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Michael Steele beat out Katon Dawson 91-77 votes at the GOP national meeting on January 30, 2009 in Washington D.C. (and there appears to be a black female co-chair).
I’m no republican, but Steele has an excellent track record (relatively speaking). See below. I think he will shift the party in a new direction. There were initially six candidates (including staunch social conservative Ken Blackwell and Saltsman (”The Magic Negro CD guy) who dropped out. I first saw Steele on State of the Black Union and on Politically Incorrect later. He is a social moderate and fiscal conservative. It will be interesting to see where the GOP goes from here.
It’s certainly a better alternative than Rush Limbaugh.
Steele was the first African American to serve in a Maryland state-wide office and the first Republican lieutenant governor in the state since the position was created in 1970. At the time he was the highest-ranking electedAfrican American Republican in the United States.
Steele ran for a Maryland United States Senate seat being vacated by retiring senator Paul Sarbanes, but he lost the 2006 election to Democratic Congressman Ben Cardin. In November 2008, the Washington Times reported Steele as a candidate for chairmanship of the Republican National Committee in January 2009.[2]
Steele was born on October 19, 1958, at Andrews Air Force Base in Prince George’s County. He spent his childhood in the Petworth neighborhood of NorthwestWashington, D.C. which Steele has described as a small, stable and racially integrated community that insulated him from some of the problems elsewhere in the city.[3] He was one of two children raised by mother Maebell Turner and stepfather John Turner. Steele’s sister Monica later married and divorced former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson.
Steele attended Archbishop Carroll Roman Catholic High School in Northeast Washington, D.C. While at Carroll, Steele participated in the Glee Club, the National Honor Society and many of the school’s drama productions. During his senior year, 1976–1977, he won the election for student council president.
Steele won a scholarship to Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. In his first year there, Steele was elected class president and was a member of the fencing team. He struggled academically, however, and was nearly kicked out of the university at the end of the year. After garnering A’s in summer classes at George Washington University, Steele was able to continue at Johns Hopkins, and he earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations in 1981.
After college, Steele spent three years as a seminarian in the Order of St. Augustine in preparation for the priesthood. He entered the Augustinian Friars Seminary at Villanova University in Pennsylvania. As a seminarian, he taught freshman world history and senior economics for one year at Malvern Prep School in Malvern, Pennsylvania, but ultimately decided on a career in law and he left the Seminary prior to taking the vows.
Steele listens during Vice President Dick Cheney’s address at the Second Annual African American Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C., Wednesday, April 28, 2004.
Steele then entered the Georgetown University Law Center and in 1991, he received his Juris Doctor degree. He worked as a corporate securities associate at the Washington, D.C. office of Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton. From 1991 to 1997, Steele specialized in financial investments for Wall Street underwriters, working at Cleary’s Tokyo, Japan office focusing on major product liability litigation and at its London office on corporate matters. Steele left the law firm and founded the Steele Group, a business and legal consulting firm.
Steele and his wife Andrea have two sons, Michael and Drew.
Political development
Steele’s mother was a widowed laundress who, he stated, worked for minimum wage rather than accept public assistance. Steele grew up in a Democratic household. However, as a young man he switched to the Republican Party.
In December 2000, Steele was elected chairman of the Maryland Republican Party, becoming the first African American ever to be elected chairman of any state Republican Party.[4]
Steele watches a video and discusses Seaduck Research with Edward Lohnes (left) and Dr Matthew C Perry (right).
In 2002, then-Congressman Robert Ehrlich selected Steele as his running mate and nominee for Lieutenant Governor in the campaign against Democrat Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, who was then the Lieutenant Governor (under Governor Parris Glendening). Steele resigned his chairmanship of the Maryland Republican Party to campaign full-time. In endorsing Townsend, the Baltimore Sun praised her running mate, Charles R. Larson, for his experience and expertise, and added: “By contrast, Mr. Ehrlich’s running mate, state GOP chairman Michael S. Steele, brings little to the team but the color of his skin.”[5]
In the September primary election, Ehrlich and Steele had no serious opposition. In the November 2002 general election, even though Maryland traditionally votes Democratic and had not elected a Republican Governor in almost 40 years, the Townsend campaign was tainted by problems with outgoing governor Glendening’s personal life. The Ehrlich-Steele ticket won, 51% to 48%.
