By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Producer

(July 16, 2008) – Trying to make the most out of a rare Republican address to a humongous African-American audience, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) told the NAACP convention Wednesday that there needed to be much more energy toward improving education, suring up the economy and eliminating federal spending.  The Republican nominee was making a direct appeal for the Black vote. 

In recent days, McCain’s African-American party mates have been adamant that he should not concede the Black vote to his African-American rival for the presidency.  The Arizona senator’s appearance on Wednesday already puts him ahead of the man he hopes to succeed. President Bush declined the civil rights organization’s invitation throughout his first term in office and spoke to the gathering only once during his second term.

McCain knows he won’t wrestle a slew of Black votes from Sen. Barack Obama, but he opened his remarks with nothing but praise for the Illinois senator. “Don’t tell him I said this, but he is an impressive fellow in many ways,” McCain effused. “He has inspired a great many Americans, some of whom had wrongly believed that a political campaign could hold no purpose or meaning for them. His success should make Americans, all Americans, proud.”

McCain added jokingly, “Of course, I would prefer his success not continue quite as long as he hopes.”

Understanding the importance of education to this audience, McCain used the opportunity to introduce his policies to the audience.  To some applause, McCain told 5,000 gathered at the 99th Annual meeting in Cincinnati that “after decades of hearing the same big promises from the public education establishment, and seeing the same poor results, it is surely time to shake off old ways and to demand new reforms.”

A shakeup by a McCain administration would mean more “choice,” including public education dollars to pay for private and religious school education, and better pay for teachers.  “I will target funding to recruit teachers who graduate in the top 25 percent of their class, or who participate in an alternative teacher recruitment program such as Teach for America, the American Board for Teacher Excellence, and the New Teacher Project,” McCain said.

While education was the largest focus of the speech, McCain also pledged not to increase taxes as part of his economic plan and to work across party lines, “reforming government and controlling spending.”

“My opponent and I have honest differences as well about the growth of government. And it may be that many of you share his view. But even allowing for disagreement, surely there is common ground in the principle that government cannot go on forever spending recklessly and incurring debt,” McCain said.

The audience was gracious to the Republican presidential candidate and interrupted his remarks with applause on several occasions. McCain ended his remarks by making one last pitch, “I am a candidate for president who seeks your vote and hopes to earn it. But whether or not I win your support, I need your good will and counsel. And should I succeed, I’ll need it all the more.”
 

By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Producer

July 15, 2008 — Sen. Barack Obama told thousands gathered to hear him speak at the annual meeting of the NAACP’s convention he would not halt his call for African-Americans to embark on “individual responsibility” as part of the solution for improving the plight of Black families and communities. 

Obama who is poised to become the first Black Democratic presidential nominee, said his journey to the White House, should he win, isn’t enough, stressing that it will require all Americans to exercise greater social responsibility. 

His remarks during the civil rights organization’s 99th annual convention in Cincinnati Monday night praised those Black leaders, the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., Rep. John Lewis, and the organization’s executive director, Julian Bond, for paving the way for today’s aspirating leaders.   He told the crowd of 3,000, “If we’re serious about reclaiming that dream, we have to do more in our own lives.

 ”But with providing the guidance our children need, turning off the TV set and putting away the video games; attending those parent-teacher conferences; helping our children with their homework; setting a good example. That’s what everybody’s got to do,” Obama insisted.

He received thunderous applause when he urged Blacks to demand more of themselves, without mentioning recent criticism he received from the Rev. Jesse Jackson.   Last week Jackson accused Obama of “talking down” to Black folks in his earlier comments on the issue of “responsibility” of Black men to their families. Jackson later issued an apology to the Illinois senator for his remarks.

 But Obama reiterated the theme Monday night, saying, “I know some say I’ve been too tough on folks talking about responsibility. NAACP, I’m here to report, I’m not going to stop talking about it. Because as much I’m out there to fight to make sure that government’s doing its job and the marketplace is doing its job, … none of it will make a difference — at least not enough of a difference — if we also don’t at the same time seize more responsibility in our own lives.”

The 46-year-old, father of two, told those gathered at the Duke Energy Center that “when we are taking care of our own stuff, then a lot of other folks are going to be interested in joining up and working with us and taking care of America’s stuff. We can lead by example, as we did in the Civil Rights Movement. Because the problems that plague our community are not unique to us. We just have them a little worse, but they’re not unique to us.”

Obama revealed in his books that he grew up without his father and has spoken often about the importance of parental responsibility and fathers participating in their children’s lives.

 Arizona Sen. John McCain (R) is scheduled to address the convention on Wednesday. 

