Sunday, January 13, 2008

BET Founder Attacks Obama for Playing Race Card



“And to me, as an African-American, I am frankly insulted that the Obama campaign would imply that we are so stupid that we would think Hillary and Bill Clinton, who have been deeply and emotionally involved in black issues since Barack Obama was doing something in the neighborhood –­ and I won’t say what he was doing, but he said it in the book –­ when they have been involved.”

- Robert L. Johnson, Founder of BET


Robert L. Johnson, the founder of Black Entertainment Television, who is campaigning today in South Carolina with Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, just made a suggestion that raised the specter of Barack Obama’s past drug use. He also compared Mr. Obama to Sidney Poitier, the black actor, in “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.”


At a rally here for Mrs. Clinton at Columbia College, Mr. Johnson was defending recent comments that Mrs. Clinton made regarding Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. She did not mean to take any credit away from him, Mr. Johnson said, when she said that it took President Johnson to sign the civil rights legislation he fought for.


Dr. King had led a “moral crusade,” Mr. Johnson said, but such crusades have to be “written into law.”
“That is the way the legislative process works in this nation and that takes political leadership,” he said. “That’s all Hillary was saying.”

He then added: “And to me, as an African-American, I am frankly insulted that the Obama campaign would imply that we are so stupid that we would think Hillary and Bill Clinton, who have been deeply and emotionally involved in black issues since Barack Obama was doing something in the neighborhood –­ and I won’t say what he was doing, but he said it in the book –­ when they have been involved.”

Moments later, he added: “That kind of campaign behavior does not resonate with me, for a guy who says, ‘I want to be a reasonable, likable, Sidney Poitier ‘Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.’ And I’m thinking, I’m thinking to myself, this ain’t a movie, Sidney. This is real life.”

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

Obama's campaign is imploding and his base is under suspicion for being undercover republicans using Barack as a spoiler. The majority of Obamans have claimed they'd vote republican if not for him. So they're not democrats anyway. This is disturbing that they might be trying(unsuccessfully) to take over the democratic party in a hostile manner just to promote the republicans. Not only does it inflate the numbers for him,but for the party as well. We need to consolidate the party by renewing the pledge among all candidates to support the eventual winner,no matter who that may be. Obama needs to cut loose those McCain/ Obama fencesitters that are just scamming him. I'd rather know now how many are voting on issues,than find out later they pulled the lever for a red. Come clean Obama and let's see how many supporters you really have. Then pledge your intentions on a third party bid. Democrat or not? Spoiler or not?

Anonymous said...

Jeremy, you are losing all objectivity. The Obama campaign has never intiated the discussion of race. It has all come from stupid comments from Clinto herself regarding Martin Luther King. Obama has never responded to this, but the black voters have and are outraged.

The real story is that this BET joker like Shaheen in New Hampshire tried to tarnish Obama with a smear about drugs. This along with Cuomo's Shuckin' and Jivin' and Bill's fairytale diatribe all go to show that the Clintons are really getting worried and are resorting to mudslinging.

Anonymous said...

You have done this to yourselves. Social progressives have moved society to be so ULTRA sensitive, ANY criticism of a minority, can and will be seen as race based. It is just all so enjoyable to see the democrats attempt to dance to the same music republicans have been forced to dance to, especially Hillary.

She now has reverted to using black spokesmen to address race related issues. In her little mind, it seems clever enough to work. But it won't.

Anonymous said...

Obama's "base under suspicion for being undercover republicans." Do you listen to yourself? you sound like a conspiracy theorist. The guy is the most liberal of all the candidates in the dem primary. I am sure all those people endorsing him are closet republicans too. Yes, I can see it now, all the republicans just giving up their votes in the republican primary to vote in the dem. one. You are the only one in the country not being tricked by these shenanigans. Thank goodness. I am sure an independent bid by Obama would certainly help his career in the Senate as well. What are you talking about?