Steele’s most prominent efforts for the Ehrlich administration were reforming the state’s Minority Business Enterprise program and chairing Governor Ehrlich’s Commission on Quality Education in Maryland. While opposed to the death penalty, Steele endured criticism for not standing firmly against Ehrlich’s support of the punishment, despite claims of racial inequities in its administration.[6]
Oreo cookie incident
After a September 26, 2002 gubernatorial debate, which had occurred without reported incident, Paul Schurick, Ehrlich’s communications manager, claimed that the Townsend campaign handed out Oreo cookies to the audience.[7] Five days after the debate, Steele said that one or more Oreo cookies had rolled to his feet during the debate suggesting a racist statement against him. “Maybe it was just someone having their snack, but it was there,” Steele said. “If it happened, shame on them if they are that immature and that threatened by me.” At the time of the debate, Schurick had not mentioned any such incident, but in November 2005 he claimed “It was raining Oreos… They were thick in the air like locusts. I was there. It was very real. It wasn’t subtle.”[8] In a November 2005 Hannity and Colmes appearance, Steele agreed with Hannity that cookies were thrown at him.[9]Neil Duke of the Baltimore NAACP, who moderated the debate, praised the “passionate audience” and noted their “derisive behavior”[7] but did not see such behavior. “Were there some goofballs sitting in [the] right-hand corner section tossing cookies amongst themselves and acting like sophomores, as the legend has it?” Duke said. “I have no reason to doubt those sources; I just didn’t see it.”[8][10][11] The operations manager of the building where the debate was held, interviewed three years after the event by the Baltimore Sun, disputed Steele’s claim and said “I was in on the cleanup, and we found no cookies or anything else abnormal. There were no Oreo cookies thrown.”[8] Some eyewitnesses including AP reporter Tom Stuckey who was at the event have said cookies were handed out.[12][13][14] Other eyewitnesses could not corroborate Steele and Schurick’s claim.[15][16]
When Paul Sarbanes, Maryland’s longest serving United States Senator, announced in March 2005 that he would not be a candidate for re-election in 2006, top state and national Republican officials began pressing Steele to become their party’s nominee for the seat.[6] In April 2005 the Baltimore Sun announced the results of a poll it conducted, stating that Steele would run statistically neck and neck against either former NAACP head Kweisi Mfume, or Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin of Baltimore County.[19]
On October 25, 2005, Steele formally announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate. Polling in February 2006 showed the Lieutenant Governor lost significant ground against Cardin, although he remained statistically even with Mfume.[20] Cardin won the primary election on September 12, 2006.
In early 2006, Steele’s campaign had some high-level resignations. Campaign manager, Graham Shafer left in January, and communications director and spokesman Leonardo Alcivar left in February.
Steele lost the general election to Cardin on November 7, 2006, getting 44% of the vote to Cardin’s 55%. The Washington Post reported that on election day the Steele campaign arranged for buses of low income people from Philadelphia to distribute fliers at polls. Some claim the flyers had incorrect information, including an implication that Michael Steele was a Democrat and that he was endorsed by prominent black leaders who had not, in fact, endorsed him.[21]
After the Senate race
Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post’s The Fix blog reported one day after Steele conceded defeat in his Senate election that he was considering a run to succeed Ken Mehlman as the next chairman of the Republican National Committee.[22] Instead Senator Mel Martinez of Florida was appointed as Mehlman’s replacement.[23] “I have not had any conversations directly with the White House yet on this,” Steele said on C-Span’s Washington Journal about the job.[24]
In February 2007, Steele did become chairman of GOPAC, a political action committee that helps fund state and local Republican campaigns around the country. In April 2007, he joined the international law firm of LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae LLP, which is now part of Dewey & LeBoeuf. Steele is a partner in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office.[25]
On May 17, 2007 Steele served as Co-Master of Ceremonies for the 25th Anniversary Celebration of the Washington Times newspaper. Former President George H. W. Bush was the keynote speaker. Steele, in his opening comments, said that he had subscribed to the Times throughout its 25 years of publication.
