Dr. Philip Zimbardo: Why Most Men Are Complete Losers
Obama sent his regrets in a letter: "In the final stretch, I will be on the campaign trail everyday in states like Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin talking directly with voters about the causes that are at the heart of my campaign and the State of the Black Union forum such as affordable health care, housing, economic opportunity, civil rights and foreign policy. I am committed to touching every voter, and working to earn their vote."Smiley is being raked over the coals and "catching hell" for criticizing Obama and turning down Michelle Obama as a surrogate.
Essence.com contributor Roland Martin supports Obama's decision not to go. Martin offered this excuse: "He can't be defined again as the black candidate. Some will say he must avoid black folks to be more palatable to whites and Hispanics. I disagree. But you can't deny the reality that he's running for president of the United States and not president of Black America. The week of the South Carolina was all about race, and he knows that is not a winning discussion because of this nation's history."
Martin added: "His campaign successfully beat back that issue since South Carolina, winning nearly all-white states like Utah, Idaho, Montana, Minnesota, Delaware, Connecticut, and Nebraska. Obama is looking to have mass appeal, and showing up in New Orleans at a State of the Black Union event doesn't help him at all in a close race."
Obama and his supporters want to have it both ways. Blacks are obligated to support Obama out of racial pride. Those who support Hillary Clinton are race traitors, haters, Uncle Toms, crabs-in-a-barrel.
But Obama feels no obligation to show appreciation for the ones who have powered him to front-runner status in "the final stretch." Texas is right next door. How much time would it take out of his schedule to show up?
There's a political maxim that "you dance with the one who brung ya." Black voters brought Obama this far. If he is the Democratic nominee and wins in November, it will not be voters in "nearly all-white states" who bring him over the finish line.
Comments: (1097)
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By: c2river@aol.com on 2/20/2008 6:13AM
God bless Tavis! But, President Obama needs to go where the most to gain is at stake. I want an example for my son to follow. I have run out of encouraging comments about blacks in this country. He is the best man for this job... read his book, this is not new stuff he is talking about. He is talking about CHANGE that he yearned for his first day in the Senate. It is time, my son is learning my anger despite my patience and what are we doing? Massa know mo bout da way thangs work! You are equals and your hard work is the difference. This is America. I too am proud for the first time.....
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By: Michigan on 2/20/2008 6:12AM
Obama could do alot more for the State of the Black Union, once he is elected president of the U.S. !! I commend Tavis for using this forum to address Black issues, but we actually have a person who could actually do some things to improve the State of the Black Union instead of talking about it every year. One would think Tavis was smart enough to see this.
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By: JB on 2/20/2008 6:45AM
grow up tavis.
the biggest war has been won.
u act as if u r the voice for black usa.
if i needed your today i could not make contact with u mr. big.
it is all a game. my family and i are KATRINA survivors. I have reached out multiple black brothers and organizations with zero results.
so i, we, know that black is just black; white is white, etc.. . RELAX U EVIL PERSON>
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By: Bob on 2/20/2008 7:01AM
I really thought that Tavis Smiley was more sophisticated than he has indicated recently. His myopic insistence that Obama should have come to his forum is absurd. The people who come to his forum are people that can say what they think in the most extreme ways. You do not want to expose Obama to that if you want him to win. If Obama were to go, he would have to answer for every statement made by every participant. Tavis knows that. We have to wonder if Tavis really wants him to win. I think what really has some "black leaders" goats is that Obama did not come through him to get black votes. It is the crab theory in full effect.
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By: James In Maryland on 2/20/2008 6:59AM
Tavis was correct to bash Barack Huessen-Obama. How dare he not show up for the State of Black America meeting. Obama is not really black. NO one in his family lived as slaves in the U.S. He has no idea of the hell blacks have faced in this country. He is the child of an african witch doctor and a poor white girl from Kansas. He is a true Uncle Tom, house "N", wanna be white boy.
All the whites voting for him are doing so out of guilt. He is the ultimate affirmative action hire, non cash repraratuions. As usual white amercia uses one of our own to tear us apart. Get ready for the coming white backlash ecasue of Barack Huessin-Obama
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By: Charles A. Williams on 2/20/2008 7:23AM
I really don't understand what Tavis is thinking, but this is far too big to start that take a brother down to build your own show up. Tavis I do respect you man but, Please Please for the sake of God let it go.
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By: Ethel Munson on 2/20/2008 8:21AM
Who appointed Tavis Smiley as leader of anyone let alone African Americans? Why would someone who is running for the top office in America, respond to Tavis Smiley? Says who? Tavis Smiley?
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By: Maria on 2/20/2008 8:30AM
I respect Tavis Smiley, but he is WRONG on this issue. Barack Obama is running for president, for pete's sake. This in itself, is time consuming, and on top of that, he offered an alternative, his wife,
who is a legal scholar in her own right, and who knows more about what he stands for than his own wife? In no way was he saying that the State of the Black Union was unimportant, its just crucial that he
stays on the campaign trail. At this point, as a presidential candidate and a black man, he is doing as he should be. Be patient Tavis, you'll get your turn.
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By: Eddie on 2/20/2008 8:53AM
This is my first post, but feel I should comment. We focus on the wrong issues, whether Obama shows up or not is not the issue within our community. We need to VOTE. I know so many people both young and old who did not vote in the primaries. We need to focus on getting our people registered to vote. It's our right, our ancestors died so that we can have this right and yet we do not use it. We need to focus our energies on educating each other instead of tearing each other down.
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By: Michelle on 2/20/2008 9:23AM
To be honest, I think many Blacks want to have it both ways. I like Hillary Clinton and I like Barack Obama, but only one of them will win. If you are going to run for the most powerful job in the world, you need to have tough skin and grow up. It seems no one was stopping John Edwards and Obama when they were bashing the crap out of Hillary, so why is it when someone says the LEAST thing about him, they cry race or that he is being belittled. Grow up, Black America. Black people thrived because of some of the policies of Bill Clinton and some of the good life people in New York have felt as a result of the hard work of Senator Clinton. I am shocked that Roland Martin lashes out at people who do not jump on the Obama wagon. I am equally shocked that Oprah has done the same. If we want fairness in journalism and reporting, you should be able to take the bitter with the sweet. Stop spinning, lying, cheating, berating and just plain old, GROW UP. GROW UP, Roland Martin. GROW UP, Michael Baisden. Personally, a house divided by itself will not stand. The bottom line and at the end of the day, the evils of some of the people in the Republican Party will prevail becasue they will be unified by our divisions. I don't like everything EVERYONE does, but I will support the Democratic nominee, regardless of who it is. Before I knew anything about Obama, I loved Hillary. I have to vote with my conviction and not race as Roland Martin implies. I am not an Uncle Tom by voting my beliefs. If he is going to rake Tavis over the coals for that, he doesn't need to have the job he does. I don't agree with him. I live in Ohio and right now, Ohio is going to go for Hillary. Are you saying that we are all Uncle Toms because we are voting for what we believe is the right person for the job? Get real!
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