AverageBro.com

AB.com Guest Post - Black Gays... Caught in the Middle?

2012-05-22T00:00:00.002-04:00

[Editor's Note: When news broke last week that President Obama was formally endorsing gay marriage, I asked AverageNation™ regular, Antonio to give us his opinion on what this means to him, black America, and President Obama's re-election prospects. As usual, show our guest some love you-know-where.]

Almost immediately following Obama’s endorsement of same-sex marriage, the media began speculating about its impact on black voters. After all, blacks have been slower than other groups to embrace gay rights. Will they stand behind Obama in a show of racial solidarity or stay home come Election Day? Unsurprisingly, polls show that the announcement had virtually no effect on black voters’ opinion of Obama.

Still, African Americans consistently poll lower than on LGBT issues compared to whites. This can largely be attributed to the prominence of religion in the black community. Analysis of Prop 8 results showed that frequency of church attendance was better than race for predicting how someone voted. The media naturally went for the convenient and more sensationalist angle.

The movement for gay rights has many parallels to the civil rights struggle of the mid-20th century. Gays want equal access to housing, employment, and benefits that straight people have. Like blacks, gays have been smeared as sexual predators, dysfunctional, and dangerous for society. LGBT people deal with insulting stereotypes in the media, although things have improved considerably in the last ten years. It’s not hard to see why prominent activists like Julian Bond say that “gay rights are civil rights”.

But gay is not the new black. Blacks are still black, gays are still gay, and some of us are (gasp) both. White gays don’t have to contend with racial profiling or the numerous ways our criminal justice system targets people of color. If they can pass for straight, harassment and discrimination become nearly non-existent[1]. And for all the press about black homophobia, black gays have experienced racism in so-called “safe spaces”. For all the supposed progressiveness of the gay community, the bars, clubs, and events can be every bit as segregated as mainstream American society.

This leaves black gays in a precarious position. As far as the media is concerned we might as well not exist. To (some) black people our sexuality is a result of the nefarious influence of ‘white people’. To (some) gays our race is a punchline for their hipster racism. We’re horrified by the bigotry displayed by white gays in the wake of Prop 8 and saddened by the familial relationships damaged by daring to live our lives authentically.

So the effects of Obama’s endorsement of gay marriage could a huge boon to us. Maybe more blacks see our relationships as worthy of respect. Maybe certain activists will stop throwing tantrums at every slight disappointment by what is unquestionably the most pro-gay president in history. Certainly it’s prompted many conversations in barber shops, bars, and churches.

Question: What do you think?

[1] This shouldn’t suggest that being ‘in the closet’ makes being gay a walk in the park. The deception brings on a host of other issues and complications.

Open Mic Monday.

2012-05-21T12:33:00.000-04:00

I'm happy to announce the newest addition to AverageFam™. AverageBabyGirl arrived last Thursday morning, clocking in at 7 pounds, 3 ounces of joy. We're all back home now and searching for some semblance of normalcy. I suspect it will take a minute.

In the interim, I've got a great guest post from Antonio coming your way tomorrow, and prolly a few posts from me later in the week. I'm sure ya'll understand the reasons for the slow updates. Babies don't really care about blog posts. At least not yet.

So yeah, entertain yourselves some more. I'm gonna try and grab a nap.

Question: What's on your mind today?

Paternity Leave Open Mic.

2012-05-17T02:18:00.000-04:00

By the time you read this, I will be the father of three, as our baby girl is due to make her grand entrance into the world any moment now. So yeah, it's gonna be a minute. Entertain yourselves.

Question: What's on your mind today?

3 Play Thursday - (More) Rappin' Ballers.

2012-05-17T00:40:00.001-04:00

It's 3 Play Thursday. Today: More athletes turned cRappers.

Every rapper wants to be an athlete. Every athlete wants to be a rapper. Truer words have seldom been spoken, and blogged about ad nauseum. Here's a few new examples of what happens when worlds collide.

Serena Williams - "I Win"

TMZ supposedly unearthed this track last week. Serena allegedly was working on a demo awhile back, and some studio guy just found the track laying around and sent it in. She doesn't sound any worse than Nicki Minaj/Azalea Banks/whatever TI's white girl cRapper is named. Still, this single verse is hot garbage, made with club play in mind. The "I Win" soundbite, the lazy Supa Dupa "..and I'm always on top... roofer!") flow, and the numerous not-so-clever "ballin'" references all add up to a lousy song. Keep your day job, and stop dating rappers while you're at it.

Steve Francis - "Finer Things"

Francis has been out of the NBA for a few years now, and his last ditch effort to get money in China ended horribly last year. So of course, why not get the rap career started, since rap labels are clearly one of the most sound investments a man who won't be seeing anymore NBA paychecks can make? No need to lie, this isn't totally awful in a French Montana/Lil' B manner. More than anything else, it's just totally dated. This song coulda come out in like, 1994. 2 decades later, it sounds like a Murder Inc. throwaway track. Ja Rule would be proud of Stevie Franchise. I mostly just find myself bored. Bonus points for putting his actual wife and kids in the video though. Nice touch.

