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Dennis Haysbert: Role on "24" Helped Pave the Way for Obama

As the nation prepares to nominate its first black presidential candidate, and, possibly elect him to the White House, some ask if actor Dennis Haysbert's breakthrough presidential role on the hit series 24 influenced how people perceived Barack Obama's quest for the White House. Haysbert believes his role made a difference:

"If anything, my portrayal of David Palmer, I think, may have helped open the eyes of the American people," said the actor, who has contributed $2,300 to the Illinois Democrat's presidential campaign.

"And I mean the American people from across the board — from the poorest to the richest, every color and creed, every religious base — to prove the possibility there could be an African-American president, a female president, any type of president that puts the people first," he said Tuesday. ...

Haysbert, who also played Nelson Mandela in the 2007 film "Goodbye Bafana," said his role as President Palmer seemed to "confuse people" who would approach him on the street "every day, almost every hour, and ask me to run."

Haysbert offers a very interesting anecdote that illustrates the impact of his work on the series. The actor said he recently had dinner with his daughter south of Los Angeles in Dana Point, Calif., which he described as "very wealthy, very white and very Republican."

"I go into this little restaurant with that demographic and a lady comes up to me and says, `You know, I want to vote for you,'" he said. "I don't know if it is a joke or that people just like to say those things. But to me, for them to say it out loud means they are thinking about it."

Obama has often said The Wire is his favorite television show, but, we're sure he has watched a few episodes of Dennis Haysbert on 24. Just for practice.

Haysbert: Prez role on '24' may have helped Obama [AP]

Anti-Gay Mike Huckabee Joins FOX "News" as Contributor

Former Arkansas governor and Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee joins Fox "News" as a political contributor and "will regularly contribute" to FNC's America's Election HQ coverage.

Huckabee, who is an ordained Southern Baptist minister and former church official, is a social conservative and fundamentalist has ridiculously compared homosexuality to "sadomasochism, pedophilia and necrophilia" Also, the stridently anti-gay social conservative once proposed a quarantine for the HIV positive.

FOX says it's a fit. "Governor Huckabee's campaign experience and knowledge of politics makes him a great addition to our ongoing election coverage," says Bill Shine, Senior Vice President of Programming.

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FOX "News" Chyrons Michelle Obama as "Obama's Baby Mama"

After ridiculously claiming Barack and Michelle Obama harbored terrorist sympathies by virtue of their fist bump, FOX "News" goes for the jugular and broadcasts racist stereotypes in its lower third graphics. Yesterday's segment of America's Election HQ displayed a chyron that identified Michelle Obama as "Obama's Baby Mama."

FOX News Senior VP of Programming Bill Shine says "a producer on the program exercised poor judgment in using this chyron during the segment."

Offensive? Absolutely. Racist? Definitely. Should anyone reading be surprised or outraged? Absolutely not. Rewind to February 2008 when MSNBC's David Shuster was suspended after remarking Chelsea Clinton was  "pimped out" by her mother's presidential campaign. For some reason no one commented in that post. Here was the last line: "If you don't speak out against the offensive language used to describe Hillary and Chelsea Clinton, make no mistake, you're giving license to describe Michelle Obama and her daughters in the same manner."

"Marginalized Southerners" Display "World's Largest" Confederate Flag

At the same time the nation is prepared to see its first black major presidential nominee, a strange, parallel universe exists in Hillsborough County, Florida. The Sons of Confederate Veterans are now flying the "world’s largest" Confederate flag at one of the nation’s busiest intersections in Tampa.

The Tampa Tribune reports the flag was raised on Tuesday at the junction of Interstate 75 and U.S. 92  to celebrate "Confederacy President Jefferson Davis’ birthday" and was taken down the same evening. At a county commission meeting last night, officials discovered they cannot legally prohibit the gigantic flag and pleaded with the group to voluntarily not display it and avoid inflaming racial tensions. That doesn't appear likely. "Plans call for the flag to be part of a Confederate memorial scheduled to be dedicated April 26, Confederate Memorial Day, and, a spokesman for the groups says 'we're pretty firm in our resolve.' "

This morning on FOX News, Marion Lambert of the Sons group says, "Southerners have been marginalized for the last 20-25 years" and feigned ignorance about the flag’s divisive history and role in slavery, Jim Crow and white supremacy. Video at Think Progress.

