Dayum.
If you do anything today, listen to these clips.
Steve Harvey questions the motives behind Tavis Smiley and Cornel West’s Poverty Tour and in the process sets straight the CBC and the Soul Patrol, and (by implication) firebaggers, and PUMAs. Even if you think you don’t like Steve Harvey, take the few minutes to listen to the clips.
There are three links on the page. Listen to each of them. I transcribed the clips as best as I could, but you really have to listen to them to get the full effect.
Here’s my transcript:
STEVE: Hey Morning Crew! Because you are not as deep into politics as I am, I think that there’s something you should know. Some members of the Republican party are not the only ones wanting President Obama to fail. Cornel West and Tavis Smiley are doing a so-called Poverty Bus Tour under the guise of highlighting that issue — because we all know that poverty didn’t exist before January 20, 2009.
If you check their records, you will see that they have done a lot of poverty-pimping through book sales, TV appearances, speaking fees, and promoting the “woe is me” mindset among the disenfranchised and discouraged. This has been their hustle for a long time, and now President Obama has threatened that with his message of hope and self-empowerment. Just think of what would happen if more people made the effort to tap into their God-given abilities. These jokers would be out of business. Their plan is to discourage a large voting bloc of the president’s base so that their lucrative hustle will once again be secure. Just thought you might want to inform your listeners. Obama/Biden 2012.
~snip~
STEVE: I’m really surprised, and, to be honest with you, I was a huge fan of Cornel West. Tavis Smiley? I see him coming a mile away. Tavis Smiley’s anger started when he was having a town-hall meeting. President Obama was supposed to come; he couldn’t come because of the campaign trail, and he sent Mrs. Obama. He has held that grudge ever since.
CARLA: And then Professor West was upset because he wasn’t invited to the inauguration, as we understand it. Is that correct? To the presidential inauguration?
STEVE: Hey, I wasn’t there either!
CARLA: Are you upset?
STEVE: For what?!
CARLA: Do you have a poverty bus tour?
STEVE: Hold up, hold up, have you ever been invited to the damn inauguration?
CARLA: Oh-kay…
STEVE: Did Bush send for you? Did Clinton send for you? Did Reagan send for you? So what’re you mad for? Because President Obama, who does not fill out the guest list ain’t got time to tend to that. Do you know how many people wanted to be at the inauguration?
CARLA: It’s very petty. That’s what it’s about.
<crosstalk>
STEVE: The disguise is — the disguise of it all — is he’s not doing for black America what he should be doing. But let me hip everybody to something… and understand this — and this is in layman terms: You are so wrong when you make that statement. He is the President of the United States. He is not the President of The Hood. He is the President of the United States. But if you look at what he’s pushing, no one could benefit greater than our community. Healthcare? Who is lacking in healthcare overwhelmingly than anybody else? Who is that? Who is lacking in education overwhelmingly than anybody else? And who—who do you know could stand a tax break above anybody else? So all you gotta do is fit yourself into the equation and you’ll see that he’s doing everything that he can. But, it’s not for us – it’s for the American people. And the moment we quit saying, “gimme gimme gimme,” and just plug yourself into the already existing system – which ain’t gonna change just ‘cause you want it to – then we can move on with this thing. The man is doing a great job.
Tavis Smiley was behind Hillary Clinton when she first came out. As was quite a few African-Americans. I can name ‘em. I understand that. But now that Hillary Clinton is not your candidate, the anti-Barack Obama movement… what sickens me is that you don’t have any real basis behind your dislike for this man. You’re not basing it on anything.
You all, please look at the facts of what this man’s platform was about and see if you don’t fit into the platform. How can he raise a flag for black people and be the President of the United States? It’s utterly ridiculous. Y’all – do you know that that would be the death to his second term, if he was standing up talking about “I’m gonna do this for black people.” He’s gotta do it for the country. We all live in this country. I would be disappointed if he did that. I really would.
CARLA: Absolutely. Just because he’s black, you know, doesn’t mean that we have to vote for him if he’s not doing the right thing for this country – we all live in this country.
STEVE: Too many nonblacks voted for this man.
~snip~
STEVE: Can you read what you just read the quote was.
CARLA: This is from an article called The Root on the Internet – from theroot.com: “If anyone thinks this is a hate campaign,” Tavis said, “They don’t understand this really. If the President wants to call a roundtable for two or three days on poverty. Why not a White House conference on poverty?”
STEVE: See? right there? Once again to Smiley: You are demanding center attention with the President of the United States which is what stemmed this whole problem, brother; when he didn’t come to your townhall meeting because of campaign obligations, and he asked his wife, Mrs. Obama – who graciously came. You’ve been pissed off ever since. Now, “if you think it’s a hate tour, then let’s have the White House sit down for two or three days.” Who in the hell got two/three days for yo’ ass?
<laughter>
I – I ain’t got time to sit down with your monkey behind for no two/three damn days, let alone the President of the United States. We got three damn wars out here, economy crashing, and he gonna sit with Tavis’s ass for two/three days.
Now you gonna get mad again, ’cause guess what? The man ain’t got time to do this. See, once again you keep masking it all talkin’ ‘bout “if you think this is about hate, you’re wrong.”
Well what is it ’bout? Because poverty existed before January 20, 2008. [sic]
<crosstalk>
TOMMY: Yessir.
HARVEY: It existed. Where was your damn bus then? Where was your poverty bus when Clinton was the President? Or Reagan. Or the Bush Administration when we were being driven to this new level of poverty. It’s called a recession now Tavis, and it got started over eight years ago. And it started when they started rescinding all of the good things that president Clinton had done. See that’s what’s happenin’ here. So where was your bus tour back then?
Where was your crying and moanin’?
TOMMY: Yeah, Tavis.
Steve: One more time, I want to know this: Is anybody paying you?
TOMMY: And is it the tea party?
Anybody? And where are you getting the money for these buses?
TOMMY: Who owns the buses?
STEVE: I jus wanna know who he’s getting the money from for the buses. I just really can’t see you digging into your own pocket for the love and welfare of poor people, when you and I both know that we write books and show up on TV for money.
TOMMY: Is Cornel driving the bus?
STEVE: If they’re buying the bus, it’s a van.
<laughter>
~snip~
Right on, brother.
Looks like Jane Hamsher, Arianna Huffington, the New Progressive Alliance, and the rest of you silly white people who think you’re going to convince us not to vote for Barack Obama by vigorously waving black unemployment numbers in our face, (or talking about “I haz a big sad that so many black men are in jail” ::coughAriannacough::) are gonna need a bigger boat.
When I was growing up, my father always used to say to me, “Life is a constant struggle.” For many people — black, white, Asian, brown — my father’s statement rings true.
Life is a constant struggle for a lot of people in this country. And it seems to me that those who aren’t struggling are the ones who rarely — if ever — have a positive word for Obama.
And yes, it really pisses me off.
You know what? I would honestly like to see a poll taken of the left. An Obamabot/Firebagger poll, to use terms from the Great Obama Wars. I want to know how many firebaggers are employed, have health insurance, or are having an easy time paying their bills and putting food on the table. (The Professional Left need not participate in the poll, because I know without question that you are lining your pockets with the anti-Obama/PUMA/libertarian crap that spews from your fingertips and sconeholes.)
But for you “regular” political junkies — do you have health insurance? Do you rely on unemployment checks to feed yourself or your family? Now ask yourself whether your support for Obama would vary depending upon the answer to those questions.