July 11, 2008 – The Rev. Jesse Jackson’s comments that Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) “was talking down” to Black folks has critics talking up the demise of the civil rights leader’s long-running power position in the Black community.

Newspaper and television reports asked if the civil rights leader is still relevant, influential and the dominate voice of Black America. Some went so far as to ask whether Jackson’s comments helped the Illinois senator distance himself from the man who walked side by side with the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., and later founded the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition – distance that would give him an advantage among White working-class voters he’s working to woo.

While it’s not really clear what it’s done for Jackson, it is clear what it has done for Obama. The 46-year-old senator already has surpassed President Bill Clinton’s popularity among Black voters and, judging from my readers’ comments, Jackson’s criticism of Obama did not sway his supporters; they were just disappointed he made them.

Take Blogger lsyss’ comments, for instance: “Reverend Jackson and other [B]lacks need to realize that Barack is a politician and not a civil rights leader. It is not his job to solve just African American problems, but America’s problems as a whole.”

…And those of Fahay, who thought the comments were part of a strategy: “Rev. Jackson is quite savvy and experienced with the media. I could be wrong, but nothing said while mic’d is for naught and he knows this. This was picked up, because he wanted it picked up!”

But the reaction to this recent slip of the tongue shows that the Black community can and will embrace “new” leadership.

“This moment only reinforces that we have to let the younger guys take the lead in politics, that they know the issues of today, that we live in a far different world than 20 years ago,” Michel Dukakis told The New York Times [WHEN????]. Dukakis and Jackson competed for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1988.

Angelic777 writes in my blog, “Jesse we know it’s hard, bro, not being the chosen one to head up America; it was not your calling. Yours was to keep hope alive; Obama’s is to take us to a much needed change.”

Film producer Spike Lee, may have said it best. “I don’t think his (Jackson’s) comments help anybody; it’s just unfortunate,” Lee told The Associated Press following his participation on a panel at the Television Critics Association in Los Angeles.

Lee, an Obama supporter, predicted his candidate will win in the fall. “When that happens, it will change everything. … You’ll have to measure time by `Before Obama’ and `After Obama.’ It’s an exciting time to be alive now.”

By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Producer July 10, 2008 – The Rev. Jesse Jackson is no stranger to controversy, media spotlight or the ground rules when speaking with the press.  But if he had forgotten, his latest slip of the tongue will serve as a pungent reminder to remember past lessons.  

On Sunday, while in the FOX News studio waiting to be interviewed, Jackson leaned over to another guest, Reed V. Tuckson, the former chief medical officer for the District of Columbia and President of the Charles Drew University in Los Angeles, and whispered, “Barack has been talking down to Black people. …I want to cut his nuts off.” In a rapid response, the founder of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition issued a statement denouncing the “crude” nature of his comments and apologized to the presumptive Democratic nominee.

“I apologize,” Rev. Jackson said Wednesday. “My support for Senator Obama’s campaign is wide, deep and unequivocal. I cherish this redemptive and historical moment.  My appeal was for the moral content of his message, to not only deal with the personal and moral responsibility of Black males, but to deal with the collective moral responsibility of government and the public policy which would be a corrective action for the lack of good choices that often led to their irresponsibility.”

Still, his actions brought swift rejection from the civil rights leader’s son, Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-Ill.), the national co-chairman of Obama’s presidential campaign. In rallying behind his candidate, he proved that political alliances can be stronger than family ties. “I’m deeply outraged and disappointed in Reverend Jackson’s reckless statements about Senator Barack Obama. His divisive and demeaning comments about the presumptive Democratic nominee – and I believe the next president of the United States – contradict his inspiring and courageous career,” Jackson Jr. wrote in a statement.

Jackson said his comments were in reference to visits Obama has made to Black churches during his campaign, at which the 46-year-old senator has said Black folks are responsible for their families and their communities. While Jackson has also been outspoken about Black America’s responsibility to play an active role in improving its plight, he has been careful to highlight the government’s responsibility to provide equal opportunity and racial justice.

But, Jackson knows that everything one says while wearing a microphone in a television studio is on the record. He also knows that a careless remark – even one he thought was off the record – can be costly. After all, it was his clumsy reference to Jews as “Hymies” and New York as “Hymietown” during his 1984 presidential bid that nearly destroyed his lifelong work within the Jewish community. And his gaffe late last year about Obama “acting White” perhaps revealed Jackson’s latent belief that the Illinois senator’s political perspective was out of line with that of the traditional civil rights establishment.