Kevin Durant - "Ain't Worried Bout' Tomorrow"

Part of me thinks Kevin Durant isn't too comfortable with his image as a squeaky clean choir boy. The dude is from DC after all, and even playing in a generic state like Oklahoma, his game and outward appearance is still all DMV. His verse (the first one) on this song isn't bad, it's just nothing special. He's better than Kobe on the mic, that's for damn sure. We'll see what happens in the playoffs though.

Dejuan Blair - "You Better Recognize"

The Spurs big man has been trying to help out his homies for several years now, fronting studio time and well-produced videos for a clearly untalented group of bamas named P.O.P. Seriously, Dejuan, tell these bamas to get real day jobs, and work on your game before you end up playing for the Austin Toros. What Would Tim Duncan do? I doubt he'd do this.

Question: Should any of these athletes be working on their rap skills, or do they need to stick to the day job?!?

Obama Vs Romney In A Political Ad Version Of The Oppression Olympics.

2012-05-16T00:42:00.000-04:00

If you know me, you know I love political ads (heck, ads in general). They even have their own tag here. So yeah, it's sorta my thing. Two new ads from the Romney and Obama campaigns will be making it to TV in the coming days. Seeking to attack each other's economic record, the campaigns took two very different approaches. But which ad is more impactful?

Obama's "GST Steel" Ad.

With a great level of detail, this ad talks about how Bain Capital bought a Kansas City steel company, immediately loaded it with debt, decimated the pension and benefits of its workers, and took a healthy profit as the company went kaput.

Romney's "Obama Failed Iowa" Ad.

Romney's ad is a bit less focused. With first person accounts of average Iowans[1], Romney attempts to show how Obama's comparative lack of economic growth has left many Real Americans behind. One woman bellyaches about how her unemployment benefits have run out. A man talks about not depending on the government to come up. Still another talks about his family and the effects of joblessness. Oddly not mentioned is that Iowa has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation at just 5.2%.

Not surprisingly, I'm going to roll with Obama's ad. It's much more impactful because it deals with specific actions of Romney (while head of Bain Capital) and their aftermath. Romney's ad is all emotion and no logic. There's no clear delineation between their people's lot in life and anything Obama's done (or not done) as President. Nobody lost their job as a direct result of an Obama policy. The woman talks specifically about how things are gotten worse since her unemployment benefits ran out, and we know who wants to cut unemployment. The second guy's misfortune seems to be just as much about a divorce (blame Obama!) as a job loss. The last guy is so completely anti-Government (I'm assuming he's a Tea Partier) he can't be taken seriously, and he actually seems to be finding work as a gravedigger and mover. He also appears to be a moron, in a Kevin Malone-sorta way.

Romney would be much better served attempting to show how Barack Obama's politics have directly lead to a loss of jobs in some meaningful way. Obama's ads attacking Romney's alleged job creation record are far more effective.

Question: Which ad is more effective in your opinion?!?

[1] Not much diversity here.

Tamron. Miss Hall, If You're Nasty.

2012-05-15T00:35:00.000-04:00

The Conservative blogosphere has its panties in a bunch over a dustup between MSNBC host Tamron Hall and Washington Examiner columnist Tim Carney last week. Hall bought the Romney supporter on her show to discuss a recent Washington Post article about allegations that Mitt Romney was a gay bully in high school. Personally, I thought the Post article was kinda silly, and thought the timing was dubious. Still, Carney was bought on to discuss this, and seemed intent on changing the topic to President Obama.

Hall, needless to say, was not havin' that. Fireworks ensued.

Some say this only proves MSNBC's bias, while others think Hall was well within her rights as a host to read this bama and cut his mic. What say ye?

Question: Was Tamron Hall out of bounds?

Will Black Churches Turn On President Obama In The Fall?!?

2012-05-14T09:31:00.005-04:00

[Editor's Note: I realize this topic was likely covered in the comments section last week. I figured it still made sense for me to blog about it anyway. If you find this repetitive, pass.]

Not long after President Obama's hesitant embrace of same sex marriage last week, politicians and pundits alike immediately started analyzing how this might effect his re-election prospects in the Fall. Sure, it will likely energize the liberal base, and help solidify support of Mitt Romney from Conservatives, but reality is very few voters are likely going to switch sides based on this single issue. Most peoples' minds have already long since been made up.

Except for, of course, black folks.

The pulpits of the nation's black churches took measure Sunday of President Obama's decision to support gay marriage, and the result was conflicted.