I challenge anyone to find me a person collecting unemployment who isn’t grateful for the Bush tax cut compromise.
I challenge anyone to find me a single person who is uninsured or has a preexisting condition who isn’t grateful for the healthcare bill.
Find me one person who isn’t rich enough to buy health insurance on the market, or one person who doesn’t have employer-provided insurance and stable employment prospects, and ask that person if she was screaming “KILL THE BILL!” Ask that person if he is participating in this ongoing “Obama Caved! He Sold Us Out!” public option pathos.
I’ll bet you can’t find me such a person.
Oh, and here’s a tip to those white folks who have latched onto Corny as some progressive savior who will help spread the “PRIMARY HIM!” message to The Blacks™: African-Americans in this country have been struggling since silly white people dumped our ancestors’ black asses on these amber-waved and grainy shores.
We have been struggling since we fucking got here.
This is not “playing the victim” or “playing the race card.” It’s a simple fact.
Now, maybe you don’t understand that because you’ve never wanted for an overpriced half-caf soy chai tea latte with whip. Maybe you’re too damn privileged to even contemplate what struggle might feel like. Maybe you have no capacity for empathy with respect to the struggle of others. Maybe you’ve deemed yourself “post-racial” and entitled to ignore the existing racial realities and inequities because “Hey, I didn’t do nuffink! Get over it! I’m colorblind! Stop playing the victim!” Or maybe you think we really are a bunch of dumb motherfuckers who don’t know what time it is.
Sorry, yo. We do know what time it is.
It’s Obama-time.
So take your hate and shove it. We’re not having it. Just look at the polls.
You’re wasting your time.
Now, excuse me. This mocha latte isn’t going to drink itself.
[via Steve Harvey Morning Show on V103 Chicago]
Oh snap!
BUT IT GETS SOOOOOO MUCH ATTENTION WHEN A BLACK GUY SPEAKS OUT AGAINST A BLACK GUY!!!!!!
Because we white folks are so shocked that that is even possible dontchaknow.
Ut Oh, somebody done did it now. Hey notice how when the media talks about this bitter tour of frick and frack, they only focus on the hate they have for President Obama instead of “what can be done for these poor people”. Now Tavis trying to get his snake tongue ass up to the whitehouse….talking about he’s going to let the WH know how people feel, like he can just phone the President whenever he feels like it.
I’m like Steve, “who’s paying for this tour” because I know they’re not and why aren’t they giving out school supplies, that would have “helped” the poor people.
You left out the best part: Uncle Tom Look Out.org
I’m still giggling about that hours later. Not a big Steve Harvey fan but you know what they say about a stopped clock being right twice a day.
I… well, now I have to love Steve Harvey!
And: Oh, snap!
You don’t have to go that far. That said, I agree so hard.
THANK YOU!!! These PL/EmoProgs are working my last nerve!!!
No, I’m sorry, I can’t leave it at that, because honestly, your rant was more even righteous that Steve Harvey’s. That was an excellent, excellent rant, and I love you even more for it. You should have a damn radio show, my friend.
amen.
Frequent reader, but I’ve never commented. I’m a 30 yr. old grad student with no health insurance living off my extended unemployment checks. 2012, Fuck Yeah.
Steve actually erred about Michelle attending the Negro Super Bowl. Obama did indeed offer to send Mixchelle in his place but Tavis turned the offer down. Then, he had Hillary on and after washing her feet with his tears he dried them with Corny’s afro. Other than that, the rest of Steve’s rant was pretty dead on.
Like you mentioned early on, love Harvey or not you have to admire the way first Tom Joyner and now Steve Harvey went all in on Travis and Corndog in no uncertain terms. When two of the most prominent voices in black radio put your musty ass on blast, folks in our community will definitely take a notice.
Disrespect for strong black women seems to be a recurring theme for Corney&West Inc.
Then, he had Hillary on and after washing her feet with his tears he dried them with Corny’s afro.
You ain’t right, EB. You ain’t right at all. *dead*
I want to know what Clinton got done that was so amazing. Rescind welfare after stating publicly the era of big government is over. Imagine the firebagger outrage is PBO did that today. Prison industrial complex, NAFTA Commodities Modernization Act, Graham-Leach bill; allowing China to join the WTO. Not to mention DOMA and DADT. And all of these things happened because he had to compromise with the right since the left sat home and whined instead of protesting.
Clinton was a ok president who raised taxes which created the surplus and lucked out that the Internet was becoming mainstream and creating business opportunities. Half the stuff President Obama has to fix was due to stuff Clinton did or enabled.
Thank You!
A couple of things, Corney did get a ticket to the inaguration but he was mad that he didn’t get EXTRA tickets for his mom and brother. So instead of giving up his ticket to his mom, they all sat in a hotel room watching it on teevee, or so he said.
When is someone going to call Tavis on his pimping sub-prime loans for his sponsor Wells Fargo? You know those loans that dispropotionatly hurt minority communities.
The Mayor of Detroit apparently tweeted last night that the Poverty Tour is sponsored by WalMart.
FUCKING WALMART?! SERIOUSLY!?
They both found a good gig where they can bash the president, gain prominence and get paid in the process. Walmart, KMart, QuickieMart – whatever, something bigger is at play here. Corney and Smiley did not all of a sudden get concerned about the poor Black unemployed. Like Steve asked, where was this bus 4 years ago?
They are letting themselves be used for another agenda and I’m so glad they are being called out. It’s about fucking time.
Hmmm. I’m wondering if they have different sponsors for different cities. Someone on weeseeyou.com said she saw that the AARP Foundation and the NEA were the sponsors.
AARP is also a co-sponsor
I was just listening to this too. What ever problem I may have with STeve Harvery and his “relationship advice”, he so so right here.
I too laughed my azz of at the UTLO.org
Honest to god, if I’d had any clue that West would make such a stink about not getting an invitation to the inauguration, I’d have given him mine. I couldn’t attend anyways, so I’d have been happy to hand it off to someone who wanted it – and in particular would have just to shut his arrogant ass up.
Corney would find another event where he did not get invited and throw a hissy fit. People like that feel entitled and expect more. I think Corney and Smiley thought they’d get spare keys to the White House front door and when that did not happen their feefees are hurt. Anyone that would harbor this amount of animosity has serious deeper issues.
I just fired off an email to the AARP expressing my unhappiness that my membership dollars are helping to fund this duo in their quest to insult the President. I provided some links (including this one) and told them to do their homework.
Also, too. I was born in Detroit. So proud of my peeps today. I hope this happens at every city they visit and I hope it gets louder and louder (although no violence) so that these clowns get the message to SDASTFU!
“I would honestly like to see a poll taken of the left. An Obamabot/Firebagger poll, to use terms from the Great Obama Wars. I want to know how many firebaggers are employed, have health insurance, or are having an easy time paying their bills and putting food on the table.”
You hit the nail on the head with this. Policy for the Professional Left and a lot of their followers is spectator sport. Can there be any doubt that the “Kill The Bill” crowd didn’t give a shit how real people lives could be effect by what the ACA now provides? I hated that the Bush tax cuts for high earners were extended, but it was mitigated somewhat by unemployment benefits being extend around Christmas time; blame it on my real sense of there but for the grace of God go I.
But the Professional left seems to hate the rich (despite grifting like crazy to join the ranks) more than they care about the poor, unemployed , and middle class. I guess rich daddy didn’t show enough love.
