Why is Sunday Morning Talk Devoid of Color?

This morning it was announced that CNN Candy Crowley would be the new anchor of State of the Union. She succeeds John King who will be getting a new show at 7PM. When Tim Russert died in 2008 there was talk of Gwen Ifil filling his seat at Meet the Press, but that spot went to David Gregory. George Stephanopolis is now anchoring Good Morning America and his seat is now up for grabs. Maybe just maybe a person of color will be seriously considered. There are countless qualified candidates that could bring an interesting perspective to the conversation.

Baltimore’s Homeless Donate to the People of Haiti

We have heard about the million dollar donations that are being given to Haiti by the celebrity world, and that is good. Today I read a story in the Baltimore Sun about how residents in a homeless shelter had donated $14.64 to Haitian relief.  The donation was sent to the Red Cross. The donation had quite an impact on the Red Cross staff.  It is stories like this one that renew my faith in humanity. The entire article is available: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bal-md.homeless30jan30,0,3352899.story

President Obama Stands Tall at GOP Conference in Baltimore

Today President Obama went into the lion’s den and came out the victor. He gave a brief speech in Baltimore at the GOP House conference, and then he took questions, and the Congressmen used the opportunity to give speeches and then ask a question.  Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., pointedly asked Obama: “What should we tell our constituents who know that Republicans have offered positive solutions” for health care, “and yet continue to hear out of the administration that we’ve offered nothing? Obama showed little sympathy, disputing Price’s claim that a Republican plan would insure nearly all Americans without raising taxes. That’s just not true, said Obama. He called such claims “boilerplate” meant to score political points.” President Obama answered their questions and in cases when they had there facts wrong the president told them so. This is the kind of scenario we as Americans need to see more of. So often questioners would pose a question that was not factually correct in such cases the president would force the questioner to re-phrase the question, and then he would respond. He knew that if he responded to a question that was factually incorrect without challenging it he would be affirming the facts were accurate  and he refused to fall into that trap.  It was good to see the president defend his position and listen to the opposing party without the manufactured mania associated with conventional townhalls.

Is President Obama too Smart to be Our President?

On Morning Joe today the host Joe Scarborough said that he has noticed that the president talks differently depending on his audience.  Scarborough said he noticed the president has been dropping his “gs” in an attempt to connect with regular people. Historian Doris Goodwin said the president is doing what presidents have done for years. She noted that when Lyndon Johnson would visit the south you would think he never left the south. Charles Blow of the New York Times another guest said that Obama simply was not connecting with the electorate. Some suggested that he try to simplify his message, but what do Americans really want? What does Obama need to say and how should he say it? What kind of emotion are the American people looking for from the president? Blow said it is as if there is a glass wall between the president and the American people.  President Obama is not a “cut to the chase” kind of guy. He is an intelligent leader who gives thoughtful responses to the situations we face. He is smart and that is not a liability it is an asset. So it is fine to criticize his decisions, but it is not fine to define his attitude as aloof. In the State of the Union he could not say times are bad, but we know they are and I for one would rather have a smart guy leading the comeback than a touchy feely dumb guy.

Will Hillary Clinton Serve a 2nd Term as Secretary of State? The Question Should be will President Obama Even Get a 2nd Term?

This morning while watching the Today Show they promoted a story about Hillary Clinton. “In an interview aired Wednesday on PBS, Tavis Smiley asked Clinton whether she could imagine herself “doing it for another four years. She replied “No, I really can’t.” Clinton didn’t rule it out completely but said serving for eight years “would be very challenging. But I, you know, I don’t wanna make any predictions sitting here.” In light of the challenges facing the president I don’t think second term questions are appropriate for anyone in the current cabinet. If this economy does not turn no one in the Obama administration including Clinton will have to worry about a 2^nd term.

Saying No is Not Leadership

 Last night during the State of the Union President Obama extended the olive branch to the Republicans. The Democrats no longer have their super majority so in order for anything to get done the Republicans are going to have to be a part of the process. They can’t just say no, and the Democrats can no longer try to push their own agenda.  This is a time to really discuss what is the best way to help the American people. Washington is going to finally have to do something for the people that elected them. President Obama said every day should not be Election Day, and that is what this feels like. it reminds me of the movie Groundhog Day where we just keep repeating the same day everyday.  The definition of insanity is doing the same thing the same way and expecting different results. It simply is not going to happen. Change can not happen until people are forced to change, and as we look at the unemployment rate skyrocketing it is clear America needs a change. My prayer is bipartisanship will not just be a word in the dictionary, but become the way Washington does business.