Some churches were silent on the issue. At others, pastors spoke against the president's decision Wednesday — but kindly of the man himself. A few blasted the president and his decision. A minority spoke in favor of the decision and expressed understanding of the president's change of heart.

The conflicted sentiments within African-American churches reflect a broader struggle in the American public. A USA TODAY Poll showed that slightly more than half of Americans agreed with the president's decision. A scientifically valid breakdown of African Americans was not available, but past polls have shown blacks generally opposed to gay marriage.

African Americans are a key voting bloc for the president this November. In 2008, exit polls showed Obama lost to John McCain among white voters but won more than 95% of the African-American vote.

I really, really hate stories like this, and for lots of reasons. First and foremost, taking the word of a handful of pastors as somehow representative of the entire black electorate is just silly, silly, silly. It assumes that black folks can't think for themselves, and that so many of us are so dependent on the opinion of a (wo)man we only see for about 30 minutes each week, that it overrides all common sense and individual critical thought. Poppycock.

Stories like this also paint black folks as somehow more bigoted than the rest of society at large.[1] Who else can forget the subtext of the 2008 elections in California when black people were essentially blamed for same sex marriage ban? Never mind that a majority of white and Hispanics, who are a far larger percentage of the electorate in Cali than black folks, also overwhelmingly voted yes on Prop 8. Nope, blame the supposedly enlightened, anti-discriminatory black folks.

Seriously, that is some bullsh*t.

I should be very clear here: I'm not saying black folks aren't, nor should'nt be allowed to be single issue voters. If you feel that seriously about something, you by all means should be allowed to vote your conscience. Whatever. It's a free country, and each man's vote is his own. There are single issue white voters who plant stakes in the ground on everything from abortion to gun rights. So, whatever. Vote for what you believe, even if it might not even be something an elected official can even influence. Still, I really just don't like the silly notion that this one issue, exposed a full 6 months before the election, is going to sway black voters any more than it sways the rest of the electorate.[2] The economy is, and has been the biggest issue of note. It still will be come November.

While I'm sure a bunch of folks will point to President Bush's 2004 gains with black voters on this very issue that helped him win re-election, we're in a very different time right now. The economy wasn't in nearly the same shambles then, and most black people are smart enough to know that Romney's economic policy is virtually identical to that which got us screwed up in the first place. Black voters didn't have a fraction of the affinity for John Kerry that they have for President Obama. And oh yeah, I'm thinking most black people with a brain have been paying attention to the constant barrage of covert and downright blatant racism that's been levied by the GOP in recent years.[3] Finally, support for the issue aside, Obama can't do anything to "fix" the gay marriage dilemma. It is, after all, still as states' issue.

That said, if you're a black Obama supporter who is still dumb enough to vote for Romney over this single issue, be my guest.

Whatever you do, just don't stay your black a$$ home come November 6th.

Question: Is this whole issue being overblown? Are black voters going to turn on the President over this single issue? Do you personally know any black people who say they're switching sides?

[1] News Flash! Yes, black folks can be just as ignorant, close-minded, and yes, discriminatory as any other race. Welcome to Amurrica.

[2] Which is to say, not at all.

[3] Though I should note, by comparison, Romney's been a relative grown-up when it comes to issues of race.

Don't Free Lil' Boosie.

2012-05-11T00:30:00.001-04:00

There are dumb people, and then, there are really, really, really, really, really dumb people. Guess which one of those cRapper Lil' Boosie is?

Jurors in the first degree murder trial of Torrence “Lil Boosie” Hatch partook in a listening session of sorts yesterday (May 9), when the prosecution played a selection of Boosie’s music, supposedly recorded just before and after the shooting murder of Terry Boyd in October of 2009.

Baton Rouge’s The Advocate reported that the jury was played a selection of a song entitled “187,” in which Boosie raps, “Yo Marlo/He drive a Monte Carlo/That bitch gray, I want that nigga dead today.” The “Marlo” Boosie is allegedly referring to is Michael “Marlo Mike” Louding, who Boosie is accused of hiring to kill Boyd. According to computer forensics expert, Konstantinos Dimetrelos, Boosie recorded this verse less than an hour before the murder took place.

Dimitrelos also testified that on the night of the shooting, 15 outgoing phone calls were made from the cell phone of Boyd, between the hours of 11:22 p.m and 12:56 a.m and that the calls began in the vicinity of Boosie’s home, moved to the scene of the crime, and ended back at the Boosie residence.

Hatch’s attorney, Jason Williams, refuted the prosecution’s notion that these lyrics implicated Hatch, claiming that the mentioned rhymes were much earlier works and were being “resampled” at the time of the recording. Boosie’s additional counsel, Martin Regan, claimed the state prosecutor, Dana Cummings, is using Boosie’s music to slander his client and that the lyrical content of “187” is “not relevant” to the case at hand.

Here's the news story, for those of you who don't like reading on Fridays.[1]

Here's the song where Boosie essentially snitches on himself, around the 2:20 mark.