 Granted, this was a careless move on Jackson’s part, but I also know it was not intended to do harm to the Obama’s shot at being commander and chief.  After hearing his comments had been recorded, Jackson appeared on CNN to publicly apologize, issued a statement to the press and called the senator’s office with his apology.

  His immediate actions may slow his roll on political chatter, but what it won’t stop speculation about some underlying dissention among old-school Black leadership regarding Obama’s candidacy.  The topic wasn’t on the radar before this and support for Obama appeared unwavering.  

 Bill Burton, spokesman for the Obama campaign, suggested that the brouhaha was being blown out of proportion. “Of course” the senator accepts the reverends apology, he said. Jackson’s son’s wasn’t so forgiving.  “Reverend Jackson is my dad and I’ll always love him,” he said But, “he should know how hard that I’ve worked for the last year and a half as a national co-chair of Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. So, I thoroughly reject and repudiate his ugly rhetoric. He should keep hope alive and any personal attacks and insults to himself.”

Whew, I bet the next family dinner will be a bit tense at the Jackson’s house.  

By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Producer 

July 9, 2008 – A group of high-profile Black Republicans want Sen. John McCain to woo Black voters.  While admitting that running against Sen. Barack Obama will make it tough to win over Blacks, they’re encouraging him to go for it. 

On Tuesday, NBC/The National Journal reported African-American Republicans met with McCain in his northern Virginia campaign headquarters and told the Arizona senator not to abandon the notion of courting Black voters.

The meeting of high-powered Black conservatives included former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, Texas Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams, former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, former Oklahoma Rep. J.C. Watts, and via conference call, Lynn Swann, the former pro football star who ran for governor of Pennsylvania in 2006.

According to NBC, the group delivered a message that McCain and the Republican Party should reach out to Black folks through “conversation and engagement” on issues they care about, like economic policy and health care.

“It’s important, especially with an African American running on the Democratic side, that the party reawaken its relationship (with Black voters), no matter how tattered and torn it has been over the years,” Steele told NBC. 

The McCain campaign seems convinced they can’t get the Black vote so why bother, but in a close race, no candidate should ignore a registered voter. 
 

By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Producer

(DENVER) July 8, 2008 – Sen. Barack Obama will accept the Democratic presidential nomination in front of a record crowd at Denver’s Invesco Field at Mile High rather than the Pepsi Center.  

The Field at Mile High stadium will open the event to about 80,000 folks, compared to a capacity of 20,000 at Pepsi.  “For us to be able to do it in Invesco Field is an opportunity for 80,000 people who might otherwise not have been able to participate to get involved,” Obama said.

During a conference call Monday with reporters, Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean touted the event as staying with the theme of inclusion, something Obama’s campaign has embraced with his extensive grassroots outreach. 

Having already spent thousands of dollars at the Pepsi Center, some networks are balking at spending thousands more to broadcast Obama’s speech because of the last-minute change.

But do they really have a choice? 

The convention will take place in Denver Aug. 25-28, with everything accept the acceptance speech taking place at the Pepsi Center, which holds a little more than 20,000 people.  

When asked if the operation budget for the convention was in trouble, Dean denied any financial difficulties and said and the party would raise the additional money needed to make this change in the program.

I’m in Denver today for the final walk-through for the press. I’ll get to see first hand what we’re in for next month. 
 

July 7, 2008 – Networks planning for the historic nomination of Sen. Barack Obama during the Democratic National Convention may have just hit a snag.  TVNewser, an online news magazine, is reporting the Obama camp is looking to dump the Pepsi Center for Obama’s closing nomination speech and move it to Invesco Field at Mile High.  The move would allow an additional 50,000 folks to attend than possible in the Pepsi Center.

TVNewser says an emergency meeting will take place with the networks: ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX and NBC, today to figure out if this is possible, and how the networks can  re-tool their resources to get the speech broadcast live on the final night of the convention.

If the Illinois senator decides to give his acceptance speech at Invesco Field at Mile High rather than at the Pepsi Center, it will place a burden on the all the networks who have already anchored the first three days of convention coverage in the Pepsi Center.

The Pepsi Center in Denver holds about 21,000 people; the move to Invesco would allow Obama to have another record-breaking crowd of more than 76,000 people.  The issue for all of the networks, including BET News, will be revamping the news operation for that Thursday night to make sure they can bring it to viewers.

The media outlets are scheduled to go to Denver this week for the final walk-through at the Pepsi Center.     

BET News is planning to carry the Aug. 28 speech live on the network; the message will have added historic value because it would fall on the 45th anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s, “I have a Dream” speech. 

By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Producer

July 1, 2008 – It looks like the chill between Sen. Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton is beginning to thaw.  According to Obama’s campaign, the two spoke on Thursday by telephone and the Clinton pledged his support to the Illinois senator.