The adoption tax credits were also extended, which allowed regular folks who don’t have tens of thousands of dollars sitting around to adopt.
That was Goddamn Awesome. All of it. The rant, Steve Harvey and the comments. Just Goddamn Awesome.
Beautiful. The clips are amazing, I might listen to them a second time. Thanks for posting, I’ve been hearing that Steve went there with it. I have to admit that I’ve always liked Steve, at least the limited times I’ve seen him or heard him.
I like him too.
If you get the chance to watch his sitcom “Steve Harvey Show”, do so. It’s very funny. I like watching the reruns.
Ha! I love it.
Bout time more people speak out against Coney and his opportunistic sidekick, Smiley. First Joyner, now Steve.
:-)
I can’t resist, I’ve posted this Youtube clip several times. It’s Dick Gregory calling out Tavis for his sponsors at the State of the Black Union. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgSymvZLpOw
I never laughed at Steve Harvey so damn hard in my life. What he said was true – Cornell is selling another book tour and Tavis is screaming sour grapes. Notice how they’re not talking about how we need to build bridges with Tea Party folks. Notice their not talking about going after Congresss. Nope, its “Obama didn’t return my calls!!!” What are you, public intellectuals or jilted teenage girls harping over the Captain of the wrestling team?
Love or loathe Steve Harvey – speak the truth & shame the Devil. Tavis is bitter that he’s no longer the be all and end of all Black American political thought. In the age of Obama, you put up or shut up. And since neither Tavis Smiley or Cornell West have put up much other than talk in the last 15 years I’ve known about them, well, Negroes……
So… only “silly white people”, “uncle tom’s” and the “professional left” (who?) are unhappy with the Obama administration so far?
What about the rest of us?
You may want to sit down for this, because it is going to come as a shock, but there are more people in this country–a lot more–than black people and white people. Arab Americans (like me) and Latini@s to name two large constituencies who voted for Obama in record numbers and promptly got fucked over by him. (broken promise on Gitmo, DREAM ACT, massive deportations, *another* endless, un-winnable war, Mid-East peace-process an international joke… and that’s not even counting the Bush tax cuts, the debt ceiling debacle etc. etc. etc) So while this whole “silly white people/uncle tom” thing plays wonderfully well on various blogs and whatnot it isn’t even half the story here. There are certainly legitimate criticisms of this administration and no amount of “angry” blogposts is going to make them go away.
I have no idea exactly who the “professional Left” are… although if they have health insurance I’ll be honest, I’d love to get in on some of that action. (Based on this post it seems to have something to do with coffee, but it is honestly hard to tell. Sconeholes?) But the bottom line for me is that while the *idea* of Barack Obama remains compelling–he takes a great picture after all–in actual policy terms he’s basically a moderate Republican on the issues that are important to me. … And not a particularly skillful one, which is the rub. For context we can note that similar criticisms were leveled at Bill Clinton during his first term by his base on the left too–but while I was not a fan, the man proved he knew how to get things done. No one could realistically say the same thing of Obama thus far.
As for that poll of the left… be careful what you wish for. Clearly Barack Obama thinks he doesn’t need people like me to get himself reelected. We’ll see if he’s right.
How reductive. The point is that the Corney and Tavis Traveling Poverty Tour (1) is sponsored, (2) doesn’t seem to have a real mission beyond pointing out, “yep, there’s poverty in America, and (3) keeps coming back to President Obama while the lead actors claim that it’s *not* about President Obama. How it became about you is something that you and the tour that you took through your navel would provide the answer to. Vote for him, don’t vote for him, exercise the luxury.
“For context we can note that similar criticisms were leveled at Bill Clinton during his first term by his base on the left too–but while I was not a fan, the man proved he knew how to get things done. No one could realistically say the same thing of Obama thus far.”
Yes, we all remember that glorious healthcare reform package that Clinton got with his Dem majorities, and the bold way he stood up and said “No way I’m signing any welfare reform measure that will end up tossing poor kids off Medicaid. And if you think I’m gonna deregulate the financial industry through repealing Glass-Steagall, you’re nuts. And sign a Defense of Marriage Act AND push through Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell? That’s crazy talk!”
Speaking of crazy talk — FireBagLake is that-a-way. You’ll love it — it’s filled with willfully stupid, mendacious, and self-pitying do-nothing asswipes who pretend to be the base.
What did Clinton get done?
NAFTA — which was so very helpful to small Mexican farmers. And extraordinary rendition. And firing Jocelyn Elders for talking about masturbating.
You need to get your facts straight before you go mouthing off about President Obama. Those full of bullshit whining points, that are never based in reality, don’t cut it.
Congress voted against closing Gitmo. They went against the President. Google is your friend..and don’t land on freaking firebaggersRus..they’ll turn your brain to mush.
PBO knows how to get things done .. http://whatthefuckhasobamadonesofar.com/ but, you’ll actually have to open your eyes for this one.
I love it.
Thanks for the transcript and for your perfect rant.
A Walmart sponsorship. Oh. My. Fucking. God.
How the fuck are these two still racking up cred (diminishing though it may be) and getting defended by reputable prpgressives? That shit needs to stop.
Word needs to spread far and wide about Corney ‘n Smiley’s excellent Walmart-sponsored adventure.
Beulahmo -
Nothing says ‘fight the power’ more than riding a pimped out, media ready Winnebago around the country, which was bought and paid for by some of the biggest union busters west of Yagnzi River. I’m sure the Dickensian urchins they meet along the way wouldn’t be allowed to actually sit on bus and rap with West and Smiley mano-e-mano.
I am a single uninsured person, and frankly, I’m not wild about the healthcare bill. I have a hard time accepting the individual mandate without the public option. That said, I agree with most of the rest of ABL’s points.
I can’t actually listen to the clips at the moment, so I’m sure that has an affect on how I perceive Harvey’s statements. I agree with much of what Harvey has to say (though I know nothing of this alleged grudge that Smiley has for Obama), but I was initially turned off by the language of the first part of the transcript.
“If you check their records, you will see that they have done a lot of poverty-pimping through book sales, TV appearances, speaking fees, and promoting the “woe is me” mindset among the disenfranchised and discouraged. This has been their hustle for a long time, and now President Obama has threatened that with his message of hope and self-empowerment.”
Swap out “President Obama” for any right-wing politician, and that reads far too much like something that Limbaugh and his ilk would be saying about any anti-poverty activist (especially a person of color).
Charmed’s point above about how this “Poverty Tour” seems to feature way too much Obama-bashing versus talk about “what can be done for these poor people” seems pretty spot-on.
Oh yeah, and the Wal-Mart sponsorship? Seriously? What the fuck?
Who’s the anti-poverty activist? At best, they are anti-poverty pundits. And, yeah, they’ve been making bank on pointing out obvious problems without offering solutions. Further, what message of hope and empowerment do Limbaugh and his lot bring to anyone? Fear and arm yourself is what I get but YMMV.
I wasn’t very clear in my initial post. I do not regard West and Smiley as being legitimate anti-poverty activists, and I do not think that Limbaugh offers hope and empowerment. What I meant is that when politicians or activists honestly attempt to address the issue of slavery, right-wing dicks like Limbaugh talk about how government programs are the opposite of empowerment in that they (intentionally) keep people dependent upon the government.