At the Media Research Center’s 2007 DisHonors Awards Gala, Steele concluded a speech with the following: “I get a question all the time, ‘Are you going to run again for office?’ And I’ve thought about that, and I’ve come to realize that there’s still some Democrats out there that I haven’t ticked off yet. So, yeah, we’re gonna do it again. We’re gonna do it again, and all I have to say is, they haven’t seen anything yet.”[26] Steele is considered a possible candidate for Governor of Maryland in the future, and has said he’s “intrigued by the idea”.[27] He may also run for the U.S. Senate in 2010.
On November 11, 2008, Jeff Burton launched a political draft website to encourage Steele to run for Republican National Committee Chairman.[28] The website allowed visitors to sign a draft petition, and received over 6,000 signatures.[29] On November 24, 2008 Steele launched a campaign website,[30] and confirmed his intention to run on Hannity and Colmes.[31] In January 2009, the new chairman will be decided by 168 committee members. Steele is seen as an early frontrunner.[32]
Steele rejected the idea that the color of his skin had anything to do with his chances at becoming RNC chair, saying “I am a Republican who happens to be African American.”[33]
Fellow candidate Chip Saltsman distributed a CD containing a racially charged parody song, “Barack the Magic Negro“. Steele said Saltsman’s “attempt at humor was clearly misplaced” though supported Saltsman’s general concern for party work, calling for a focus on the issues.[34]
After the third round of balloting on January 30, 2009, Steele held a small lead over incumbent Mike Duncan of Kentucky, with 51 votes to Duncan’s 44.[35] Shortly after the announcement of the standings, Duncan reportedly dropped out of contention.[36] Balloting will continue until one candidate reaches the magic threshold of 85 votes.[37][38]
Political positions
On the war in Iraq: “It is imperative we improve conditions on the ground so we can bring our troops home as quickly as possible and have the Iraqi people take control of their own destiny. At the same time, we should not publicly state a timetable for implementation. I do not support a ‘cut and run strategy.’ Any politician out there talking about timetables and timelines is playing into the hands of our enemies who have an enormous capacity to wait. It would be a disaster for us to cut and run, as it would destroy our credibility in the region for at least a generation. At the same time, it is the Iraqi’s themselves that will ultimately have to make democracy work in their country. We should stay there only long enough to give the Iraqi people the tools they need to secure the very democracy they voted for three times. After that, it’s up to them.”[39]
Energy policy: “To provide immediate relief for Marylanders, I have called on President Bush and Congress to enact an immediate moratorium on the federal gas tax – more than 18 cents per gallon – and an immediate moratorium on the 24 cents per gallon diesel tax. Moreover, Congress should approve legislation to suspend the tariff on ethanol imports. But those actions are designed to deal with our immediate crisis. Congress must roll up its sleeves and work to solve the underlying problem – our dependence on foreign sources of energy. To do that, I’ve called on Congress to double President Bush’s budget request for biomass and bio-refinery research, and create market and tax incentives for E85 fuels, hybrid technologies and alternative energy sources. Tax credits for hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles need to be renewed and expanded. Additionally, we must increase fuel efficiency standards for automobiles – not just this year, but over the next several years.”[40]
Affirmative action: “Studies show enormous disparities still exist in education, healthcare, employment and economic opportunities along racial lines in the United States. I believe programs are still necessary to help close these divides. I support giving people opportunities. Programs must be fair to all Marylanders – of every color – and they should focus on economic empowerment.”[41]
The budget deficit: “Congress must also enact pro-growth policies that encourage the economy to expand: like making tax relief permanent and repealing the death tax. As we saw with the most recent deficit figures, a growing economy will in fact reduce the size of the budget deficit. In order to achieve optimal economic growth, Congress must adhere to sane spending guidelines while promoting smart policies devoted to growing businesses and creating jobs.”
