The above is an actual quote by Heritage Foundation president and Teabagger extraordinaire Jim DeMint, formerly of the Senate until he found a way to make more money off the rubes principled conservatives.
Yes, the slaves were eventually freed because, according to DeMint’s conflation of history, it was in the Constitution that “all men are created equal and have inalienable rights”. They were also freed due to the efforts of William Wilberforce, noted English anti-slavery campaigner, who just happened to die in 1833, thirty years before the Emancipation Proclamation and the `13th and 14th Amendments to the Constitution. Government had no role in the freeing of the slaves. It was all people power!
But, wait, why did we need amendments to the Constitution if the freedom of slaves was in it from the start? Because, of course, nothing of the kind was in the Constitution. Slavery was allowed to continue, and the slaves were counted as three-fifths of a person for purposes of the census. I’m sure they were very glad to know that not only were they not full human beings under the Constitution, but that even that diminution of their humanity allowed slave states to have an outsized influence in Congress, since those slaves counted towards apportionment of House seats.
The fact is that history doesn’t look too kindly on the successors to those slave holders. They are, rather correctly, excoriated.
But human beings are funny creatures. When faced with new facts—and thus having to change their thought processes to conform to new information—many people instead choose to continue in their previous belief systems; to do so, however, they have to twist existing knowledge into such baroque shapes to give themselves comfort that any outsider is at a loss as to how to respond to such obvious idiocy.
Thus, one is wont to hear that Democrats are the true racists, as most Klansmen in the Deep South were Democrats.
Of course, this is a historical fact. The Democratic Party in the South was the party of racism and Jim Crow. There is no escaping that, and we shouldn’t whitewash that history.
But, Republican historical amnesia seems to begin around the early 1960s. Some tweets from Josh Marshall are illustrative, centering around the crowing that won’t die from Republicans that Jackie Robinson was one of them.
Twitter flurry abt Jackie Robinson is notable. As many African-Americans pre-1960s, Robinson was a Republican. Also in his case because 1
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Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) April 09, 2025his political leanings were pro-business. This all changed w/migration of Dixiecrats into GOP. He compared GOP 1964 convention to a Nazi 2
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Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) April 09, 2025party rally. An early violation of Godwin's Law. But a taste of his reaction to racialization of GOP, in earliest stages. by 1968 he'd 4
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Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) April 09, 2025switched parties and endorsed Hubert Humphrey agst Richard Nixon, who he'd been close to politically in the past. 5
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Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) April 09, 2025Robinson turns out to be pretty good encapsulation of GOP's transformation on the race question over course of 1960s.
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Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) April 09, 2025Yes, the Democratic Party, at least its southern franchise, was the party of racism and Jim Crow. Until, after much work, it wasn’t. The inconvenient truth which the modern GOP wishes to gloss over is the fact that after civil rights for African-Americans became a major plank of the Democratic Party, those southern Democrats began defecting in droves to the Republicans. At first, they kept on voting Democratic locally while giving more and more of their votes to the GOP nationally. But, by the 1980s, even that pretense was gone, and whole swathes of the South turned Republican for the first time since the 1870s, when freed slaves for a brief shining moment held political power.
Yes, Jackie Robinson was Republican. Until he wasn’t. Until he saw that the Party of Lincoln was turning into the Party of Thurmond.
And, about Lincoln. If seances were real and one could commune with the dead, what would Abe think of the party he propelled onto the national stage?
Hagiography aside, we have to remember that Lincoln averred that if he could save the Union while keeping slavery, he would have done it. Fortunately, he was wise enough to realize that it was either Union or slavery; the two had become absolutely incompatible.
But now his party engages in “voter fraud reform”, which the Florida Republican Party admitted was nothing but an attempt to suppress the vote. The GOP nationwide is on a crusade to neuter the 14th Amendment, purging voter rolls under the guise of combating fraud.
The party which freed the slaves now engages in the most blatant dog-whistles. When Ronald Reagan, in the 1980 election, trumpeted that “the South will rise again”, he wasn’t speaking of the New South which so many people had hope in, but of the ante-bellum, anti-civil rights, Negroes know their place South. The picture of Willie Horton which Lee Atwater plastered over our TV screens in 1988 as Poppy Bush sailed to election was not done out of a judicious concern over crime. Of course not. The message was “If you elect Dukakis, blacks are going to rape your white daughters.”
Lincoln’s party now openly flirts with secession. The party formed to hold the Union together wants to tear it apart, because someone named Barack Hussein Obama is the 44th President of the United States.
Lincoln is nothing but a totem to Republicans, to be trotted out occasionally to harangue African-American loyalty to the Democratic Party. “We freed you ingrates; why do you hate us so?” But Lincoln’s wisdom, Lincoln’s compassion, Lincoln’s humanity long ago fled the GOP, lost in a pact with the devil for power.