I don’t agree with those views in the slightest. It’s just the use of words like “empowerment” and, in particular, the repeated use of the word “hustle” as a noun that made me think of Limbaugh. Is that still common usage among members of the African-American community?
I’m a dumb-ass white boy who lived in Utah for pretty much my entire 33 years until two months ago when I moved to Oregon for work. Utah has very, very few black people, and a large percentage of them are refugees. So I haven’t much heard the word “hustle” used as a noun (as a verb in music, sure) outside of obvious right-wing dog-whistles. I kind of thought its use as a noun was somewhat antiquated, but I don’t really know. Is “shuck and jive” still in use outside of dog-whistles?
Anyway, as I said before, I do agree with Harvey’s overall points, and I wasn’t able to listen to the audio at first. That initial impression was based on reading the transcript. I’ve heard the audio now, and yeah, if I’d been able to listen to it at first, I doubt the same comparisons would have come to mind.
If hustle is the appropriate word, it will be used. By the by, given all of the talk about white and what constitutes… uninformed, you really might want to rethink describing yourself the way you did. I wouldn’t want it to get twisted that someone else characterized you that way. I sure didn’t. Don’t know you. I am familiar with Tavis and Dr. Brother Cornel and what they’ve been up to for decades now. The former came to national attention through his appearances on a syndicated radio program. The latter was a legitimate academic until he seemed to decide that he needed more of a, yeah, hustle. You want to experience [unintended] comedy, go to Amazon.com and look up Dr. Brother Cornel’s rap album. Read the reviews and comments. They talk a big game but really don’t have a lot to show for their alleged efforts.
As to your current situation, have you availed yourself and/or made yourself familiar with the benefits that are out there? Oregon doesn’t have some kind of plan?
That was just a lame attempt at self-deprecation. I certainly don’t think anyone has called me or treated me like a dumb-ass here. I just meant that I have little real-life exposure to African-American culture, and the information I’ve received from news and entertainment media can obviously be pretty skewed and far from comprehensive.
Much of the language that I’ve heard in right-wing racist dog-whistles originated from African-American slang, but it is often older slang that, from my limited perspective, doesn’t seem to be much in use among actual black people these days. I assume this is so that the dog-whistle will work on older, more conservative voters. Thanks for the filling me in about the still-current use of “hustle”. I am here to learn.
I’m somewhat familiar with Smiley, but definitely much more familiar with West. I tend not to pay much attention to the social relationships among and between politicians, academics, and celebrities, which is why I didn’t know anything about the Smiley-Obama fallout.
Regarding insurance, luckily after a couple of really bad years career-wise due to the economy, my new job does offer insurance benefits, but they have yet to kick in for me (and they’re actually pretty weak once they do, not good for much anything outside of emergency care). My line of work is usually done on contract which means that I generally don’t receive benefits. I think I’ve been offered insurance through an employer for only a total of six months of my life.
My complaint about the healthcare bill is that I think it’s ridiculous to make people buy insurance from the very private companies whose shady business practices were a major factor in the need for reform in the first place. If there were a public option, then the individual mandate would not bother me. I doubt that my opinion will change once I’m on my employer’s plan.
(I just realized that in my second post, I used the phrase “issue of slavery” when I meant “issue of poverty”.)
@conlakappa
It seemed to me that this post about Cornell West & Tavis Smiley (neither of whom I give an entire fuck about) was merely a jumping off point for a screed against critiquing the Administration under any circumstances. As in the “silly-white-people-who-like-various-types-of-coffee-are-trying-to-talk-me-out-of-loving-My-President-But-They-Will-Not-Succeed stuff. That’s what I was responding to: the notion that all criticism of the Obama administration are the same. They aren’t.
@Kerry Reid
Not really talking about Clinton. As I said: I was not a fan. And am even less so in retrospect. I wasn’t so much comparing their Presidencies (which are apples and oranges anyway) as pointing out the fact that a similar wave of progressive dissatisfaction was pointed at Clinton and he handled it a lot better than Obama has.
@TrumpDog
See above.
@Cha
Habbibi, hush.
And, Joseph Shahadi, it seemed to me that you used what was clearly labeled “Steve Harvey Slams the Smiley/West ‘Poverty Tour’…runteldat” as a jumping-off point to give a laundry list of disappointments you have about the President and his administration. Again, how did it become about you? Are you Steve, Tommy, Carla, Shirley, or anyone else in the studio? Are you Tavis? Are you Cornel? Are you one of the people living in privation along/outside of the tour’s route? No? Then maybe this wasn’t the best cue for the talking points. I’m sure ABL will give ample other opportunities for your defenses.
I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. I have no idea where you got this notion: “It seemed to me that this post about Cornell West & Tavis Smiley (neither of whom I give an entire fuck about) was merely a jumping off point for a screed against critiquing the Administration under any circumstances.”
I am a black person, discussing two black people who are touring black neighborhoods talking about black stuff.
If you have experiences from your community that you would like to share, you are welcome to do that. But don’t laundry list gripes, lob stupid shit about farts in a jar, and then pretend that you’re some great critical thinker.
Usually if you don’t understand what a post is about, it’s customary to refrain from commenting.
cheers,
ABL
You’re now trying to bullshit. You said
So explain; what things did Clinton get done?
Two guys that feel they were slighted by the administration, and instead of manning up, are acting out like emo teenagers.
I suppose if I had a massive ego snd felt that I, personally delivered the Black vote in the last election, I’d also be angry that my delusions weren’t validated by Mr. Obama.
Dr. West is a smart guy, but he sure said some rather stupid things; I wouldn’t want him any closer to me if he’s going to give ammunition to my political adversaries.
Smiley never got over the primary loss of his chosen candidate.
From day one, he’s been bitter.
Preach!!
@conlakappa
I can’t tell if you are being dense just because you like arguing online or because you really aren’t able to understand. From the OP:
“Looks like Jane Hamsher, Arianna Huffington, the New Progressive Alliance, and the rest of you silly white people who think you’re going to convince us not to vote for Barack Obama by vigorously waving black unemployment numbers in our face, (or talking about “I haz a big sad that so many black men are in jail” ::coughAriannacough::) are gonna need a bigger boat.
When I was growing up, my father always used to say to me, “Life is a constant struggle.” For many people — black, white, Asian, brown — my father’s statement rings true.
Life is a constant struggle for a lot of people in this country. And it seems to me that those who aren’t struggling are the ones who rarely — if ever — have a positive word for Obama.
And yes, it really pisses me off.
You know what? I would honestly like to see a poll taken of the left. An Obamabot/Firebagger poll, to use terms from the Great Obama Wars. I want to know how many firebaggers are employed, have health insurance, or are having an easy time paying their bills and putting food on the table. (The Professional Left need not participate in the poll, because I know without question that you are lining your pockets with the anti-Obama/PUMA/libertarian crap that spews from your fingertips and sconeholes.)
But for you “regular” political junkies — do you have health insurance? Do you rely on unemployment checks to feed yourself or your family? Now ask yourself whether your support for Obama would vary depending upon the answer to those questions.
I challenge anyone to find me a person collecting unemployment who isn’t grateful for the Bush tax cut compromise.
I challenge anyone to find me a single person who is uninsured or has a preexisting condition who isn’t grateful for the healthcare bill.
Find me one person who isn’t rich enough to buy health insurance on the market, or one person who doesn’t have employer-provided insurance and stable employment prospects, and ask that person if she was screaming “KILL THE BILL!” Ask that person if he is participating in this ongoing “Obama Caved! He Sold Us Out!” public option pathos.