Local black citizens have "threatened an economic boycott and protests that could sully the county’s image as the nation focuses on Tampa in January as the site of the Super Bowl."

There's No Gray Area In Flag Flap  [TT]

Clinton Endorses Obama, Ends Historic Candidacy on Saturday

The New York Times and FOX News report Hillary Clinton will suspend her 17-month, historic candidacy on Saturday. Below the fold is the text of the email sent yesterday from the Clinton campaign that details her rally in Washington for staff and supporters, and, will formally endorse the nomination of Barack Obama.

Longtime readers of Rod 2.0 will know that we began chatting up Obama as a presidential contender when the site debuted in Ocober 2005 and May 2006. Obama and Clinton are terrific candidates, but, we said several times during the primary season that we believed Clinton was the more formidable general election candidate and much stronger on the issues, especially universal health care, education, the sub-prime lending crisis and the economy. Clinton would have expanded the map and handed McCain his hat in a landslide, picking up states such as Florida, Arkansas, Tennessee, Nevada and New Mexico, and, crushing the Republicans in the entire Ohio River Valley. Clinton's popularity in Appalachia, the Ozarks and the Southwest is almost unprecedented for a modern Democratic presidential candidate. These are states Democrats won before and can win again ... with the right economic and security message.

Clinton ran the weaker primary campaign and the first two and a half months were mismanaged, without a message, and underestimated the appeal of Obama.  Deciding not to contest the February caucuses and Wisconsin was the fatal mistake of the campaign. On the other hand, after recalibrating in March, Clinton emerged as a superb candidate with a populist, solutions-oriented message. Clinton's March thru June run was remarkable because the pundits have effectively said since February that 'she couldn't win' and, well, you know those 'silly, stupid voters.' With the exception of North Carolina and Oregon, Clinton has won almost every major contest since March and cleaned Obama's clock in contest after contest, sometimes spectacularly so, such as 30 and 40 percent margins in Kentucky, West Virginia and Puerto Rico, and, despite being outspent by as much as three or four to one. Ironically, this plucky spirit has earned her the respect and admiration of many Republican politicians and strategists who once despised her.

Clinton leaves the campaign with a bang and won South Dakota on Tuesday, another state strongly favored for Obama. Clinton ran on economic and Native American issues, and, energized turnout to defeat a ballot initiative that would have restricted abortion choices. Obama outspent Clinton and appeared in commercials with former Senator Tom Daschle, who remains as unpopular in South Dakota as he was on Capitol Hill during his disastrous stint as Senate Majority Leader. Daschle is despised by many within the Native American community and was probably a liability.

The Democrats fielded an excellent primary field but this unfortunately became the ugliest Democratic primary season in recent history. Clinton hate used to be exclusive to Beltway pundits and right wing talk radio and this primary season, the cable 'news' networks, the Obama campaign and the 'progressive' blogs ramped it up to hysterical proportions. Instead of a primary contest between two strong candidates, the contest became racialized and Clinton was presented as the villain who was trying to 'stop the first black man from becoming president'. This was vintage Daley-Axelrod-Jesse Jackson Jr. Chicago style primary politics. The sexist comments and misogyny that passes for punditry and commentary remains beyond pathetic. As a result, the party is split on class, gender and racial lines and and will require some heavy lifting by Obama and his team to put it back together. It will not be easy but it can be done.

Not sure what Clinton's next move will be. Months ago, when Clinton was ahead, a unity ticket seemed the way to go. Since then, we've repeatedly said that is not going to happen. At this point, besides asking for some recognition for her campaign and its approximately 18 million voters, Clinton probably wants to take a long weekend and sleep in. She will campaign for Obama in the fall if and when she is asked.

Clinton's email message after the flip.

Re: Michelle Obama

FOX News, talk radio and a number of blogs are "reporting" a rumor about Michelle Obama and a purported videotape. There will be absolutely NO MENTION or DISCUSSION of this rumor in comments. If and when there is proof of the allegations or videotape, it will be reported. Until then it is off-limits and anyone commenting on the "news" will be suspended.

I'm already on the record for speaking out against smearing and spreading rumors against any of the candidates and/or their families. We all should do the same regardless of whom we support.

