Politics
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The Designer Behind Michelle's SOTU Dress
The designer behind Michelle’s SOTU dress: The cap-sleeve twill dress that the first lady wore in the audience ot last night’s State of the Union Address was from Barbara Tfank’s Resort 2012 collection. Tfank is a Los Angeles-based costume designer-turned-fashion designer who is known for incorporating jewel tones, bright colors and ladylike prints into her…
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Cain to Obama: Stop the Racial Innuendos
Not surprising: Herman Cain’s response to the State of the Union address included several disagreements with Obama. Ironic: Cain, a member of the far right who thinks Newt Gingrich is an “outstanding candidate,” asked the president to put a stop to “racial innuendos.” Classic: He said the “first revolution” is going to involve — you…
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Colorblind Racism: The New Norm
Colorblind racism is the new normal in American conservative political thought. Well after the election of the nation’s first African-American president, in 2012 Republican candidates are using egregious signals and dog whistles to incite racial divisiveness as an effective tool for political gain. But when confronted about the nature of their offensive rhetoric, the answer…
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Why Obama Should Say 'I'm Rich'
Congressional Republicans wanted to intervene in Libya’s civil war — until President Barack Obama intervened, and then they were against it. They wanted a payroll-tax cut until Obama wanted one, and then they tried to kill it. Republicans favored an individual mandate to reform health insurance until the Democrats passed one, and then they were…
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Survey: Obama's Base Focused on Jobs
As he prepares to give the State of the Union address Tuesday, President Barack Obama has reason to be cautiously optimistic about the support he will get from his base for his re-election bid. However, to cement their support, he will need to focus on the issues that are most important to them in the…
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VIDEO: How Romney Is Like a Rapper
What makes poor and middle-class Americans feel connected to a millionaire? According to Bill Maher, the same desire to be associated with wealth that makes the flashiness of rap music attractive draws Mitt Romney’s supporters to him. They feel like members of the 1 percent by association. As the Real Time host puts it, “No…
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Newt Rope-a-Dopes Mitt in South Carolina
In my last column, which appeared right before Mitt Romney cruised to an easy victory in the New Hampshire primary, I rather confidently predicted that the GOP’s political clown show was just about over and that the ever-flexible former Massachusetts governor was a lock for the nomination. Oops! I need a redo! In the wake…
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Herman Cain's 'Unconventional' Endorsement
No, he wasn’t singing spirituals again. (This week’s musical highlight from the political scene is compliments of President Obama, who belted out a little of Al Green’s ‘Let’s Stay Together’ at a fundraiser last night.) But former Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain did add a unique twist to his long-awaited (if you hadn’t forgotten about…
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Cain and Scott Won't Acknowledge GOP Racism
This morning I turned on my television to watch Soledad O’Brien’s morning show, Starting Point, on CNN. Former GOP presidential hopeful Herman Cain, South Carolina’s Rep. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and CNN/TV One’s Roland Martin were part of a panel discussing the GOP debates in South Carolina. During the discussion, O’Brien asked the panel about their…