I’ll bet you can’t find me such a person.
Oh, and here’s a tip to those white folks who have latched onto Corny as some progressive savior who will help spread the “PRIMARY HIM!” message to The Blacks™: African-Americans in this country have been struggling since silly white people dumped our ancestors’ black asses on these amber-waved and grainy shores.
We have been struggling since we fucking got here.
This is not “playing the victim” or “playing the race card.” It’s a simple fact.
Now, maybe you don’t understand that because you’ve never wanted for an overpriced half-caf soy chai tea latte with whip. Maybe you’re too damn privileged to even contemplate what struggle might feel like. Maybe you have no capacity for empathy with respect to the struggle of others. Maybe you’ve deemed yourself “post-racial” and entitled to ignore the existing racial realities and inequities because “Hey, I didn’t do nuffink! Get over it! I’m colorblind! Stop playing the victim!” Or maybe you think we really are a bunch of dumb motherfuckers who don’t know what time it is.
Sorry, yo. We do know what time it is.
It’s Obama-time.
So take your hate and shove it. We’re not having it. Just look at the polls.
You’re wasting your time.
Now, excuse me. This mocha latte isn’t going to drink itself.”
…THAT is what I was responding to you. Because I AM struggling under the President and I have real concerns about the choices he has made (and failed to make) i.e. the sort of person the OP presumes does not exist. I talked about my own experience not to shift the conversation to me (because that has been SO enjoyable) but because the author of the OP said “Find me one person who isn’t rich enough to buy health insurance on the market, or one person who doesn’t have employer-provided insurance and stable employment prospects…Ask that person if he is participating in this ongoing “Obama Caved! He Sold Us Out!” public option pathos” so I stepped forward and raised my hand. And I am not alone.
If you really don’t understand that, I cannot explain it any more slowly.
@Trumpdog
Nonsense derailing. Not the point. If you are looking for a point-by-point examination of the Clinton Presidency go elsewhere.
My only point is that there are a lot of people in this country who are neither fancy coffee sipping fair weather white people nor self-hating corporate sponsored Black folk who have legitimate beef with this administration. And ironically enough by using “colorblind” snark, the OP makes a lot of us completely disappear.
Pissed off, betrayed Xicanos, Latin@s, Arab and Muslim Americans? Yeah, I know plenty of those. Our concerns are real. And presenting ALL criticism of this administration as haterade is not only empirically incorrect, it makes giant populations and our attendant concerns disappear. And that is coughracistcough bullshit.
Look, I get it: you all loooove the President. You want to catch his farts in a jar and keep them forever. I am sure from your middle class perches it seems like He Can Do No Wrong. But my experience of this administration has been different from yours. If you didn’t want to know, you shouldn’t have asked.
That does not make me stupid or evil or malicious. It just makes me an Arab American with open eyes–who watched as Obama courted people like me and then quietly made permanent the worst excesses of the Patriot Act and deported a million people. Maybe that doesn’t pop your bourgie-bubble, but not all of us have the luxury to focus the fierceness of Michelle’s arms in Donna Karan. And we live here too. At least, so far today we do…
No, Joseph. You’re the one that came in here talking about how Clinton got things done. I simply asked what did Clinton do. You then go into some long diatribe of something else and then accuse me of “nonsense derailing”? Get over yourself. I know why you refuse to answer, just as I knew you wouldn’t. And that is the point.
Nice try, though
Honestly, I think some of this speaks to generational differences, too — Smiley is about my age (turning 47 this fall), but West is about seven years older than Obama and I think definitely expects to be treated like an eminence grise (or “greasy eminence,” as I sometimes put it). We saw the same thing with Jesse Jackson during the campaign when he was caught “accidentally” on camera talking about how he wanted to cut Obama’s nuts off for allegedly “talking down” to black people. There is a definite thread of “this young whippersnapper owes it to his elders to show more respect,” even when, as in Smiley and West’s case, they aren’t showing much respect for Obama.
I caught a lot of this from Hillary supporters of a certain age (though I will add I knew plenty of Hillary supporters younger than me and Obama supporters older than me — including my very feminist mom, who cast her last vote in the Illinois primary for Obama a couple months before she died of cancer). They simply were aghast that any woman wouldn’t pay fealty to Hillary Clinton (who was the stand-in for all the hopes and dreams of all women, everywhere, in their minds and words). And “aghast” quickly turned to dismissive, sneering, psychoanalyzing about how younger women who rejected Hillary obviously just wanted a cool black friend and were mad at “Mom,” etc., etc., etc. Same kind of BS that West plays with Obama.
Among the many reasons that it’s good that Obama is president and not me — I’m pretty sure that Obama hasn’t come right out and told them “eat shit and die,” as I did.
@Trumpdog
What Clinton managed to do was get himself reelected. And then leave office with the country at a (sadly long gone) surplus. I didn’t like or trust him, but I acknowledge that he was a skillful politician. The OP suggests a racist subtext to all leftist opposition to Obama. I pointed out that Clinton went through the exact same thing with his base to provide context. I was perfectly clear that their Presidencies are apples and oranges and direct comparisons are pointless (largely because Obama inherited the shitshow that W left) but we can learn from the parallel in this particular circumstance. Or maybe you can’t. *shrugs*
“Nice try”? I’m not “trying” to do anything but answer the questions raised by the OP. What exactly are you doing?
Clinton had a far better economy coming in than Obama did, and he did far less in two terms than Obama did in less than two years. But you’re right — that loser Obama hasn’t gotten himself re-elected yet, 16 months ahead of the actual election day. Of course, Clinton ALSO lost the House in 1994.
And yeah, you clearly stated that Clinton was better at “getting things done” than Obama, which is exactly the kind of BS that WILL get called out here. It’s also exactly the kind of shit that the Karl Roves of the world love — alleged Dems joining with the GOP in promulgating lies about “the Dems didn’t do anything!”
And you also want to be careful tossing around terms like “the base.” (Hint: It’s not disgruntled people with blogs.) The polls consistently show Obama running high with liberals and Dems, and the latest Gallup poll shows that it’s the GOP brand and Congress that is in big trouble, not him.
LOL! yeah, why hasn’t Obama got himself elected next year? That’s clearly not getting things done!
In other words, if you think “direct comparisons” between presidents is an “apples and oranges” proposition — then don’t make those comparisons in the first place. Easy peasy!
Exactly.
In case you have not noticed, Joseph, Obama is still in office and the election is next year. I’m not sure why you bought that up. If elections are “getting things done”, Obama is on even keel because he was able to get elected despite running against an entrenched Democratic machine as well as the most popular Democrats around – the Clintons. So President Obama scores on that point as well.
Damn right. To which Bush squandered and left a mess for Obama to clean up. Which he was doing until the 2010 elections where the WATB “progressives” did nothing but constantly complain about any and everything and the House went GOP.
Your original point was that Cinton “got things done”. All I wanted was a list of what Clinton got done. You repeatedly failed to provide that, until of course the last thing you pointed out. You may not feel Obama gets things done, but just the fact of the things you complain about shows he in fact does. You may not like all of them, but that does not negate what he’s accomplished – so far.
Yes, just as I said; “nice try”. You attempted to duck and dodge and change the subject by deflecting. Did not work. Nice try.
