THE WASHINGTON REVIEW & COMMENTARY: Weekly News From The White House

On Tuesday, controversial radio talk show host Don Imus told his listeners that the statement he made on Monday, considered racist by some in the African American community, was generally misunderstood. Imus said that in his comments about the arrest and suspension of Adam “Pacman” Jones, he was trying to “make a sarcastic point about the unfair treatment of Blacks in the criminal justice system.” He further noted that the uproar caused by his efforts in defense of African Americans was “ridiculous.”

Upon reviewing the transcripts from Imus’ Monday broadcast, it is difficult to ascertain the validity of his explanation. However, shockingly, I am in total agreement with Imus when he said that this media storm surrounding his comments is “ridiculous.” Why? It comes down to simple common sense. Did we in the African American community believe that Don Imus had magically reformed his stereotypical racist attitude? Could we in the African American community been fool enough to suppose that after his suspect ‘apology’ six months ago to the young women of the Rutgers University basketball team, Don Imus had an epiphany of some kind?

Don Imus does not owe the African American community another half-baked apology. He did not need to clarify his comments either. Who in the African American community actually listens to a Don Imus broadcast? I thought most of us was laughing and listening to Tom Joyner, Steve Harvey and Michael Baisden? When you have these three on the radio dial, and soon Mo’Nique, who has the time or inclination to even want to listen to anyone else?

Besides, going after Dom Imus is like going fishing. Why would you knowingly bait and catch a small fish in a deep ocean? Rev. Al Sharpton can answer this question for me. Or maybe he can’t. You see, Don Imus is a small fish. Throw him back. The deep ocean is the media, mainly cable news; and the big fish we REALLY want to catch and fry is FOX News Network. But seeing  how ‘friendly’ a relationship Rev. Al Sharpton has with FOX, it is no wonder why he would jump on the Don Imus bandwagon and not on the backs of FOX News. Just last week, you could find Rev. Sharpton on the “O’ Reilly Factor” explaining why he assumes the IRS is harassing him. Bill O’Reilly. Need I say more?

I say let Don Imus alone. Who cares that he, like a leopard, will never change his spots? We have ‘bigger fish to fry.’

I have to say that the way the McCain campaign is coming at Barack Obama is almost admirable. Who would have thought to use their wife to stick it to the Obama camp? Such a pimp move, if you ask me.

Well, Cindy McCain is doing the political dirty work for her husband by coming at Michelle Obama. You know, going through the back door instead of the front? Cindy McClain is now attacking Michelle Obama regarding a statement she made a few months back. The comment went something like “this is the first time in my adult life that I am proud of my country.”

Cindy McCain responded Wednesday, in an effort to stick it to Michelle Obama, that SHE has ALWAYS been proud of America. I wouldn’t even doubt that remark coming from her. Being from a mega rich family, I am sure that Cindy McCain grew up with every advantage and privilege that is afforded those in this country who have a measure of wealth. Cindy McCain has benefited from tax breaks and shelters established so that the wealthy in this country can maintain and build upon their fortunes.

And…with a certain amount of money, you can definitely buy absolution. Cindy McCain knows this first hand. Remember her highly publizied confession of ripping off her very own charity so that she could supply her prescription drug habit? Did she do any time for that? I don’t think so. Money can by you high priced attorneys and spin publicists that can turn a dope fiend into a victim of circumstance.

So, I am sure that Cindy McCain can not fathom in that pretty blond head of hers what Michelle Obama was trying to convey. How could she? In her world, what is there not to be proud of?

Abigail Chiroto, 27, wife of newly elected mayor of the city of Harare, was found bludgeoned to death late Wednesday officials said. She, along with four other activists and her 4 year old son, were kidnapped from their homes by men wearing military uniforms on Tuesday. The kidnappings and subsequent murders stem from the apparent political opposition and activism to oust Zimbabwe President Mugabe. Mugabe is currently running for re-election.