Stem cell research: “We have a lot to gain through furthering stem cell research, but medical breakthroughs should be fundamentally about saving, not destroying, human life. Therefore, I support stem cell research that does not destroy the embryo.”[42]
Health care: ” We need to increase access to health insurance through Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and high deductible policies, so individuals and families can purchase the insurance that’s best for them and meets their specific needs. . . . I support allowing small businesses to band together and compete for better insurance options. . . . To help increase our nation’s seniors access to affordable care, I have called to extend the sign up period for the Medicare Prescription Drug plan.”
No disrespect to Wayne but this is some hot garbaaaaaage. I’m a Wayne fan but he should stay in his lane or switch to another one. I understand growing as an artist, and I think folks like Common and Kanye have demostrated a successful transition with their musical styles. Then you have artist who are naturally versatile (e.g., Wyclef, Lauren Hill). I hate it when rap artist try to transition to rock n’ roll because they have a hunch.
I’m not saying Wayne doesn’t appreciate rock n’ roll . . . most artist respect other forms of art . . . But don’t get a band who can play some riffs and think the art of rock n’ roll is that easy homie. It’s the same if a metal band decides they want to rap . .. most likely it’s gonna be trash. (Or just take your pic of athletes trying to rap). Then dude picks up the guitar and PRETENDS to play! Come on bro! lol In case the video disappears, I believe a copy is on this blog http://adayinthalifeof.com/2009/01/26/lil-wayne-prom-queen/
I’m sure it will go platinum though from Lil Wayne’s name alone . . . He has the flexibility to experiment. I still support this brother but he can keep the rock and roll album. Don’t flatter yourself if this sells(and it will because he is a pop icon) . . . Why is it that as soon as artist get big they try to change what made them famous? lol . . . You can grow as an artist . . . but at least get back to putting out good music like Tha Carter III.
The thing about getting out of a box is you can’t overtly try to do so . . . It just happens man . . . But in the end… there is always something good to come out of this . . . maybe this project will help other black artist catch some exposure who sing “rock” lol. (Does anyone even call it “rock” anymore lol). The band isn’t too bad: they are basic. I’m sure it will sound a lot better once he gets in a studio and they can work with his voice and such . . . but overall…I think this live performance was terrible.
And who could forget this tragic experiment by Ice T, Body Count.
Remarkably terrible.
Now, this of course doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate black music as it relates to rock n’ roll. Who could forget that classic mos def “rock n’ roll” song. . However, there are legitimate black rock n’ roll artist out there with real talent.
Here is a band, Sevendust, that has been in the game for a while. Lil Wayne and him have strikingly similar features… except he can sing metal . . . Take note.
This is what happens when Joan Walsh started to expose Dick. “Who are the redistributionist?”
Way to go showing that republican leadership.
This is just remarkable.
From talking points: Former House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-TX) revealed more of himself than anyone cared to see, at the expense of Salon’s Joan Walsh, this evening on “Hardball.” In a debate with Walsh over tax policy, Armey let loose with this chauvinistic gem: “I am so damn glad that you can never be my wife cause I surely wouldn’t have to listen to that prattle from you every day.”
The Burmese government’s Press Scrutiny and Registration Division (PSRD) censored publication of a major part of US President Barack Obama’s inauguration speech in the Rangoon-based weekly journal The Voice, according to journalists in the former capital.
Sources said that the censorship board decided not to allow the publishing of parts of Obama’s inauguration speech that included sensitive political messages.
A part of the speech that was cut was: “To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.”
Burmese inside and outside the country circulated this part of the speech through the Internet and it was widely interpreted as a message to dictators, including Burma’s rulers.