Chris Matthews forgot the President was Black For One Night Only

I like Chris Matthews. Throughout the election I was a faithful viewer of his show Hardball. He is a very opinionated and very liberal, but last night he put his foot down his own throat. He said that during the State of the Union he forgot President Obama was black. Well, that’s got to be the ultimate compliment. Not. Matthews went on to mention that this president was “post racial”. Post racial simply does not exist and Matthews statement proves that fact.

Are Americans Angry or Are They Afraid?

The word of the day is anger. If you listen to the news you will hear that Americans are angry. They are angry with the government and its inability to fix the nation’s problems.  So how is this anger manifested?   Last week Scott Brown became the new senator from Massachusetts and the pundits say this was a sign that America is angry. They were so angry they gave Ted Kennedy’s Senate seat to a Republican. President Obama vowed that he would change the way business is done in Washington, but he has not been able to really change anything. So America is angry with him. Americans are angry because their companies are downsizing and giving the workers left behind more work than they can do in a 40 hour week. Americans are angry when they call a customer service line and they are connected to an operator in India. Americans are angry because some pundits have made a business out of keeping Americans angry. Americans are angry because they are being forced to take cost cutting furloughs as a way to say revenue. Americans are angry because employers are not giving raises, but in some cases they are cutting salaries. Americans are angry because there are simply not enough jobs for all the people looking for a job.  Americans are angry because homes they bought 4 years ago are now worth half their value. So is this really anger or are Americans simply afraid?

Paul Shirley Exercises His Free Speech and ESPN Exercises Their Right to Give Him the Boot

Former NBA player and ESPN contributor Paul Shirley had some very harsh words for the people of Haiti. Shirley wrote an open letter to the people this is an excerpt:

Dear Haitians –First of all, kudos on developing the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Your commitment to human rights, infrastructure, and birth control should be applauded. As we prepare to assist you in this difficult time, a polite request: If it’s possible, could you not re-build your island home in the image of its predecessor? Could you not resort to the creation of flimsy shanty- and shack-towns? And could some of you maybe use a condom once in a while?

ESPN has announced that they are severing their ties with Shirley which they have a right to do when the words of one of their contributors are in conflict with the company. I think what Shirley said was despicable. The Haitian people were victims of a natural disaster. They did not bring this wrath upon themselves. Yes, the country is known for his corruption, and I hope as the country receives aid from our country for rebuilding that there will be some real checks and balances put into place. I also believe that a couple can have as many children as they can support and prior to the earthquake these families were making it. Their standard of success can not be compared to us, but I do not think by giving them aid we now have the right to judge their family structures. So Paul Shirley has the right to speak his mind and ESPN has the right to cut him loose and that is what makes this country great.

Phony Pimp James O’Keefe Wiretapping Stunt Might Have Him Big Pimping in Federal Prison

James O’Keefe became a conservative poster child when he exposed some illegal practices at several ACORN offices. His infamous videotapes led to the suspension of funds from the ACORN organization. O’Keefe verbalized his commitment to ferret out wrongdoing, but his mission had a very partisan bent, and liberal organizations and Democrats seemingly were the only things in his sight. Monday in an effort to escalate his mission he and three others were arrested for attempting to tamper with the phones in U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu’s office. “A staff member in the office told the FBI that two of the suspects, including the son of an acting U.S. Attorney, wore white hard harts, tool belts and flourescent vests and said they needed to fix a problem with the phone system. According to an FBI affidavit, O’Keefe was already sitting in the waiting area and recorded the men on his cell phone when they walked in. A federal law enforcement official said one of the suspects was picked up in a car a couple of blocks away with a listening device that could pick up transmissions. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the information was not part of the FBI affidavit.” All four suspects were charged with entering federal property under false pretenses for the purpose of committing a felony, which carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. It will be interesting to watch O’Keefe’s cohorts try to spin this one. These are not the acts of a patriot. These are the acts of a criminal.