News employee (who also benefits from the position of the network as a public relations machine for the GOP), has the nerve to lecture President Barack Obama on how his actions are impacting black people.

You talk about a man with a lot of nerve.

This is from News Hounds:

I don’t know what 2012 presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee thought he was accomplishing yesterday (2/27/11) when he said on Fox News Sunday that President Obama had “alienated the African American community” with his recent decision to stop defending the Defense of Marriage Act. If Huckabee thought he was reaching out to those supposedly disaffected African Americans, I suspect his effort backfired. The truth is, as Huckabee must know, Obama enjoys nearly 90% support from African Americans. Something tells me a little disagreement over DOMA isn’t going to change that. If anything, Huckabee’s remarks showed how ignorant he is, both of the African American community and DOMA.

Huckabee is absolutely amazing in how he can sit there in the lap of political comfort at Fox News and lecture President Obama on how his actions impact black people.

As News Hounds correctly points out, it will take a lot more than this (and a GOP candidate pool that seems to consist of the likes of Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, Huckabee and Sarah Palin).

If you read the News Hounds story you can see how much Mike Huckabee has lost his political mind and how out of touch he is with people of color.

Chris Matthews Says What Many Have Been Saying All Along About Attacks On Obama Family ... It's Race

2011-02-23T21:23:00.006-05:00

The attacks coming from the lights of right-wing bomb throwers like Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck are racially-tinged if not outright racially motivated.

MSNBC's Chris Matthews came right out and said it during this clip available on the Media Matters for America website.

I think Matthews' point has a lot of merit. While I do not necessarily agree with Matthews on all of his opinions, I think he is spot on when he talks about the race factor in the attacks on the Obama family coming from right-wing extremists like Limbaugh and Beck.

The right-wing guest pathetically tried to play the "everyone-is-doing-it card" and it ended up as an epic fail when it crumbled against Matthews' calls for examples.

Matthews is correct when he notes that Beck and Limbaugh do this because their audience craves these kinds of attacks. Many admirers of Beck and Limbaugh (some quietly) chuckle and laugh at such attacks ... even people who may otherwise smile to your face and act as champions of diversity and inclusion.

Media Matters for America:
http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/201102230048

Sample some recent Limbaugh attacks on the Obamas:
http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/201102230030
http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/201102210011

Here is one from Beck attacking the Obamas' 11-year-old daughter:
http://mediamatters.org/blog/201005280025

The Credibility Of Howard Kurtz Continues To Crumble

2011-02-21T18:39:00.003-05:00

Howard Kurtz, who hosts the CNN show Reliable Sources (I continue to question the appropriate nature of that title some of the time), makes you scratch your head some Sundays in disbelief.

Frequently, Kurtz engages in what I will call phony impartiality. As part of this phony effort, Kurtz frequently covers for the bias of Fox News by ridiculously trying to portray MSNBC as the sort of liberal equivalent.

It is a weak equivalency that fails on so many levels. The reporting of MSNBC is not biased (which is more than can be said for Fox News). Fox News is biased nearly 24/7. MSNBC has a liberal prime-time lineup, but it also provides a substantial platform in the morning to Joe Scarborough, who clearly is a conservative. Fox News offers no comparable platform to any commentator who is even close to a liberal (or, for that matter, one who is even a moderate).

This video is laughable as the two talking heads pat each other on the back with their ridiculous comments about MSNBC being this liberal network (something that is false).

The sad thing is that Kurtz is showing his own bias on a show that is supposed to be about, in theory, holding the media accountable.

Who holds Howard Kurtz accountable for his baseless comment?

Here Is The Case Of Shawna Forde That Is Getting Virtually No Attention In The Media

2011-02-15T21:42:00.002-05:00

Hmm ... I wonder why this case is getting no attention?

Ohio State Player Says He Was Spit On ... Wisconsin Coach Doesn't Care ... Just Glad He Won

2011-02-15T20:53:00.004-05:00

Ohio State University basketball player Jared Sullinger says he was spit on by a fan or fans after the University of Wisconsin team won its basketball game in Madison, Wis.

Sullinger tweeted about the incident and it has been in the media.

Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan could have cared less. He was still wrapped up in his team's victory. Absence of any damning evidence, his message to Sullinger, a student-athlete, was simple: sorry if you were spit on, but there's no evidence and we won.

Check out the quotes from Ryan (his uncaring reaction doesn't surprise me in the least knowing his reputation) ... keeping it classy.

He says it was a great day for his students. Apparently that includes allegedly spitting on another student from an opposing school. In Ryan's eyes, it is OK because there's no evidence.

The full story: http://msn.foxsports.com/collegebasketball/story/Ohio-State-Buckeyes-Jared-Sullinger-Wisconsin-spitting-incident-021311

Andrew Breitbart Presents ... Another Hateful Attack On Michelle Obama

2011-02-15T18:21:00.005-05:00

Nothing so angry and hateful, that comes from a "man" like right-wing bigot Andrew Breitbart, should ever really surprise any of us.