A journalist in Rangoon said that Burma’s censorship board ordered the speech to be removed from the front page of The Voice, but it allowed the journal to publish stories and pictures of Obama in its inside pages.
Burma’s privately owned magazines and journals have widely covered news of Barack Obama since the presidential election campaign began.
According to media sources in Burma, there was originally little harassment or any serious warnings from the notoriously fickle censorship board. But all publications have reportedly been careful not to cover sensitive material about the strained US-Burmese relationship.
Burma’s top military leader, Snr-Gen Than Shwe, formally congratulated the US president on his election victory.
Last week, the Agence-France Presse (AFP) news agency reported that the Burmese junta hopes that the new US president will change Washington’s tough policy toward the military regime and end the “misunderstandings” of the past.
“Our two countries’ relations have had some misunderstandings in the past with the Bush administration. Mr Obama needs to study our country’s real situation so that he can change policy,” a Burmese official reportedly told AFP.
“There have been many mistakes in the past [in relations between the countries]. We have had misunderstandings. But now we are expecting good intentions,” he said. The official also accused former President Bush of making “one-sided” decisions.”
In spite of media restrictions, many people inside Burma watched the live televised coverage of Obama’s inauguration on satellite television.
Rangoon-based media sources said that the PSRD was acting under the instructions of the Ministry of Information. The censorship board did not permit the publishing of articles related to Obama’s speech in other weekly journals, including The Yangon Times and True News.
GAZA, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) — Hamas movement has offered a one-year truce with Israel through indirect talks, sponsored by Egypt between the Islamic movement and Israel, a Hamas official said Monday.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Xinhua on telephone that his movement accepts a one-year truce “with guarantees that Israel shows commitment to lift the siege and completely reopen crossings.”
Talks are held in Cairo between Hamas official and senior Egyptian security officials on one hand, and between Israeli security officials and Egypt’s intelligence chief Omer Suleiman on the other.
”The delegation in Cairo is authorized to only discuss the issues of the truce and reopening the border crossings,” said the official, adding “other issues like the internal reconciliation would be discussed too.”
Secretary of Israeli Defense Ministry Amos Gilad, who met with Egypt’s Suleiman recently, said that Israel wants a longer term truce with Hamas.
Media reports said Hamas is willing to accept an 18-month truce with Israel, while the Jewish country, which is seeking a ten-year truce with Gaza militants, is studying the proposal, and would bring back an answer soon.
Meanwhile, Hamas truce negotiator Ayman Taha told the Saudi Arabia’s Al-Arabeya TV station based in Dubai that Hamas’ talks with the Egyptians “focused on reaching a new truce with Israel with better guarantees.”
”Israel hinted it might accept an 18-month truce with Hamas for reopening Gaza crossings and partially lift the blockade and not completely, but Hamas rejects it,” said Taha, insisting that “the siege should be completely lifted.”
Egypt has brokered a six-month truce that ended on Dec. 19, just one week before Israel carried out a 22-day military offensive on the Gaza Strip. Hamas refused to renew the truce because Israel kept the blockade on Gaza.
[url=http://www.rapbasement.com/audio/rick-ross-mafia-music.html]Rick Ross – Mafia Music | Audio | Rap Basement[/url]
One of the most underrated rappers in the game . . .
“Curtis Jackson baby momma I aint asking for a cent/Burn the house down/we gotta buy another/ don’t forget the gas can jealous stupid mutha****”
Rick Ross released a new semi-autobiographical song titled “Mafia Music” [listen here] and saved part of a verse to address 50 Cent and his baby-mama-drama. In the new song, Ricky says “I’m stepping on your crew ’til the motherf*ckers crunch / And making sweet love to every woman that you lust/I love to pay your bills, can’t wait to pay your rent/Curtis Jackson baby mama ain’t looking for a cent/Burn the house down, gotta buy another/Don’t forget the gas can, jealous motherf*cker…” [listen here]
Ross hinted at the 50 Cent reference telling MTV “I can’t lie: I’m dropping the B-side. It’s titled ‘Mafia Music’ and it’s gonna cause a lot of problems. It’s a scathing four-and-half-minute nonstop flow, me being autobiographical about my life and my come-up and my triumph. Of course, I had to address a few things, I had to address a few people.”