Those pacts, though, often have a way of being the seed of one’s demise. Having so intimately thrown their lot with white rage, the GOP is completely unprepared for the demographic wave occurring right his moment. With all its vitriol and money, it couldn’t defeat the Obama coalition in 2012. That is the future, and the GOP doesn’t speak to it. History is not only inconvenient; it marches on, regardless of your fingers in the dike.
Does Jim DeMint believe his own stupidity? He probably does. He’s one of those unfortunate people who not only has a leadership position in the conservative movement, but fervently drinks the Koolaid at every opportunity. Which makes him both all the more laughable and all the more dangerous.
The only solution is, of course, to vote in November and retake the House while keeping the Senate. It will be another piece of inconvenient history for the GOP and the Right, but one which we will compose.
hi what a speech
Indeed. Congrats on your gold achievement!
Thank you LL for the post.
Thanks I just opened the door slightly to my delight I beat the super speedsters
Au for Okey. Congrats.
LL you simply Rock. I am still reading your post. Thanks for your post.
Thanks a gazillion LL, haven’t had the chance to read your post yet, will do as soon as I get this blasted work done!
Those who tweet should tweet this excellent essay to RNC Chair. The guy need a stern Historical education from LL.
Yes, LL, we must be a persistent source of inconvenience for the #KOCHSTERS and their masters. Fine essay, as always.
It’s not as if the #KOCHSTERS are hiding their agenda, either …
#DEMSDominate2014
Yes We MUST
Okay friends, I need your help. When/Where can I watch PO’s full speech???? I had a doctor appt., then lunch with my hubby (who is home only for one day before heading back to the Appalachian Trail). Been home long enough to catch up on last thread, read the tweets, etc., but I want and NEED the whole thing!!!!!!!
Back to the White House.
C-span.org
Here’s the Link.
http://www.c-span.org/video/?318484-1/civil-rights-act-50th-anniversary
Thanks! Will begin watching right now. :)
I just watched it, TN. You will be blown away.
If any fools asks or demands that POTUS didn’t use his speech in TX to push for Voting Rights……..Tell he/she to go see Chris Christie. This president Time and Time again appropriate each event for the purpose of that event.
This was to Honor LBJ. This was to Honor those who fought hard. In real time. Historical content to go along with it. This POTUS has laid out the Foundation and the Voting Rights suppression will Come right around the comer.
Dana Milbank….right now on the Cycle….
” I am disappointed “
Ok everyone, all together now…awwwwwwww. Dana has a sad!
Dana needs to pay attention….this was about the Civil Rights Act, not the Voting Rights Act which the WH has already said that PBO will be addressing that at the National Action Network speech.
F*** Milbank. PBO did not deliver this speech to please Milbank. His opinion means nothing. Obviously he was watching a different speech.
Note that their so called disappointment always comes right after the speech, action or accomplished goal by this president.
Why is it so darn hard to say you know what, pres Obama did it right?
I wonder why.
Who cares? ;-)
Dana Milbank has become a disappointment, he is just like Ezra Klein. I didn’t know POTUS was giving the speech to please Milbank.
No, no, Dana (whoever the eff you are), you are ‘disappointing’ in your predictable witlessness.
So much truth in this picture.
And more blog flogging:
A moment for the history books that’s for sure.
What Milbank said is just showing again how the MSM does not LISTEN to what PBO says. Everything he says PBO did not say was in that speech. He also told us why he pushed for health care and did it against the wishes of some of his staff…..just like LBJ did the Civil Rights act and the Voting Rights Act.
These pea brains irritate the stuffing out of me…….Their minds are disengaged, and they hear only what they think they’re looking for. This has happened for almost six years now, and they still do not HEAR.
I think this is what Jesus said in the parable of the seeds…..that some will fall on hard ground, some will fall on good ground……and the MSM are obviously hard ground.
This was a fabulous speech. Actually, we got his philosophy of the presidency and governing pretty clear in this speech.
I am sick of the comparison to LBJ also.
He had Democratic Super Majorities in both Houses when he was President.
Here is the REAL Fact. JFK’s untimely death made 1964, 1965 and 1966 good years for Johnson.
Linda these people like Dana Milbank knows what kind of people President Obama is dealing with, so to compare Obama to Johnson is just plain stupid. And they know that, but it seem it is the attack Obama time from the left.
Even still PBO’s legislative success rate was higher than Johnson’s for their first two years. I think the “disappointment meme” that was pushed so heavily by the Republicans and picked up by the media and emo progressives greatly distorted the actual record of legislative success of the first two years of PBO’s first term.
It would be against character for PBO to be anything but gracious toward LBJ’s family and supporters while at the Johnson Library.