@TrumpDog
No. You have repeatedly mis-characterized my points. Either purposefully (to re-frame my legitimate concerns about Obama into an argument you’d rather have about Clinton) or because you really aren’t able to understand what I’m saying.
Considering that you really seem to think that Progressive complaints are the reason the Obama Presidency has idled in neutral it could go either way… Because that doesn’t even make any kind of real-world sense.
The OP raised questions for me and I answered them. That’s all. That is how blogs work.
You didn’t write the OP. And based on your responses to me it seems like you didn’t even read it. So here’s the thing: I am not interested in arguing with you–or anyone–for its own sake. I’m a little too grown for that. So you just go ahead and declare yourself the winner here and move along, okay?
Let’s say I just couldn’t hold up against your daring use of boldface.
Oh just stop it. I asked you a question based on a point you made in your post and you refused to answer. Stop trying to play the victim.
You obviously did not read your own post – or rather you tried to sidestep a point you made and likely did not think you’d be asked about it. But you were. Your problem, not mine.
I don’t need to, it was already obvious several posts up. But I’ll “move along” when I damn well please, mmmkay?
No, we’ll say our weak argument is what couldn’t hold up.
Correction: “your weak argument”
@Kerry Reid.
Habbibi, we are saying the same thing re: Clinton. You want to argue so badly that you are swiping at shadows. You need to relax habbibi. Maybe make yourself one of those fancy coffees? I read somewhere that they are really good.
If this is your way of acknowledging that you got your ass handed to you nine different ways in this thread through your inability to back your shit up, then I accept your defeat and will enjoy my coffee. ;)
@Kerry Reid
My ass handed to me? Because you called me names? Habbibi, I am an Arab in America. I hear worse than that walking to the subway every day. A bunch of blog comments aren’t exactly rocking my world.
Although your Bachmann-esque need to “defeat” the big, bad Arab ain’t fooling nobody…
No, because you can’t peddle that Hamslerdepressant nonsense on this blog!
@ Kerry Reid
“You clearly relish your victimization”… Oh, I get it: you are white.
Never mind then, that explains a lot.
You aren’t the first “angry” late middle aged white lady to come at me, all bile and progesterone creme, guns blazing (…Tell me, in this fantasy about you all “handing me my ass” am I wearing an orange jumpsuit? Yeah, no thanks.) Please see my response above about not being interested in arguing for its own sake. So if it makes you feel better to declare yourself the victor of this little exchange, knock yourself out. It isn’t important to me but you seem to need it so go right ahead.
@bizneschic
I have no idea what “Hamslerdepressant” means. I am not trying to “peddle” anything or persuade anyone. Or argue really–even with poor old “bag of rancid dicks” Kerry up yonder. All I did was respond to the OP, that’s all. The bit I quoted above, that is. If that hadn’t been there I wouldn’t have bothered… But the OP posed a direct question and I answered it. My answer–my experience–is not invalid just because it doesn’t match yours.
“All bile and progesterone cream” – eat my fuck, you misogynist ageist puke. But then again — thanks for showing us all what an insecure pathetic little excuse for a grown-ass man you are.
You WISH you had my testicularity. But you’ve got nothing but self-pity and a self-aggrandizing sense of victimhood. Show me ONE PLACE where anyone here attacked you on the basis of nationality or wished you harm on those ground. You. Can’t. Much as you can’t find ONE fact to bolster the argument you initially trumpeted about how Clinton was so much better at getting things done than Obama. You’re a waste of your mother’s birth pangs.
@Kerry Reid
You really are are the Audrey Hepburn of your generation, aren’t you?
Such grace.
And cry-babying and sniveling about how your experience is valid while discounting somebody else’s (“Oh, you’re white, that explains a lot”) is really extra-special. I mean, based on the sexist crap you’re throwing around, I could extrapolate and say that you’re a “typical” Arab male with insecurity about his masculinity who feels the need to insult women, especially older women. But most Arab-American men I know don’t have the issues with women that you clearly are displaying here. You’re just a dick because you’re you.
@Kerry Reid
Right, you aren’t racist at ALL. After all you have used Orientalist/Islamophobic with me more than once but it’s okay because you know some Arabs and they aren’t like that and they like you. So its okay.
But if I talk about what actually happens to me–not in theory, but my lived experience–then I’m “self-pitying” and “love my own victimization.” And it is MY job to educate you about how you are interacting with me…
Yeah, and you wonder how I could tell you are white.
I think you talked long enough to completely show your ass. You just couldn’t help yourself. But don’t worry if you stand for Obama hard and loud enough that *proves* you aren’t a racist. Right?
Actually, it’s you, Joseph, that is coming off as the racist here. Sexist too.
And “Big Bad Arab?” Please. Don’t flatter yourself, you dickless brainless twatwaffle lying sack of puke. If anyone is Michele Bachmann-esque here in their mendacity, self-pity, and cluelessness, it’s you. Find a bowl of rancid dicks and choke on them.
No, you had your ass handed to you because you got called out on your “Clinton got things done and Obama didn’t” line of demonstrable horse hockey, which we then demolished for the lying pile of crap that it is.
See if you can handle it this time — WHAT things did Clinton accomplish that were more impressive than what Obama has done so far? That’s the assertion you made. Back that shit up, or walk that shit back, or at least try to find the cojones to admit that you made a boo-boo by even bringing that nonsense line of argument in the first place.
I’m a woman in America and I get shit thrown at me on my way to the subway as well by men of all religions and nationalities. But if you wanna play Oppression Olympics, be my guest. You clearly relish your victimization.
“Oppression Olympics” is an awesom turn of phrase.
I’d challenge Joseph to point out where ONE person here, including me, attacked him on the basis of his status as an Arab-American, rather than for his dimwitted and demonstrably false initial arguments that somehow failed to address any of the salient points in the “OP” vis a vis just WTF Smiley and West are accomplishing in their “poverty tour” in terms of addressing, you know, poverty.
But Joseph is apparently still busy tripping over his own dick in his clown shoes trying to walk back/defend/ignore/derail the fact that he introduced as an article of inarguable fact that Clinton accomplished more than Obama has. So I’d hate to overtax him at this point, since he’s too busy slapping himself in the face as he tries to figure out who he’s gonna believe — him or himself. “Clinton did more than Obama, who hasn’t even won re-election yet before the next election! But I’m not a fan of Clinton! So it doesn’t matter! So why did I go with the ‘Clinton did more’ argument in the first place? I don’t know! Shut up! You’re a Michele Bachmann-esque xenophobe who likes to sniff Obama’s farts!”
Honestly, my biggest beefs with the Obama administration are in the area of civil liberties, esp. with immigration policy and the Patriot Act. But A) that doesn’t negate that there have also been major strides in those areas against the same vociferous opposition (DADT repeal, Lily Ledbetter, and — with some unfortunate and mystifying exceptions — a more humane policy in general toward people with HIV and other gay citizens) and B) I’d be hard-pressed to name a U.S. president whose record on civil liberties and human rights, either nationally or globally, would measure up to what I’d like to see. That’s part of the price for being a citizen of a hyper-capitalist superpower.
he’s too busy slapping himself in the face as he tries to figure out who he’s gonna believe — him or himself. “Clinton did more than Obama, who hasn’t even won re-election yet before the next election! But I’m not a fan of Clinton! So it doesn’t matter! So why did I go with the ‘Clinton did more’ argument in the first place? I don’t know! Shut up! You’re a Michele Bachmann-esque xenophobe who likes to sniff Obama’s farts!”
brilliant.