Tony Benn accuses the BBC ON AIR of capitualating to the Israeli Government by refusing to air an appeal for the Gazan people by the Disaster Emergency Commitee (DEC) he then broadcasts the Address himself much to the consternation of the interviewer!
Disaster Emergency Commitee (DEC)
Gaza Crisis
PO BOX 999
LONDON
EC3A 3AA
Disasters Emergency Committee Gaza humanitarian appeal:
Launched by UK charities on 22 January to raise money for Gaza aid relief and reconstruction
Participants: Action Aid, British Red Cross, Cafod, Care International, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide, Help the Aged, Islamic Relief, Merlin, Oxfam, Save the Children, Tearfund, World Vision
In Iraq’s deep south another American-led revolution is stirring. But this time it is being sparked by popular voice, not bombs.
The country’s 1m-plus black citizens have tapped into Obama-mania like few other groups across the Arab world. For them Obama’s inauguration was the dawn of a civil rights movement that they never had the impetus to strive for.
Black Iraqis will this week stand for the first time as an electoral bloc in provincial polls that will help shape Iraq in its slow transition to full sovereignty and possibly help shake off the stereotype that places them near the top of the heap in a nation of persecuted minorities.
Like the marsh Arabs to the north of their relative stronghold in Basra, black Iraqis are an underclass who find it near impossible to rise above their time-worn status of hard-labourers and peasants. Up to 50% of black Iraqis migrated to the Arabian Peninsula after the birth of Islam 1,500 years ago.
The rest have come steadily in the centuries since, some trafficked as slaves and others lured by broken promises of riches. All have been typecast, “just as the blacks of America were”, said Jalal Dhiyab, number two on the electoral list of the Secretary of the Free Movement of Iraqis.
“We joined this election because we felt we could break the wall surrounding Iraqi society and the climate of fear we have felt for generations,” he said.
“Black people have been treated very poorly throughout Iraqi history. The oppression has stopped us from joining many levels of society. It has restricted our education. We have become a social underclass. We are taking part in the new elections to give black Iraqis a new purpose in Iraq.”
Obama’s victory was a milestone in the history of democracy throughout the world, said Dhiyab.
“It is a victory for freedom. He has experienced suffering and seen serious challenges in his life. And yet he has reached the White House where decisions are made that affect all the people in the world. We hope that Obama’s policy in Iraq differs from Bush’s policy here. The Bush regime destroyed lives and infrastructure and fractured the whole of Iraqi society.”
The Free Movement of Iraqis is putting forward eight candidates in the provincial poll, in which 1,272 candidates are standing for 35 seats in the Basra province. Around 30% of the nominated candidates are women.
The polls will be held on 31 January, ahead of national elections later in the year.
“Drunken Negro Face” Cookies On Sale at Greenwich Village Bakery
[UPDATE BELOW] At at a time when any decent baker should have been selling racially harmonious black and white cookies by the truckload, one Greenwich Village bakery popular with celebrities and shows like Sex and the City has outraged neighbors by selling a “Drunken Negro Face” cookie in, um, “honor” of President Obama. [Video below.] A shocked customer tells My Fox NY that Ted Kefalinos, proprietor of Lafayette French Pastry, asked her, “Would you like some drunken negro heads to go with your coffee? They’re in honor of our new president. He’s following in the same path of Abraham Lincoln; he will get his.”
Later, her friend stopped by the bakery and said Kefalinos corrected her about the name of the cookies—they’re actually drunken “N-word” cookies. She says the backwards baker then repeated the dark suggestion that, like Lincoln, President Obama “will get what’s coming to him.” Go Secret Service, go!
