Barack Obama

Do you think Roseanne Barr wrote the Barack Obama post herself?

I mean, it's pretty funny either way, but it sort of reeks of copy written by a 20-something-year-old (or a 30-something-year-old who refuses to grow up, ahem...), no?


Yeah, I didn't actually listen to what he said

but here's CNN's video of Al Gore endorsing Barack Obama today. No matter what inspiring words his speechwriter undoubtedly supplied him to deliver, as I watched it with the sound turned off (the way I watch most things), I wondered if it is difficult for Al to campaign for other presidential candidates when his own victory was stolen from him eight years ago. Guess that environmental stuff keeps him busy, but I'd be pissed if I were him.

(Wired image of Al Gore)(Wired image of Al Gore)


gore

gore

Islamica Magazine explains it to me

Admittedly, it's difficult for me to spend this much time reading one item...that's probably why the whole graduate school thing never worked out and why I like short blogs.

That said, this piece in Islamica Magazine about Barack Obama's relationship to Muslims eloquently answered my earlier question of why it is vital for folks to box Obama up as "Muslim" or "Non-Muslim."

Whatchy'all think?


Could someone please explain to me

why it is so essential for us to identify Barack Obama's connection or non-connection to Islam?

This morning, while reading this blog post on the "is he or isn't he" conundrum of Barack's affiliation or non-affiliation with Islam, I know I was missing the point of the piece, which was to discuss how rumors survive. But then I clicked on this link to a NY Times story, which further agonized over the truth or falsehood of this matter. Again, I recognize that the point is to study the nature of rumors, but for me, the obvious question kept screaming, "how does this matter?"

Yes, I remember 9/11. But I also remember Waco, Texas and the weird Heaven's Gate cult members who had to wear matching sneakers on their way out.

Aren't religious fanatics scary people, regardless of their geography or origin of faith? Conversely, isn't it possible that moderately religious folks can keep their shit together?


Team Clinton or Team Obama?

A group of women at work yesterday somehow found ourselves in a political discussion, specifically, "Is this country ready for a woman president or a black president?" Both questions made me twitch a little, but my twich worsened when one of my fellow lunchers piped up that in fact no, our country was NOT ready for a black president. She wasn't saying she personally wasn't ready, but that she didn't think the country as a whole was ready. I checked my watch to confirm that it was indeed 2006 (even though my watch doesn't have a calendar and in fact it's 2007).

Seriously, though?
Do we seriously consider candidates in terms of skin pigment and whether they have an inny or an outty?
Seriously.