Anonymous said...

10-16 Hillary NEVER said anything dismissive or denigrating about MLK. This was an invention of an Obama supporter. It was reported word for word and played on CNN. Johnson referred to Obama's organizing, and again an Obama supporter claimed falsely that he was referring to drug use. Cuomo's "shuckin' and jivin'" is just silly to call a racial slur. And Bill Clinton using "fairy tale" to describe Obama's distortion of his record to make himself look like he had never changed his position is absolutely appropriate. Your anti-Clinton repertoire is like faux news channel dribble. Obama is so desperate that he's getting his supporters to turn nasty and they are hateful anti-democratic scum. If he can't win over everyone,then he'll flush the whole party. Some uniter! Bradley scenario all over. It's ruining Obama's future in politics permanently and you're helping.

Anonymous said...

Jeremy,

Do you think Rich Cahill has ever
watched B.E.T.?

Anonymous said...

Did anyone watch Little Richie nasty show tonight? Your 'vast'
insight of criminal law?....Please
If Rich if I have you as as a lawyer
[And I would not] Mom Dad call the DA to make a deal!

Richie.....You need Ritalin

Anonymous said...

Did any one see Former Alderboy
Cahill on tonight's show?

Please a knowledge of criminal law
Rich?? Please.....Mom or Dad if I ever get in trouble and you hire the Former Alderboy.......Make a deal with the DA.......FAST!

Richie 30 CC of Ritalin will fix you up.

Tell dad not to pick his nose OK??

Yankee James said...

So much racism out there!

The funny thing about it is that BOTH of them would probably spit in my face if they had the chance to! (Think about it)

Anonymous said...

1:03-Just how do you explain people being torn between Obama and McCain? Obama is far left and McCain is far right. What are they schizo? I know the weather does things to people in NH but telling pollsters that you support Obama and turning out to vote McCain is just absurd.

Anonymous said...

We know the people in NH were republicans that flipped to McCain at the last minute. Why were they supporting Obama? Did he blind them with bright shiny rhetoric or were they deliberately misleading the pollsters and press? In states with open primaries,the ability to screw the other side is well known. The democrats are today conspiring to vote for Romney in Michigan to screw McCain. It's called the "liberals for Romney" campaign. 1:03 is a little slow on the uptake. He'll(she'll) catch up. Last night the Obama campaign caught on and came out to support the democratic platform and the Clintons in particular. The Clintons responded in kind. We'll see who foments the race card and expose them. Dumbass Lou Dobbs pretaped his show and got caught being stupid again. He really needs to stop guzzling the booze. Yankee James is right,there is a lot of racism out there.

Anonymous said...

Just what was Obama doing back in Illinois "back in the day?"

Another blossoming conspiracy theorist, I would like to point out that John Wayne Gacy was also very involved in Democratic politics and the church --- in Illinois --- and (i think) Iowa -- AND that Reverend Jim Jones ("Guyana Massacre") was an Illinois boy, early on as well, who was reputedly taken under his wing by a intelligence operative, given a "Hallelujah" "magic" tour (specializing in illusions and mind control) in South America, etc.

Jones was allegedly associated with some Marxist and/or communist group, the "Peoples Temple" (his own development) --- and the (ahem) Disciples of Christ... (like Ronald Reagan) and he was apparently much loved in religious and political circles (once in CA.) --- until he stuck his constituents in what was fundamentally a concentration camp (Guyana) ---- subjected them to all forms of horrid abuses, brainwashing and suicide drills --- all of which led to mass cultic suicide (men,women and children) or (take your pick) murder.

Anyone make note of how long Gacy and Jones (whilst rolling in political glory...) got away with committing horrendous crimes? Or of how many alleged victims, earlier on, had been ignored entirely by the police and mass media?

Anonymous said...

Clint Brown always has BET on.

Anonymous said...

What does Clint Brown BET on?

Anonymous said...

