With Obama as a launching point Timeswoman Kate Zernike writes about Presidential charisma; at one point she takes up the question of whether Kennedy's charisma could have pushed his Civil Rights legislation through the Congress, or whether (as Hillary noted in New Hampshire) it took the more pragmatic dealmeister, LBJ. However, Ms. Zernike goes historically and hysterically awry with this:
When Mrs. Clinton talked about how it took Johnson as well as the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to achieve the rights legislation, Ms. Goodwin said, “she was absolutely right.” Johnson’s great mastery was to get the support of Southern Republicans. “It required his understanding of absolutely every single senator,” Ms. Goodwin said. “They were a team. Without Martin Luther King agitating the country and J.F.K. picking up the bill there would not have been that pressure on the Congress, and without L.B.J. there would not have been a bill.
Ms. Goodwin is not quoted as lauding Johnson's mastery of the Southern Republicans, so I am left believing that to be Ms. Zernike's extrapolation. However, per Wikipedia, there were darn few Southern Republican available to vote, and all opposed the Civil Rights Act.
Let's see - in the House, where the outcome was not in doubt, Southern Democrats opposed the original bill by 87-7; Southern Republicans opposed it by 10-0.
In the Senate, where many thought the bill would be killed in committee or filibustered to death, Southern Democrats opposed the bill by 20-1; the lone Southern Republican Senator also opposed the bill.
For these purposes, "Southern" means a member of the 11 Confederate States of America.
Baffling. Maybe Ms. Zernike is referring to border state Senators, but the story from the Deep South was nothing like she presented here.
Where is Karl Rove these days?
Alive and well and reporting for Fox. ::grin::
Posted by: Sue | February 19, 2008 at 09:56 AM
Richmond Mayor L. Douglas Wilder predicted riots in the streets if the Clinton campaign were to overturn an Obama lead through the use of superdelegates.
OT will love this.
Posted by: Sue | February 19, 2008 at 09:58 AM
"And it starts with 'c'."
Michelle Obama may need to refresh her memory about some things she can be proud of, but that's no reason to call her a communist.
Posted by: hrtshpdbox | February 19, 2008 at 09:59 AM
but that's no reason to call her a communist.
He called her a cynic. Disregard if I'm not catching the joke here.
Posted by: Sue | February 19, 2008 at 10:04 AM
Steve Sailer's blog on Michelle Obama's Chip on her Shoulder contains a link to a Newsweek profile of her. Sailer's blog focuses on her experience as an affirmative action admittee to Princeton:
Posted by: anduril | February 19, 2008 at 10:04 AM
Jane. a report yesterday said Rove was advising the Reps on how to beat Obama. (You notice Soylent wasn't reporting in this weekend.Just saying.)
Posted by: clarice | February 19, 2008 at 10:04 AM
"He called her a cynic. Disregard if I'm not catching the joke here."
I probably didn't really think he was calling her a communist. But I'm probably also not sure he meant cynic, either.
Posted by: hrtshpdbox | February 19, 2008 at 10:07 AM
On Sunday, after welcoming Baldilocks to JOM, I made the following comment:
"In all of the discussion about the pros and cons of Obama's candidacy, no one mentions his wife Michelle. Personally, I think she is a big negative in his campaign."
Yesterday, Michelle Obama was big news over her "first time as an adult to be proud of America" nonsense. I think she is a big problem that is only going to get worse with time.
Posted by: centralcal | February 19, 2008 at 10:13 AM
But I'm probably also not sure he meant cynic, either.
Then ignore the paragraph preceding the "c" to get where you are going.
Posted by: Sue | February 19, 2008 at 10:14 AM
Sue-
Richmond Mayor L. Douglas Wilder predicted riots in the streets if the Clinton campaign were to overturn an Obama lead through the use of superdelegates....
So now Obama's factions are promising violence if they don't get their way.
/snark
And I dropped this comment in another thread when TSK9 dropped the Scary graf from Huffpo: Obama has Ayres, well Billary has Susan Rosenberg and Linda Evans. Obama consorts with former terrorists, Billary pardons and frees them. The RW really can't believe digging up their radicalism in the 1960's [she was alive and on campus someone might have even a picture of her at some SDS function] and their pardon scandals during Bill's term...
