RNC Chair Michael Steele apologized to Rush Limbaugh after the latter went on air yesterday to firmly put in his foot in Steele’s butt. Make no mistake about it: Limbaugh ended this brief but colorful mini-feud yesterday by sitting behind a microphone. Rush was clear, concise and virtually destroyed any credibility that Steele has as the leader of the Republican Party. In particular, the excerpt below is priceless: “Michael Steele, you are head of the RNC. You are not head of the...

Last June, I wrote a column about the impending return of Rush Limbaugh if Obama won the presidency. I was dismissed as being unrealistic because Rush already had his 15 minutes of fame back in the Clinton 90s. Surely, our country and the Republican Party, had matured enough that Mr. Limbaugh would be kept at the fringe of political discourse. Well, I have to say it… I Told You So! Make no mistake about it – The Circus is back in Town and Rush Limbaugh is P.T. Barnum. I can’t...

It is a bit early to order the 57th Presidential Inaugural collectibles but the smart money has to be on Obama getting re-elected in 2012. This week was a major victory for Obama, not only with the signage of his stimulus package, but also with a well-received prime time address that bolstered his approval ratings while the country continues its economic nosedive. It couldn’t get any better for Obama, could it? Oh, yes… I forgot about the other actors in our national political drama,...

“We are not quitters.” That is the message that President Obama gave to the nation last night. As you know, I print out the transcripts of major speeches so I can give you my take on the message while giving you the direct words from the address. So here is my two cents on Obama’s speech last night: We were told that Obama doesn’t “believe in bigger government” but he is proposing subsidizing banks, the automotive industry and “creating a new lending fund...

This just in from the “If it is broke, get rid of the rest of them” file. RNC Chair Michael Steele is contemplating shutting off RNC funds from the three moderate Republican Senators that supported the stimulus package. Michael, I know you have got to walk a fine line between your moderate tendencies (see the 2006 MD Senate race) and your need to project a hard line for the true believers of the RNC leadership that put you into office a couple of weeks ago, but seriously… do you...

Where is that straightjacket when I need it? I was going through my morning ritual of reading my favorite political blogs and I came across this piece by Andrew Sullivan who gives us a glimpse into the terrifyingly absurd mind of one Dr. Alan Keyes. I have always thought Keyes was a bit unhinged but he has really lost all sense of reality in the video clip. Just in case you think I am joking… here are a few of the more unsettling thoughts offered by Keyes: 1) Barack Obama is the “greatest...

I have a solution for the public uproar over yesterday’s cartoon in the New York Post. Next time, increase the amount of pork spending in the Department of Education’s fiscal budget to help chimps write better stimulus bills. But seriously, the only fault I find with the whole scenario is how fast Al Sharpton picked up his flute to fulfill his role as the “pied piper of racial animosity.” Does this guy have anything else to do with his time? His Chicken Little routine...

I have a suggestion for my fellow Republicans who have not given up their attempt to keep Barack Obama from serving as President – just put him in the middle of the ongoing steroid scandal. What does steroids have to do with Obama? Let me explain… 1) He doesn’t bowl well but he can play basketball. Apparently, he even has a decent jumpshot although he hasn’t had to face my man to man defense. Strike One. 2) He doesn’t dance like an average politician so there must...

It has been confirmed that there are several conservative PACs who are threatening to find primary challengers to the Republican Senators who dare to vote for the stimulus package that is being pushed by President Barack Obama. Two of the three G.O.P. traitors, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins (both from Maine), do not face an election in 2010. However, that does leave Arlen Specter (PA) as the one person that may feel any wrath from these groups in 2010. Arlen Specter has been in the U.S. Senate...

President Obama’s first prime-time press conference last evening was a combination of policy nuance and political theatre. Obama was successful in managing the press corps but failed to give me a full picture of what he is going to spend this stimulus package money on in exact terms. President Obama will probably get his stimulus package through both houses of Congress because of the lopsided majority his party controls. However, he needs to do a better job of explaining how many private...

It was only a matter of time. Yes, it’s true, Barack Obama is human. He has and will continue to make mistakes. Obama has to deal with an economic mess, negotiate the landmines his staff has left for him to deal with (Daschle) and deal with foreign and national security policy issues such as closing Gitmo and reducing military forces in two theaters of operation half a world away. I don’t know who I should feel more sorry for – the Michael Steele led Republican Party who think...

As a native from the ‘burgh, from the small town of Beaver Falls, I was thrilled that my Pittsburgh Steelers won their record setting SIXTH VINCE LOMBARDI TROPHY! My hometown quarterback Joe Willy Namath presented the trophy to the Rooney family on the 40th anniversary of Namath’s Super Bowl III win. It was a great game throughout. The Arizona Cardinals showed they truly belonged on the biggest sporting stage in the world. Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald were as good as advertised...

