Ok Hillary Fans is this something you can agree with Obama Fans on

[Perky]

BET Founder Johnson Defends His Recent Criticisms of Obama

By Frank Ahrens
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, January 15, 2008; A04

A day after his remarks about Sen. Barack Obama helped fuel a rancorous debate about race in the Democratic presidential contest, an unapologetic Robert L. Johnson described how frustrating it is to be on the other side of a candidate he compared to Teflon.

"We've always said we need a perfect, well-spoken, Harvard-educated black candidate who would prove we've transcended race," the billionaire African American businessman and supporter of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) sai

Johnson reiterated that he was referring to Obama's earlier career as a community organizer when he said during an appearance on behalf of Clinton on Sunday in Columbia, S.C., that the senator from Illinois needs to explain his past. And he elaborated on what he meant when he called Obama "Sidney," a reference to Sidney Poitier's well-mannered character in the film "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner."

"What has happened, in my opinion, is that what we have created is the quote-unquote 'perfect candidate' that's like in the movies, that has absolutely no blemishes," a vision that is unrealistic, said Johnson, who started Black Entertainment Television and has been a friend of the Clintons for two decades.

He said Obama has avoided talking about race, a tactic that Johnson said made him acceptable to the largely white electorate of Iowa. Obama won the state's Democratic caucuses on Jan. 3. "White America is saying, 'He's safe for us, he should be safe for you guys,' " Johnson said, referring to blacks. "We're letting other people pick our leaders."

"The Obama campaign -- win, lose or draw -- is going to have to address race," Johnson said. "If we don't have this debate about race within the Democratic Party . . . we could find ourselves with a division in this party as we go up against whoever the Republicans put up."

Bob Johnson was a big mistake to appear on stage with the Clintons

[Ken Burch]

1. Find published collections of "The Boondocks" to see the truth about Bob Johnson

This was the man who:

1)Closed down BET's news division, and reduced its programming to nothing but rap videos that objectified African American women and infomercials featuring rich white people at luxury resorts;

2)Betrayed every African American by raising huge sums of money for the GOP throughout the 80's and 90's.

Bob Johnson is the wealthiest Uncle Tom in history.

[adabfree]

23. Bob Johnson is a pimp!

[Joe the Revelator]

2. I thought Hillary called off her surrogates.....

more hypocrisy from her camp.

[aquart]

7. Billionaires aren't "surrogates" for anyone.

Or haven't you ever noticed that?

[rodeodance]

9. yeah yea-from her camp?--get real.

[Joe the Revelator]

18. He was on STAGE with her when he first started this whole mess..

and now he's keeping it going. He is definetly from "her camp"

[aquart]

30. But what awful thing did he say? I still don't understand the problem.

[aquart]

36. So McClurkin was Obama's "surrogate"?

If the standard is standing on the same stage?

[GalleryGod]

3. Maybe so..we'll certainly see.

General Walt Boomer, Dessert Storm

[goldcanyonaz]

4. In my opinion Oprah first injected race into this election. She loved HIllary prior to Obama bid...

Why, did she change horses?

This was a big discussion in my community after Oprah endorsed Obama.

[Joe the Revelator]

8. Maybe she just like Obama more? I know free thought is frowned upon in...

HillaryLand.

[aquart]

14. Uh huh. Like calling everyone who speaks in favor of her a "surrogate"?

Because you assume they have to be ...what?...hypnotized? brainwashed? in order to say a positive thing about her?

Maybe the rigid mindset is ...dare I say it...yours?

[Joe the Revelator]

17. This from the same guy who said that Obama is only a candiate because of his race...

I have nothing more to say to you.

[aquart]

33. So you'd vote for a white guy with that resume?

And a white guy spewing "Hope!" "Change!" would have the same effect on you?

Come off it.

[Joe the Revelator]

43. Would you vote for a droll, bitter, old man who supressed votes and felt that he deserved to be..

President and that it was his turn? Because you sure do shill for his female counterpart.

[rox63]

21. When someone makes a public statement while introducing the candidate at an official event

I think you can safely say that they are acting as a surrogate for the candidate.

[aquart]

35. Not really.

You can say, for their own reasons, they support that candidate. At least, at that moment. But "surrogate" is your personal fantasy. Good luck with it.

[jenmito]

11. "Loving Hillary" and thinking she's the right person to be president are 2 different things.

If she endorsed Hillary, would she be injecting gender into this election (besides Hillary doing it herself)?

[goldcanyonaz]

15. Ermm, she introduced her as the next President at an event.

[jenmito]

16. And?

She WANTS him to be the next president of the U.S. Like I said, she could "love" Hillary but think Obama would make a better president.

[goldcanyonaz]

26. I'll vote for the nominee, will you?

[jenmito]

28. Yes I will. But do you understand my previous post?

[goldcanyonaz]

32. Yes, I do, and I respect your opinion. Very happy to see you will vote for the nominee.

Some here have said that they wont.