McCain Remains Silent on Hagee's Outrageous Homophobic Slurs

While much of the recent media attention on the outrageous Rev. John Hagee has focused on his right-wing Christian Zionist views and "militantly anti-Catholic rants", there has been relative silence on his anti-gay sermons and homophobia.  Hagee has endorsed Sen. John McCain and few have pressed McCain on Hagee's anti-gay zealotry.

To his credit, last night on FOX News' The O'Reilly Factor, host Bill O'Reilly asked McCain about the "bad things" Hagee says "about Catholics and gays and other things like that." The Republican presidential candidate "rejected" Hagee's extensive anti-Catholic history and said nothing about "gays and other things like that." Transcript at Think Progress and YouTube below.

O’REILLY: OK. John Hagee is a guy…
MCCAIN: Yes.
O’REILLY: …that you sought his endorsement in San Antonio, Texas. He said bad things about Catholics and gays and other things like that. And your opponents are saying, hey, you know, McCain hangs around with Hagee. Obama hangs around Wright. No difference.
MCCAIN: I do not embrace a view that he stated about the Catholic church. I steadfastly reject it and repudiate it. I’ve never been in Pastor Hagee’s church. I know him, but the fact is that I accept his endorsement.

Only this week, Hagee reiterated his outlandish claims that Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans because it was "planning a sinful" "homosexual rally." Newsweek reports McCain sought Hagee’s endorsement "for more than a year." Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor and social conservative Republican presidential candidate, campaigned at Hagee's Texas mega-church and reportedly raised money by passing the collection plate.

Some Background ...
Huckabee Will Speak at Anti-Gay, "Anti-Catholic" Texas Mega-Church [R20]

News: Simmie Williams, Bill Richardson, Tyra Banks, Darfur

· Still no suspects after the murder of Simmie Williams Jr, the 17-year-old killed last month in Florida after an altercation with two men men who made anti-gay remarks. "That Fort Lauderdale's mayor hasn't said anything about [the] incident isn't surprising, since he still seems more passionately obsessed with men's rooms than Larry "Wide Stance" Craig," notes an op-ed in the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel.

· Tyra Banks looking to leave America's Next Top Model? "Banks is feuding with photo-shoot creative director Jay Manuel to such an extent that the two don't even speak. OK also reports that Banks barely hangs out with the contestants and shows up only on judging days."

· Little Rock mega-church unveils 30 minute "sitcom-length Sunday worship service."

· American Airlines cancels 300 flights to "perform maintenance checks on its fleet of MD-80 aircraft [and] might have to cancel additional flights Thursday.

· Survey: "87 percent of Americans believe in the concept of 'sin' and most say racism is considered a sin," explains Frank Lockwood at Bible Belt Blogger. "Republicans are more likely than Democrats to call racism a sin. Conservatives are more likely than liberals. And Southerners are more likely than Northerners to label racism as “sin.” Part of the reason for the gap? Republicans, conservatives and Southerners are more likely to believe in the concept of sin overall."

· Fox News debates the significance of Gov. Bill Richardson's new facial hair. One "Democratic" strategist says the New Mexico governor  wants to feel more "macho" because "after Al Gore lost his election, he also grew a beard. And I think it has to do with being sort of macho and wanting to feel like a man after you've lost something."

· Three relief workers with the United Nations World Food Program are "killed by bandits in separate attacks over the past week in Sudan's war-stricken western Darfur. ... The attacks highlight the security dangers in Sudan, where the world's biggest humanitarian operation is trying to cope with the crisis in Darfur while aid agencies are trying to help the south rebuild after decades of civil war."

Gingrich Criticizes Obama for Mentioning Grandmother in Speech

One of the most emotional and powerful passages of Barack Obama's "A More Perfect Union" speech was the anecdote about his white grandmother who occasionally "uttered racial or ethnic stereotypes."

I can no more disown [former Trinity United Church of Christ pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright] than I can my white grandmother -- a woman who helped raise me, a woman who sacrificed again and again for me, a woman who loves me as much as she loves anything in this world, but a woman who once confessed her fear of black men who passed by her on the street, and who on more than one occasion has uttered racial or ethnic stereotypes that made me cringe.