The “Man of Steele” has swooped in to save the G.O.P. Whoa, Nellie, not so fast… there is only enough room in this town for one Messiah and he lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. I live in Maryland and until five years ago knew newly elected RNC Chair Michael Steele very well. There are only a handful of prominent African-American Republicans in Maryland so we tend to know each other pretty well. Michael is smooth, charismatic, and has a knack for being in the right place at...

I have to break up the stimulus hubbub with a belated goodbye to one of my favorite actors of the large and small screen: Ricardo Montalban. Mr. Montalban passed away two weeks ago but with all of the inauguration craziness going on… I did not get an opportunity to write my farewell to him. Of course, Mr. Montalban is best known for his role as the proprietor of “Fantasy Island.” The show ran on ABC from 1978 to 1984. However, his role as Khan Noonien Singh, in ST:TOS episode...

Sixteen years ago, a young Democratic president took office with the mantra of Hope in his eyes. The new president moved quickly to carry out some of his campaign promises to his constituency and they got him into a world of hurt. Bill Clinton pushed for Gays in the Military and universal heath care coverage and was soundly defeated in 1993. Worse yet, his policy proposal gave new life to a devastated Republican Party who would put together the “Contract with America” in the 1994...

Good morning, Mr. President! It seems that yesterday evening you received the first of your wake up calls regarding the love / hate / love relationship between the President and the White House Press Corps. President Obama made an impromptu visit to the cramped press corps suite and discovered that there is no such thing as an off day with reporters (gasp)! Obama wanted to visit and shoot the breeze as he did repeatedly during his months on the campaign trail, unfortunately, he forgot one little...

Over the past six months, Republicans tried to communicate that Barack Obama was too inexperienced to become President of the United States. Timing and Opportunity are two important ingredients in politics and Republicans gave Obama both advantages and he used them to win. What do I mean? Simply put, the Republican Party allowed Barack Obama to elevate to the national stage prematurely, we are the cause of our own demise. In the last two election cycles, Republicans went from having majorities...

As President Obama makes his way through his first full day on the job, a familiar voice reemerged from the depths of the river Styx, conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh. For the last eight years, aside from a public pain medication addiction, Mr. Limbaugh and most of the conservative talking heads have been relegated to proving air cover for President Bush. Now, with a new Democrat in the Oval Office, their role is in the process of changing once again: the job of apologist is over and new...

Barack Obama is now the 44th President of the United States. I wanted to share poignant images and sounds of his swearing-in ceremony: Before the speech: 1) Introduced as Barack H. Obama but took the oath of office with his middle name. 2) Rick Warren’s prayer was good but was way too long. 3) The John Williams arrangement, “Air and Simple Gifts”, was “Appalachian Spring” on steroids. 4) During the Williams piece, a shot of Michelle, Sasha and Malia playing a game...

As a American of African descent, I am proud of the fact that this country voted for Barack Obama, and tomorrow, he will be sworn-in as the 44th President of the United States. I supported the President-elect, as a Republican, back in January and it has been a worthwhile effort. However, that being said, it is left to me to share a little common sense with the rest of the blogging universe (and whoever may read this post)… the connection between Dr. King’s “I Have A Dream”...

During the course of this campaign cycle, I have written on the issue of race in politics in regards to Barack Obama, however, unlike most bloggers, most of my rhetorical venom has been directed at members of my own racial demographic. As a somewhat politically-savvy 43 year old African-American male, I have voiced my disappointment with the supposed political leadership within the Black community over the past thirty years. I know I will get in trouble over the next comment and I have never backed...

As I watched the speech of President-elect Barack Obama, live from War Memorial Plaza in Baltimore, one person was curiously missing from the crowd: embattled Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon. Two days ago, I wrote the following excerpt: “My hope is that Obama will politely inform Mayor Dixon that it would be better of she did not attend the event. Unfortunately, in political reality, he can not appear in Baltimore without her… so ‘Change’ will take a back seat to political expediency...

President-elect Barack Obama and President George W. Bush have conducted a fairly seamless transition of power over the last couple of months. Each man is being very gracious to the other, and for the most part, trying to keep from stepping on the other man’s toes. Obama has repeatedly told reporters that there is only one president at a time. Bush, for his part, said in his last press conference that he would he would get off the scene and go back to Texas. Yesterday’s two major political...

In two days, President-elect Barack Obama is scheduled to participate in a public event in downtown Baltimore as part of his journey by train to Washington, D.C. and the Inaugural festivities beginning this Sunday. Ten months ago, before the Potomac Primaries (MD, VA, and DC), the political landscape of the Democratic Party of Maryland was split between Senators Clinton and Obama. One of the first supporters for Obama was Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon. Obama went on to win Maryland and that sweep...

No one assumes that the dinner between President-elect Barack Obama and conservative columnists was a Kumbaya moment where they all held hands and swayed joyfully around the dinner table, but the dinner once again showed Obama in a familiar role, a leader who is going to try to bridge the partisan divide on issues where he and his opponents can find common ground. Obama, with the choice of evangelical pastor Rick Warren to give the prayer at his inaugural and his decision to forward a fiscal recovery...