And it gets worse when Fox’s Arnold Diaz goes into the store with a camera and microphone to confront Kefalinos, who suddenly makes Joe the Plumber look like a Rhodes scholar. “I called them Drunken Negro Heads. What’s the problem with that?” Kefalinos asks the newscaster with a smirk. “On Inauguration Day I thought it would be cool to change the name to Obama Heads. I just changed it for the day.” We suppose Burning Cross Bananas Foster was too complicated to mass-produce.
Kefalinos denies intimating that Obama would be assassinated, and insists that the cookie is “not unflattering. I think it’s a fun face… And anyone who says anything else should be ashamed of themselves.” Besides, nobody got upset about the “Dead Geese Bread” he sold after the recent Hudson River plane crash. (We’re NOT making that up.) Also, Kefalinos insists he can’t be racist because, for one thing, “my brother-in-law, he’s Cuban.” Below, behold the breathtaking train wreck of racist ignorance.
UPDATE: We just spoke with Kefalinos on the phone and he remains utterly oblivious, telling us, “This whole thing was blown out of proportion.” He says he’s sold out of the “Drunken Negro Cakes” and doesn’t plan to make anymore, despite the fact that many customers have been requesting them (he claims). When asked whether he understands that most African-Americans find the word “negro” offensive, Kefalinos explains, “It’s a French word. It comes from the French.”
Community Board 2 was quick to call for a boycott of Lafayette French Pastry, to which Kefalinos responds, “I’m sorry they feel that way because I was trying to do a nice thing.” Not seeming to grasp in any way the degree of outrage he’s sparked, he added, “I did it and that’s the end of it and it’s over.”
UPDATE 1/24: Now Ted Kefalinos apologizes: “Seriously, from the bottom of my heart, it was an innocent design I created. It was nothing more than just a piece of art.”
Statement of President Obama on the 36th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade
On the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we are reminded that this decision not only protects women’s health and reproductive freedom, but stands for a broader principle: that government should not intrude on our most private family matters. I remain committed to protecting a woman’s right to choose.
While this is a sensitive and often divisive issue, no matter what our views, we are united in our determination to prevent unintended pregnancies, reduce the need for abortion, and support women and families in the choices they make. To accomplish these goals, we must work to find common ground to expand access to affordable contraception, accurate health information, and preventative services.
On this anniversary, we must also recommit ourselves more broadly to ensuring that our daughters have the same rights and opportunities as our sons: the chance to attain a world-class education; to have fulfilling careers in any industry; to be treated fairly and paid equally for their work; and to have no limits on their dreams. That is what I want for women everywhere.
Montgomery, Alabama, the heart of the Civil Rights Movement, has never had a black mayor. Is this race about color -no. It’s hard to imagine how a majority black city hasn’t had a black mayor. Then again, Selma had its first black mayor in 2000. Former Montgomery Mayor Bobby Bright was elected to Congress in November. This prompted the need for a special election in Montgomery Alabama. The filing deadline is January 27 for a March 10 special election. If needed, there will be a runoff on April 21 and the new mayor will take office on May 1. The City Council president Charles Jinright is acting as interim mayor and will not run for office. This special election has happened before and brings out quite a “diverse” bunch. Enjoy. (snippits from Left in Alabama with additions from us).
Developer and Phoenix Homes founder and President Byron Berry whose company specializes in renovation of downtown properties with a goal of reinvigorating the city center. His website states, “Byrons interests include studying new urban design, sustainable mixed-use development and affordable housing; working with new people and listening to their stories; and of course, Biscuits Baseball. “ http://www.renewmontgomery.us/ (There is no pictue of him on his campaign site).
Mayoral executive assistant Michael Briddell is outgoing Mayor Bobby Bright’s endorsed candidate. Briddell was a news anchor at WSFA for five years before becoming an assistant to Bright four years ago. He’s a Philadelphia native who has lived in Montgomery for about a decade. Overseeing public safety and information technology, Briddell spearheaded the red-light camera project and helped start a college incentive program that sends police officers to college tuition-free. As Bright’s hand-picked successor, I would expect Briddell to be the candidate most likely to keep Montgomery on the current path.