His websites, in this case Big Government, are home to some of the worst and most hateful trash trash talk imaginable.

Breitbart, and people affiliated with him, seem to enjoy taking shots at black women ... ask Shirley Sherrod.

This cartoon, hatefully attacking Michelle Obama as being fat and portraying her as the angry black woman, is yet another example:

Take note of the angry response the cartoon uses from Michelle Obama at the end. That is not an accident. It is done to portray her as the angry black woman.

Check out the way Media Matters describes the cartoon and see a better version of the cartoon there: http://mediamatters.org/blog/201102140015

Interesting Case Of Racial Allegations Coming Out Of Cleveland Against Basketball Coach

2011-02-13T10:37:00.005-05:00

This is a case I found kind of interesting as a white basketball coach is being accused of using racial slurs against black basketball players.

The team is undefeated, 15-0, and these charges have thrown the Cleveland area community into the spotlight in the wrong way.

Here is a portion of the story from the television station website:

RICHMOND HEIGHTS — Racial tensions between a coach and his players have an undefeated high school basketball team threatening to boycott the rest of the season.

The Richmond Heights basketball team is 15-and-0, but the team planned to sit out Tuesday night's game, unless their coach was fired.

Monday, parents sent the school superintendent a letter, claiming he uses racist and degrading comments.

"Everybody in this room are responsible for these children, it's time to stop," said parent Nneka Slade Jackson, during a heated school board meeting Monday night.

"They been dealing with this for months (years), this ain't something that just started yesterday," said parent Alvin Fulton.

The parents are demanding the superintendent, Dr. Linda Hardwick, remove high school varsity basketball coach Jason Popp, alleging he uses inappropriate language, as well as racist comments towards his players.

Here is the full version of the story: http://newsone.com/entertainment/sports-entertainment/casey-gane-mccalla/team-may-boycott-hs-basketball-coach-jason-popp-for-racist-comments/

Due diligence must be taken to investigate the very serious allegations, but if true then the words of this coach would be very disturbing for a person entrusted to lead a group of young men.

Strong Comments From Lawrence O'Donnell Regarding NRA's Wayne LaPierre

2011-02-12T15:02:00.001-05:00

The Ed Show Points Out Fox News Bias

2011-02-10T18:17:00.003-05:00

Here is a sample of some right-wing Fox News bias as described on MSNBC. The attacks on President Obama are, indeed, only beginning.

The noise coming from Fox News, and the attacks, only will intensify as the election of 2012 creeps closer and closer.

The mission of Fox News is clear: tear down Barack Obama at all costs.

The Faces Of Hatred As Hosted By Fox News

2011-02-07T23:24:00.003-05:00

This focus group conducted by Fox News is a chilling reminder of the hatred that President Barack Obama faces in many areas of this country ... not just in this portion of Iowa.

Look at some of the faces and listen to some of the answers ... you can see and hear the hatred of Barack Obama. It borders on being politically chilling.

One would expect Sean Hannity to be the puppet master behind something so hate driven and directed at President Obama.

Media Matters for America:
http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/201102070061

Color of Change Takes On For-Profit High Education Programs

2011-02-02T17:44:00.000-05:00

It's a dangerous situation so many people find themselves trapped in as you will see described below by Color of Change:

Hundreds of thousands of people go into debt every year enrolling in for-profit higher education programs like DeVry and Argosy — sold on the idea that they’ll graduate with skills that will lead to opportunity and a better life. In reality, many come out with a mountain of debt they can’t pay back and no better prospects at employment.¹

Thankfully, the Obama administration is trying to rein in this industry, which preys on low-income Americans. Their plan is to stop federal financial aid from going to higher ed programs that don't actually help students get jobs and pay off their debt.² Not surprisingly, the industry is fighting back hard, despite its atrocious record: their students make up 10% of those in higher ed but 40% of students who stop making payments on their loans.³

The Department of Education will make a decision soon on how to regulate this industry — and they’re under huge pressure from industry lobbyists. Please join us in calling on Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Congress to stand strong and protect low-income students. It only takes a moment:

http://act.colorofchange.org/sign/studentdebt

Taking time away from work to get a traditional college education can feel like an impossible proposition for many Americans, and for-profit colleges seem like a quick, flexible way to get ahead. They promise low-income folks the job training it takes to escape poverty.

There’s a catch with these so-called career education programs. Recruiters say the certificates they offer will prepare students for good jobs if they’ll take on huge student loans to enroll. But the schools often leave people deep in debt and with credentials that employers don’t take seriously.⁴ Students think they’re doing what it takes to escape minimum wage jobs. They’re actually getting deeper into financial trouble.

