He can’t be President of Black America!

Um....he had a prior commitment?

BTW- who is this dumb t*at that you TMV folk keep linking to? Until a few weeks ago I'd never heard of her, but now she seems to be a postmenopausal Rush of the Left.

I haven't heard of her until a few weeks ago myself. I usually hang out at futurist blogs like Accelerating Future.

Cybernetic implants anyone??

I have a co-worker I have worked with many years. She is a kind and decent person, but she really took me offguard the other day when she said, "I like Obama but I'm afraid he will mostly help just the black people." Well, you could have knocked me over with a feather. Based on that single incident, I believe T-Steel is right here. Ruffled feathers or no (yes I know, I have 2 feather references) Obama knows what he's doing here.

I used to read Taylor's blog a fair amount. Second tier blogger who had a lot of heart some strong posts to her credit. Big supporter of Jim Webb during his run here in VA, and she occasionally got a guest post at HuffPo.

But man, she's definitely not the same blogger today - Clinton's run has changed everything. Of course before, she was lucky to see more than three or four comments on any of her posts; Now, she regularly gets hundreds.

Heck of a trade-off, though. And I wonder what'll happen to her new-found reading audience on Mar. 5, should Hillary have to pull out.

Whew- I hadn't seen this. Sully comes back from vacation a bit early to point it out. Taylor and Hillary are reading from the same playbook, I guess.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily...

Mike_P, thanks. I'd read some coverage on that but hadn't seen the video. Boy she's hopping mad. But I think Obama's right in his flyer. He says that her healthcare plan mandates people buy healthcare. He's even brought it up in some debates with her.

I don't know what Hillary said before the video snippet started, but in this piece, all she says is that Obama resorts to Rove type tactics and attacks her on her healthcare. Hillary doesn't say what those Rove tactics are that Obama uses.

I love the number of people Obama draws and so at the end of the video I tried to gage the number of people in this Hillary audience. Judging by the clapping at the end, it didn't seem to be nearly as large as Obama's crowds, but it did seem larger than McCain's.

T-Steel (and cosmo), Taylor Marsh is the same person who started (as far as I can tell) all that silliness on sexism which spurred T-Steel to post that one piece on Feb. 16 on the "sexism" video.

Here's the link to T-Steel's piece, if anyone wants to see what other recent complete and utter nonsense Taylor Marsh has been up to. Really now, why can't we all just disregard her? She isn't legitimate and only creates this crap for her own effing ego.

http://themoderatevoice.com/politics/democratic...

Although I still have my doubts about Obama's experience, and his ability to stand up to the nastiness of the opposition, I have no doubts about his character or his sincerity. He-not McCain- is the straight talker, and he speaks from his heart and soul. We should be grateful he chose to devote his talents to public service, and that he is addressing the nation as a whole, and not just black America. Its nice to see such a thoughtful, composed, intelligent young man run for president and bring so many of us into his camp while doing so. Next to him, the Clintons appear conniving, McCain deceitful.

kritt, well put.

Taylor Marsh is a Clintonion intern, we can all agree on. T-steel hits it DEAD ON on how and why Obama has run a BRILLIANT campaign, one that should be put into every textbook, regardless of outcome, because he has support and somehow, despite all expectations, has not been pigeon-holed as the token black or the loyal darkie. To Taylor Marsh and all the faux feminists who bawl and cry over Hillary, that's just the way the cookie crumbles. I'm sorry a brilliant woman candidate got taken out by the brilliant black candiate, but seriously, enough is enough. I'm tired of Clintonistas crowing about how Clinton is "vetted" yet bawl and snivel about how they're getting slammed in the polls about inherent sexism. Obama has a similar if not greater disadvantage, because at least Hillary Clinton is white, which reassures elderly white voters or lingering racist elements of the Democratic party. It remains to be seen if the Clintonistas can swallow their pride in the Clintons' dubious accomplishments and start celebrating the first black candidate for president, or if they're going to take their marbles and go home out of sheer malicious spite and endanger the general election.