Try not to laugh too hard at this ignant sh*t, because again, a man is actually dead as a result of this nonsense. Maybe this is the rare case where life actually imitates life.

Yep, "play it for the jury" indeed.

I used to be a pretty bit fan of Lil' Boosie's music (yes, really), and if I had a shred of remaining sympathy for him, I might argue that rap lyrics are indeed "art" and shouldn't be taken seriously enough to be considered evidence in a freakin' murder case. Then again, this idiot did use real names of real people involved in a real murder, so there's no sense in blurring the lines. All the lines, of course, point to this Negro being guilty.

#DontFreeBoosie

Question: Should rap lyrics be permissible as evidence in a court of law? What makes rap lyrics any different than, say, journal entries?!? Is Lil' Boosie the dumbest motherlover you've ever heard of?

Lil Boosie murder trial: Did his lyrics show an intent to kill? [LATimes]

[1] How is he still getting that "Lil' Boosie fade" in jail?!?

The AverageBro Show™ Instant Take: Obama's Risky Embrace Of Gay Marriage.

2012-05-10T09:29:00.004-04:00

So, yeah, there was some kinda big news made yesterday.[1] I had an instant reaction on this, which I recorded, since I don't have the time to blog right now.

Weigh in with your thoughts on this topic below.

Question: What do you think? Was President Obama pressured into doing this? Was this whole thing orchestrated? How is this going to play out in the Fall?!?

[1] Peep that photo above. Props to Fox News' website for keeping it classy, as always.

AB.com Open Mic Tuesday.

2012-05-08T00:25:00.000-04:00

I'm busy today, so either entertain yourselves or weigh in on last week's threads. Drop links, write your own posts. You know the drill by now.

Question: What's on your mind today?

Look Mama, I'm In The Paper!!! (Again)

2012-05-07T15:32:00.001-04:00

The Washington Post Express newspaper seemed to like last week's post about the new Obama "Forward" campaign slogan.

Go peep that.

AB Goes To The Movies - Think Like A Man.

2012-05-07T10:29:00.006-04:00

In post-Tyler Perry America, the romantic comedy is a staple that seems headed the way of the BetaMax VCR. While the 90's and 00's boasted such solid romcoms as Love and Basketball, The Best Man, Brown Sugar and Two Can Play That Game, the genre has fallen on hard times of late. Every film's either got some misplaced Come To Jeeezus!!! undertone, or a crusty, grown-assed black man in a dress and pumps. I'll pass.

For these reasons and many others, I was less than enthused when I started seeing the ads for Think Like A Man pop up during NBA broadcasts. Okay, I'll just keep it two hunned: I'm not the biggest fan of Steve ~~Hightower~~ Harvey. I think it's beyond comical that a man with more ex-spouses than Elizabeth Taylor has somehow convinced black women that he's a love doctor and relationship expert by releasing a ghost-written book full of common freakin' sense. Now that sh*t ~~cray~~ is funny. Still, Harvey-hatin' aside, I guess I have to admire the man's hustle. When he realized his days as the (self-proclaimed) King Of Comedy were coming to an end, he did a complete 180 and rebranded himself. His book "Think Like A Man, Act Like A Woman" is a New York Times bestseller, and the basis for said film. I'm blogging about said film, basically giving it free pub.

Advantage: ~~Hightower~~ Harvey!

That said, the movie itself is actually good. Surprisingly good. Shockingly good. So good that you're left scratching your head during the closing credits, wondering "How in the hell did something associated with Steve ~~Hightower~~ Harvey turn out that good?" Honestly, this might (keyword: might) be the best black romantic comedy since Boomerang.

Yes, I said it. This movie's that good.

I haven't read the book (shocker!) but the film inadvertently (or perhaps, blatantly, depending on how you look at it) serves as an infomercial. 10 Los Angelenos with relationship statuses in varying states of disarray try to resolve their differences in a game of cat and mouse that revolves around the wit and wisdom contained in Harvey's aforementioned book.

Kevin Hart plays a recently divorced man trying to re-adjust to life as a single guy. Michael Ealy is a "Hapless Dreamer"[1] whose lack of ambition clashes with Taraji P. Henson's high powered corporate status. Romany Malco is the stereotypical "player" who falls prey to the charms of a newly chaste Meagan Good. Gabrielle Union cannot seem to get her fratboy, action figure-obsessed boyfriend Jerry Ferrara to grow up and commit. Mama's boy Terrence J juggles the demands of his two most favorite women when he falls for single mother Regina Hall. BET comedian Gary Owen is happily married with kids, but for some odd reason has ~~permission~~ time and energy to hang out with a bunch of single dudes playing basketball and barhopping every night. A boatload (and boy do I ever mean a boatload!)[2] of D-List ancillary characters helps move the storyline along at a brisk pace. Harvey (predictably playing himself) provides relationship advice while a guest on an Oprah-like show at plot-intensive intervals, all the while smiling and oddly filmed with a soft-focus lens.[3]