It’s an issue that disproportionately affects cash-strapped Black folks who work long hours and for whom higher education at public universities or private, non-profit colleges feels impossible. A quarter of Black Americans with associate degrees get them from for-profit colleges, and 40% of these schools’ alumni are people of color.⁵

When Black folks decide to pursue post-secondary schooling, we’re often the first in our families to do so. And we typically have to navigate a complex process on our own and with limited information. For-profit colleges have been caught preying on this fact — misleading students, using deceptive practices, and even encouraging applicants to enter false information on their financial aid forms.⁶ Statistics show that people who enroll at for-profit schools are much less able to manage their debt than those who go to non-profit schools.⁷

The Obama administration’s proposed “gainful employment” rule would make sure that students who use federal financial aid to pay for school are able to get jobs after graduating that will allow them to repay their debt. In practice, it would force many for-profit institutions to either lower their tuition or improve their programs. But industry lobbyists are trying to kill the Obama administration’s proposed rule. They argue that for-profit colleges will be unfairly targeted by the regulation — a position that doesn’t hold water. The truth is that certificate programs at both for- and non-profit colleges will be subject to the rule.⁸

Some legislators, including several members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) who you'd expect to be protecting the interests of low-income Black folks, are backing up the industry’s claims.⁹ They put forth a blame-the-victim argument that says the problem isn’t the programs, its students’ impoverished backgrounds and inability to manage their finances. It’s infuriating, and thankfully that logic is being called out by CBC members Reps. Gwen Moore (D-WI) and Maxine Waters (D-CA) and civil rights organizations including the NAACP, Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the United Negro College Fund, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, LULAC, National Council of La Raza and United States Hispanic Leadership Institute.¹⁰

You can help, too — with your voice. Can you take a moment to call on the Obama administration and Congress to resist industry pressures and regulate higher education programs that don’t serve our communities? After you do, please ask your friends and family to do the same:

http://act.colorofchange.org/sign/studentdebt/

Thanks and Peace,

-- James, Gabriel, William, Dani, Natasha, and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team
January 27th, 2011

References:

1. “Student Loan Default Rates Increase,” U.S. Department of Education press release, 9-13-10
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/686?akid=1871.868165.IasvPT&t=7

2. Fact sheet, Coalition to Protect Students and Taxpayers
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/687?akid=1871.868165.IasvPT&t=9

3. See reference 2.

4. “The Newest College Credential,” The New York Times, 1-7-11
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/688?akid=1871.868165.IasvPT&t=11

5. “Minority Leaders Oppose “Gainful Employment” Rules for For-profit Colleges,” Diverse Issues in Higher Education, 9-20-10 (NB: Rainbow PUSH has reversed its position and now supports the DOE’s proposed rule)
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/689?akid=1871.868165.IasvPT&t=13

6. “For-profit colleges fight negative federal report,” Chicago Tribune, 1-10-11
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/690?akid=1871.868165.IasvPT&t=15

7. See reference 2.

8. Q&A on Gainful Employment, Coalition to Protect Students and Taxpayers
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/691?akid=1871.868165.IasvPT&t=17

9. “For-Profit Schools Donate to Lawmakers Opposing New Financial Aid Rules,” ProPublica, 9-17-10
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/692?akid=1871.868165.IasvPT&t=19

10. Comments in support of rules, Coalition to Protect Students and Taxpayers
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/693?akid=1871.868165.IasvPT&t=21

Additional resources:

“For-Profit Schools File Lawsuit to Stave Off Regulations,” ColorLines, 1-24-11
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/694?akid=1871.868165.IasvPT&t=23

“For-profit colleges spend big on lobbying,” Bloomberg News, 12-24-10
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/695?akid=1871.868165.IasvPT&t=25

O'Reilly Suggests President Obama Tried To Make Boehner Cry ... Aw

2011-01-31T18:37:00.000-05:00

I must admit to being among those who are wondering what is going on with new Speaker of the House John Boehner's habitual crying.

But, I did find this passage (as quoted by The Huffington Post) a little interesting:

Bill O'Reilly expressed concern about Speaker of the House John Boehner's emotional stability on his Friday show, and said that international leaders were "laughing" at him and calling him a "sissy."

O'Reilly was speaking to Fox News colleague Chris Wallace, who will interview Boehner on Sunday. "He's got to get his emotions under control," O'Reilly said. He posited that President Obama may have been trying to make Boehner cry during the State of the Union address. He then compared him to two American icons.

"You've got your George Pattons, you've got your George Washingtons--stoic, tough," O'Reilly said. "A lot of Americans, you know, well if the guy's crying every two minutes, does that mean he's strong, does that impact on his credibility?"

So, O'Reilly thinks the president was attempting to make Boehner cry?

If President Obama can make John Boehner do anything then crying is the least of the things he should be trying to make him do.