Taylor Marsh is no different than sites that clearly support Obama, like this one. You are both openly partisan. There arent that many sites that clearly support Clinton and the stuff I read on the openly pro Obama sites is no different than the stuff I read on pro Clinton sites, albeit the pro Obama comments seem really angry and snarky about the other side. I think Clinton is the victim of a great deal of sexism and I am beginning to think that sexism is much more entrenched and impossible to overcome than racism. I have met lots of men who simply wont vote for a woman, and Hillary in particular, yet who are unable to give me a single reason why this is so except thats how they feel. Polls show more people think the country is ready for a black president than a woman president. At the same time I meet lots of women who irrevocably hate Hillary for one reason only: she didnt divorce Bill. I dont know what kind of crazy thinking that is: its not sexism but some sort of weird projection of their own inherent relationship fears. Lots of crazy psychology all around this year.

But I certainly dont understand how Marsh's post under discussion could make anyone so angry they had to get up and walk around to cool down. I dont get why people are all bent out of shape so constantly. I dont get why Hillary needs to drop out. I think she has earned the right to have her name put into nomination at the convention. Why not? Lots of people are excited that a woman could be president: Obama does not have a monopoly on excitement. I dont get why people supporting Obama have had to be so snarky about Hillary or Bill. I dont get why when asked why 80% of blacks went for Obama in SC it is a racist comment to say that Jesse Jackson got the same support there. I dont understand what is racist with observing that blacks are going to support the first black candidate with a chance to win in part because he is black. Its true. Its factual. I would expect nothing less and I admire the loyalty. Its not maligning Obama yet people STILL talk about how Bill blew it for Hillary with his "racially tinged comments." I dont get it. Not when in fact this primary has not been a negative one nor has either candidate gone negative on the other to any great degree. Why cant people make a choice without somehow trying to convince themselves of the other sides' evil nature? What makes anyone think the Clintons wont support Obama if nominated? They have said that they will and I take them at their word. They have always worked hard for the Democratic candidates at all levels. They have always been loyal to their party. Would Obama supporters do the same if Hillary was the winner? I honestly dont know the answer.

I'll tell you what angers me to the point I have to walk around and cool down: the notion that John Lewis in Atlanta will now be challenged for his seat by people angry at him for not switching from Clinton to Obama. I find that kind of pressure and punishment, directed at an icon of the civil rights movement, and a true American hero, by African Americans, for not supporting the African American candidate, to be the most openly racist thing that has happened in this campaign. And when Tavis Smiley says he and his family received hate mail and death threats for disagreeing with Obama's decision to skip the NO event, well that gets me really mad so I have to get up and walk around. I dont hold that against Obama personally, although I wish he would tell his people to stop that kind of pathetic behavior, but I think its really low behavior and to me the most depressing thing that has happened this campaign season.

I wish both Clinton and Obama the best. Let them fight it out and when someone wins its over. Then we better darn well find a way to overcome the anger of various supporters and come together or the Repubs are the winners. Obama will need Clinton supporters in the fall, of that you can be sure. So lets try not to burn our bridges if its not too late already.

I wish people would show more intellectual honesty.

"The websites that agree with me seem sensible, but the ones that disagree seem angry and hostile."

O RLY?

The internet is a perfect environment for the unhinged of every stripe. Reasonable people can disagree on the two mostly similar candidates. A good litmus test for knowing if you're dealing with a crazy is the denial of this fact.

Back to the post at hand. A big problem in Hillary's strategy this whole time is that she seems out of touch with the Black community, or at least the younger members. The top down approach, where a few key endorsements delivers tons of voters, no longer works. And don't try to tell me that African Americans are voting based on race alone. Last Fall, Hillary had a commanding lead in the African American community.

I have to refer to Jammer's post one more time. Granted, people are talking tough with the Super Delegates, but I'm not clear why African Americans can't try to get their representatives to vote in their interest as any other constituency would. I'm sure there are mostly white communities that are trying to do the same thing with their reps. Why not? I don't know where you live, but if your district went to Clinton and your rep vote for Obama, are you saying that will hold no importance for you when he/she comes up for reelection?