If this sounds like entirely too much going on for one movie, you'd technically be correct. Emsemble casts are usually a recipe for complete disaster, but somehow it works quite well in this Tim Story (Barbershop, Fantastic Four) helmed flick, which was somewhat confoundingly written by two Jewish guys. There isn't a single incapable actor performer, yet there's no real star either. This cast is kinda like the Memphis Grizzlies. Each couple gets equal airtime, and although Ealy is the nominal headliner, Kevin Hart is actually the show stealer here, providing well-timed comedic relief. I'm not 100% sure if this is the star vehicle that propels Hart into the Eddie/Martin/Richard Hollyweird stratosphere, but he clearly shows that in the right context, his brand of humor translates to the big screen. Good for him.

None of the couples dilemmas is actually too deep/complex, and thankfully, for once, the movie's plot culmination does not involve childhood rape(!) Anyone else who has seen a black film in this century will probably breathe a huge sigh of relief after reading that. The movie is well-written, steers clear of any annoying coonery, and even the dialogue is relatively cliche-free. My wife and I laughed a lot, and well, that's sorta what a romantic comedy should be about.

Final Verdict - This movie was actually very good. Surprisingly good. Shockingly good. I'm sure Steve Harvey and his ultra-white veneers will be laughing all the way to the bank. And hey, for once, I'm actually laughing with him. Eff' a matinee, pay full price! 4 Stars (Out Of 5)

Question: Did you see Think Like A Man? What'd you think? Was it actually as good as I'm saying, or am I grading it on the Tyler Perry Scale Of Dramatically Lowered Expectations?!?

[1] Lightskinned, green-eyed handsome guy who can't hold a steady job in the movies = "Hapless Dreamer". Not-so-handsome, not-so-green-eyed guy who can't hold a steady job in real life = "Jobless Loser".

[2] I'm literally talking every black person not named Denzel or Angela that's ever appeared in a movie or UPN TV show. All of em'. Seriously, the cameos and bit parts just kept coming and kept getting more and more absurd.

[3] That "Barbara Walters" camera trick that makes her look younger than the 82 years she actually is. Yeah, it was kinda weird.

April Job Numbers Are Bad News For Obama Re-Election.

2012-05-04T11:12:00.004-04:00

Folks, lets not try and sugarcoat sugar honey iced tea. These numbers are bad. Bad meaning bad, not bad meaning good. No other way to spin it.

The U.S. economy added 115,000 new jobs in April and the unemployment rate fell to 8.1 percent, the lowest level since January 2009. While some may focus on the rate, the more important fact is that job creation was disappointing.

2012 started off with a bang in terms of job creation. In January, the economy added 275,000 jobs; February was revised up to 259,000 from the originally reported 240,000; and March was also revised up to 154,000 from 120,000. With today's data, the average monthly job creation this year has been 200,000. The big question that looms: Were the January-February results an anomaly and are the March-April results indicative of where the economy and the jobs market really stands?

In the weeks leading up to the report, there seemed to be impending doom. Weekly claims were trending higher (claims averaged about 384,000 in April, up from an average of 369,000 in January, February and March); the ADP private sector employment report was weaker than expected; and then there was everyone's favorite scapegoat: The weather. Economists said there would be payback for that mild winter that much of the nation enjoyed.

Analysts said that employers hired more than expected in December, January and February, "borrowing" those jobs from March, April and May. Goldman Sachs analysts guessed "that weather has boosted the level of payrolls by around 100,000 as of February, and may have shaved about 20,000 from the March report. Going forward, we currently expect payback of about 50,000 in April and the remaining 30,000 in May."

I know some folks on #TeamObama are going to try and place the blame for these anemic numbers somewhere other than the White House. And yes, there's plenty of blame to go around. Congress isn't helping. States are still laying off workers. The winter was unseasonably warm. Amare and Linsanity are both hurt.[1]

While there's truth to all of that, reality is, when you're President, the buck stops with you. If you take credit when things are going well, you have to take the heat when things aren't. I praised Obama when the job numbers were on the upswing. They're now ominously rolling back in the opposite direction. That's not good, misleading 8.1% unemployment rate not withstanding.

None of this changes my vote. Romney's practically non-existent financial plan presents no real solutions other than "get rid of Obama and do the same sh*t that got us in a recession in the first place". No ma'am.

But let's not make excuses for bad performance. Call a proverbial spade a spade.

Unless these numbers improve dramatically, November's election is wide open.

Question: What do you think? What (if anything) can be done to reverse this downward trend in job growth?!?

[1] Oops, wrong set of excuses.

Strange, Leathery Looking Woman Puts 5-Year-Old In Tanning Bed.