Although it does remind me of...

"... these aren't the droids you're looking for."

Kelley Williams-Bolar Case A Disturbing One That Color Of Change Is Following

2011-01-30T21:29:00.006-05:00

Here is a letter from ColorofChange:

Kelley Williams-Bolar wanted to give her children a better life by sending them to school in the nearby majority-White school district where her father lives — and she went to jail for it. Now, as a convicted felon, helping her children will be even harder — she had been studying to become a teacher, but that dream may have ended as well.

Real justice requires that the punishment fit the crime; by any measure, this is cruelly unjust.

Please join us calling on Governor Kasich to take a public stand and do everything he can to right this injustice (including making sure that Williams-Bolar has the opportunity to become a teacher in Ohio). And please ask your friends and family to add their voices as well — it takes just a moment:

http://act.colorofchange.org/sign/ohioschools

Kelley Williams-Bolar is a single mother of two daughters, and she is a teacher’s aide in Akron city schools who has been studying to become a teacher. According to Williams-Bolar, after their home in a housing project was burglarized, she decided to protect her daughters’ safety by sending them to school in neighboring Copley Township, where her father lives.¹

Williams-Bolar claims that she maintained a part-time residence at her father’s home, but the school district didn’t see it that way. Neither did County Prosecutor Sherri Walsh, who charged Williams-Bolar with grand theft and falsifying records — a third-degree felony. The judge presiding over the case recognized the harshness of the felony charge and encouraged Prosecutor Walsh to offer a plea bargain for a lighter charge — but Walsh flatly refused.²

Williams-Bolar was convicted on the felony charge, and sentenced to 5 years in prison. The judge suspended all but 10 days of the jail time, instead ordering 2 years of probation and 80 hours of community service. She’s out of jail now, but the repercussions could last a lifetime: unless the felony is eliminated from her record, Williams-Bolar may be unable to earn her teaching certificate under Ohio law. Williams-Bolar is only a few classes away from earning her teaching certificate.³

Any parent could understand why Kelley Williams-Bolar did what she did to try to give her children access to opportunity. It’s tragic that families around America must make choices like this every day in order to ensure their kids are safe and well-educated. And it’s tragic that this family’s opportunity to succeed stands to be limited because a single mom chose to put her kids first.

With just a moment of your time, you can make clear to Governor John Kasich that you expect him to lead in ensuring real justice that’s proportional to the facts of the case. By speaking out, you’re not just standing with Williams-Bolar — you’re standing with every parent who doesn’t have access to great schools, and who must make difficult choices.

Please join our call for justice for Kelley Williams-Bolar. And when you do, please ask your friends and family to do the same.

Thanks and Peace,

-- James, Gabriel, William, Dani, Natasha and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team
January 28th, 2011

References:

1. "Ohio Mom Kelley Williams-Bolar Jailed for Sending Kids to Better School District," ABC News, 1-26-2011
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/703?akid=1876.868165.A8JX3O&t=7

2. "Kelley Williams-Bolar leaves jail but public outcry escalates," The Beacon Journal, 1-26-2011
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/704?akid=1876.868165.A8JX3O&t=9

3. See Reference 1

Prince Discusses Fox News Credibility In Journal-isms Column

2011-01-25T17:16:00.000-05:00

The credibility of Fox News has generally been in question, but has gone in the toilet since the election of Barack Obama as president of the United States.

Since the election of President Obama, Fox News seemingly has gone "all in" as far as its support for conservative causes and Republican/Tea Party candidates.

This is reflected, to some extent, in a column entry written by Richard Prince (you may have to scroll down a bit):

"PPP's annual look at the public's trust in various TV news outlets finds that Fox News' credibility is on the decline, that the traditional networks are seeing an up tick in their numbers, and that PBS is at the top of the heap," the group Public Policy Polling reported Wednesday.

"A year ago a plurality of Americans said they trusted Fox News. Now a plurality of them don't. Conservatives haven't moved all that much — 75% said they trusted it last year and 72% still do this time around.

"But moderates and liberals have both had a strong increase in their level of distrust for the network — a 12 point gain from 48% to 60% for moderates and a 16 point gain from 66% to 82% for liberals. Voters between left and center tend to be more trusting of the media across the board, which is why a fair number of them were still rating Fox favorably even a year ago at this time. But it looks like with a lot of those folks it has finally crossed the line to being too political to trust."

Fox News has become largely untrustworthy. Conservatives find the trust as Fox News validates the right-wing opinions of Republicans/Tea Party folks.

Cantor Bows To Extremists In Refusal To Stand Strong Against Birthers On NBC's 'Meet The Press'

2011-01-23T12:37:00.001-05:00

I watched a video clip of Republican House majority leader Eric Cantor being interviewed on NBC's "Meet the Press" and thought he was largely evasive in his willingness to take on the birthers on his side of the political mainstream.

