Politics

When I arrived at the Home for Retired Racial Stereotypes, a sinister-looking armored Humvee was idling at the curb with Tonto at the wheel. Buckwheat and the Kingfish, both dressed in black ninja suits and Rambo-style bandannas, were carrying heavy camouflage-colored boxes out to the car while Charlie Chan and the Frito Bandito, in similar…

For a senator whose noteworthy place in American history is being the guy who replaced a future president by way of a governor who was headed to public scorn (and possibly prison), Roland Burris left the U.S. Senate with an image to remember — and a message to heed. As Burris (D-Ill.) addressed the Senate…

On Nov. 2, when Republican candidates routed their opponents to take control of the House and narrow the gap in the Senate, just 10 percent of the electorate consisted of African Americans. In 2008 blacks made up 12 percent of all voters, a high that helped put the first African-American president over the top and…

By Krissah Thompson Since becoming the incoming chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus this week, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) has stressed the need for the caucus to chart its own course. Cleaver said he recognizes both the need to support President Obama and that the agendas of the black caucus and the White House sometimes conflict. “The CBC has had disagreement with every…

It’s time for Charlie Rangel to go. After a tumultuous ethics trial that he walked out of, a House committee has recommended that Rangel be censured by the House of Representatives for almost a dozen ethics violations. Yet the Harlem congressman clings to the seat he’s held for 40 years and continues to plead for…

Vogue magazine has placed First Lady Michelle Obama on the top 10 list of best-dressed ladies. Obama’s sense of sophisticated, accessible style and undeniable grace have officially put her in the category of fashionista. The other “fashion divas” who made the list include Sarah Jessica Parker, Marion Cotillard, Carey Mulligan, Liya Kebede and Alexa Chung.…

Perhaps Fox News has forgotten that the full title of President Obama’s book is Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters. Otherwise they might think before running the headline “Obama Praises Indian Chief Who Killed U.S. General.” Of course they’re talking about Chief Sitting Bull, whose tribe defeated General George Custer in the…

The New York Times has said that, by storming out of his House ethics trial Monday, Rep. Charles Rangel chose to avoid a public airing of the embarrassing charges against him and to instead make his case “in the court of public opinion.” But as Al Sharpton and others point out, Rangel has already done…

The Atlanta Post is reporting that Michelle Obama’s chief of staff, Susan Sher, will be stepping down next year and returning to Chicago. Another Chicagoan, Tina Tchen, who is the White House director of public engagement, has been mentioned as a potential replacement, but no decisions have been made on her replacement as of yet.…