In a recent article by Richard Tenorio, the question was asked "Will Imus Hurt Obama." The answer is yes.
Imus messed up bad and most importantly he insulted young women who deserved much better. However, to ask that he be fired because he is a racist is ludicrous. This man has insulted and demeaned people throughout his career without discrimination. He has attacked leaders of both parties. He has thrown his support to Republican and Democratic candidates and yes, to black or white candidates.
Today, Imus is ranting about his past support for Harold Ford, the Democratic nominee for senator in Tennessee. Harold is African American and he has not come out to support Imus. The time to support your friends is when they are in trouble. It is always easy to support a person when they have done nothing wrong.
Now let's move to Al Sharpton. As a presidential candidate, he was a failure. He found little support. His candidacy allowed him to perform as a celebrity. He wants blood. Whether it hurts the candidacy of Barack Obama is irrelevant. In fact, I would suggest, a President Obama would weaken Al Sharpton. Who would listen to him rant about the racist white people just after they have elected a black president. In my research, I found an blog written in January 2007 indicating that Sharpton doesn't care for Obama. In a more recent article, it was stated that Sharpton questions Obama's blackness.
Now, let's turn to Jesse Jackson who has had his share of mouth problems. Remember when he referred to New York as "Hymie town." That was in 1984 and the interview was with a black reporter. Jackson did not thing the remark would be quoted. Funny how these religious people fail to heed the comment by Jesus when he said, "he who is without sin can cast the first stone."
Yesterday, Obama finally was forced to support the firing of Imus. He caved in. Let us see how this whole controversy effects Obama. If we see a decline in support, you can thank Sharpton and Jackson.
Reader Comments ( Page 3 of 3)
31. Some of you need to be informed that Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson have been working to effect positive change in the music industry - but just because you didn't read it in the paper or see it on TV, you say they don't do anything about rappers. Do you ever wonder why everything you see/read about blacks is negative, stupid, or degrading??
As far as addressing rap music - can you do anything about Mick Jagger? Can you stop Elton John from making music?-I guess some gay-bashers would like to do that, too...I don't listen to rap music, and I can't even understand what they are saying! I wouldn't spend one dime on it. I don't identify with their portrayal of women. But I feel Imus was wrong for what he said. Period.
I don't care where he picked up the statement - he is an old man and he should have known better. People say he got it from rap music, but I think he got it from pornography, and just his way of thinking. What was said was wrong, and I'll never say it was right. He's richer than me, so I know he doesn't NEED a job!
Get real people; Imus said what you think all the time, and you're mad because you can't creep over to his radio show anymore and "Amen" everything he says about people YOU hate. And that's the REAL reason Obama would lose!!
Gigi Jones at 3:46AM on Apr 17th 2007
32. Why does AOL have right-wing white guys writing so many of the Obama blogs? Not Mullaney particularly, but even though he's open-minded, he's apparently just finding out that Sharpton, Rangel, and other black NYC Democrats are not supporting Obama's candidacy, at least, not at this point. In fact, the latest CNN poll shows Hillary Clinton ahead among African American voters nationwide.
Obama and Sharpton are not connected except that they're both black and they both spoke out against Imus's comments. You could add Al Roker, Condoleezza Rice, Gwen Ifill, and many others to the list of African Americans with no connection to Sharpton who denounced Imus's comments.
I'm talking about NixGuy who starts a recent blog by stating a lie, i.e. that Obama had Imus fired. And Mr. Conservatoons who would like to provide what Fox calls "balance" by implying that Obama's belated remarks over a relatively trivial issue, is somehow a calculated move, even though it doesn't seem to help him, according to Tenorio.
Why don't they assign Tenorio to blogging about Rudy Giuliani, who was briefed on police commish Bernark Kerik's Mafia ties long before Rudy recommended him as Homeland Security Secretary. Why not a Tenorio blog about Rudy's 14-year marriage to his (Italian-American?) second cousin, Ruth Peruggi, which Rudy had annulled by a Roman Catholic bishop. Maybe that bishop publishes a taxpayer-funded voter's guide we ought to know about.
tcb at 10:04AM on Apr 17th 2007
33. Who made Sharpton and Jackson the spokesmen for the balcks in America anyway. They are both the two biggest racist and hypocrites in our contry. They talk out of both sides of their mouth. They constantly do the very thing they speak against and that is judge someone because of their color. In their eyes and out of their mouth it is obvious, if you are white, you are guilty. Sharpton did everything in his power to destroy the lives of the white young men on nothing more than a lie from a black woman. Is he that ignorant to go that far on nothing more than an accusation and risk ruining the lives of innocent young men just to fulfill his personal agenda. Is he that desperate for media attention. Sharpton is constantly making statements equal to or even worse than what others have said and when questioned he comes back with "that not what I really said". Why doesn't everyone else get that same opportunity. Sharpton and Jackson in reality are the best friends of everyone who is not black. The truth is that if these two are the spokesmen for a specific race of people then that race is in serious trouble. If I were black I would be furious and concerned if these two were my representation. Their mouth is bigger than their brain which always leads to disaster. I think they both should run for president so we can do what we did when Jackson ran before. We put the bumper sticker on the front of our cars that said "Run Jesse Run". What loosers.
Dan at 11:40AM on May 9th 2007
34. Why do we put these people in the news? What are they doing to help our children? We need to stop putting these people in the limelight because the future of our country ultimately relies with the children we're nourishing now. We feeding them all kinds of negativaty, anger, bigotry, crime, and disrespect, You could go through the whole alphabet and find all kinds of problems we've created for our childrens future. Since we couldn't seem to get it right, maybe if we educate our children better then ourselves maybe they will "Do The Right Thing".
Dread at 1:50PM on May 9th 2007
35. Jackson and Sharpton should remember what MLK preached, equality for all no matter the color of your skin.
Dread at 2:52PM on May 9th 2007