Sure, he laughed them off, but seemed unwilling to strongly denounce the crazy talk.

From Huffington Post:

The new Republican House majority leader says he doesn't think questions about President Barack Obama's citizenship should play a role in the discussion of policy matters.
Two years into the Obama administration, so-called birthers continue to argue that Obama isn't a natural-born citizen and that he hasn't proved he's constitutionally qualified to be president. Birth records in Hawaii haven't dissuaded them.

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor says he believes Obama is a citizen and that most Americans are beyond that question.

Appearing Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press," Cantor refused to call people who question Obama's citizenship "crazy," saying it's not nice to call anyone crazy.

This article makes it seem as though he was strongly against the birtherism on his side, but I thought he dodged the issue at times and hardly came across as a strong leader against such uncivil talk.

It may not be nice to call people crazy, but it's also not nice to call people socialist, communist, accuse them of wanting to kill grandma, accuse them of wanting to take over the government, etc.

Cantor had an opportunity to prove himself as a strong leader and instead bowed to the extremists on his wing.

Santorum Uses Fox News To Try And Bounce Back From Ridiculous Abortion/Obama/Race Comments

2011-01-23T12:30:00.003-05:00

When conservatives make controversial racial comments they turn to Fox News for comfort and to attempt to clarify.

This is precisely what Rick Santorum did when he was welcomed by Greta Van Susteren.

Not even a nice try from a clueless extremist (Santorum) who doesn't get it.

Fox News:
http://nation.foxnews.com/abortion/2011/01/21/santorum-no-apologies-comments-obama-abortion-race

Santorum Makes Racially-Charged Attack On President Obama

2011-01-23T12:22:00.002-05:00

Here are some highly controversial comments being made by former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, a Republican who is being billed as a potential 2012 presidential contender, as quoted by The Huffington Post. Now, for a man like Santorum, this really is nothing new and is rather old hat in many respects.

Santorum, like many on the far right, are obsessed with controlling what women do relative to the issue of abortion, but this time he brought in President Obama and the issue of race:

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum (R), a potential 2012 presidential contender, is attempting to trudge out of the mess that he waded into Wednesday when he seemed to suggest that it was objectionable for Obama to be pro-choice because he was black.

That is certainly a paragraph that is going to grab some attention and for rather obvious reasons. Now back to The Huffington Post story:

Here is Santorum's original comment concerning his own pro-life views and why he disputes the president's belief that women should have a right to choose.

"The question is, and this is what Barack Obama didn't want to answer -- is that human life a person under the constitution?" he said. "And Barack Obama says no. Well if that human life is not a person then I find it almost remarkable for a black man to say 'now we are going to decide who are people and who are not people.'"

Does Santorum find it remarkable that he is trying to control a woman and tell her what she can and can not do with her own body? So, now that Santorum is attempting to put himself in the shoes of a black man, perhaps he should consider this thought: Might it be uncomfortable (following Rick Santorum's "logic") for a black man to want to be in the position of trying to control another person and force another person do to something against his/her will (such as abortion)?

How can he sit in judgment of a woman and make decisions for her?

You can read the full context of what Santorum said, here.

Fox News Leads Cheers Of Fascism, Socialism In Launching Attacks

2011-01-16T17:27:00.003-05:00

Socialism, fascism seemingly merely is a part of how Fox News does business when attacking Democrats, in general, and President Obama, in specific.

More Proof She Just Doesn't Get It

2011-01-12T22:16:00.002-05:00

Sarah Palin simply doesn't get it.

Powerful Words From Keith Olbermann

2011-01-09T19:31:00.002-05:00

This is strong stuff in an increasingly toxic environment in our country.

Charles Barkley Puts The Verbal Smackdown On Tucker Carlson

2011-01-08T01:37:00.004-05:00

This is how the website Crooks and Liars described Charles Barkley's words directed at Tucker Carlson who had harsh comments directed at Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick (before he slightly walked back from those harsh words).

"There's some idiot on another station named Tucker Carlson, who called out Michael Vick," Barkley said during halftime of a game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Dallas Mavericks.

"Number one, Michael Vick, we're all pulling for you, man. Keep doing your thing, you paid your debt to society, good luck to y'all in the playoffs."

"Tucker Carlson, who's a nobody, he used to work for us over here, we fired him, because he sucked. Now he goes over there ... He said Michael Vick should be executed, which is total B.S.," he continued.

"TV is a very powerful thing, but you just can't get on here and say anything. He should have never said that. Michael Vick paid his debt to society and we're all pulling for him," Barkley added.

Here is the entire entry from Crooks and Liars:
http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/david/charles-barkley-tucker-carlson-idiot

Celebrating Diversity During The Holidays

2011-01-05T17:20:00.002-05:00

Expect Diversity (Holiday) from FerrisState TV on Vimeo.