@Kerry Reid
I disagreed with the other folks on the thread. But let’s be clear: the orientalist/Islamophobe here is you. You are a white woman who has spent the better part of a day insulting me in the most vulgar and orientalist terms for no other reason than I disagree with you about the direction of the Obama administration.
And you think because you did it in defense of a black president that makes you not a racist?
Nice touch with the civil liberties bit at the end… “see? I care about the Arabs … just not this particular one.” Sure. And addressing the thread to get a little hit of “Black folks like me? Right? I love Obama! I couldn’t possibly be a racist if black folks like me. Also I love Obama!”
Pssht. The classics never get old.
“@Kerry Reid
You really are are the Audrey Hepburn of your generation, aren’t you?
Such grace.”
Oh dear, I’m not ladylike enough for the Dickless Demagogic Liar who compared me to Michele Bachmannn and then made such gracious comments about “progesterone cream?” Somehow, I think I’ll live. And maybe it’s not the 21st century in your house yet, but in my world, women don’t have to be “gracious” as a condition of being allowed to be on the planet. We can say what the fuck we want to whomever we want — as long as we can back our shit up. See, that’s where you fail. You toss out wild assertions and then cry “victim!” when asked to provide a shred of evidence.
And you STILL haven’t backed up your shit about Clinton being a more effective president. Seriously. You were asked to provide ONE example of Clinton’s achievements and that gave you a case of the vapors. Nor have you done jack to address the “OP” as you keep saying — what the hell does Smiley and West’s “Poverty Tour” have to do with actually addressing poverty in America?
“@Kerry Reid
Right, you aren’t racist at ALL. After all you have used Orientalist/Islamophobic with me more than once [EDIT: BULLSHIT!!! PROVE IT!!] but it’s okay because you know some Arabs and they aren’t like that and they like you. So its okay.”
Here’s what you said: “Oh, I get it: you are white.
Never mind then, that explains a lot.
You aren’t the first “angry” late middle aged white lady to come at me, all bile and progesterone creme, guns blazing (…Tell me, in this fantasy about you all “handing me my ass” am I wearing an orange jumpsuit? Yeah, no thanks.)”
The fantasy about my victimizing you on the basis of your ethnicity is all in your head. Again, point out ONE place, let alone “more than one” where I even brought up your national identity prior to your unloading the “progesterone cream and bile” line. The sexism and ageism is all in your comments — which, like everything else here, you’re too dickless and weak-sauce to own up to. (Yet I imagine you whine incessantly about how Obama needs to ‘grow a pair’ and ‘find a spine donor.’)
So in response to your sexist and ageist bullshit, here’s my response, you dumb lying contemptible motherfucker:
“I mean, based on the sexist crap you’re throwing around, I could extrapolate and say that you’re a “typical” Arab male with insecurity about his masculinity who feels the need to insult women, especially older women. But most Arab-American men I know don’t have the issues with women that you clearly are displaying here. You’re just a dick because you’re you.”
So no, I’m not Islamaphobic. I in fact made it clear that whatever you’ve got going on that causes you to be such a sad liar and a demagogue and a gynophobic/misogynist/ageist pathetic sack of shit has NOTHING to do with your nationality/ethnicity. That’s all on you.
So in other words, if I WANTED to be the same waste of carbon and oxygen that you are, I COULD make the same bullshit broad-based assumptions you do a la “All middle-aged white ladies are crazy with the bile and progesterone cream!” But I didn’t — I quite explicitly pointed out that your assholiness has everything to do with you personally.
Go cry to somebody who gives a shit and won’t call you out for your lies. Again, Lil Joey Failbot, here’s your challenge — name ONE place anyone here has criticized you ON THE BASIS of your national identity, rather than on the basis of things you have actually said (Clinton did more than Obama, “progesterone cream.”) And what the fuck does the “progesterone cream” comment mean? Old white ladies be all crazy and shit? They aren’t as “gracious” and subservient as you personally would like to see?
Fuck off and die in a fire.
@Kerry Reid
My “national identity” is American. *rolls eyes*
It is literally fascinating now: the longer you talk and the more you deny it…the more it slips out. I have seen this before. It’s like racist Tourettes. You can’t stop, can you?
Your “personal identity” is misogynist ageist chickenshit asshole who can’t back his shit up.
Care to explain your “bile and progesterone cream?” comment? In other words, you started this shit-storm. And the longer you talk, the clearer your gynophobia becomes.
And again — point out ONE place where anyone even mentioned your Arab American status as a point of discussion before you went all in on your Two Minutes’ HateFest on Those Disgusting Generic They’re-All-The Same Middle-Aged White Ladies with Bile and Progesterone Who Fail To Act Like Audrey Hepburn The Way They’re Supposed To According to Lil Joey.
“You are a white woman who has spent the better part of a day insulting me in the most vulgar and orientalist terms”
Vulgar? Mais oui!
Orientalist? Prove it. Seriously, what is this problem you have with backing your shit up?
Again, NO ONE said a word about your national/ethnic identity – YOU decided to use your clumsy broad brush and show your ass as the gynophobic/misogynist/ageist loser you are with your “bile and progesterone cream” comment, as well as your ingrained sexist notions that a “lady” should aspire to being Audrey Hepburn. (I’m just surprised you haven’t tossed “fat” into the mix of insults for the Trifecta of Asshattery — Old Fat Females suck so much, AMIRITE GUYZ?)
Again, I pointed out that IF I wanted to play the nationalism card the way you have insisted everyone here has (who brought up wanting to see you in orange jumpsuits — that’s YOUR fantasy, and I’m not interested), and the way you played the sexism and ageism angle, I could extrapolate that your behavior and backward assumptions about how a “lady” should act are culturally based. But in fact, I then pointed out that I don’t believe that — I think you’re an asshole all on your own.
As for “insults” and “vulgarities,” I believe you tossed out this little gem first: “Look, I get it: you all loooove the President. You want to catch his farts in a jar and keep them forever.” This in response to the simple request that you back up assertions you made (again – that Clinton was a more effective president than Obama).
But when you are responded to in kind (and also have to face the oh-so-xenophobic insistence that you actually back up your bullshit claims), you retreat into mewling poor-poor-pitiful me shit.
People, people.
Please stop feeding this awful troll. He has hijacked this thread and turned it into his personal space to insult everyone here. I love ABLC as much as the next lurker, and I wish many clicks upon her, but this thread needs to die.
You’re right, Jax. But you know how cray-cray all of us older middle-aged white ladies get once the bile and progesterone cream and fantasies of torturing “the other” (by asking them for facts to back up their assertions, I guess) take over in our vulgar totally-not-like-Audrey-Hepburn minds. ;)
i love when kerry goes nookyular on a fool.
Yeah, after he figured out that I was a woman, he didn’t use the “habbibi” endearment, I noticed. And I will grant that using “national identity” was a mistake since he did point that he is Arab American — but I’d say it’s not in the same class as painting all white women of a certain age as bile-and-progesterone crazed xenophobes who fantasize about torturing him.
You know, it’s actually pretty easy to NOT get jumped here. Just back your stuff up with some reasonable interpretation of demonstrable facts. That’s all.
Actually I find a nice glass of Sauvignon Blanc works better than any ol’ progesterone cream.
Peace.
I usually go with eating their livers with some fava beans and a nice ChiANti, but different folks, different strokes, etc.
What, no Obama farts in a jar?