Yeah religious indoctrination brings out the best in people huh? I can tell you this,kids today are being watched very closely if they exhibit the religion defect in schools. In the next decade,religious practice will not be accepted as normal psychiatric behavior.

Anonymous said...

Who has Clint Brown backed?

Yankee James said...

Who cares what the BET founder thinks? I'm concerned with what the WET founder thinks!

Oh wait...there is no WET! (White Entertainment Television) How foolish of me! It would be "racist" to "target" young White viewers...wouldn't it?


From Wikipedia:

"Black Entertainment Television is an American cable network based in Washington, D.C. targeted toward young African-American and urban audiences in the United States." The network is commonly referred to as BET and most of its programming comprises hip-hop and R&B music videos"

Anonymous said...

Hey don't lump me in with those "whites", we german-americans have to have our own network.Lol.

Anonymous said...

There are comments on this blog, in the newspapers and by the talking heads on both radio and TV disparaging Barack Obama for what they consider empty rhetoric. Obama has accomplished quite a bit as a Senator, both in Illinois and DC. Here are links to 4 different articles about Obama that discuss his considerable accomplishments and his ability to unite people.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/30/us/politics/30obama.htm?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1200424094-AU/gwQnVCOah+EyRihOELg
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/08/AR2007020802262_pf.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/03/AR2008010303303.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/20/us/politics/20ethics.html

Please read these articles before dismissing Obama.

Gary Bischoff

Anonymous said...

Gary-you're missing the point. Nobody is dismissing Obama. It's the phony support he's getting that's being exposed. The massive base that he had was inflated by republicans that were and are using him as a frontman for their anti-Hillary movement. This whole rift was an invention by unscrupulous psuedo-supporters. Real Obama supporters don't switch to the republican side if he doesn't do well.

Anonymous said...

Bill Bennett just exposed himself on the Situation Room as a conspirator in this Obama/Clinton thing. I told you it was republicans. I bet every one of them will stuck their heads up now.

Anonymous said...

4:57, rumors on the internet is what damages the value of information we CAN get. Bill Bennett admitting a conspiracy? Give me a break!

BTW, Jeremy, why don't you add a thread here on your blog, discussing the violation of Democratic Party By Laws just witnessed yesterday in Michigan? You seemed pretty adamant with regards to Ringwood's violations. ALL the democratic candidates abided by these laws but one.

Anonymous said...

8:12-Bill Bennett exposed himself by fomenting misinformation to further this supposed feud between Obama and Clinton. Read before making such stupid comments. It is a fact not rumor. Republicans commonly mistake fact for fiction and justify it by changing the text to suit their needs. Clinton did not campaign in Michigan in violation of DNC rules. Another lying and sleazy republican allegation. There was no obligation to withdraw your name. Whenever a republican opens his mouth these days,you know they're lying.

Anonymous said...

4:57 You're a liar. Hillary didn't break any rules and there were other democrats on the ballot as well. Nobody said Bill "the gambling junkie" Bennett admitted anything. He wouldn't admit losing ten million dollars in one year either. Sleazy liars like you are the ones putting out rumors. You're either a republican or a phony Obaman. Same thing.

Anonymous said...

Check Reuters dude.

Democrats also held a primary in Michigan but a dispute over the date of the vote led the national party to strip the state of its delegates to this summer's presidential nominating convention, making the contest meaningless.

So you see, the National DNC has stripped the state of Michigan it's right to delegate. NOT A RUMOR! Bennett IS A RUMOR

Anonymous said...

11:13 there you go again,lying,then changing subjects to suit your lies. You must be spinning to keep your lies straight. Re-read what was said,then try to respond to actual statements instead of lies. You are a sleazy example of republicanism. You said Bennett "admitted" and falsly attributed it to someone else,then accused them of putting out a rumor. You lied about breaking party rules,then tried to restate a different issue to justify your lie. You're a pathetic loser.