Posted by: RichatUF | February 19, 2008 at 10:15 AM
OT
Dont you think there are some wild celebrations in the street in Little Havana today? Castro has resigned. Of course meet the new boss, and his name is still Castro, but he is 76 so not much younger and not really revered as anything by anyone. The days of communism in Cuba may well be coming to an inglorious end. Lets hope we are not bucking the trend here...
Posted by: GMax | February 19, 2008 at 10:21 AM
Jonathan Last also discusses Michelle's America: Mrs. Obama talks about herself and her country. His portrait is consistent with that in the Newsweek article (to the extent it was quoted by Sailer).
Posted by: anduril | February 19, 2008 at 10:28 AM
GMax-
Miami coverage
Raul might not be the successor. Would be interesting if Chevez were to try to step into the breach to "protect the revolution from American interference."
Posted by: RichatUF | February 19, 2008 at 10:29 AM
Vnjagvet: I can take a picture of the glove, but don't know how to get it to you. Any ideas?
Actually, Houtteman was traded to the Indians before the midway point of the 1953 season (I cheated and confirmed this through the reference guide).
Posted by: Other Tom | February 19, 2008 at 10:42 AM
"Then ignore the paragraph preceding the "c" to get where you are going."
You're right, my bad. Apologies.
Posted by: hrtshpdbox | February 19, 2008 at 10:51 AM
calling her a communist. But I'm probably also not sure he meant cynic, either.
I can assure you that I most definitely did NOT mean cynic, if you know what I mean and I'm probably sure I don't think you do.
Hint: read it again and pay particular attention to the phrase "it takes one to know one".
Need more? I will alert you to my proclivity to use my own special made up words. My variation on verbal strategery.
Posted by: hit and run | February 19, 2008 at 10:54 AM
OT - Maybe it was Newhouser that was traded in 1954, but I know they both pitched then.
Clarice and Rick Ballard have my email address.
Posted by: vnjagvet | February 19, 2008 at 11:05 AM
Rich,
Reading the bit that Anduril highlighted brings todays contest into a nice bright relief. MO "resents" the fact that the nice white progs who selected her (and BHO) as worthy of becoming overseers for their black identity plantations weren't more subtle. Does the white Madison Mafia, led by a pinko faux fem resent the fact that one of their overseers has had the audacity to leave the plantation? Will WI-2 put him in his place by going for the pinko faux fem Alinsky Acolyte or will it be gripped by BHO Fever and go for the black Red Alinsky Acolyte?
If WI-2 goes for the faux fem, will the plantation in WI-4 go up in flames or will it just wait for November and show its displeasure in the voting booth? Gwen Moore's kid is out of jail now on that tire slashing charge, maybe he can keep things calm in WI-4?
I would credit Dean's Revenge for this more than I would the Dark Lord. Dean's the one that improved the connection with the SEIU and helped BHO Fever take hold. RW has her hooks in with most of the black overseers (the ones who are looking around nervously these days) and Dean needs to break them free for 2012.
Posted by: Rick Ballard | February 19, 2008 at 11:05 AM
You're right, my bad. Apologies.
No need. I'm just having fun and nothing can throw me off that course.
Even my own cynicalisticness.
Peace and love.
Posted by: hit and run | February 19, 2008 at 11:09 AM
How did the Obamas manage to earn $983K in 2006?
Posted by: Other Tom | February 19, 2008 at 11:11 AM
OT,
The Audacity of Hope. Or Dreams of My Father. One of those or both.
Posted by: Sue | February 19, 2008 at 11:12 AM
Book advance from Random House. Figure out who pulled the strings at Random House to get him the advance and you've found BHO's puppet master.
Posted by: Rick Ballard | February 19, 2008 at 11:13 AM
It is revealing that Michelle Obama is claiming that the first time she has been proud to be an American was when her husband became the front-runner in the Democratic presidential primary. At about the same time Bob Geldof is praising President Bush and the United States for its actions in Africa over the past seven years.