In this episode of Expect Diversity, show host David Pilgrim sits down with Scott Cohen, director of Instrumental Concert Ensembles; Michael Wade, assistant director of the Office of Multicultural Student Services; and Jonna Toivanen, an international student from Finland, to discuss some of the different religious traditions around the globe.

To commemorate the holiday season, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Christmas are all topics of discussion on this episode of Expect Diversity.

Hopefully everyone had a happy holiday season.

ESPN Commentator's Reported Firing A Reminder You Don't Always Know Who You Think You Know

2011-01-04T22:20:00.006-05:00

Ron Franklin

From deep in the files of WTF ...

Ron Franklin, for years, has been an announcer I've enjoyed listening to for football and basketball games on ESPN.

Of course, there are times you see or hear a different side of a cat, and such is the case with Franklin.

From Huffington Post:

ESPN reportedly fired announcer Ron Franklin on Tuesday after he was pulled from the Fiesta Bowl broadcast for making sexist comments to sideline reporter Jeannine Edwards.

According to John Ourand of the Sports Business Journal, an ESPN spokesman said "based on what occurred last Friday, we have ended our relationship with him."

Before Friday's Chick Fil-A Bowl, Franklin said to Edwards, "Listen to me sweet baby, let me tell you something."

After Edwards told him not to address her like that, Franklin responded by saying, "OK, then listen to me a-hole."

Franklin apologized for his remarks on Monday and said he deserved to be pulled from the Fiesta Bowl.

According to SportsByBrooks, Franklin was fired after he didn't apologize to Edwards personally.

Ron, Ron, Ron ... what are (were) you thinking big fella?

I guess it's no wonder ESPN told you to follow the trail on out of Bristol with that kind of behavior and that kind of mentality.

In The Case Of Vick, Fox News Commentator Seems To See A Black Man's Life Worth No More Than A Dog's Life

2010-12-29T12:48:00.007-05:00

Tucker Carlson

We know that some right-wing commentators at Fox News have a clear disdain for President Barack Obama - a disdain that was illustrated most recently in the case of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, who had a highly-publicized involvement in dog fighting. Recently, however, President Obama saluted the Eagles for giving Vick a second chance.

Obviously, there had to be at least one commentator at Fox News ready to take a shot at the president over this one.

This all leads me to a little excerpt I read from Dr. Boyce Watkins, who blogged about some very disturbing comments made by right-wing Fox News commentator (I know that is sort of redundant) Tucker Carlson regarding Vick, who has bounced back from his self-inflicted dog-fighting troubles, turned his life around and again is excelling on the football field (and presumably in life).

That's not good enough for some of the tighty righties at Fox News - like Tucker Carlson.

Here is a portion of what Watkins wrote in his blog regarding Carlson:

"I'm a Christian, I've made mistakes myself, I believe fervently in second chances," Carlson said. "But Michael Vick killed dogs, and he did in a heartless and cruel way. And I think, personally, he should've been executed for that. He wasn't, but the idea that the President of the United States would be getting behind someone who murdered dogs? Kind of beyond the pale."

First of all, I think that most decent Christians would not believe that Tucker Carlson is a Christian. But then again, most of the original members of the KKK also considered themselves to be Christians, so perhaps Carlson's delusional behavior actually makes sense. I'd be curious to see if Carlson believes that the hundreds of thousands of deer hunters and members of the National Rifle Association should also be executed for killing animals themselves. After all, killing an animal is the same no matter what, right?

Secondly, Carlson's insinuation that the life of this black man is worth less than that of a dog is a telling reminder of how the Right Wing is nothing more than a modern-day manifestation of those who've profited from slavery and the execution of black men for the past 400 years (they continue to profit from slavery within the prison system - the only place where the United States Constitution allows slavery to take place). If this were 1840, Tucker Carlson would surely be part of the lynch mob that would have dragged Michael Vick out of jail in the middle of the night and murdered him in front of his family.

Like Watkins, I too am deeply disturbed that Carlson seems to suggest that the lives of dogs are sort of an even swap for the life of a black man.

Much like Sarah Palin, Carlson can seemingly resist no opportunity to take a shot at President Obama.

This incident, and the implication of Carlson's words, are different. This man is acting as if, were he so empowered, would hold himself up as judge, jury and executioner of Michael Vick.

It's almost Jim Crow-era justice: A black man's life for a dog's life.

It shows a dark part of Tucker Carlson's heart that is chilling. What's more disturbing is that he has a powerful platform at Fox News where he seems to fit in so well.

Fox News Bias ... Through The Eyes Of The Liberal Viewer

2010-12-29T12:46:00.002-05:00

Hugh Hefner, 84, Marries Woman, 24, ... Player, Player

2010-12-28T18:17:00.000-05:00

Hugh Hefner, the founder of Playboy, is getting his marriage on, again.