Clinton had been noticeably quite and away from public events since Obama clinched the Democratic nomination.  Political watchers and pundits have been speculating when and if the former president would wholeheartedly support Obama’s candidacy.

Earlier this week a British newspaper reported a source who said Clinton was still angry Obama had bested his wife for the nomination.  The Telegraph newspaper quoted a Democratic source who said, “One person told me that Bill said Obama would have to ‘kiss my ass,’ if he wants his support.”

An initial news release from a spokesman for the former commander in chief did not offer a fiery endorsement of Obama, and some even inferred that the secondhand statement was a straight-up diss. Bill Clinton “would do whatever he can to ensure Obama wins the presidency,” The one-sentence statement read.

Thursday’s 20-minute phone conversation between the two titan politicians was the first time they have spoken since Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) announced she was suspending her campaign June 7. Bill Burton, spokesman for Obama, said, “He [Obama] has always believed that Bill Clinton is one of this nation’s great leaders and most brilliant minds, and looks forward to seeing him on the campaign trail and receiving his counsel in the months to come.”

During the primary Clinton often played the “bad cop” to wife Hillary’s “good cop” and was extremely critical of the first-term senator.  But now that is all behind the two and Burton said Clinton has agreed to campaign with the presumed nominee and on his own. 

Bill Clinton was in London to participate in the Nelson Mandela birthday bash  last week and was unable to attend the Unity, N. H. rally with his wife and Obama.  Matt McKenna, a spokesman for Bill Clinton, said, “President Clinton continues to be impressed by Senator Obama and the campaign he has run, and looks forward to campaigning for and with him in the months to come.

 ”The president believes that Sen. Obama has been a great inspiration for millions of people around the country and he knows that he will bring the change America needs as our next president.”

By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Producer 

June 30, 2008 – If there’s any truth to a report from the British newspaper The Telegraph, former President Bill Clinton is a long way from bumping fists with Barack Obama. In fact, the paper reports, Clinton is still so infuriated with the Illinois senator for the nastiness that surfaced during the primary campaign that he said Obama will “have to kiss his ass” to get his support for the presidency.

According to the newspaper, a friend of the former president said: “He’s been angry for a while. But everyone thought he would get over it. He hasn’t. I’ve spoken to a couple of people who he’s been in contact with and he is mad as hell. He’s saying he’s not going to reach out, that Obama has to come to him. One person told me that Bill said Obama would have to quote kiss my ass close quote, if he wants his support. “

It’s common knowledge that Clinton is still angry that Obama, a relative newcomer to national politics, defeated his wife for the Democratic nomination, and the former president blames Obama for the beating his own rep took during the primary. Many African Americans, who once revered Bill Clinton as a friend of Blacks, have since described him as racist following comments linking Obama to the Rev. Jesse Jackson and references to Obama living a “fairytale.”

Last weekend, Bill Clinton was conspicuously absent from the Unity, N.H., lovefest between Obama and the former first lady, which raised questions about the former president’s feelings about the presumed nominee.

The Telegraph source is quoted as telling the former president, “You can’t talk like that about Obama – he’s the nominee of your party, not some house boy you can order around.”

By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Producer

June 29, 2008 – Sen. Barack Obama is planning to take two trips this summer – one to the Middle East and one to Europe.  The trips will allow him to see firsthand America’s progress in these regions while boosting his national security credentials. 

His Republican challenger, Sen. John McCain has challenged Obama’s experience and readiness to handle foreign affairs, including the U.S. military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan.  McCain considers issues of national security his strong suit because his extensive military service and more than 20 years in Congress. 

Obama will visit Israel, Jordan, Germany, France and Britain this summer, but his campaign made no mention of Iraq and Afghanistan.  Obama had mentioned earlier he would be traveling to Iraq and Afghanistan some time this summer. The last time he was there was in January of 2006.

Obama, earlier in his campaign, talked about pulling down the number of troops in Iraq . McCain has agreed with President Bush about the recent surge of soldiers in Iraq and refuses to set any deadlines for withdrawing troops. 

McCain said Saturday that the country was making significant but fragile progress.  McCain expressed confidence about prospects for the two countries, completing an agreement that would keep U.S. soldiers in Iraq after a U.N. mandate expires at year’s end, The Associated Press reported.

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said that the U.S. military is still needed. “I, of course, am encouraged. We both agree that the progress has been significant, but the progress is also fragile. And there’s a lot of work that needs to be done,” McCain told reporters after a private 45-minute meeting in Washington, D.C., with Talabani.