The four activists were also found murdered. Abigail Chiroto’s son, however, was returned unharmed. President Robert Mugabe and his Zanu-PF Party are allegedly linked to these murders.

I suppose that wives of politicians are not off-limits in Zimbabwe during election season.

Yeah. The uproar has begun. Wednesday on “The View”, moderator Whoopie Goldberg passionately commented on the way Michelle Obama carries herself. Whoopie complimented Michelle Obama, wife of presumptive Democratic Presidential nominee, Senator Barack Obama, by suggesting that Michelle Obama persona is a breath of fresh air, for a sista of the chocolate hue. Whoopie then mentioned that most sistas of the chocolate hue are portrayed on television as ghetto…wearing grills on their teeth, not able to string along a sentence, without class, basically.

Now, I admit that Michelle Obama always steps out of the house on point and fabulous. Whenever she is on television, she is stunning and beautiful. And I do admit, to a certain extent, that it IS refreshing to see a chocolate sista representing sistas like me. I mean, I do occassionally get tired of seeing Beyonce’, Mariah, Rhianna, Vanessa and other latte’ sistas getting the lime light. I say occasionally. I’m not a hater. My flesh and blood sister is a latte’ sista and I love her dearly.

But the uproar over Whoopi’s comments makes zero sense. The media, the cable and radio sector, have taken her comments and blown them out of proportion. Whoopie, herself a chocolate brownie sista, was only making the point that nowadays, sistas of the chocolate hue are being unfairly pigeoned-holed by the broadcast media in a negative light. In fact, within our own culture, African Americans have a nasty habit of showing preferential treatment to those of us with a light complexion.

I wasn’t insulted or taken aback by what Whoopie said about Michelle Obama. Michelle Obama not only makes me, a chocolate brownie sista proud, but she makes ALL OF US SISTAS PROUD.

And soon…she will make all women in this country PROUD.

I don’t know if anyone is really keeping up with the R. Kelly verdict aftermath, but I came across some interesting info this afternoon, courtesy of rhymeswithsnitch.com.

Did you know that the majority of the jurors who deliberated R. Kelly’s fate believed that THAT WAS HIM on the video in question? Mole and all?! Well, why isn’t he up under the jail, you might ask?

The jurors claim that the prosecution didn’t prove beyond the shadow of doubt that the girl participating in the sexual escapade was a minor. Several jurors admitted the split within the alleged minor’s family as to whether or not it was her, gave them room for speculation and not the conclusive evidence that they needed to convict Kelly.

So, in other words…R. Kelly IS the fool urinating on and doing all sorts of beyond kinky-freaky sex in the video. But the question is, who is the girl? And was she a minor at the time?

That prosecution team is, frankly, ridiculous and they all need to be fired and sent back to law school! How are you going to prosecute a case like this without your STAR witness? They couldn’t even get that girl to SIT in the court room! Humph!

Double Humph!

Thanks Rhymeswithsnitch!

I was shocked when I heard those words “acquitted” and “R. Kelly” in the same sentence last Friday. While in the midst of this shock, I was completely shook when following that pronouncement, the news of Tim Russert’s sudden death hit the news within minutes. I couldn’t think about R. Kelly at that time.

But, I am about to weigh in my two cents right about NOW.

Well, Kelly has a second chance to redeem himself. He can walk away from this and over haul his life. Or he could go back to doing what it is that WE ALL know that he has been doing for the past decade or so. For me, it all started with Aaliyah. The marriage that never happened until Detroit DJ John Mason went to the courthouse and found proof of it. She was fifteen at the time. Her family quickly had this marriage and relationship annuled. And that was that.

But this was only the beginning.

I never watched the tape of him doing the unthinkable. Or allegedly. I left that to those who chose to get their rocks off or who loved to wallow in the degradation of minors and other perverts. However, based on his previous track record, I was more than certain that Kelly was guilty. To many outside and in the jury room, I reckon, they felt or feel the same. Still, R. Kelly is walking amongst us as free any one has the right to be.