Racists!
It’s hilarious as well to think that I would be afraid of a performance artist. Other than legitimate fears of being bored/nagged to death (when performance art is great, it’s wonderful — when it’s not, ooooh boy!) does anyone NOT named Jesse Helms fear performance artists?
Actually, I’m pretty sure I’ve seen the “farting in a jar” performance art schtick.
Harvey cracked me up.
he was hilarious.
and did you hear the latest?
about Travis saying ON C-SPAN how this is the first President who won’t invite him to the WH.
I swear, ABL.
This shyt has gone into the realm of the patently absurd.
if he wants to visit the WH, he better apply for a WH Tour like the rest of us.
here’s a hint Travis:
Your Black Ass disrespected MICHELLE ROBINSON OBAMA.
YOU AIN’T NEVER GETTING AN INVITE FROM THIS PRESIDENT.
Obama never personally sent me flowers and candy along with the request for my vote and support, so therefore he is terrible and I am going to turn the country over to the GOP and THAT WILL SHOW HIM!!!
And Tavis getting invited to the White House would do WHAT for poverty, exactly?
You are dead right about him disrespecting Michelle Obama and then he expects to get invited to the WH. Same bullshit during the campaign, Cornel started bad mouthing candidate Obama and then got pissed when Obama quit taking his calls. So he feels like he can stab a person in the back, but then he expects them to reach out to him. After trashing Obama towards the end of the campaign, Cornel then wanted tickets to the inaugural. Arrogance like none other.
That was funny and to the point – I am not a fan of Steve Harvey (relationship guru, my ass) but he did good. Oh, Tavis, who has time to sit with your dumb slimy ass and talk? We all know it is about you getting some media exposure and revenge against President Obama for having the nerve to not pay you any mind. And Cornell West – where were you before? a couple of times on the Bill Maher show and now you are the official spokesman for black folks. Did we vote for you at our annual North American Black Folks meeting? I do not remember that! :)
What, LAC, you didn’t give them your proxy?! Nor did I. Just checking. I’m not one to gossip but I heard that there were problems with you ever since that potato salad incident at the *last* North American Black Folks meeting…
Why would any other president have invited Tavis to the White House? Sounds like a lie that could have been checked but he’s playing the game of relying upon the interviewer being too lazy to ask the followup question. Tavis was someone who clung to the high-top fade way longer than was necessary and speaks with a juicy-moufdedness that really shouldn’t be allowed in any medium, particularly [!] radio.
He also got to do his very special “behind the scenes” tour of the State Department, complete with Hillary walking him around. Seems like the appropriate bone to throw at him.
First of all, we all know that the minute President Obama says anything about a program “specifically” geared for African-Americans, he would be crucified because everyone (especially in the media) would then say that he is being biased towards Blacks. He can’t win.
This is nothing but personal pettiness. I’m hearing more about Obama on this tour than any of our Americans in poverty. Smiley is still mad that Obama didn’t kiss his ring and come to his little Black Union town hall back in 2008 and West is still angry that he couldn’t bully he and his Mom’s way into the Inauguration. They both need to grow up. Period. Their overheated rhetoric is serving no purpose but to try to divide the African-American community at a time when our unity means everything.
Now, I have not been on board with quite a few things President Obama has done while in office and have written my own share of disappointed e-mails and letters about some of his policies, but I also know that he is our best bet for the future and pettiness like this only serves to weaken his base of support. President Obama is going to need record Black support to combat the Tea Party come 2012 and we do not need people like Smiley and West trying to undermine that support!
Bottom line…I am just sick and tired of publicity seeking Blacks who seem to have just found their angry voice now that we have an African-American President in office. Where was this bus tour for the 8 years of the Bush Administration when we were being driven into this poverty ditch?
And by the way, who exactly is funding this little cross-country adventure?!?! Just asking…
Feeding America appears to be a major sponsor. It’s perhaps helpful to look at who the major funders of Feeding America are?
http://feedingamerica.org/
http://feedingamerica.org/how-we-fight-hunger/our-partners/leadership-partners.aspx
http://feedingamerica.org/how-we-fight-hunger/our-partners/mission-partners.aspx
http://feedingamerica.org/how-we-fight-hunger/our-partners/promotional-partners.aspx
Still, it would be nice to know the details — what the expenses of the tour are, exactly who is underwriting them and what, if anything, they’re getting in consideration, etc.
Steve Harvey is an idiot!
Obama is a slacker! He’s never going far enough with most anything he’s done! Look at health care, credit card reform, BP Oil compensations, to name a few! He foolishly allowed the Bush Tax Cuts to remain, knowing he needs those tax revenues to get this economy back on track and reeved up! Should have been out of this recession by now! There he is propping up the rich, spending stimulus money trying to prop up house prices! Should have let them go back to the banks and quickly return to real market values! Instead he basically backed up a dump truck full of stimulus money and gave it to the banks! They gave him nothing in return. He constantly does crap like that! He’s running Trickle Down Economics and lying about it! Obama’s a fake freak! The banks and big business are fat with freebies, continuing to outsource our jobs and underemploying us, and the people are still jobless, and you want us to vote for Obama! Please!
Steve Harvey is an idiot!
What planet are you from idiot?! Talking that crazy, let’s hang with Obama crap! There’s nothing to stop another stock market crash because Obama is still allowing derivatives that should be gambled in Vegas instead of artificially driving up stocks and putting the whole world in jeopardy again!
Super Liberals/progressives will tax the rich the way they should be and get this economy moving without hurting the poor. Besides, there’s nothing to lose voting for Super Liberals as opposed to voting for Obama! Voting for Super Liberals/progressives is a better bet than voting for Obama! There’s lots more people like me who have become disenchanted with Obama whose nothing but a poser! Rev. Wright tried to warn us he’s nothing but a lying politician! We see now he was right! When he moves his lips, he’s lying! You can’t rely on a liar! If I’m voting for anyone, it’s a Super Liberals/progressives because they have the answers and the balls to back it up! You can’t place your bets on a guy whose trying to serve two masters! We see he’s abandoned the poor for the rich! Super Liberals/progressives won’t do that suckie crap! Obama is a traitor!
I think there’s a bug in your fake-firebagger shell script. You should talk to your programmer.
Cheers!
ABL
“Super Liberals”? I hadn’t heard that one before.
And nobody uses that many exclamation points unless they’re doing parody. This one’s too cartoonish. Gotta be a RW troll posing as a firebagger.
Oh wait. Maybe it is a bona fide freak. I remember seeing similar delirious raving on a Greenwald thread at AlterNet. Remember? Good times. Good times.
Tavis’ momma finally found your blog, ABL.
Steve Harvey is an idiot!
Obama has lost his street cred and political cred! The 2010 vote tells you that! Here you are, a big ole asinine butt head, bubble brain, airhead, bimbo, buffy brain, freakazoid, thinking Obama has a chance of getting reelected after that and on the verge of making concessions with Republicans for cuts in Medicare and other programs for the poor! Obama is a big time loser and you’re too blind to see it! Open your eyes foolish fool with infinite exponents! You’re soo stunningly stupid you must be a joke! You’re comic relief! Everybody is laughing at you, ya big ole bozo boob! You’re a very bizarre, strange collection of protoplasm, that can’t be determined as human, because you’re such a foaming at the mouth mad moron! Go buy a clue! Go growl at someone else until you do!
Power down, Crazybot.
Power.Down.