That passage—and the Obama's perceived disrespect to his own grandmother—is being attacked by the left and the right. FOX News—the same network that has been broadcasting snippets of Rev. Wright's sermons for the past year—quickly jumped on the bandwagon. Media Matters reports serial adulterer and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) appeared on Fox News' Your World and blasted the speech on race and politics as "intellectually, fundamentally dishonest. ...  To reduce a 20-year relationship with a public figure to his grandmother is just wrong. It's emotionally powerful, but it's just wrong."

By invoking the image of a well-meaning and loving  "white grandmother" who occasionally uttered racial sterotypes in front of her biracial grandson, Obama perfectly crystallized the inherent and latent racism that is intertwined in our social and cultural DNA.  Maybe Gingrich listened to a different speech and tuned out the part on family and integrity. Wouldn't be the first time—this is the same guy who divorced one wife when she was recovering from cancer and his second wife when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Talk about being "emotionally powerful" and "just wrong."

From Rod 2.0 reader Andy in Seattle: "Surely it must be a different Newt Gingrich, as the person portrayed above is hardly someone I'd go to for lessons on sensitivity about anything, much less on the delicacies of race relations in the United States."

Gingrich, Hume Criticize Obama [Media Matters]

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Obama's "A More Perfect Union" Speech [R20]
Obama to Make "Major" Speech on Race [R20]
Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Black LGBTs [R20]
MSNBC's Tucker Asks All-White Panel,"Is Obama Black Enough? [R20]

 

Bush: Obama Will "Attack Pakistan and Embrace Agmadenijad"

Apparently dissatisfied with his role on the sidelines during this election cycle, the commander-in-chief becomes the pundit-in-chief on the friendly confines of FOX "News" Sunday to begin attacking Sen. Barack Obama's foreign policy platform.

"I certainly don't know what he believes in," President George Bush told host Chris Wallace on FOX News Sunday. (Video and transcript.) "The only foreign policy thing I remember he said was he's going to attack Pakistan and embrace Ahmadinejad."

Bush's swipe at the Illinois junior senator is an over-simplification of an Obama argument made during a Democratic debate, notes Nico Pitney at the Huffington Post. "Obama said that the U.S. should be willing to strike against al Qaeda targets in Pakistan if the country's president Pervez Musharraf refuses."

The allusion to Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadenijad also comes from that same debate, where Obama said he would be willing to meet with leaders of Iran, North Korea or Venezuela. We took some issue with that position, but, it's interesting to see how this plays into the larger Republican strategy to define Obama and link him to Iran. Obama never said he would "embrace" the Iranian president, but, facts are never material to FOX "News", especially when telegraphing Republican talking points.

Good, strong pushback from the Obama camp: "Barack Obama doesn't need any foreign policy advice from the architect of the worst foreign policy decision in a generation," says spokesman Bill Burton.

Transcript: Bush on FNS [FOX News + Video]
Bush: Obama Would Attack Pakistan [HuffPo + Video]

More IRAN
More OBAMA

Some Background ...
Obama Promises Diplomacy on Iran [R20]
Video of CNN Comparing Obama to Axis of Evil [R20]
CNN Compares Barack Obama to Ahmadinejad [R20]
Ahmadinejad Will Free 15 Captive British Sailors [R20]
Ahmadinejad Says He Was Misquoted on Gays [R20]
Talks with Iran and Syria [R20]
Super Tuesday Analysis [R20]
Barack Obama Wins Iowa [R20]
The Advocate: Clinton vs Obama [R20]
Rove on Obama: "Lazy" and "Basketball Playing" [R20]
Ted Kennedy to Endorse Obama [R20]  
Obama Addresses Homophobia and Anti-Semitism [R20]
Welcome to the Campaign, Barack [HuffPo]
Paging John Edwards and Barack Obama [HuffPo]
This Barack Obama Should Tell Bob Novak [HuffPo]
Behind the Gay-Friendly Faces [Advocate]
JFK's Civil Rights "Legacy"? [HuffPo]
Ted Kennedy to Endorse Obama [R20]  
Kerry to Endorse Obama [R20]
Deval Patrick Endorses Obama [R20]
Democratic Debate Addresses Homopohobia, Race [R20]
Democratic Candidates Debate Gay Issues [R20]