Mr. Geldof is an Irish rock and roll singer and longtime social activist who has helped, along with U2 rocker Bono, raise awareness about need in Africa. His most well known achievement is organizing the Live Aid concert in 1985, which raised money for debt relief for poor African countries.
But Mr. Geldof has remained closely engaged with African affairs since then, and he spoke off the cuff to reporters today who were waiting for a press conference with Mr. Bush and Rwandan President Paul Kagame.
Mr. Geldof praised Mr. Bush for his work in delivering billions to fight disease and poverty in Africa, and blasted the U.S. press for ignoring the achievement.
Mr. Bush, said Mr. Geldof, "has done more than any other president so far."
"This is the triumph of American policy really," he said. "It was probably unexpected of the man. It was expected of the nation, but not of the man, but both rose to the occasion."
"What's in it for [Mr. Bush]? Absolutely nothing," Mr. Geldof said.
Mr. Geldof said that the president has failed "to articulate this to Americans" but said he is also "pissed off" at the press for their failure to report on this good news story.
"You guys didn't pay attention," Geldof said to a group of reporters from all the major newspapers.
http://video1.washingtontimes.com/fishwrap/2008/02/bob_geldof_in_rwanda.html
Posted by: ROA | February 19, 2008 at 11:25 AM
Rick-
Full disclosure-I haven't been keeping up with events in WI, but going on what I've been able to gleen from the threads here:
MO "resents" the fact that the nice white progs who selected her (and BHO) as worthy of becoming overseers for their black identity plantations weren't more subtle.
Could this be the reason for the "plagerism" charge? For serious students and professionals whom have run the gauntlet, it is a non-trivial accusation and it goes to BHO's core support. A RW research op might have been digging into MO and BHO's academic record and dropping some breadcrumbs in the "elite communities" out there in WI.
I would credit Dean's Revenge for this more than I would the Dark Lord. Dean's the one that improved the connection with the SEIU and helped BHO Fever take hold...
I just wanted to clear this up for my own understanding-the "Dean's Revenge Thesis" is actually using BHO as a stalking horse to eliminate the Clinton's and their cronies from the top of the DNC power structure. In the end, Dean doesn't care whether BHO wins or loses the general, his purpose is to eliminate the Clinton's in 2008. If BHO looks to go on to win the general, Dean can position himself either as a possible VP or stay in the DNC to weed out the Clinton dead-enders.
Posted by: RichatUF | February 19, 2008 at 11:32 AM
Thanks for the link ROA
"You guys didn't pay attention," Geldof said to a group of reporters from all the major newspapers.
There's really so much to conclude about this.
Posted by: Topsecretk9 | February 19, 2008 at 11:48 AM
Rick-
Book advance from Random House. Figure out who pulled the strings at Random House to get him the advance and you've found BHO's puppet master.
Random House->Bertelsmann->Bertelsmann Foundation
curious grafs [sorry about all the wiki links and clips]-
Clues???
Posted by: RichatUF | February 19, 2008 at 11:51 AM
Susan Sarandon, strikes again...
Via http://wizbangblog.com/
Posted by: Sue | February 19, 2008 at 11:53 AM
Rich,
The Dean - SEIU connection is the critical element. SEIU provides the ground troops for Dean and is quite willing to stomp on its members (vide NV) in order to pursue a "larger" agenda. SEIU is very important in the prog plantations and is working very hard to make sure that the next generation of overseers (see that Gwen Moore bio) is under its control rather than under the control of the white Madison Mafia types.
I don't think BHO is gonna get the nomination. BHO Fever might be running a little hotter than anticipated but it will fade and RW will get the nomination. Can she win the battleground states without strong support in the plantations? Not by my scorecard.
Advantage Dean in 2012 and advantage SEIU in the struggle to replace the old overseers.
The plagiarism story might have had a tiny bit of purpose along the lines you mentioned but I believe that the purpose was actually to get a bit of play on the picture of BHO and Duval together - like the BHO-Sharpton picture. Just another identity politics touch brought to you by nice white thoughtful Gramscians.
