misunderestimation

Nov 26 2008

MTV to Host Obama Inauguration Event: “Be the Change Inaugural Ball”:

Category: Entertainment, Politics — Tim @ 9:00 am

MTV knows a good party when they see one. The network has decided to throw a Ball for the Obama inauguration:

The network announced Tuesday that it will host the “Be the Change Inaugural Ball” at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington on Jan. 20. The event will be televised live across MTV’s many channels and platforms, including MTV and MTV.com.

Why is MTV throwing the ball? Here is what they say on their press release:

The event will celebrate the massive youth-voter turnout in this month’s presidential election and an active commitment from America’s youth to impart positive social change through volunteer service. ServiceNation is an organization that campaigns to increase support for expanding national service programs like the Peace Corps and Americorps. In September, it hosted a forum with Obama and Senator John McCain, in which both presidential candidates agreed on the importance of community involvement.

A record 24 million people between the ages of 18 and 29 voted in the 2008 presidential election, accounting for 18 percent of the 133.3 million voters who hit the polls. It marked the third major election in a row with increased youth-voter numbers, and for the first time in 20 years, the number of young voters surpassed the number of voters over the age of 65.

One can bet the line-up for this event will read like a Hollywood who-s-who. One thing is certain, after her comments, Lindsay Lohan’s invitation will be lost in the mail.

Tags: Entertainment, Obama

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Nov 21 2008

Barack Obama’s Cell Phone Records Breached by Verizon Employees

Category: Politics, Sci/Tech — Tim @ 5:30 am

In a lesson for those who have access to personal data, Barack Obama’s cell phone records were apparently breached:

Records from a cell phone used by President-elect Obama were improperly breached, apparently by employees of the cell phone company, his transition team said Thursday.
An Obama spokesman said the transition team was told employees at Verizon Wireless looked through billing records.

Spokesman Robert Gibbs said the team was notified Wednesday by Verizon Wireless that it appears an employee improperly went through billing records for the phone, which Gibbs said Obama no longer uses.

In an internal company e-mail obtained by CNN, Verizon Wireless President and CEO Lowell McAdam disclosed Wednesday that “the personal wireless account of President-elect Barack Obama had been accessed by employees not authorized to do so” in recent months.

This goes to show you that everyone is susceptible to a breach of personal information. You take someone with the “rock star” status of Barack Obama and the temptation for employees is just too great. It’s in our nature to be curious, but it is unforgivable to invade someone’s privacy like this. Here is another example of our voyeuristic society.

Tags: Obama

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Nov 19 2008

Al-Qaida Uses Racial Slur Referring to Obama as “House Negro”

Category: Politics — Tim @ 9:29 am

The number 2 man in Al-Qaida has the first public Al-Qaida response to Barack Obama’s presidential victory:

CAIRO, Egypt - Al-Qaida No. 2 Ayman al-Zawahri has criticized President-elect Barack Obama, calling him a demeaning racial term implying that Obama is a black American who does the bidding of whites.

In an audio message which appeared on militant Web sites Wednesday, al-Zawahri said that Obama is “the direct opposite of honorable black Americans” like Malcolm X. He called Obama a “house negro.”

He added that Obama’s plan to shift troops to Afghanistan is doomed to failure, because Afghans will resist.

Oh boy, you had to expect this type of insult from Al-Qaida. It makes no sense to anger the American people with such a stupid comment. Bottom line, these are people who simply hate. They hate everyone but themselves and I don’t think they are especially pleased with themselves.

Tags: Obama, President Obama

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Nov 13 2008

Breaking News: Sun Times Reporting Obama Will Resign His Senate Seat on Sunday

Category: 2008 Election, Politics — Tim @ 1:52 pm

The Chicago Sun Times is reporting that Barack Obama will be stepping-down from his Senate seat this weekend:

WASHINGTON–Barack Obama will step down from his U.S. senate seat on Sunday, the president-elect said on Thursday.

That’s all the site has, but it is an interesting development. I’ll post an update when we know more.

Update

It’s official, Obama will resign this weekend.

Under state law, Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich will name Obama’s replacement for the remaining two years of his term. Blagojevich has said he expects to make a decision by year’s end, and has ruled out appointing himself. Obama, elected in 2004, is the only black senator.

Blagojevich’s appointee would serve until the next national election in 2010.

That makes it tighter for Democrats; especially if you count Joe Lieberman in the Democratic cacus.

Tags: Obama, Obama Admistration

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Nov 12 2008

Lindsay Lohan on Access Hollywood Calls Obama “Our First Colored President”

Category: 2008 Election, Entertainment, Video — Tim @ 7:22 am

Lindsay Lohan was on Access Hollywood and managed to put her foot squarely in her mouth.