BTW, before someone nitpicks me out of my point, I'm not accusing anyone of saying that (in so many words, at least) I just broke it out because otherwise it looks as if I change topics quickly/contradict myself.

I dont get why when asked why 80% of blacks went for Obama in SC it is a racist comment to say that Jesse Jackson got the same support there. I dont understand what is racist with observing that blacks are going to support the first black candidate with a chance to win in part because he is black. Its true. Its factual.

I can't count the number of times I've explained this. Since Jesse Jackson won there in 88, there have been multiple candidates to win there who did not go on to win the nomination. Most recently, John Edwards. So if the point was to say that winning SC doesn't guarantee the nomination, why not compare him to John Edwards? Why go back 20 years to Jesse Jackson? Well, among many, Jesse Jackson is seen as a fringe candidate whose appeal was limited to the Black community and was never a serious contender. It was an attempt to limit him by making him "The Black Candidate," rather than just a candidate who is Black.

The reason why it irritated me so much was because she ran the whole "if your black, you better be down for you community no matter what" angle. Why does a black man have to appear at a black event? Especially the State of the Black Union that does feature some "shadier" characters (that will be associated with Senator Obama).

I'm no partisan hack. I have a BIG BONE to pick with Senator Obama health care plan. What I am is a person that's watching Obama and Clinton supporters fight a vicious battle with each other. And Taylor Marsh's post hit me in a sore spot since I've been railing against "State of the Black Union" type conferences for a long time.

Marsh should be the one worried aobut burning bridges. Don't blame Obama or his supporters because Clinton has run an inept campaign, or that the crosshairs on her back are a mile high and wide. Snark is snark, and I agree people get off on it a little too much. But Clinton has problems as an individual person, not just as a woman. I mean, it's like if I was arguing against Condaleeza Rice. She's black and a woman, and I think her political views are retarded, but if I try to argue as such I could be labeled as sexist or racist, simply because of my contrary position against her. That's why I think both screams of "racism" or "sexism" especially at fellow liberals, is somewhat absurd. I think the reason emotions are running so high in both Clinton and Obama camps is people are conflating the "liberal" media or Republican talking points with either campaign (Clinton because of her war position, Obama because his attempts to reach out ot conservatives for example). Ultimately, when push comes to shove, everyone will be a Democrat in the end and vote accordingly, because 4 more years of Republican tyranny and rapine and ineptitude will be too much.

@ Jammer though, you're right about John Lewis. It's going to be ridiculous in the coming months, and the press will feed this narrative, that any black politician who doesn't fall into lockstep with Obama is a sellout Uncle Tom or some other BS. The thing that astonishes me about Obama though is as a black politician himself, he has danced and evaded all such attempts to smear him either as excessively white and thus betraying his entire race or as excessively black and thus foreign, Muslim, thuggish, etc. That's why I'm forgiving of Obama to reaching out to Reagan Democrats and other dissatisfied elements of the Republican party because I think that's a deliberate strategy to appeal to reluctant white voters and avoid the so called "bradley effect."

Jammer: Obviously you don't read most of the female crowd here, for Damozel, Jill, and Holly are pro-Hillary, in a big way, while Mullen and Stickings are the Obamaniacs. The rest are in between.

A parallax from the extreme, however, always produces an extreme.

Wow, where to begin?

Hillary is going to be at the function. Given that, I don't see how Obama going as well makes him easier to characterize as the president of black America.

You seem to be arguing that Obama can't afford to go to any function sponsored by African Americans. In other words, he is forced to snub the black community at every opportunity. It isn't that he has a prior engagement, it's that he can't afford politically to in any way be associated with black political organizations. But, of course, that hasn't been true in the least, and if it IS true, I doubt that black political leaders would be cavalier about it, wondering how far Obama will be forced to distance himself.