André Desmarais - gee, that sounds sort of familiar.
Posted by: Rick Ballard | February 19, 2008 at 12:07 PM
Via wizbang. Or just via!
Posted by: Sue | February 19, 2008 at 12:20 PM
It's kind of like when you're
out on the line for freedom to have an abortionyou act like you are a foriegn policy expert and you're reallyincredibly pregnantjust an actor. They just can't quite figure it out.Posted by: Topsecretk9 | February 19, 2008 at 12:28 PM
Wonder if there is anyone that can translate what Sarandon said... I fed it into babelfish and it abended.
Posted by: Bill in AZ | February 19, 2008 at 12:29 PM
Am certain that the brilliant folks who comment here would find this Andre Desmarais link pretty easily regarding the Oil For Food program.
Could be that Obambi is playing with some heavy hitters.
Posted by: glasater | February 19, 2008 at 12:36 PM
Rick-
SEIU is very important in the prog plantations and is working very hard to make sure that the next generation of overseers (see that Gwen Moore bio) is under its control rather than under the control of the white Madison Mafia types.
So this is really a power struggle at the heart of the DNC between the top-of-the-heap that came of age during Watergate and those who "have waited their turn" in the waning years of the Cold War? This could really get interesting.
...the purpose was actually to get a bit of play on the picture of BHO and Duval together - like the BHO-Sharpton picture...
I hadn't thought of it like that-
André Desmarais - gee, that sounds sort of familiar...
So many dots I'm beginning to see a constellation of interest...
for instance:
Paul Volker->BHO
Nadhmi Auchi->"Tony" Rezko->BHO
Desmarais [from 2006, not currently from what I can find]->Bertelsmann->Random House->BHO
I always reach for the top shelf.
Posted by: RichatUF | February 19, 2008 at 12:39 PM
glasater-
Mark Steyn did a great job on this too...
FR archive of other articles
Curious that RW and BHO would both be sending some bootlickers out to Assad?
Posted by: RichatUF | February 19, 2008 at 12:48 PM
Rich,
Kick a quaking rootball real hard and see what happens? As to Damascus - where else are the Copperheads supposed to meet up with AQ allies? AQ is a little discouraged about continuing with the Copperhead program in Iraq and Afghanistan (something about mortality tables and Wedding Seekers) and needed to be discouraged from doing something stupid in the west - especially during the period when Pelosi has blinded our best SIGINT assets.
Kinda makes you wonder about who had Mugnaiyeh shortened - at least he's no longer an uncontrollable hothead.
Posted by: Rick Ballard | February 19, 2008 at 01:25 PM
Ultimately, historians are going to find the Bush presidency very successful, and sociologists of journalism and science are going to find our times extremely curious.
==============================
Posted by: kim | February 19, 2008 at 02:15 PM
Posted by: cathyf | February 19, 2008 at 04:02 PM
Rich--thanks for the links at FR.
Kim--'Ultimately, historians are going to find the Bush presidency very successful, and sociologists of journalism and science are going to find our times extremely curious.'
From your mouth to God's ear--although Kissinger has his thoughts on the President's legacy.
Posted by: glasater | February 19, 2008 at 04:20 PM
On the other hand, sociologists of junior high will find that it makes complete sense.
Posted by: cathyf | February 19, 2008 at 04:35 PM
"U.S. Sen.-elect Barack Obama, whose 1995 book jumped onto best-seller lists after his keynote address to the Democratic National Convention, has landed a three-book deal worth $1.9 million."
Sure looks like a Jim Wright special from here. Or perhaps his writing talent was so effectively hidden that it took 10 years to discover?
Posted by: Rick Ballard | February 19, 2008 at 04:41 PM
("The Audacity of Hope," it turns out, was the name of a sermon Obama heard a reverend deliver on a Sunday morning shortly after the death of Harold Washington, the black mayor of Chicago, and after Obama had decided to leave his job to attend Harvard Law School.)
Is anything his?
Posted by: Sue | February 19, 2008 at 05:13 PM