Why Not Johnson for President?
By Larry Johnson on January 13, 2008 at 4:58 PM in Uncategorized
No, not me. I’m referring to Robert L. Johnson, founder of Black Entertainment Television. Mr. Johnson (no relation, unfortunately, but I’m willing to be adopted) is an accomplished businessman. If you are looking for someone with a proven track record of successfully organizing and managing large organizations, then this Johnson is for you. The man also is not afraid to speak his mind about Senator Obama’s backdoor efforts to call Hillary Clinton a racist. Check out this piece at the NY Times blog:
Robert L. Johnson, the founder of Black Entertainment Television, who is campaigning today in South Carolina with Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, just raised the specter of Barack Obama’s past drug use. He also compared Mr. Obama to Sidney Poitier, the black actor, in “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.” (keep reading)
Now that’s a smackdown! Next thing you know, we will be informed that Mr. Johnson is a racist.
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By Sarah Palin (Release date: November 17. 2009)
Larry, Larry, Larry, I can’t stop laughing.
No thanks to the fool who made money by bringing despicable booty shaking in Black American homes.
Johnson was the one who got a smackdown when he wasn’t allowed to buy an airline.
The Clintons have been committed to civil rights issues for years. I respect them for that. Hillary is absolutely right that “crusades have to be written into law”. Just the way Lieberman’s crusade to deal Iran a blow via unsubstantiated claims was made into “law” with Hillary’s help.
I respect Obama for coming out with his drug use. Place your bets that Hillary has inhaled at some point in her life. Who cares
I don’t respect Obama for fence sitting.
It looks to me that the Obama campaign is looking for and using every possible opportunity to be “offended” … even if they have to manufacture the justification for it.
Obama isn’t biting.
The Obama campaign did not have an immediate comment on Mr. Johnson’s remarks, but a spokesman e-mailed reporters a comment from former State Representative I.S. Leevy Johnson of South Carolina, who said it was “offensive” for Mrs. Clinton to remain silent as Robert Johnson spoke and not rebuke his remarks.
“It’s offensive that Senator Clinton literally stood by and said nothing as another one of her campaign’s top supporters launched a personal, divisive attack on Barack Obama,” Leevy Johnson said. “For someone who decries the politics of personal destruction, she should’ve immediately denounced these attacks on the spot.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/13/us/politics/13cnd-campaign.html?hp
I’ll take the following endorsements over that of a man who wants to end Social Security, pushed to end the estate tax, was one of the architects of the decline of moral standards of teens in America who THEN CRIED RACISM when he couldn’t buy an airline.
Good riddance.
Since losing the New Hampshire primary four days ago, Obama has been endorsed by Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD), Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE), Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and Gov. Janet Napolitano (D-AZ). Additionally, he’s also been endorsed by Rep. Miller (D-CA), Sen. Kerry (D-MA) and Ned Lamont. But they’re in a slightly different category and it’s the first four I want to discuss.
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/
Bill Moyers with Shelby Steele on race in the campaign
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/01112008/watch2.html
Bill Moyers with Shelby Steele on race in the campaign. This is worth the listen
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/01112008/watch2.html
This is beyond crazy now. Johnson made very disingenuous comments, tried to back away from them by making an even more disingenuous explanation, and yet we’re supposed to believe it’s Obama who is making this all about race.
People are really seeing what they want to see these days, I guess.
from Atrios:
Ultra-Rich Claim Estate Tax is ‘Racist,’ Only 59 Blacks Will Pay This Year
Meet the Press: Tim’s last question of the show for Mrs Clinton was directed at her reaction to being cheated on. Totally tasteless igit. Like that is going to help get dental care to all the kids in the US.
It should be no surprise that Robert Johnson has been a long time Bill Clinton supporter and major donor to his campaigns, is library and his foundation. He is also a Board member of his foundation. So it would ludicrous to expect Robert Johnson to to not so whatever he can to support the Clintons - meaning he is not an impartial observer and has a conflict of interest.
this will back fire on Hill and Billl.makes since to me since the main issues remain the econonmy . poor mr or mrs next president and iraq.. .the new efforts and focus on surge and money will not work . sunni or latter
I heard at least 10 minutes of this “controversy” on CNN this morning. She said, he said, then he said, then she said…..
How about 10 minutes on which Democratic candidate’s policies will be better for the average African-American? My guess is that if they did that, they’d have to mention Edwards and that’s off limits.
Bob Johnson didn’t say anything that isn’t true and should stick by it. I know, I know. The truth about BO is racist. Black people are going to have to fight this one out and the regressive Dimocratic progressives and the media should stop fanning the flames. Which you can bet your life they won’t. Ever.
True progressives support Edwards, period.
This is Obama’s fight.
But having said that, it IS a good thing we are discussing racism, but the accusations should be aimed at the perpetrators of this vile construct, the republicans.
It’s my impression they are using it as wedge issue to divide the democratic party, and America.
But maybe Obama can walk the walk and show how he intends to reconcile republicans and democrats, in spite of this type of bitter, personal rhetoric. He could start by reaching out to the Clintons, and the republican political ops, in the spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Here is his big chance.
Hey, it’s all about bi-partisan efforts, and making peace with your enemies, bringing everyone to the table, right, forgiving vile racists, even as they attack you, and your family…
What?
The enemy won’t cooperate?
Wow, didnt count on that…
For a second I thought you had Robert Leroy Johnson in mind, aka Robert Johnson the blues master, one of the most important and influential artist in western culture.
And he would make a fine candidate, to say nothing of a great president:
- after Bill Clinton’s saxophone, Dick Nixon’s piano playing and Reagan’s B-movies, at last a real artist in the White House!!!
- a great womanizer who would make Bill C. and JFK look like choirboys.
- Making midnight pacts at the crossroads with the Fiend sure beats praying with Billy Graham or watching the 700 Club!!
- and what a cabinet: Charley Patton for VP, Son House at the Pentagon, Bukka White at State, Blind Willie McTell at Education, Sleepy John Estes at Labor, John Lee “Sonny Boy” Williamson at Justice, Sonny Boy “Rice Miller” Williamson at Treasury….
What’s that you say? He’s been dead for decades? Well, we’ve had a brain-dead prez for the past seven years, and one with a flat EEG for eight years in the 80s, so why not go for the real thing in ‘08!!
:-D
I like your kind oif thinking, Michel!
Got something coming up I hope you’ll enjoy.
Hey Michel,
This story on Robert Johnson made page one of the WSJ. I couldn’t believe RJ made pg one of the WSJ! I subscribed at the time, so I had it on hard copy. However I was able to find the link in a pdf format.
You know, other than the opinion pages, it was a fine newspaper with some excellent reporters. we’ll see what Rupert does…
http://msl1.mit.edu/furdlog/docs/2005-03-23_wsj_johnson_photo_fight.pdf
Thanks for the link Taters!
Fascinating story if a bit tawdry, what with the money angle and the “cash inheritance” snafu tying itself in this manner with the memory and the “historic inheritance” of a figure like RJ whose fundamental importance to the development of western musical culture in the 20th century is so profound that it can never be overestimated!!
Taters, I await your next musical tale with anticipation!!!