Yet, I have to say that the thing that bothers me the most about R. Kelly is that if he was so darn innocent, why did he pay his attorneys tons upon tons of loot to stall the judicial process for six years? That makes absolutely zero sense to me. If a brotha is innocent, wouldn’t he want to prove that as soon as humanly possible? Why would a superstar choose to have his name unceremoniously raked and dragged through the mud for years without doing something about it?

Well, R. Kelly dodged a bullet, I know this. I hope that he gets the psychological help that he needs. I also hope that he looks at O.J. and recognizes that if he DOESN’T get help and change his alleged ways, he will be back in the hot seat again. AND…it doesn’t look too good for that brotha either.

Scandal plagued Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick announced today that he would not be attending the rally to be held for presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama tonight. Mayor Kilpatrick, in a press conference held Monday afternoon, stated that the decision to not attend the Obama rally was strictly his “choice.”

Was it? Claiming to have a “good relationship” with Barack Obama that includes numerous of “phone conversations,” and a “ten hour conference” with Obama and his campaign organizers, Mayor Kilpatrick worked overtime trying to convince the Detroit public that even though he has this ‘nightmare text message soap opera’ hanging over his head, he and Barack Obama are the best of friends. And it is because of this ‘firendship’ that he has chosen not to taint the rally with his presence.

What a crock of crap! That ten hour conversation that Kwame Kilpatrick and the Obama camp had was nothing more than a negotiating session. Kwame wanted to come to the rally and Obama’s camp said don’t even bother. With good reason, too! Who would want a blatant liar and extortionist of millions of tax dollars out of the citizens of Detroit’s pockets associated with the front-runner in the campaign for the highest office in the country? When selfish, self-serving Mayor Kilpatrick insisted that he show his face, that is when the negotiating began.

Also, lets not forget the fall-out Barack had to suffer over his association with Rev. Jeremiah Wright. All Senator Obama needs is to breathe the same crusty air that Kwame does and it will be all over! The Republicans are certainly poised to pounce over even the tiniest misstep on Obama’s part.

I mean, really. This rally has been planned and over planned for months. Detroit pulled off the event of a lifetime a few years ago…The Super Bowl…so a rally at an arena is not a ten hour conversation. It is my opinion, and only my opinion that some kind of deal was made. I think that Barack Obama is a cool guy, but that Kwame…well lets just say that it wasn’t his “Choice” to not attend the most important rally in Detroit history since the visit of Dr. Martin Luther King where he made his “I Have A Dream” speech …two weeks before he revisited it in Washington. Obama and Kwame are politicians. They know the game and how it is played.

So it will be interesting to see how all this plays out if: Obama is elected President AND if by some miracle Kwame Kilpatrick is not behind bars.

Friday afternoon, journalism stalwart Tim Russert died of a massive heart attack. He was fifty-eight. The moderator of the longest running television show, “Meet The Press,” Tim Russert infused new life and energy into “Meet The Press” more than seventeen years ago.

More than just a moderator, Tim Russert also was Chief of the NBC Washington Bureau. Known for impartiality, fairness in reporting and a journalist who always sought out the truth, Tim Russert never hesitated or stumbled when interviewing politicians, heads of state or dignitaries. Always well-researched and thorough, Tim came prepared for every “Meet The Press” episode. He believed it was his duty to give the American public the facts…and the truth.

Fair and unbiased, Tim Russert brought a sense of balance in the world of politics. Never one to hide or shy away from issues or debates of the moment, Tim presented the good, the bad and the ugly of politics. I can not stress more the fact that Tim Russert was a fair journalist.

“Meet The Press”, Sunday mornings and Election nights will never be the same. You will be greatly missed, Tim!

