Obama

My friend Jeff Shaw works for an alternative weekly in Minnesota as a blogger (Yup some weeklies somehow afford full-time bloggers, here at EW we blog because we like it. Or something like that). Jeff has had an interesting career. Seattle Mariners Blogger, Fulbright scholar to Japan and I do seem to remember a time period in which he seemed to be supporting himself playing online poker.

Jeff posted an analysis of McCain versus Obama to his blog today based on their gambling preferences.

It goes something like this: McCain plays craps, a dice game based on chance in which statistically if you keep playing, you will always lose money.

Obama favors poker, a game in which, according to Jeff (who would know) if you use some skill, you can win and actually make money.

Hmmmm. It's all about the strategery.

Barack Obama spoke to a cheering crowd of roughly 5,000 at the UO on Friday night.

Here's a link to audio of his speech with video clips of the rally.

In case you missed him the last time, Eugeneans have another chance to see presidential candidate Barack Obama speak at the UO. This time he will be at the Memorial Quad on the UO campus (otherwise known as that large grassy area in front of the library).

Rally with Barack Obama

http://or.barackobama.com/eugenerally

University of Oregon -- Memorial Quad
East 13th Avenue
Between Adler St. and Kincaid St.
Eugene, OR

Friday, May 9th
Doors Open: 5:45 p.m.

When they say "doors open" I'm guessing they are being figurative, unless the organizers have found a way to enclose the Quad. Nonetheless, experience tells us that you need to get there early if you want to get in (press included).

I'm David Wu, a superdelegate, and I'm making a damn decision.

From a press release issued by the Barack Obama campaign:

Congressman David Wu Endorses Barack Obama for President

PORTLAND , OR — Today U.S. Congressman David Wu from Oregon announced his support for Senator Barack Obama for president, citing his ability to make real change:

"I think we are blessed to have two strong candidates for president," Congressman David Wu said. "I am endorsing Barack Obama for president today because I believe that he is best suited to turn the page on this sorry episode in American history. He and I both had the judgment to oppose the Iraq War from the very beginning.

"Every dollar that we have spent in Iraq—which adds up to over $500 billion so far—is a dollar not spent at home, a school not built, a bridge not repaired," continued Wu. "We need new policies both at home and abroad. Like Americans, the international community wants to see real change in America and I believe that Senator Obama embodies that change."

“I thank Congressman Wu for his support, and look forward to working with him to bring this war in Iraq to an end, strengthening our economy and addressing the issue of climate change,” said Senator Barack Obama.
Congressman Wu is in his fifth term representing Oregon's 17th First Congressional District.

Wu is Senator Obama’s 240th Superdelegate endorsement. Senator Obama is now 291 delegates away from winning the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination.

This follows Obama's endorsement from PCUN, Oregon's farmworker union (Northwest Treeplanters and Farmworkers United / Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste).

This is a boy (in front of a bunch of women). Pic by Todd Cooper

I think we all know now that Geoff Davis, a 49-year-old white man, a member of the House of Representatives and a Republican, called the 46-year-old biracial Barack Obama, Senator and candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, a "boy."

Actually, he called him "That boy."

As in: "I'm going to tell you something: That boy's finger does not need to be on the button."

Want to hear the whole thing? It's online here.

This is not a boy. Pic by Todd Cooper.

OK. White people, we've got a problem here. It's not ONLY a Southern problem, that's for sure — though hearing a Southerner call Obama "that boy" does make the skin crawl (as does the applause that follows from the GOP audience).

Apparently, some white people are having a hard time understanding that the centuries of slavery and Jim Crow, in which white men (and women) called black men "boy" not only to reinforce dominance but to remove individuality, means that's there's no good way for a white person, especially a white guy from Kentucky or other parts of the South, to call a black man "boy." And that this usage, like calling elderly African American men "Uncle" or black women "Mammy" or black girls "pickaninny," is not only not acceptable, but it's racist. Er, duh.

As one commenter said, if you don't see the problem, "You need to watch Roots again." (Um, or for the first time. It's pretty damn powerful.)

However, if you'd like to read some of the more ridiculous comments, check out Marc Ambinder's blog post for The Atlantic and Yahoo's totally asking for bullshit "answers" feature post on this topic. And there are many more out in the blogosphere, including some comments on the originating (reported) post that I linked to above.

Makes me reconsider the headline of that Salon article I wrote about on Sunday ("Hey, Obama boys: Back off, already!") I'm pretty sure the headline referred to young white men, but ... yeah.