I found this speech to be one of the most moving speeches of his Presidency (not counting all-too-frequent, all-too-many memorial speeches, such as WV coal mine, Sandy Hook, Tucson, yesterday, etc.)
I was in 5th grade when the Civil Rights act was signed, one of the most momentous school years in American history and pop culture.
From the shock of JFK’s assassination, to the euphoria of the Beatles on Ed Sullivan and the march of history for Civil Rights and Medicare, all of us in that classroom were witness to history over the course of just a few months. (I know Medicare happened later, but we discussed this proposal in class — as I recall, doctors were adamantly opposed to Medicare.)
I am grateful that PBO focused on LBJ’s achievements and LBJ’s motivation.
Seems like most of 20th century Dem Presidents came from humble backgrounds (we learned in school that Truman was a “habadasher” before going into politics), but that fact seems to escape those who “report” the news.
And about Lizza’s tweet.
Yes, Nov 1964 was a huge win for Dems (my mother, an FDR/Adlai Stephenson Dem) said it was because of the prevailing mood of the country — perhaps some “sympathy” votes, but in my mind it’s more like how the country rallied around GWB after the disastrous 9/11 attacks.
So LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act before the Dem voter tidal wave. He deserves credit for this and the recognition that PBO so eloquently provided today. Fifty years ago, no one could have imagined such a speech in remembrance of this long-overdue event (humor, yes, Everett Dirksen was a very well known figure back then, frequently on the news, but evocative and forward-looking as well — this speech had it all, from a domestic perspective).
I really want to tweet my appreciation to PBO’s speechwriter, but alas, @CodyKeenan’s tweets are protected. :(
Long way to say this speech wasn’t all about PBO, but rather about Johnson’s legacy (although his comment about Michelle drawing his attention to Lady Bird’s advice to LBJ was LOL — I’d do the same thing, if I were in FLOTUS’ shoes).
Lincoln would have left the Republican Party by the 1920’s at the latest. Probably the last GOP President Lincoln would have supported was Teddy Roosevelt. Lincol was a big proponent of the importance of labor and said that labor was more important than capital. How many Republcians today would support that thinking?
“Imagery Reveals Destabilizing Russian Forces Near Ukraine Border
10 Apr 2025
NATO Plans Balanced Response to Reassure Allies
SHAPE, BELGIUM - Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) released a package of satellite imagery to media outlets from across Europe on Thursday, 10 April 2014, that shows details of the location and type of Russian units NATO has observed along the border with Ukraine. NATO assesses that the Russian military has approximately 35-40,000 troops in the vicinity of the Ukrainian border, a claim Russian officials have repeatedly denied is a cause for concern.
clip
SHAPE has submitted a range of options and recommendations to the North Atlantic Council, through the International Military Staff.
“Essentially what we are looking at is a package of land, air and maritime measures that would build assurance for our eastern most allies,” said General Breedlove. NATO has repeatedly called upon Russia to de-escalate the situation by withdrawing troops along Ukraine’s border.”
http://bit.ly/1qkU4xJ
So Vlad shows to the world, once again, that he is a pathological liar who is not to be believed on any subject. Who did he think he was going to fool in the age of satellite. He truly is operating in another century.
Exactly, Jackie. And, this is non-classified imagery ;)
From Monday:
[Putin’s] fallback is to take enough of Ukraine to leave it a rump state still subject to Russian pressure if it looks westward
Ukrainians will certainly ensure he has a ‘fall back.’ The dude has no idea how bad it will get for him if he invades; the Ukrainians & their many allies do.
#TrustBarack (I suspect we will be hearing about more sanctions and other actions soon).
David Robinson is KILLING IT! Turn on this panel discussion:
— can someone bring this lovely photo over? thx! —
“It’s no secret that interracial relationships are trending upward, and in a matter of years we’ll have Tindered, OKCupid-ed and otherwise sexed ourselves into one giant amalgamated mega-race.
But what will we look like? National Geographic built its 125th anniversary issue around this very question last October, commissioning Martin Schoeller, a renowned photographer and portrait artist, to capture the lovely faces of our nation’s multiracial future.
Here’s how the “average American” will look by the year 2050:”
http://www.policymic.com/articles/87359/national-geographic-concludes-what-americans-will-look-like-in-2050-and-it-s-beautiful
Kathleen - what happens to the people of dark complexion like me…do I fade away???? I like the rainbow of shades of black people.
I agree, GGail, all shades are, indeed, lovely, and will all surely still be represented well in 2050. The rainbow will only get richer. I’m hopeful, however, that the people who now only consider the ‘all-American’ look to be white and blonde will find it harder to justify that stereotype.
What will the average man look like?
I’d say were’ all gonna look pretty damn good!
Brazil is a place where this person should have gotten a Real Life reality where races are melted into several lovely shades
Back in the 1980s, when Reagan approved the MLK Holiday, I vividly recall a discussion with a co-worker. She was convinced that the average American complexion would soon be a creamy latte color. So this kind of “speculation” has been going on for a long time, especially in ethnically diverse areas of this country (such as SoCal, where I am located).
BTW, I’ve mentioned before that I’m Japanese-American, and my best friend is also. She’s from a family of 4 girls, all of whom married and had children. From oldest to youngest, here’s the men they married, with number of children in parentheses:
Caucasian (1)
African-American (3)
Mexican-Indian (1)
Japanese-American (2)
So, the multi-cultural family has long been thriving in this neck of the woods (children are now aged 26-36).
I already see it happening all around me, more and more every day——mixed couples everywhere, beautiful children of all shades. I did sortof a double take the other day—-saw an elementary class out on a walk, on a field trip of some sort, and what a few years ago would have been almost entirely white is now majority all beautiful shades of brown. Happening faster than predictions, I believe.
Come to my composition class in the middle of Oklahoma, and you will see this future. Yes, even here, this is happening. I LOVE this generation…….they are so comfortable with each other, color just doesn’t seem to register. My students are a mix, from blonde, Scandinavian looking to Haitian from Florida, and every shade in between. They are beautiful. I have seen the future, and I like it.
LL, I love your writing! This is beautiful and so historically true!!!
Some of your poems are a little too deep for my brain, but don’t let that stop you from expressing what’s inside you my brother :-)
Cuomo is bad news……
Less than two weeks after Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo abruptly shut down a commission he had formed to investigate political corruption in New York State, the United States attorney in Manhattan is sharply questioning the governor’s decision and is taking possession of all of the panel’s case files, according to letters sent to the commission’s members on April 3 and again on Wednesday afternoon.
Mr. Cuomo created the panel, the Commission to Investigate Public Corruption, in July, with great fanfare and a broad mandate to restore public trust in government. But watchdog groups raised concerns about the panel’s credibility after reports about interference by the governor’s office, which leaned on the commission to limit the scope of its investigations, influence which subpoenas it would issue, and in some cases, stop the commission from issuing subpoenas to groups with ties to Mr. Cuomo.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/10/nyregion/us-attorney-criticizes-cuomos-closing-of-panel.html
He’s such a stinker, Linda, but the option was paladino. He’s created ’10 year tax free zones’ for business to go with the Empire Zones that have been a hot mess. His subversion of Blasio and plotting with the legislature is positively gangrenous and the stench is unbearable.
My opinion of most of the Teabaggers, and Demint is a prime example, is that their understanding of the Constitution & American history is just like their understanding of the Bible in their religion: Cherry-picked to conform to their predetermined belief, or just ignored when it doesn’t.
Same here Norbrook.
In the category of ‘oh s*^t, what have I done’ ….
Thank you President Obama …
Does Jim-thinks-he-knows-it-all-Demint not know the difference between the Decl of Ind and the Constitution? “all men are created equal” as we all know is from the Declaration, not the Const’n. PBO seamlessly reminded everyone of that in his speech today.
That was a tremendous speech……so gracious, giving credit to LBJ, perhaps more than was deserved, but being a president giving kudos to a past president. Those of us who lived during that era know how it came about, but LBJ finally got on the right train.
Glad to see Maria Shriver where she belongs; not with the Rethugs!!!
That’s what first drove me crazy about his ramblings. Not to mention, the People did NOT demand an end to slavery. It was specifically Lincoln’s efforts to LEAD that gave AA’s their natural-born rights as citizens.
What is terrifying is that these loons have ‘bought’ the school boards, have bought the textbook companies and they are re-writing history on so many levels: race, labor history. I am terrrified.
Is this what makes us ‘exceptional’? Our lunging back to the 12th century?
I love that picture of little FLOTUS and her brother Craig.
I think people forget that the two party political system was different during LBJ’s time. The democrats dominated both houses for decades, and the republican party was not a far right party like it is today. Essentially you had two parties with liberal elements, moderate elements, and conservative elements, so it was easier to build coalitions across party lines in order to get things done. Today we have a democratic party that is still diverse (though slightly more liberal than the 90’s), but a republican party that no longer has moderates or liberal Rockefeller republicans in it because they were purged by the far right. This change began in the late 70’s and accelerated when Reagan came into power and let in the Social Conservatives.
So you can’t compare today to the past because it’s unprecedented. The last time we were this polarized as a country because of the actions of one faction was during the Civil War. No previous president would be able to negotiate with this republican congress.
JZ, this is a fact of history that everyone ignores. The moderate Republicans have ceased to exist. In the 60’s the Democrats dominated the Republicans and even Lyndon Johnson was heard to say on one of his tapes that he pitied the Republican Party because they have no ideas. That is still true fifty years later even with all the moderates gone. You are so right to say that NO president could deal with a House of Representatives this intransigent. They have simply laid down on the floor and refused to cooperate like stubborn, little children. The whole passage of the Ryan budget today was a charade, a game play to show the president they will reject everything he stands for. No effort was or will every be made to make serious accommodations on the budget or anything else unless Democrats take back the House.
Big fat lie, Heritage Foundation! Big fat lie, Jim DeMint! Just because Abe Lincoln was a Republican doesn’t mean that he sided with you and your de- mented teabagging friends (yes, pun intended).
Either you choose not to or actually don’t know your history…. Post antebellum, most people of color were Republican, and the Republican Party embraced emancipation of the slaves on humanitarian grounds, although we all know the real significant economic impact that loss of free labor had on industry in this country), and it was hard for most whites at the time to give it up.
You will also remember that, for a very brief post Antebellum period called “Reconstruction”, these Republican people of color held very prestigious positions of leadership around the nation — positions such as governors, senators, congressman, judges, ambassadors, etc. There were probably more non-white public officials then ever before. Then came your true allies— Jim Crow and the KKK — and with all the lynchings that took place, Reconstruction and black allegiance to the Republican Party took flight and left our land.
I had to pull my car over on the road to write this. I almost never write on blogs. But Heritage and DeMinty think that people are just damn stupid.
To Heritage and De Minty: Don’t try to side with Mr Wilberforce, or Mr Fisk, who both started what later became great universities to educate the freed slaves. Things like this are not on your agendas. You don’t have the capabilities. And you don’t have their hearts. I graduated from Fisk. My brother went to Wilberforce, and I can’t see a teabagging entity ever doing anything like what they did. You are so fair weather……people during the early-mid 1800’s who carried your type of ideas around were not of the Republican Party of THAT time. Those who had your ideas were those people who did all they could to secede from the Union and start the Civil War, to intimidate Jews, Blacks and abolitionists by murder and intimidation, to end Reconstruction. (Oh yeah, don’t forget about the piss poor ways that you treated members of the Jewish community in this country at that time.)
Folks that thought like you, Heritage and DeMinty, didn’t try to stop the movement to end the life of Mr Lincoln. They started it! So why the hell are you trying to be friends with him now?!!?!! Too late!
When I read that little “Heritage-DeMinty” caption, I got really worked up. I am so tired of those teabaggers thinking that people who just want to be fair, and do things right , are utterly stupid and will feed off of anything they say.
That’s why they don’t like President Obama. He is so far above their ways, it’s unbelievable. Kudos to him. He takes it in stride, (although I know it’s tiresome to do it), and he doesn’t give the ignorance back. Keep enduring First Family, and never give up!
To Heritage and DeMinty: Go back to 7th grade or earlier…..probably earlier.
Fabulous rant, Hook! Glad you took the time to share.
Very grateful that you have shared your insights with us, H&C. Thank you!!
#FORWARD Together
Who you put in office matters.
Often things turn because of individuals: I maintain that it was Newt Gingrich who created the atmosphere of no compromise, or ginning up scandals that didn’t exist to ruin and overturn the effect of elections. He set the tone and opened the door. Sure it took the better part of 20 years to get this bad, but he changed the direction of Congress.
And you all know that I blame John McCain for unleashing the tea party crazies and opening the door to any idiot being proud of his/her idiocy and taking over Congress. By telling the country that Sarah Palin was qualified to be President, he opened the floodgates.
Unfortunately, Democrats have still not learned how to grab the narrative effectively. Republicans are coached by the party before they walk in front of a microphone: they don’t give an inch, they stay on message no matter what the question, they demonize Democrats relentlessly. (I’m thinking of c-span yesterday). Marsha Blackburn was the ‘perfect’ Republican, spouting lies but doing it with passion.
Then some congressman from NJ was on. He was good, he had a lot of good points that he hammered pretty well. But he wasted a good third of his air time, saying that Republicans were really good people, that Dem’s should take some of the blame (!), qualifying everything by being ‘nice’.
Now assume some busy mother is listening half-heartedly and she doesn’t have the time to be educated politically. Here was the message: Democrats are BAD and Republicans can be good sometimes and Dem’s should take some blame, too. That’s the ‘white noise’ message.
There simply is no excuse that Democrats haven’t learned how to grab hold of the narrative and make it work for us. GOP gets far with lies, and we are still ineffective with the truth. This is Debbie Wasserman-Schultz’ fault. We have George Lakoff who is far more brilliant at liberal messaging than Frank Luntz is at GOP messaging, and they won’t hire the guy.
Don’t get it.
Yeah Newt Gingrich was the one who ended civility and cooperation in politics. It started when he turned on President George H.W. Bush and others who came up with the compromise budget agreement which included tax increases.
I also agree that democrats need to learn how to play hard ball and stop with this nice guy routine. The times have changed and right now we are dealing with a crazy far right extreme party that has no respect for anyone who is not part of their tribe.
Yup.
My suggestion for what it’s worth…..send a copy of this letter to every Democrat you can think of….DWS, VP Biden, Schumer, Durbin, Pelosi, etc in the House and Senate, and also various people at the DNC and other Pacs, and operatives in the White House…..Howard Dean, also…..this sums up a lot, and is quick and easy to read, and written with passion. I wish we had a DNC head who is constantly out and about like Priebus for the RNC. When Howard Dean was chair, he was EVERYWHERE. Now, I know that was before Twitter, but not everyone is on twitter, for instance I’m not, and most people over 60 I would say are not.
Facebook has pretty much been taken over by moms and grandmoms from what I hear, so that is a good avenue for certain ages, I guess.I stopped that too, and to young people it’s no longer cool. All these avenues are important for different groups, and so is TV still!
I’ll do it - again. I don’t know what it takes. You wonder if they want to win. They leave it all to PBO when they could have spent the last 8 years building an effective message machine that would become institutional, like the GOP did for 30 years.
The juxtaposition of RWNJ Blackburn and this - pretty good Dem from NJ (sorry I don’t know his name) was stark. He had a lot of good to say but wasted air time giving ground to RWNJ’s. So it’s my ‘thing’ to rant about today. Sorry.
Yay! Thanks, JER.
After PETA equated slavery, Civil Rights, and Voting Rights struggles with what animals go through, people have been fed up with them and mock them endlessly.
Exhibit A:
Gahtdamn….Gahtdamn….Gahtdamn!!!! The woman is flawless.
Heads up, TOD. Spread the word.
I unfollowed him and made a Tweet about why I was unfollowing and blocking him when the shit first hit the fan.
Let people know. Tweet, tweet, tweet. He keeps stalking Chipsticks everywhere online and it’s disgusting.
This guy is a disgusting, misogynistic beast (and I’m being very kind here), and should be ashamed to claim to be a PBO-supporter.
President Obama will be in NYC tomorrow to give keynote address at Rev. Al’s National Action Network.
Wouldn’t it be great if PBO speaks during Rev. Al’s usual, hour—6:00PM EST?
Lots of folks will be able to catch the speech live if that was to happen.
The talk is that POTUS will be focused on the restoration of the Voting Rights Act.
I just checked on the NAN schedule and the presentation by PBO has the time as TBD.
All the other events have the times stated.
I wonder what’s up.
Anybody have a guess? Or solid info??
I’m excited, too.
I was all happy with jimmy fallon until I tuned in one night and Sarah palin was there. CLICK. Haven’t watched Jimmy F. since.
The way I look at it she was there for comedic effect. The Tonight Show is an entertainment show that occasionally will have people I don’t care for, so I’ll switch the channel that night. He’s continuing (or at least trying to continue) the show’s tradition of appealing to folks from all perspectives.
I adore Jimmy and The Roots though; so I’ll watch when I can and the guest list doesn’t make me ill. Besides, Arsenio and Conan would appreciate our viewership from to time too. :-)
You’re right on this Dudette. I’ll tune in again to Jimmy F. in the near future.
They have his show on TV in my world Vicki - and I did exactly the same thing - he is done
WTF?!?!?
It was me, in that show was a note to Hillary saying that we Democrats need to focus on 2014, not 2016. Enough with if you are running or not.
In that shoe is what I meant to say.
LOL!
Gurl, you need some bail money? I got you! ;-)
[snicker, snort]
Nooooooooo! I’m so sorry she is leaving. She’s done an amazing job in a horrendously toxic environment. I hope she knows how much she is appreciated.
We will definitely miss her but I think she is leaving at the right time. She’s done five years of excellent work, and exiting on a high note - when the ACA has been declared a resounding success. Incidentally, most HHS secretaries have not stayed for more than 4 years - with the exception of the one who served during the Clinton Presidency.
This is big news. Secretary Sibelius delivered the baby after a very troubled long labor.
Perhaps it knocked the stuffing out of her.
Sorry to hear about Secretary Sibelius, thanks to her for all she have done and I wish her the best.
Secretary Sebellius is the longest serving HHS secretary after Donna Shalala who served for the entirety of the Clinton administration.
I think Ms. Sebellius deserves a well-earned break and we owe her our gratitude for overseeing the implementation of the ACA to the resounding success that it is today.
I’m sad that she is leaving but I thank her for fighting the good fight with ObamaCare and never letting the GOP define who she is. Millions of Americans now know peace of mind thanks to her hard work.
Sebelius is expected to announce her resignation on Friday. According to the Times, President Barack Obama accepted her resignation earlier this week.
Her mission was accomplished. She endured and prevailed. Rest well-deserved.
My feeling is that this was planned long time ago and has nothing to do with the ACA rollout.
She’s served an extraordinarily long time for any in that role. Whether she’d been planning to leave now all along or because she wanted to get to this milestone, the timing makes sense.
I just hate that we have to watch another cabinet nominee endure more rounds of GOP BS before their confirmation.
Having spent many years in government, I had an ominous feeling about her future when the President made his enrollment number announcement on the 31st. He barely mentioned Sebelius. He talked about the congressional members, Pelosi, etc. with great praise, but did not include Sebelius in that acknowledgement. I’m not saying that’s the reason she’s resigning, or that she was asked to resign at this time, but there’s probably more to the story than meets the eye.
I am really sorry to see her go, even if it’s just because I don’t want to give her detractors the satisfaction. The turn-a-round has been fantastic, and she was no small part of that. I’m sure this whole thing took a toll on her, so I wish her well.
Some people on Twitter are being rather hyperbolic - saying that Sebellius’ resignation is “HUGE.” Really? This is not VP Biden or John Kerry resigning…people need to grow up.
More MSM clickbait hysteria.
People need to calm down. She’s the second longest serving HHS Secretary and she delivered big time for President Obama and was fantastic at her job. There’s no agenda. She wants to take a well earned break and I say, good for her. The job under this political climate is herculean.
Hopefully a lot of landscaping is in her future. I hear it’s relaxing.
This!!!
This!
Here’s an example of what I’m talking about when I say that some people need to grown the hell up:
They keep on talking about the rollout like it’s relevant at this time. The ACA exceeded it’s goal so what happened in October is not that important.
Hahaha! Harold’s rips of CNN coverage of the missing plane gets funnier everyday.
Mr Limpet ! I love that movie
I remember that movie too.
Sebelius made the decision to resign herself and was not asked to leave, officials told the New York Times.
She approached Obama about leaving last month, White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough told the Times. She said that the growing enrollment numbers and March sign-up deadline would make a good window for her departure.
“What was clear is that she thought that it was time to transition the leadership to somebody else,” McDonough said. “She’s made clear in other comments publicly that she recognizes that she takes a lot of the incoming. She does hope — all of us hope — that we can get beyond the partisan sniping.”
McDonough said that Burwell’s experience running the OMB will make her a good fit to lead Health and Human services.
“The president wants to make sure we have a proven manager and relentless implementer in the job over there, which is why he is going to nominate Sylvia,” he said.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/sebelius-to-resign
Just as I thought. This was a very good time for her to transition. The ACA enrollment has been a resounding success, and she has done an excellent job.
fabulous post, LL.
tell the truth and share this history.
you are on point.
Thank you much, ma’am!
Can’t stand that Mia Henderson woman. It is something about her that irks me.
What goes around, comes ……
“People in the Russian town of Ivangorod on the border with Estonia have sent a petition to the Russian and Estonian presidents urging them to allow their town to become part of Estonia, RFE/RL’s Russian Service reports.
Ivangorod City Council Deputy Yury Gordeyev wrote the letter and sent the petitions to Moscow and Tallinn with the signature of some 660 citizens of Ivangorod, which has a population of about 11,000.
Gordeyev told RFE/RL the petition states that since Ivangorod and some other districts along the Russian-Estonian border were part of Estonia 300 years ago, the town should return to Estonian jurisdiction.
Ivangorod is on the eastern bank of the Narva River, just opposite the Estonian city of Narva.”
I will watch this closely. Very interested to read the Russian’s response.
Great piece LL
LL! Beautifully written, informative and insightful piece, as usual! Thank you very much!
Hey everyone, sorry for the delay, will have a new post up in 20ish mins.
Love ya all.
Tzar Vlad gives Fox a run for their money ….
“An “epic fail” from two Russian state-controlled TV-channels reveals how Russian propaganda works against Ukraine.The two nationwide channels of Russia – NTV and Russia-1 – depicted the same person to be both: an extremist from Germany, who supported a far-right movement in Ukraine; and a pro-Russian protester, who became victim of Ukrainian nationalists.NTV told it’s viewers, that the person is a German citizen who trained a group of 50 EU citizens (!) to cooperate with “Right Sector” movement in Ukraine (!!) in order to shoot (!!!) into peaceful pro-Russian protesters.”
According to this, the deal between Colbert and CBS has been in the works for over a year.
