Politics
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The Making of a President and First Lady
As her new book depicting clashes between first lady Michelle Obama and some of President Obama’s closest aides became fodder for this week’s talk shows and news headlines, the author of The Obamas told The Root that her tome aims to spotlight the first couple’s partnership in a fashion similar to that of a lauded…
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Common Bond: Mrs. Obama and Mother Sally
First lady Michelle Obama has been in the news of late because of her portrayal as a “frustrated” black woman in Jodi Kantor’s book The Obamas. ABC News recently ran a segment discussing Mrs. Obama’s struggle to fight against the negative stereotype of being an angry black woman, which was assigned to her from the…
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Don't Forget the Climb to the Mountaintop
Jesse Jackson Sr. talked about the “parallel histories” of the American and South African quests for racial justice as he recalled some of the leaders and foot soldiers of each struggle during the ANC’s 100th anniversary celebration recently. As I listened, I found myself wondering how many of the younger generation in either country could…
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MLK Was More Than a Dreamer
In the years since his assassination, I have been troubled by what I consider to be the co-opting of Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision. What has troubled me over the years is how his revolutionary message has been hijacked, compromised and relegated to being that of just a dreamer. People are comfortable with dreamers. Why?…
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Let's Face It: It's Romney vs. Obama
The clown show is just about over. There may be some entertaining high jinks ahead from Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum before they make their final exit from the political theater of the absurd otherwise known as the Republican presidential primary, but the prize has already been won. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney…
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Romney and Obama: The Same Guy?
After three years of GOP railing against the perils of a bloated “nanny state” and the loud gnashing of Tea Partiers’ teeth as they looked to “take the country back” from a “socialist” president of questionable American birth, the Republican Party, in the wake of the New Hampshire primaries, now stands on the cusp of selecting former…
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Michelle O. Used to 'Angry Black Woman' Thing
Talking to CBS’ Gayle King, the first lady responded to questions about New York Times reporter Jodi Kantor’s new book, The Obamas, which is getting attention for its portrayal of tensions between Mrs. Obama and some of the White House staff. In an interview that also included commentary about her love for her role in…
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Tavis and Cornel's Solution to Poverty
Last summer PBS talk-show host Tavis Smiley and author Cornel West embarked on an 18-city poverty tour to highlight the hardship of poor people. Despite a record number of Americans — one in two — either living below the poverty line or classified as low-income, they felt that poor people had been rendered invisible by…
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George Clooney: I Root for the President
On Good Morning America this morning, George Clooney told host George Stephanopoulos that he’s rooting for President Obama in 2012, saying, “I’m a Democrat — I’m a believer. I think he’s done a wonderful job; I think he’s having a tough time in a difficult environment. I root for him. I root for the president…