If I have to hear one more political commentary on why Senator Hillary Clinton should have conceded Tuesday night, I think that I will be primed and ready to fit in a strait jacket. What really is the big hoopla about? The unification of the Democratic party? The so-called beginning of the ‘healing process’?

Even the average American voter has weighed in on this non-issue. Polls are springing up everywhere asking voters if Senator Hillary Clinton should have conceded. Many pollers are in agreement: Yes, she should have. Yet, can the average voter and political commentator understand the possible psychology and/or reasoning for why Senator Clinton made the decision that she did? No. But if you think about it for a moment, perhaps you will.

Hillary Clinton left the White House and First Lady duties back in 2001 with an agenda in place. The former First Lady carried the stinging criticisims of the Republicans about her drafted plan for nation wide health insurance. She was harassed about her non-conventional approach to being First Lady. And, who can forget the Republican witch hunt against her husband, President Bill Clinton, over his sexual indiscretions? But, Hillary Clinton had an agenda. Upon leaving the White House, the Clinton’s set up shop in New York City. Coincidence? I think not. Months later, after courting  New Yorkers and rubbing elbows with the movers and shakers in residence, Hillary Clinton runs for the Senate. And wins.

All part of bigger a goal.

Fast forward to 2007. Senator Hillary Clinton is set and poised to do something no other woman in U.S. history has had the capability nor the support to do successfully. She announces her bid to run for the Democratic nomination for President of The United States. For sixteen months, Sen. Clinton ran a monumental race that was strenuous, tenacious, difficult, inspirational and long. She ran not only against Senator Barack Obama, but Clinton ran against the tide of a negative, gender biased media who disrespected her (and still does), berated her, and questioned her independence and intelligence by repeating the absurd notion that she could not stand without her husband.

All of this and now she has been labeled as some kind of selfish, cold fish who refuses to face reality. None of this is true. Let Senator Hillary Clinton decide when it is time to let go. Let Senator Clinton make peace with a plan that has gone horribly awry. She deserves her space. She has indeed earned that and so much more.

On  CNN’s “American Morning” early Wednesday, BET founder Bob Johnson announced the launching of his campaign to push Senator Hillary Clinton as the prime and only candidate to share the Democratic ticket as VP with Barack Obama.

In a letter to the Congressional Black Caucus, Bob Johnson wrote:

“You know as well as I the deep affection that millions of African Americans hold for both Senator Clinton and President Clinton…but most important, we need to have the certainty of winning.”

Saying that he “is not pressuring” Senator Obama or the Congressional Black Caucus, Bob Johnson admits that the adding of Senator Hillary Clinton to the Democratic ticket as VP should be done if only to unify the Democratic party.

On Tuesday, Sen. Barack Obama made American history by becoming the first African American to presumptively win the Democratic nomination with an astonishing 2,156 total delegate and super delegate votes to Sen. Hillary Clinton’s 1,923. The total needed votes for the Democratic nomination is 2,118.

In his victory speech last night, Barack Obama graciously side-stepped his own history making accomplishment and zeroed in on the historical campaign of Senator Clinton by saying that “she has made history not just because she’s a woman who has done what no woman has done before, but because she’s a leader who inspires millions of Americans with her strength, her courage and her commitment to the causes that brought us here.”

Furthering speculation that Obama could possibly be considering Clinton for VP, a spokesman for the Obama campaign acknowledged that the two spoke early Wednesday for a few minutes by phone.

According to erroneous reporting done courtesy of the Associated Press, it was leaked that Senator Hillary Clinton planned to concede and conclude her bid for the Democratic nomination for President of The United States. But, then only minutes later, an official press statement from Senator Clinton’s campaign refuted the Associated Press’ report.

Senator Hillary Clintons’s campaign remarked that in a planned speech set for Tuesday night, Clinton will acknowledge that Senator Barack Obama does indeed lead in Democratic delegate and Super delegate votes. However, Clinton will continue campaigning non stop to the end of Primary season.

Don’t count a Sista out YET!