2012-05-04T11:06:00.004-04:00

Okay, I know everyone's gonna rush to make fun of this woman's appearance, as they should.[1] She looks like a Chic-O-Stick™ in human form. I mean, seriously, she looks hideous.

Lots of people have picked this story apart, making it some weird referendum on the merits of tanning. This story, clearly, is not about tanning at all. This woman has a serious psychological condition. Where is CPS?

On a strange, somewhat related note: So much for that ObamaCare Tan Tax hurting business. This lady must have a lifetime membership.

Question: What's up with this lady?!?

[1] Eff it, make fun of her. Gimmie your best one-liner in the comments section.

AB.com Open Mic Friday.

2012-05-04T10:57:00.003-04:00

Oops. I was out of town all week and forgot to leave an Open Mic. Make up for lost time. I'm still busy today, so either entertain yourselves or weigh in on last week's threads. Drop links, write your own posts. You know the drill by now.

Question: What's on your mind today?

The Romney SuperPac "Obama's Too Cool" Ad.

2012-05-01T00:57:00.003-04:00

Funny how political narratives are a dual-edged sword. In 2008, candidate Obama's "newness" made him a phenomenon in the world of Presidential politricks, which he successfully leveraged to reel in young voters and energize the Democratic base. Of course, there were many who thought Obama's "cool" and "celebrity" masked his comparative lack of experience. Ads pointing this out were summarily dismissed as plain ole' garden-variety haterism. After all, his opponent (John McCain) was pretty much the antithesis of Obama in the area of social charm and physical presence. So, whatever.

Anyways, after some of the President's recent pop culture-friendly media appearances, the "style vs substance" debate is once again in full swing. Taking a play from the same losing playbook, Karl Rove's American Crossroads SuperPac is now running a near exact replica of that 08' campaign ad, the aptly titled "Cool".

Okay, here's the funny thing about this latest line of GOP attacks. President Obama really, really isn't all that "cool". Come on, seriously. I've been saying this since the beginning. He simply looks "cool" because a black guy with his worldliness and sensibility has never risen to this level of politics. He looks "cool" by comparison to the ultra-square Romney, brittle and angry John McCain, and Mr. Tan Man John Boehner. He's Stephon Urkelle to their Steve Urkels, but that doesn't make him "cool". Again, what's the basis of comparison?

Obama is not Mike Tomlin cool. He isn't 65-year old Kappa who dresses 30 cool. He damn sure isn't Montrell Holmes cool. Again, this is by contrast.

Oh, and BTW, his relative "cool" has nothing whatsoever to do with his policies, which is why ads like this don't ever work. More than anything else, it draws even more attention to Mitt Romney's social awkwardness, without really talking about his solutions to the very issues he claims Obama has screwed up.[1]

Yeah, that was awk-ward.

I'll take "relative coolness" anyday.

Question: Are these "Cool" ads an effective method for attacking the President on matters of policy? Is Romney's awkwardness sorta endearing? Is Obama really that "cool" or does he just look cool compared to the herbs that oppose him?

[1] Seriously, can anyone tell me, in 3 sentences, what Mitt Romney's economic plan is?!? No Googling, just tell me.

The Obama "Forward" Campaign Ad.

2012-04-30T09:54:00.002-04:00

As far as campaign ads go, this one isn't too bad. It lays out a compelling argument for the Stimulus package, Healthcare reform, credit card reform, Wall Street reform, DADT, the war on terror, and more.

I don't particularly care for the section showing Republican opposition. What's the point? Anyone with a brain knows this happened.

And oh yeah, unlike some of his competitors ads, this one looks diverse.[1] I'm sure this doesn't matter to some people, but it matters to me. So there.

As for the new campaign motto... "Foward"... well, lets just say that's gonna be sorta difficult to chant at rallies. I get the point ("progression", "the job's not finished but we're on the right track", etc.) but this just sounds too close to MSNBC's "Lean Forward" slogan to me. So basically, meh.

Question: What are your impressions after watching this ad?!?

[1] Trumpeting the Sotomayor SCOTUS appointment seemed a wee bit tacky, but hey, why pass up the opportunity?

The Obama Def Comedy Jam.

2012-04-30T09:45:00.002-04:00

Not gonna lie. Some of these jokes bombed. Royally. Especially the entire "boy eats dog" part. And the "Young Jeezy" quote. {crickets}

Still, the President got in some really nice digs at all his foes, from Mitt Romney, to Newt Gingrich, to Rick Santorum. This is what you call throwing darts, conveniently masked with humor. Obama's comedic timing has also gotten dramatically better over time. Either his timing, or his writers.

#ShotsFired

Question: Does Obama have a future in standup, or should he stick to his Day Job as long as he has one?!?

AB.com Hot Topics - 4.26.12

2012-04-26T09:42:00.002-04:00

Here's the daily rundown.