Leave it to Lindsay Lohan to be the first celebrity to offer support and excitement for her candidate while at the same time insulting him. In a recent interview with Access Hollywood’s Maria Menounos this week, the troubled starlet stated her excitement for our country’s “first colored” president.

Here is the actual video from the Access Hollywood website.

In listening to the interview, she actually said, “it’s our first colored president”. Are you kidding me? How can someone claim to be involved in the race for President and be so far out of touch with the world today? This is not the 1970s and you are not Archie Bunker.

See what happens when actors go off-script.

Tags: Entertainment, Obama

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Nov 10 2008

Barack Obama Meets George Bush, First Historic Visit to the White House

Category: 2008 Election, History, Politics — Tim @ 2:59 pm

It’s been a very historic day in American politics. President-elect Barack Obama made his first trip to the White House today and met President Bush in his new home.

The outgoing president and first lady Laura Bush greeted Obama and his wife Michelle with smiles and handshakes as they stepped from their limousine to begin a tour of what will be their new home after Obama is sworn in on Jan. 20.

The two men were headed to the Oval Office where they were expected to discuss the global financial crisis, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and other challenges the Republican president will bequeath to his Democratic successor.

It was their first face-to-face encounter — a visit steeped in symbolism — following Obama’s resounding victory over Republican John McCain in Tuesday’s election, which will make him America’s first black chief executive.

Can you imagine what it was like for Obama today? That must be an incredible feeling of responsibility and success to walk into the White House as the future commander-in-chief. Like the outcome of the election or not, you have to marvel at the way our government turns over power with a handshake and a smile. This country is truly amazing.

Tags: Obama, Obama Admistration

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Nov 07 2008

Skinheads Plead Not Guilty in Obama Assassination Plot

Category: 2008 Election, Politics — Tim @ 6:46 am

The two skinheads who planned on assassinating Barack Obama and 87 other black people were arraigned yesterday. Twenty-year-old Daniel Cowart, of rural West Tennessee and eighteen-year-old Paul Schlesselman, of Helena-West Helena, Arkansas had their first day in court:

Wearing black-and-white striped prison uniforms and with chains around their wrists, waists and ankles, Cowart and Schlesselman spoke only to say “not guilty” during a brief hearing before a federal magistrate in Memphis.

The charges in the seven-count indictment carry a maximum punishment of 50 years in prison and fines of $540,000.

Court records say Cowart and Schlesselman, whom authorities say are white supremacist skinheads, told investigators they planned to conduct a national crime spree that would include a string of armed robberies and the murders of 88 black people.

The number has significance for white supremacists. “H” is the eighth letter of the alphabet and 88 is skinhead code for “Heil Hitler,” authorities say.

Shocking that they would plead “not guilty.” Even more disturbing, we will have to continue hearing about these two idiots for years to come. Hopefully we can all agree, there is no room for hate in this country anymore and individuals like these two morons should be dealt with in the harshest manner possible. The world is different and better now than it was 40, 60, 150 years ago and that is a good thing.

It’s called progress. Spread the word.

Tags: Obama

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Nov 06 2008

President Obama and The Weight (Wait) of Expectations

Category: 2008 Election, Politics, Video — Tim @ 9:14 am

The euphoria of the election is over and now it’s time to get down to the serious work of fixing the broken parts of our country. While there are numerous issues to address; the economy, the wars, education, fumigating the White House to get rid of that ‘W’ smell, the expectations for change have been set by the campaign. Americans, especially those who are Obamaniacs, now expect the change promised during the campaign and they expect it now.

Take Peggy Joseph here as an example:

It sounds like Peggy believes Barack Obama will pay for her gas, forgive her mortgage, and who knows what else. While this type of thinking is clearly off base, it is shared by many of the Obama faithful and will have to be addressed by the Obama administration. In his acceptance speech, Obama acknowledge the challenges before him and tried to set realistic expectations:

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America – I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you – we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won’t agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government can’t solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it’s been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years – block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

He is not even in office and already planting the seeds for his re-election campaign. I believe it will take a lot of time for the changes outlined by the Obama plan and there will be stumbles along the way. On the positive side for Obama, he has a Democratically-controlled Congress and what could be interpreted as a “mandate from the people” to make changes. The tools are in place for change, now he just has to figure out how to use them as quickly as possible.

The main question remains: will his loyal and fanatical base be willing to wait for the promise of change?

Tags: Obama

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Nov 05 2008

President Barack Obama’s Victory Speech in Grant Park

Category: 2008 Election, History, Politics, Video — Tim @ 8:33 am

Last night, President-Elect Barack Obama made a very stirring victory speech that captured the magnanimity of the moment and embraced the challenges that await his administration: