Word On The Street About The O-man

I've been tooling around the black blogosphere, seeing how well the "word on the street" about "the O-man" is being transmitted through the media portals we rely on.

Interesting stuff - came across this on one of them.

20 things you have to believe to be a Republican today

1. Being a drug addict is a moral failing and a crime, unless you’re a conservative radio host. Then it’s an illness and you need our prayers for your recovery.

2. The United States should get out of the United Nations, and our highest national priority is enforcing U.N. resolutions against Iraq.

3. Government should relax regulation of Big Business and Big Money but crack down on individuals who use marijuana to relieve the pain of illness.

4. “Standing Tall for America” means firing your workers and moving their jobs to India.

5. A woman can’t be trusted with decisions about her own body, but multinational corporations can make decisions affecting all humankind without regulation.

6. Jesus loves you, and shares your hatred of homosexuals and Hillary Clinton.

7. The best way to improve military morale is to praise the troops in speeches while slashing veterans’ benefits and combat pay.

8. Group sex and drug use are degenerate sins unless you someday run for governor of California as a Republican.

9. If condoms are kept out of schools, adolescents won’t have sex.

10. A good way to fight terrorism is to belittle our longtime allies, then demand their cooperation and money.

11. HMOs and insurance companies have the interest of the public at heart.

12. Providing health care to all Iraqis is sound policy. Providing health care to all Americans is socialism.

13. Global warming and tobacco’s link to cancer are junk science, but creationism should be taught in schools.

14. Saddam was a good guy when Reagan armed him, a bad guy when Bush’s daddy made war on him, a good guy when Cheney did business with him and a bad guy when Bush needed a “we can’t find Bin Laden” diversion.

15. A president lying about an extramarital affair is an impeachable offense. A president lying to enlist support for a war in which thousands die is a solid defense policy.

16. Government should limit itself to the powers named in the Constitution, which include banning gay marriages and censoring the Internet.

17. The public has a right to know about Hillary’s cattle trades, but George Bush’s driving record is none of our business.

18. You support states’ rights, which means Attorney General John Ashcroft can tell states what local voter initiatives they have a right to adopt.

19. What Bill Clinton did in the 1960s is of vital national interest, but what Bush did in the 1980s is irrelevant.

20. Trade with Cuba is wrong because the country is communist; but trade with China and Vietnam is vital to a spirit of international harmony.

Some of the blogs I visited are listed below - most of the links go directly to "O-man" commentary - in some of them you will need to scroll down an article or two to get feedback on the Iowa results.



Skeptical Brotha
http://skepticalbrotha.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/

"I am not taking back the substance of my criticisms [of Obama] because they represent my unvarnished feelings. Today, however, I feel like Patti Labelle and have “a new attitude.” "


Field Negro
http://field-negro.blogspot.com/index.html

"Honestly, my ankles are hurting from jumping on and off your damn bandwagon. And right now I am feeling like jumping on again. People have been telling me that I should stop being so cynical and get on board the Obama train but.....I mean I am just saying."


Jack and Jill Politics
http://jackandjillpolitics.blogspot.com/search/label/Barack%20Obama

"I went to a pro-Obama gathering in Harlem last night to watch the Iowa Caucus, win or lose, black history was going to be made. Where else would I go?"


Why Black Women Are Angry
http://whyblackwomenareangry.blogspot.com/

"So which is it? Can anyone in the United States of America really work hard and play by the rules to achieve America's occasional over-promised dream,? Or, does that only apply if you are white and male and running for President of the United States?"


Average Bro
http://www.averagebro.com/

"I've championed Barack Obama for President since the beginning of this blog, waaay back in 2000 and Seven. For the first time, I believed in a candidate enough to write a massive $5 campaign donation check. I hoped for the best, but naturally, this being America and all, I prepared for the worst. Thus, my completely unnecessary Iowa Caucus Prediction today relayed this sentiment.

Basically, I was prepared to be let down."


We Are Respectable Negroes
http://wearerespectablenegroes.blogspot.com/

"Respectable Negroes, ask yourselves why Hillary Clinton deserves your support. What will you gain from her election to the presidency? Is she really a safe choice? As self-interested as he may have been when he made the statement, we have to wonder if Senator Joeseph Lieberman was right when he said 'the Clinton's have used African-Americans like Kleenex.' "


Dream and Hustle
http://dreamandhustle.com/

"Because real talk – if a Black person vote for Clinton, Huckabee or Paul or whatever, they are voting for Clinton, Huckabee or Paul. But a Black person voting for Barack Obama is not only voting for Barack Obama, they are validating themselves at the same time. And you platform Negroes can marinate on that for a minute to realize why you fighting a worthless cause to get Blacks to vote for someone other than themselves."

African American Political Pundit
http://www.aapoliticalpundit.blogspot.com/

"Yes you heard me! Hillary and Bill Clinton have used Black Voters Long Enough!

I'm no Fox News Fan or a huge fan of Juan Williams for that matter, but Juan Williams gets it right many times, and is right when he said, Blacks Support Clinton Because Of “Patronage Politics."



After watching the umpteenth white guy on the tube tell me what black people were thinking, I had to go direct.

Is the internet great or what?

After reading these unfiltered sentiments, I am walking away from them (literally - I've been sitting here reading for hours) with a sense that this race isn't a referendum on any of the individual candidates but on our nation and its inhabitants.

If the O-man can swing New Hampshire, I think the country will finally have to face up to how little our attitudes about race have really changed since the sixties.