Newt Gingrich Announces He'll Finally Drop Out... Next Week - Wow, that guy has a lot of stones. He was technically out of the race around, oh, the Florida primary. Why he stayed in so much longer is a mystery to me.

Black Guy Scores Series Clinching Win In NHL Playoff Series - I'm not a hockey fan, at all, but I do like winners, so I've been sorta paying attention to the Caps/Bruins series, which reached a game seven last night. And in the end, wouldn't you know it, an AverageBro named Joel Ward scored the winning goal for DC. I'm not sure if that's any cultural milestone, but it sure made me a fan. Of course, this being America and whatnot, a million and one racist N-Word Tweets suddenly materialized to commemorate the occasion. Stay classy, Boston.

NFL Draft Is Today - I'm not even a big Redskins fan, but the media attention given to RGIII makes me wonder why exactly, the Colts aren't picking him first. Anyone hip to the NFL scouting game care to fill me in?

If I Wanted America To Fail... - Awesome pro-free market propoganda video goes viral.

Personally, if I wanted America to fail, I'd hand control back over to the same morons who ran it off the cliff in the first place.

Question: What do you think about these issues?

What Happened To The Blog, Bro?!?

2012-04-26T09:36:00.003-04:00

As you can see, the blog's been a little errr, slow with updates this week. The reason's fairly simple: I'm getting my butt handed to me at work, which isn't leaving much time/energy for blogging once I get home. With our daughter just a few weeks away from making her grand entrance to the world, I'm trying to clear the deck on The Day Job so I can take a nice, extended break in addition to paternity leave. So yeah, I'm busy and whatnot.

This obviously means something has to give, and right now, that something is this blog. Until I get over the hump in a week or so, I suspect updates (other than the usual Open Mics) will be intermittent. I hope ya'll still stick around, because, as always, this blog's much more about you than it is me.

I'll be back. Sooner or later. Till then, carry on without me.

AB.com Link Dump - 4.24.12

2012-04-24T17:31:00.003-04:00

I have a day job, a lovely wife, and 2 1/2 kids. Long story short, while I'd love to blog about every story of interest I come across, I simply cannot. That doesn't mean these stories aren't convo provoking though. So here's some links. Read the stories, and start your own threads in the comments section.

Two factors could decide the outcome in November. The rest is just noise. [WashPost]

Former aide says Edwards told him to seek money for pregnant mistress [WashPost]

CNN's Don Lemon Attacked For Saying Obama Admin Must ‘Take Responsibility’ For What ‘Happened On Your Watch’ [Mediaite]

Saints' alleged wiretapping under investigation [USA Today]

Police chief in Martin case remains under scrutiny [AP]

Van Jones: Obama Let Tea Party ‘Set Him Up’ By Being ‘So Bipartisan’ [Mediaite]
Colts Will Take Luck [ABC News]

Question: What do you think about these stories?!?

AB.com Open Mic Monday.

2012-04-23T00:11:00.000-04:00

Busy today, so either entertain yourselves or weigh in on last week's threads. Drop links, write your own posts. You know the drill by now.

Question: What's on your mind today?

George Zimmerman's Gruesome Head Injury, And How It Affects The Trayvon Case.

2012-04-20T10:06:00.006-04:00

[Update: Zimmerman was just granted $150k bond. He'll be a free man very soon. Good for him.]

Well, turns out George Zimmerman seems to have had some sort of head injury after all. In fact, it looks like he caught more than a fair one.

On Friday, ABC’s Good Morning America offered an exclusive look at injuries allegedly sustained by George Zimmerman the night of his struggle with Florida teen Trayvon Martin — a struggle that ultimately ended in Martin’s death. Zimmerman, those close to him, and his legal team have maintained that the 17-year-old had knocked him to the ground and proceeded to bash the back of his head against pavement that February night in a Sanford, Florida neighborhood.

Previously released video of Zimmerman being escorted by the police for questioning had initially appeared not to show any injuries or blood on Zimmerman’s person. But, now, these newly-released images, taken shortly after Zimmerman shot Martin, show highly-visible streams of blood at the back of Zimmerman’s shaved scalp.

The person who took the photograph at the scene says a dazed Zimmerman asked him to call his wife and tell her he’d just shot someone. The photographer also claims to have seen gun powder on Martin’s hoodie, an indication that the shooting allegedly occurred at close range.

Here's the news story.

I'm sure those on the pro-Zimmerman side are going to jump for joy here, conveniently forgetting that he's not the victim, the dead 17 year old (and his parents) that he pumped a bullet into is.

I'm somewhat curious about why this information, which would probably be very important to a prosecutor, just keeps getting leaked to the press. It seems as if after the first couple of weeks of pro-Trayvon press, #TeamFreeGZ has been on the offensive, raiding the kid's school records, hacking his social media accounts, and putting out what would appear to be classified information, all in a concerted effort to somehow prove that "Trayvon was no angel, the kid had it coming". You can't help but think about how this all colors (pun intended) public perception, and makes the job of those who want to try Zimmerman so much more difficult.

It also makes what went down that rainy night in Sanford, FL so much more disgusting.

In the end, I really don't see how this changes the primary issue here: Zimmerman assumed an unarmed kid was a criminal, he pursued the unarmed kid with a gun, the kid fought back, and Zimmerman shot the kid. Period.

I doubt the state will get a Murder Two conviction, but damn if Zimmerman skates. I've predicted manslaughter all along, and that prediction doesn't change because of these photos.

Question: What are your thoughts on this latest development?!?

Does #TeamObama Need More Diversity?!?

2012-04-19T10:47:00.005-04:00

Sometimes, rather than giving my own spin on a topic, I just like tossing it out there and seeing what ya'll think. This would be such a topic.

President Barack Obama’s team is looking to hire more African-Americans, a search that has stirred a debate among black Democrats about Obama’s record on diversity and its implications for his reelection.

Stefanie Brown, director of the campaign’s African American Vote program, wrote in an “urgent” March 21 email to contacts in the black community that “The Obama for America campaign is in the process of really staffing up in states around the country, and I need your help to find qualified, African American candidates for some of these positions.” The email, a copy of which was obtained by POLITICO, notes that “this is a fast moving process and your (quick) support is greatly appreciated.”

The diversity push — and specifically the effort to hire African-Americans — isn’t just on the campaign side: In Washington, four officials from the White House personnel office and lobbying shop met Monday with chiefs of staff for members of the Congressional Black Caucus to discuss building a better pipeline for black staffers to move from the Capitol to the White House. An administration official emphasized that the White House reached out to the CBC, not the other way around, and said the meeting was coincidental to the campaign’s efforts.

The race to stock up on black talent is a welcome development among Washington’s African-American power elite — and one that critics say is three years late in coming. The cynical take, offered up by black Democratic sources outside Obama’s camp: The president and his aides have focused their attention on hiring more African-Americans because they are worried about black turnout on Election Day.

t’s not that anyone expects black voters to suddenly rush to Mitt Romney — they won’t — but African-American turnout could be pivotal in several swing states Obama won in 2008 that show signs of being more competitive in 2010 because of shifts among white independents. Florida, North Carolina and Virginia rank in the top 10 states in total African-American population; and Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan are in the top 15.

Exit polls show that roughly 1 million African Americans voted in the presidential election in North Carolina in 2008. Obama’s margin of victory: 14,000 votes.

The White House rejects the idea that opportunities have been scarce for African-Americans inside the White House during the first three-plus years of the administration. After all, the president, senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, Attorney General Eric Holder, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson and legislative affairs chief Rob Nabors are all black. There are at least two minorities in the upper echelon of the campaign: political director Katherine Archuleta and Michael Blake, who is deputy director of Operation Vote, the campaign’s effort to target demographic groups to expand the electorate. And Patrick Gaspard, the executive director at the Democratic National Committee, is black.

Since I've blogged about this repeatedly in the past, you can probably guess where I fall on this topic, but I'm going to reserve further comment for now. There's much more to this very lengthy story over at Politico, so you might wanna read at all before weighing in below.

Question: Is #TeamObama too lily white and Ivy League, or does diversity really not matter at this level of government?

AB.com Hot Topics - 4.18.12

2012-04-17T15:11:00.004-04:00

Here's the daily rundown.

As many as 21 foreign prostitutes involved in Secret Service scandal [WashPost] - Hard to believe this whole thing could have been avoided had one officer just paid one hooker a measly $47.

Despite Excessive Pandering, Romney Still Trails Obama On Female Vote By Wide Margin [ChicagoTribune] - As I said last week, Ann Romney seemed to be a little too giddy to take advantage of Hilary Rosen's dumb statement, even going so far as to refer to it as a "birthday present" for the campaign. And that, is precisely how you flip a positive back into a negative. Quit while you're ahead. Milking victimhood is never good, unless, of course, you're Sarah Palin.

In Senate, Republicans Block Debate on 'Buffett Rule' [Post-Gazette] - Yeah, like that ever had a chance of passing. It didn't.

Holographic Tupac may go on tour with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg [HitFix] - Please. Just. Stop. Now.

Stocks rally: Dow back above 13,000 [CNN Money] - Positive signs for the economy after a rocky past week.

Ted Nugent Threatens Barack Obama [TheAtlantic] - I shouldn't give this ingrate any attention, but I do find it interesting that the Secret Service is looking into this.

What's much scarier than Nugent's screed is how attentive the audience is. Mind you, this is at an NRA convention. So uhhhhm yeah, get the Secret Service involved.

Question: What do you think about these issues?