[jenmito]

37. Thank you.

Yes I will, but I'll be VERY unhappy about it.

[aquart]

29. Yes. Even if I have to throw up afterward.

[aquart]

27. "Injecting gender"?

No, better to pretend the insults and gross characterizations have NOTHING to do with her being a woman candidate? Oh, sweetie, do you really take women for idiots? Did you really think we would NOT take it personally? Oh, it's just Hillary they hate...another woman would be fine. It's only that terribly awful unwomanly woman we don't like. Except none of those who say it's only Hillary has been able to name a living, American woman they WOULD vote for.

How dare women notice what was going on and get angry? Really, deeply, VENGEFULLY angry.

Hillary didn't have to do a thing except show up.

[jenmito]

34. Yes, "injecting gender"...

Why is it ok for Hillary and her supporters to constantly play the gender card? I feel Hillary is a liar/triangulating person who, like Bush, was for the IWR, is using Rovian tactics in this campaign, and now is trying to suppress voter turnout. I'm a woman. I see her as more of the same-not a woman. I'd vote for Barbara Boxer in a SECOND.

[aquart]

38. I'd vote for Barbara Boxer in a second, too.

But I notice that Barbara is not a candidate nor has she tried to be. Why is that? I used to have fantasies of voting for Barbara Jordan for president. But I know what happened to Jordan. Why isn't Boxer running?

[jenmito]

41. I have no idea why she's not running. I guess she doesn't WANT to run..

but I just named a woman I'd vote for.

[Dawgs]

19. Do you care to explain how Oprah brought race into this?

I hope you're not implying that Oprah only picked Obama because of his race.

[indimuse]

40. "Dr. King dreamed the dream, but we don't have to just dream anymore," Winfrey said.

The "Oprah Effect" was in full force over the weekend as the superstar joined presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama in front of standing-room-only crowds in Iowa, South Carolina and New Hampshire.








Evoking the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Oprah Winfrey urged the almost 30,000 people gathered at the University of South Carolina football stadium to support Obama's quest for the White House. Spectators said it had the feeling of a rock concert, headlined by one of the world's biggest stars.



"Dr. King dreamed the dream, but we don't have to just dream anymore," Winfrey said. "We get to vote that dream into reality by supporting a man who knows not just who we are but who we can be," reports AFP.



Obama was accompanied by his wife, Michelle, who is also quite popular.



In New Hampshire, Kathy Price told The Associated Press: "It was like a religious experience. It was inspiring. I feel like now America could do anything."

[aquart]

5. So what was the terrible thing he said?

What was the embarrassing thing he said?

[rodeodance]

6. Both obama and hil have their albatrosses--Donni McClurkin and Bob Johnson respectively

[aquart]

10. Okay. But what did Johnson say that was wrong?

Obviously, I'm completely missing the problem.

[Dhalgren]

13. He is not for Obama - that is enough...

[Dhalgren]

12. Well now you're just being unreasonable!!!!

(Hope I don't need a smilie for this one...)

[Cameron27]

24. I think that it's amusing

that Sen. Obama thinks that he's shut the door on any debate on his past drug use, simply because he talked about first. Get back to planet earth. Some people are still going to have a problem with it, and he should stop getting indignant about that fact.

My problem is that his problem becomes my problem if he's the nominee.

[sandnsea]

25. Except Obama disavowed McClurkin

Hillary sat right there with Johnson while he spewed his shit.

[aquart]

31. What "shit" do you mean?

[cd3dem]

20. Obama needs to stop acting like a baby

if someone criticizes him... rightly or not... move on.... does anyone think the GOP and their swift boaters are gonna leave these types of issues out of the race? if Johnson makes these comments... he does... he is a private citizen... if I were Hillary or Hillary's people I would talk to him privately and explain how it is inappropriate... if I were Obama or his people... I would say... yes, I did do drugs in the past... and it is in my book... and I have moved on... many young people have, stopped, regret it, and become productive... I have no problem with Obama's past drug use... but stop acting like no one can say anything against you... if you can't take it then why are you in the race... OMG

[Dawgs]

22. How is Obama acting like a baby, and please show specifics, not broad generalizations?

[aquart]

39. He's NOT acting like a baby.

He's an adult using every possible tool to keep the focus and sympathy on HIM. After Iowa and the piling on, sympathy and focus went to Hillary...and NH happened. Suddenly the Clintons became overnight racists according to people working for the Obama campaign. Focus BACK ON OBAMA just in time for SC.

I think it was a very adult thing to do. Not babyish at all. Although, god knows, babies are completely ruthless, too.

[cd3dem]

42. wahhh!!!

take the picking and criticism... don't manufacture racism that isn't there!

[cd3dem]

44. he is playing the victim.. and trying to be mommy's favorite by crying racism

[pampango]

45. "if someone criticizes him", he should just "move on"? Should he do this in the GE

if he is our nominee?

That's an interesting electoral strategy for any candidate. Don't respond to criticisms, just let them go and move on. :eyes: