McCain Steals Some Thunder, Sort Of

I don't know where John McCain found Sarah Palin. Palin, the governor of Alaska with a bunch of that limited political experience that McCain and the rest of the Republican ilk accused Obama of having. Rather than vet a more suitable candidate for Vice President, McCain pulled Mrs. Palin out of the tundra that is Alaska, to be his running mate. It's obvious Palin isn't a big name politician nor is she a status quo Republican, I guess McCain is trying to play up that maverick reputation he had years ago before he decided to lockstep with President George W. Bush's ill-fated, poorly planned policies on just about everything.

As much as I dislike Hillary Clinton, I can say with much certainty that the only thing Sarah Palin has in common with Miss Hillary is that she is woman. From what I've read of Palin's limited political resume, I know she is a conservative mother of five children who is opposed to all kinds of abortion (and very likely birth control) even in the case of rape and incest. I don't think this is going to do anything to woo the throngs of disgruntled women who supported Hillary Clinton she has neither the resume or the experience to do so.

From the same establishment that believes black people only vote for other black people solely because of race are the same ones who think that women will flock to the McCain-Palin ticket because Palin is a woman. When will they learn? Probably never. I'm a woman and I'm also black but I'm voting for the candidate who wants to get us out of Iraq and out of the economic hole that the current President Bush has driven us into. I'm one of those people who is worse off now than I was four years ago. I have no health insurance and haven't been able to find meaningful, worthwhile employment since being laid off in 2006.

Of all the qualified Republican women McCain could have chosen, a few names come to mind: Condoleeza Rice or former New Jersey governor Christine Todd Whitman. I mean, McCain is quite serious about this but I can't help thinking about the first President Bush's selection of Dan Quayle as his Vice President. This combination was pure comedy, Dan Quayle has always been a walking punch line and a political/intellectual lightweight. And he was a heartbeat away from the Presidency. I can't help but think that Palin will play the lightweight foil to McCain's seasoned crotchetiness.

Two Reasons I'm Watching the Democratic National Convention

Barack and Michelle Obama, originally uploaded by Wa-J.

First of all, it's history in the making. With Barack Obama poised to become the first African American to be his party's candidate for president, he represents the best of what America has to offer. He's intelligent, politically astute and represents something we don't get to see very often, a well-educated black man. Obama doesn't fit the stereotypical black man mold that is perpetuated in our society. He's not a professional athlete, an entertainer, dead-beat dad or convicted felon. Obama isn't the first black man to be well-educated or well-qualified but he challenges how many of us think about black men.

Michelle Obama is anything but an angry black woman. Like her husband, she challenges us to think about black women in a different way. She's not a babies mama but a wife and mother. I'm especially proud of Michelle Obama because she looks like me. In 2008, skin color is still an issue that African Americans struggle with; it's the dividing line between light and dark. She has brown skin and to some she might even be considered dark.

Our standard of beauty has long been tied to the blond hair, blue eye aesthetic of our popular culture. If you're wondering what this means, just tune into any show on BET (Black Entertainment Television) and you'll notice that nearly all of the female cohosts are fair skinned Hispanic or mulatto looking women. If that doesn't tell you what the predominant standards for beauty are for a network that is supposed to represent African American culture, I don't know what does.

After watching Michelle Obama's speech Tuesday night, I could not have been more proud. She silenced her critics who branded her an angry black woman and questioned her patriotism. The Obamas are making history and challenging the notions we have not only about race, but what it means to be an American.

R.I.P. Bernie Mac

Bernie Mac Saluting Me, originally uploaded by Cold Crunk Brotha.

I was saddened by the news that comedian Bernie Mac died today in Chicago. Bernie was one of the funniest men on the planet. He had a style all his own. From his signature shout out "Who you wit?" to his more attention getting "I ain't scared of you motherf**kers", his comedy never failed to disappoint. He captured the essence of black life and made you laugh about it.

Known as one of the 'Original Kings of Comedy', Mac became famous to mainstream America with his self-titled tv show and appearances in the Ocean's Eleven movies, but the black community has been laughing at his comedy for years. I had the opportunity to see him in concert back in 1996, I laughed so hard my head hurt. I'm going to miss him.