Soon to be 18 year old (and therefore eligible to run) Jamel Brown – no photo – who counts being ordained as a Baptist minister among his accomplishments, unlike graduation from high school.
This has quickly surfaced on youtube. This kid claims he is a”well known Republican and supporter of John McCain”
I found this remarkable clip on youtube.
Brown said the school system also needs the next mayor’s attention. Brown, who is working on his G.E.D., said he stopped attending high school because of the unnecessarily stringent graduation exams.
“In our public schools our students are suffering because of high school exams. … Every year, they change the exam. They make it tougher and change the questions. I believe in keeping it simple,” he said.
Brown says he is a “well known Republican and supporter of John McCain” and he is running to bring about real change. The change theme seems to be in vogue right now.
District 6 City Councilman Willie Cook has served in office for 9 years. Willie Cook’s website claims that he is the most qualified candidate in the race, touting his experience as a community organizer (where have we heard that lately?) and sponsorship of a crime free weekend resolution and a no smoking ordinance. A recent email from the campaign said “We want to remind you that we are the true Democratic campaign in the race.”
Department of Veteran’s Affairs employee Jon Dow who advocates community involvement to address the city’s problems. He promises to focus on better housing, safer neighborhoods, improved city services, and more effective schools in our community. Dow’s resume looks fairly progressive and community oriented, including 9 years with the Central Alabama Community Foundation and director of the BONDS program to improve neighborhood associations. He also supports a sales tax reduction.
Montgomery native and law enforcement officer Jay King who is interested in better utilization of vacant real estate, bringing more major artist events to Montgomery and instituting a “Back to Green” policy for the city, as well as lowering the sales tax by as much as half a percent. He has been with the Montgomery Police Department since 1994.
County Commission Chairman Todd Strange won his commission seat as a Republican but has hired Democratic pollster/consultant John Anzalone’s firm for his mayoral run. That should not be viewed as a move to the left for Strange, but as a decision to hire the best possible talent to try to move into the winner’s circle. Strange’s website says he want’s to grow the city’s economy and “fight crime with innovative approaches.” He also touts his business experience and the fact that he sits on the board of several financial institutions — perhaps not a great resume item just now.
Businessman and developer Scott Simmons, who has run before (he garnered 31% in 2003 and 33% in 2007 against Bright) and is in the hunt again. His website begins “We can have safer neighborhoods, a more vibrant downtown, stronger schools, and a growing economy that creates jobs. Together we will …” Why does that phrase seem familiar? He proposes free bus rides, “Rebirth Zones” starting with Montgomery Mall, “Common Sense Green” initiatives and email alerts to keep citizens informed of municipal functions.
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land – a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America – they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted – for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things – some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions – that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act – not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions – who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them – that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works – whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account – to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day – because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control – and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart – not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort – even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus – and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West – know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment – a moment that will define a generation – it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends – hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism – these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility – a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence – the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed – why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
“Let it be told to the future world…that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive…that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it].”
America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
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Dick Armey (R-TX) Disturbing Sexist Comments on Hardball
This is what happens when Joan Walsh started to expose Dick. “Who are the redistributionist?”
Way to go showing that republican leadership.
This is just remarkable.
From talking points: Former House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-TX) revealed more of himself than anyone cared to see, at the expense of Salon’s Joan Walsh, this evening on “Hardball.” In a debate with Walsh over tax policy, Armey let loose with this chauvinistic gem: “I am so damn glad that you can never be my wife cause I surely wouldn’t have to listen to that prattle from you every day.”
He should apologize immediately.
January 28, 2009
Categories: Politics . Tags: Chris Matthews, Chris Matthews Hardball, Dick Armey, house majority leader, Joan Walsh, redistributionist, rush limbaugh gop, Salon, sexism, sexist comments, sexist statments, wife . Author: politicalmusic . Comments: Leave a Comment