This time, Hefner, 84, is marrying Crystal Harris, 24.

Who cares if she is young enough to be his granddaughter. Hey, let the players play.

So, don't hate the player.

Huffington Post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/26/crystal-harris-photos-playboy_n_801288.html#s215324

The Idiocy Of Fox News, In Its Needless Defense Of Christmas, Attacks The NBA

2010-12-27T21:08:00.004-05:00

First off, note the famed Fox/Fox News/Fox Nation tactic ... the screaming and controversial headline with the question mark (designed to absolve them of blame because they're only throwing the question out there).

Media Matters for America picked up on the latest target of our friends at Fox, self-appointed defenders of Christmas and enemies of all who differ: The National Basketball Association.

In its latest effort to defend Christmas (which really needs no defense as it is fairly widely celebrated worldwide), Fox, through its hateful, racist, bigoted, homophobic Fox Nation blog, has targeted the NBA.

Apparently, those scholars over at Fox are unaware that the NBA has long been playing games on Christmas (as do other sports).

To make its case, Fox went to a somewhat bizarre and definitely whiny rant from Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson (known for both) about having to "play" and "entertain" on Christmas:

The Fox Nation post linked to a story about Los Angeles Lakers' coach Phil Jackson's displeasure at having to work on Christmas Day. Jackson reportedly stated: "It's like Christian holidays don't mean anything to them anymore. ... We just go out and play and entertain the TV. It's really weird." But as the original ESPN.com article noted, the Lakers game this year will mark the 13th time in 15 seasons the team has played on Christmas Day. The Lakers have played on Christmas every year since 1999, when Jackson took over as head coach, and 36 times in all; that record is eclipsed only by the Knicks' 45 game appearances on that day. Not only that, but NBA basketball games have been played on Christmas since the league's inception.

Moreover, five NBA games were played on Christmas in 2008 and 2009 as well. Three were played on Christmas Day 2007, and at least a couple have been played on Christmas since 1991. And guess what else? Sixty-six games were played during Hanukkah this year, from December 1-8, and 47 games during Passover, from March 30 to April 5. I'm sure Fox can do the math on how many games were played this year during Muslim holidays.

Oh, and incidentally, the 3D version of Jack Black's Gulliver's Travels hits theaters nationwide on Christmas Day. The movie will be released by 20th Century Fox (a News Corp. subsidiary, like Fox News). If the NBA is engaged in a "War on Christmas," isn't Fox?

This is yet another misguided effort on the part of the idiots at Fox, who obviously had to reach far to find some way to show Christmas being attacked.

Fox, in typical fashion, took Jackson's words and turned them into an all-out NBA attack sneak launched on Christmas and Christianity.

Is that an NBA attack on Christianity? No.

Is that an NBA attack on Christmas? No.

Is this another pathetic right-wing, made-up Fox story? Yes.

Juan Williams Takes A Rare Shot At Sarah Palin And ... GASP ... Does It On Fox

2010-12-27T18:12:00.004-05:00

Juan Williams, for once, actually told it like it is: 1. President Obama does have some vulnerability looking ahead to 2012, 2. the Republicans have no one who captures the imagination other than Sarah Palin and 3. Sarah Palin is not on the intellectual level of Barack Obama.

Williams definitely hurt himself in the Fox News crowd. They probably spanked slapped his hand back stage.

I am sure he will do something to earn those points back.

Help Turn Of Fox News

2010-12-24T11:20:00.001-05:00

Dear Sandy,

In the coming days, many of us will be spending time with family and close friends. You might find yourself in a house with Fox News on the TV, or you might find yourself in the company of a family member who likes to talk about the "truth" coming from Fox. You could also be with folks who understand the damage Fox does, but haven’t heard about this campaign. Any of these could be a great opportunity to talk about why you don’t watch Fox and why you’re part of the movement to get it turned off in public places. And if you have any good conversations, let us know.

There's no need to be confrontational. The person you’re talking with may not be receptive to what you have to say — and that’s ok. But you might be surprised. This is about sharing your concerns and beliefs, and hearing the thoughts of someone you love. When people are approached respectfully by someone they like and trust, it creates space for them to think and change.

Here are some pointers:

Remain calm. The point here isn't to start an argument — it's to share information. Even though some people may be hostile to what you have to say, keeping your cool can help defuse tense situations and make even skeptics receptive to what you have to say.
Just the facts. We’re often tempted to use inflammatory language when describing Fox News and their tactics — "evil" or "racist," for example. But think of the impact that this language might have on someone you’re trying to win over to your point of view. Does the fact that they watch Fox News make them "evil" or "racist"? Better to stick to the facts by describing what Fox News Channel does — stoking racial fear, helping to spread dangerous conspiracy theories, and distorting the truth. You can refer to our flyer "The Case Against Fox" for a few examples of what Fox News does, and the impact of their actions.
Listen to what others have to say. If you want to be listened to, then you should also be willing to listen to others' perspectives. If they state something untrue, you can and should offer facts to correct the record when you can — but not until after they've finished their thought. And remember, the point isn’t to get into an argument or even prove that you're correct. It's to share your point of view.
Offer more information. If the folks you talk to are interested in learning more about our campaign, just have them check out TurnOffFox.org. They can sign up for the campaign at that website.

The holiday season provides a unique opportunity to help more people understand what Fox is, how it poisons national discourse, and what role everyday people can play in stopping the damage.

After you have these conversations (even with those who already understand the issue), we would love to hear how they went.

Thanks and Happy Holidays!

-- James, Gabriel, William, Dani, Natasha, and the rest of the TurnOffFox.org team
December 22nd, 2010

https://secure.colorofchange.org/contribute/

Misinformer Of The Year Is ... No Big Shock ... Sarah Palin

2010-12-23T00:18:00.001-05:00

Dear Sandy,

This year, we've chosen Sarah Palin -- former half-term governor, current Fox News contributor and prolific Facebook user -- as our Misinformer of the Year.

It was a tough competition. On issues like health care, net neutrality, climate change and immigration, the conservative media offers an unprecedented flood of distortions, exaggerations and utter fabrications. We at Media Matters for America work around the clock to expose, fact-check and counter this non-stop flood of lies and attacks.

Click here to watch the "Misinformer of the Year" video and support Media Matters for America with a tax-deductible donation.

This year, Palin stood out for her sheer ability to dominate our national conversation and draw the attention of the entire news media to her factually challenged claims and vicious attacks. She has blurred the line completely between media figure and political activist.

When Glenn Beck's over-the-top rhetoric and conspiracy theories inspired unhinged gunman Byron Williams to target the Tides Foundation with violence, Palin could have stood up for responsibility and helped rein Beck in. Instead, she legitimized him and his attacks, saying "I stand with you, Glenn."

From spreading lies about "death panels" to cropping Obama's comments about "American exceptionalism," from her comfortable perch at Fox News to her self-promoting books and reality show, Palin has truly broken new ground in misinformation.

In the year to come, Palin is sure to keep up her efforts at dominating the headlines, influencing the political process and advancing falsehoods and distortions at every turn -- aided and abetted by millions in free airtime and glowing coverage from her friends at Fox News. We are prepared to fight back -- but we need your help.

Click here to watch the "Misinformer of the Year" video and support Media Matters for America with a tax-deductible donation.

Thank you for your support.

David Brock
Founder and CEO
Media Matters for America

When Fox News Wins Democracy Loses ... A Message From Media Matters For America

2010-12-18T14:02:00.001-05:00

Dear Sandy,

Glenn Beck and Fox News have had a toxic effect on the political process, and they're only going to push harder now.

Over the past two years, Fox has gone from a conservative-leaning news source to an active player in politics -- and things have taken an even darker turn as Beck's nightly show on Fox has brought right-wing extremism into the mainstream. Beck routinely launches outlandish attacks painting his progressive targets as part of a sinister conspiracy to intentionally destroy the country.

When advertisers sponsor Fox News, they're not just buying commercial airtime. They're making an affirmative investment in a political game -- one that puts dishonest smears, fearmongering, and vicious attacks ahead of accuracy. Money that goes to Fox funds Beck's conspiracy theories, baseless political attacks, and outright promotion of right-wing candidates for office.

Companies that are considering advertising on Fox need to keep that in mind, and they need to hear from you.

Give your tax-deductible donation today to help us fight Fox, Beck and conservative misinformation.

Every day, we at Media Matters for America monitor Fox News and its allies in the conservative media, researching claims, exposing violent rhetoric, debunking misinformation and preventing falsehoods from spreading unchallenged.

We've had success in making sure others in the press know that Fox is a player in politics, not an observer. We need your help to keep up that fight and get the message out to potential Fox advertisers. Unless it hits them right in the bottom line, Fox News has made it clear it won't rein in Beck and other serial misinformers.

You can be part of that fight.

Give your tax-deductible donation today to help us fight Fox, Beck and conservative misinformation.

Thank you for your support.

David Brock
Founder and CEO
Media Matters for America

While Repeatedly Showing Shooting Video Clip, O'Reilly Asks Is It Appropriate To Show

2010-12-16T22:44:00.003-05:00

Right-wing Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly does and says stuff that makes you shake your head in utter disbelief.

OK, while warning his viewers about the real violence in a video clip of a shooting scene in Florida during a school board meeting, O'Reilly repeatedly plays (teases) the footage.

Also, while repeatedly showing the footage of gunman Clay Duke's shooting rampage to his viewers, O'Reilly asks if the footage should be shown.

WTF?