Marsh's post made several points, not solely related to this nonappearance. Had it been solely related to skipping the event, I might find it more petty. But as it is, it is exactly what I wold expect. Obama couldn't make the event - probably due to scheduling conflicts. Hillary partisans dig at the question of priorities, as one would expect in any case in which one candidate showed up and the other didn't.

It's not a big deal. Your reaction shows that there is something very wrong with your perception of the world.

Taylor Marsh is just stirring up trouble. She's a white woman who believes Obama's place, as a black man, is at the State of the Black Union conference, among people "he relied upon to get the nomination." That's what it all boils down to.

First of all Obama doesn't have the nomination. Second of all far more white people than black people voted for him. Third of all, for what I can tell most of the black attendees understand that Obama was out campaigning and realized how important it was for Obama to be out getting votes. Just as they understood that HIllary was campaigning there. Fourth, where does some vain, second (or third) rate media ditz get the idea that she can dictate where candidates campaign and if she doesn't get her way, then why is she such a whiner as if Obama's personal caused her harm and suffering? Lastly I think this is very condescending on Taylor's part. Taylor's saying that she (and by extension, Hillary) knows what's best for blacks, and that is for Obama to be amongst his own people.

It doesn't matter one way or the other to me if Hillary is there or not. My ire over Taylor Marsh is over Taylor and what she brings up. I'm not picking a bone with HIllary on this. If Hillary feels that she can most effectively campaign in New Orleans ahead of the TX, OH, RI and VT races, that's fine with me and more power to her. She's an adult and makes her own decisions. Just like I'm fine with Obama campaigning in TX, OH, RI and VT for the upcoming contests.

It's not a big deal. Your reaction shows that there is something very wrong with your perception of the world.

Your right, it's not a big deal. But if he would have attended, it would have been made into A BIG DEAL. My post is about the State of the Black Union. I thought I was clear. Anyways, I digress.

We live in a society that will pick at a little scab until they reach a major blood vessel. Some of the speakers at the SOBU have made questionable to downright crazy statements. Some of the speakers themselves are easy targets because of their views. If Seantor Obama was there, he would be linked to those people and questions of his allegiance to ALL Americans would be questioned. Tavis Smiley, the organizer, has book out associated with these SOBUs called Covenant with Black America. Now think about that title. Senator Obama's critics would have a field day with that.

Look, it's unfair to Senator Obama. But he's the first viable black candidate and HAS TO SEEN as appealing to ALL Americans. That's just the way it is.

Perhaps Obama needs to make a more careful political calculation in attending this event than Clinton. Perhaps he did make this calculation, and decided that it was strategically better to skip it.

But perhaps he didn't. Or, perhaps, in making that calculation, he was wrong. Neither you, nor I, nor Taylor Marsh knows why he isn't showing up. Her hypocrisy charge is as speculative as your charge that he can't afford to attend.

I'm not sure why she is attacked because you disagree with her on this relatively trivial issue. I find a lot of Obama supporters on the net who are oversensitive to the give and take of campaigns and unnecessarily nasty to Clinton. I find that less the case with Clinton supporters, although Marsh is the first one I've seen on the net to be a Clinton attack dog.

I think that Obama has to deal with his race in a manner similar to that of Kennedy with his Catholicism. In the 60s, the idea that a "papist" might inhabit the presidency was almost as revolutionary as the possibility today of a black or a woman president. JFK had to assure people that the pope wasn't going to run the White House if he were elected. He therefore had to distance himself from his religion.

Certainly being black trumps Catholic in terms of biases that this country holds, but I think the analogy holds true for Obama's need to maintain a degree of distance from the black community, to avoid being pigeonholed as the black candidate. If that were to happen, there's no way he would be elected. It may not be right (that it could happen), but it wouldn't be wrong (to believe that it would happen).

I'm not attacking Taylor Marsh (my language is hardly attack style). I'm strongly disagreeing with her viewpoint on this issue.

Note to self: avoid any more posts that contain the words, "Taylor Marsh".