Glad that Colbert is recognized for his talent. Jon Stewart (not a loved person here in TODville) has a limited range and appeals more to people who have experienced life in the northeast US.
Colbert’s character was a stroke of genius (I recall reading an article when he show debuted where he described his character as “an idiot.”), but I’m sure there was a clause in his contract to not allow his character over CBS airwaves.
Colbert is quick to adlib with his guests, unlike Stewart, who usually just relies on his “awkward” persona.
And we’ll forever be grateful for his 2006 WHCD scathing take-down of GWB. And talk about a media blackout — the NYT didn’t even mention (!) his appearance at the dinner.
I remember leaping to my feet applauding and cheering at that Colbert appearance at the WHCD din. I was so relieved and was shouting, “Finally!” Isn’t it amazing that until that moment no one had dared criticize W in public? The entire news media had covered for him, on Iraq, on everything. And the room that night——-just stunned, shameful silence. Colbert has no fear. I assume we will see that same interest in truth telling, that same courage and determination, even if he is not in his familiar character.
That was GLORIOUS!!!
Worth (re)watching….
If he hosts his guests in the manner in which he interviewed Prof Tyson, he’ll be very successful.
Yep!
mmm that one sure didn’t work - how weird ??
I’ll try this again: Does anyone have info on the time PBO will be speaking at the NAN tomorrow?
The website only says TBD.
Stephen will LOVE that! :-D
I was in high school when the 1964 convention was happening. At that time the RW extremists were taking over the party and expelling the moderate Rockefeller faction. I remember watching on television as Jackie Robinson being booed by those present as he was being interviewed and condemning the RW and racist take over of the party. He soon converted to voting Democratic after that.
Actually Kathleen Sebellius is taking a victory lap as she announced today that enrollment in Obamacare QHPs surpasses 7.5 million. She has to be tired and ready for a vacation. She hung on to see this through to a successful conclusion.
Agree, Bill, and I can’t wait for the Senate confirmation hearings - hours of YouTube videos of #KOCHSTERS attacking #Obamacare, a veritable treasure trove to be used in Dem’s ads later this year.
CHIPS
suggestion for tomorrow’s RISE AND SHINE
what these people had to go through was ridiculous.
an hour and forty-five minutes to get to a fucking polling place?
…………………………………………………
The Ed Show 04/10/14
Exclusive look at the long trip to vote in Ohio
Republicans know the only way to secure victory in the midterms is through suppressing the vote. Ed Schultz takes an in-depth look at the long trip to vote in Ohio with candidate for Secretary of State Nina Turner.
http://on.msnbc.com/OLN7Yv
Every time the 1964 convention is mentioned, like right now when I read these posts to my husband, he quote what the L.A. Times wrote of that convention: “the stench of fascism.” And, it hasn’t changed.
My family had been Republican historically, but that convention was the end for me…..I was to vote for the first time, and Goldwater certainly did not get my vote.
CHIPS
another suggestion for RISE AND SHINE
……………….
The Vernon Jordan interview with Joy Ann Reid today.
………………
The Reid Report 04/10/14
Was Lyndon Johnson ‘the civil rights president’?
Civil rights figure and former Bill Clinton advisor Vernon Jordan joins Joy Reid to talk about the legacy of President Lyndon Johnson and the continued fight for equality as national leaders mark the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
http://on.msnbc.com/1hwjerY
Oh LL! Are you out there?
They’re indicting my Peter Gabriel (for his solo career; Genesis is already in), Nirvana, Hall &Oates and Kiss into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame tonight!!! HBO is taping tonight for broadcast in May.
Linda Ronstadt, the artist formerly known as Cat Stevens, and Springsteen’s E Street Band are also being inducted.
Sounds like another night for a great musical Night Owl Chat’
I meant “inducting” :-)
If I don’t do it tonight, definitely this weekend!
Okay
Ha, Dudette!! I was all, whaa?? indicting him for what?? so unfair! ‘So’ was best album ev… oh, ok, yeah!
Tee-hee! I was about to start some new scandal, huh?! :-)
New post:
http://theobamadiary.com/2014/04/10/the-presidents-civil-rights-summit-speech/
And from my TL, Chait is saying more stupid things…
From the guy who does the Scandal Cartoons:
Iyanla Fixes Olivia Pope’s Life
If Iyanla can’t fix your life, you’re beyond hope.
LOL! :-D
My online MSNBC just dropped out - which is just as well because Hayes was equating a bad website to the worst excesses of the Iraq war - and the fool he was interviewing agreed with him - and MSNBC sends MJoke off to raise money for the GOP & they wonder why no-one watches.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/09/billy-joel-visits-elementary-school_n_5122691.html#comments
Is this a great gesture?
I didn’t want to post this on the new Post. ;) I am trying not to upset ***anyone*** particularly.