Gimmicks, Race, and the RNC

I have lived in several Red states all of my life. Born and raised in the Magnolia State, lived for a stint in the swamp lands of Louisiana, and I am raising my kids in the volunteer state of Tennessee. I will always be the girl from Mississippi and I learned to love cultural diversity from Louisiana, but the great state of Tennessee has help shaped my world view more so than any of the other states. All have taught me that a Repub does not make a conservative and every conservative is not a Repub.

The Grand Ole party not only has a visual image problem but it is in a place that we normally see Demos; absent of leadership, trying to figure out who they are and what group is their base. President Bush's fall from grace made the Repubs' reputation take a nosedive in the area of public trust and perception. Big government and outrageous spending that would feel right at home with the Demos, seemed to cloak the Bush Administration like a warm blanket. A message was sent in 2006 that the country was not happy with business as usual, but it took the elections of 2008 to really nail the casket shut. Many folks were buried alive politically. A few, however, managed to dig themselves out of their Rovian graveyard. But hanging out with the walking dead is only popular among morticians and grave diggers.

Senator McCain's decision to pick Governor Palin was brilliant in strategy, but dumb in execution. Clinton supporters were yelling and screaming to the high heavens for a minute there. They would have voted Strawberry Short Cake in office immediately following Senator Clinton's primary defeat because they wanted a woman so badly. A cartoon character would have sufficed as long as she was a female. Picking a woman was a good call for McCain but the plan lacked intelligence. Those 18 million cracks needed sealing. Gov. Romney (IMHO) would have been a deal sealer and would have made those of us who were hurting in the pocket feel safe and secure (money wise). Many moderate Repubs would have spent more time analyzing the issues than wondering if Palin was sane or not.

Watching Palin come unglued right before America's eyes, was not how to win an election. It was at times too painful to watch. Palin and that hail Mary pass was a gimmick and it backfired on the Repub party. Senator Obama went on to become our 44th President. Folks had enough of buffoonery and gimmicks.

Now, the RNC is trying the same gimmicky move with Michael Steele. Electing a black man to prove that the RNC is up for the challenge of becoming more diverse and inclusive will be tested earlier than later. Race, gender, faith, and sexual orientation will ALL be part of the diversity dialogue with the good folks at the RNC. Many of these conversation have not been had in my neck of the woods. As a matter of fact, some on this list are not even considered. I live in the land where the "Happy Negro" song originated. I socialize and do business with Repubs and Conservs daily. Michael Steele WILL NOT bring diversity to the RNC is my hunch based on my years of sitting at my grandfather's feet listening to him discuss politics. Daddy believed strongly "never try to play tricks with folks, you will get burned every time!"

Diversity is a state of being, a mindset if you will, not all about color. Having a black man in charge does not rally the troops, especially if the troops tend to see things in black and white. Mainly white. Ask Speaker Pelosi and she will confirm my assertion. Well, maybe not publicly.

It will take daily efforts of being totally intentional in reaching out to minorities,women, and everyone else from now until 2012 to make any headway in that area. It take years to break down barriers and it is rarely done in one election cycle. I remember attending McCain/Palin rallies and personally hearing "terrorist", "monkey", "nigger" and the like to the tunes of many of my beloved CMA songs. I was sent the Magic Negro CD for Christmas. Folks will not forget these enduring heart to heart monologues and shouts of love quickly.

I enjoy hearing both sides of any argument. I love to make my decisions based not on a party view but what is the greater good for my family, my business, my customers, and of course my country. I plan to visit Mr. Steele in DC when I make my annual trips for several legislative days that I will be attending regarding women and minorities in business, and an industry meeting. I am hoping that he will not give me lip service or talking points. I have shared with him in the past that forming a group to help speak to diversity issues does make an organization diverse or even open to diversity. Often diversity is only a side topic or regulated to a department in many non-minority organizations. I belong to several. Many of these organizations rarely sit in meetings and say "hey, we need more diversity". They see me and believe "we are covered". It only happens if pressure from the outside, and in rare cases from the inside, address the issues and then and only then a mad dash is made to pull a "token" somebody to fit the agenda of looking diverse. How many times I have seen this? Let me count the ways!

I am part of a group, at the moment, where everyone on our committee is coming to the same conclusion that the organization is only giving the group lip service and has very little intention in becoming more diverse. The staff is non-color, the board is non-color, and the few of us trying to make a difference, have gotten tired of the step-children antics that are being played out right in front of us. At a time where diversity is very IN, and folks are scrambling to at least pretend they see EVERYBODY, some folks are still slow to embrace diversity and inclusiveness. Even when it is presented as good business model vs. it is the right to thing to do. Money usually can get every ones' attention. Usually. Change has come to Washington, but not everyone is going to change.

Michael Steele has a huge task ahead of him, if he is to bring the RNC closer to the year 2002 by reaching out to embrace others (and by others, I do mean others) than where it is now, 1964. Mr. Steele's success will be determined if the RNC see a need to be inclusive. He will be the the Toast of the Town and not a piece of light bread. I do hope he is successful although I think the motives are suspect. But even good things can come from bad intentions. At least it will be a learning curve for participants as well as spectators. One thing about toast, it must be watched because it can easily burn.

General Colin Powell Shares his Views

In a move straight from the set of the Maverick, General Colin Powell endorses Senator Obama. General Powell, respected by Demos and Repubs alike, broke with the Repub Party and stated that he was voting for Obama. Powell is not the first but he is one of the most influential Repubs that have thrown their support behind the Senator from Illinois.

Here is a quote from the interview:
"Mr. McCain says that he's a washed up terrorist, but then why do we keep talking about him? And why do we have the robocalls going on around the country trying to suggest that because of this very, very limited relationship that Senator Obama has had with Mr. Ayers, somehow Mr. Obama is tainted. What they're trying to connect him to is some kind of terrorist feelings. And I think that's inappropriate. Now, I understand what politics is all about, I know how you can go after one another and that's good. But I think this goes too far, and I think it has made the McCain campaign look a little narrow. It's not what the American people are looking for."

The next two weeks of this campaign will be a nail biter for sure. I am stocking up on my popcorn. Watching how the crazies on the left and right on the don't-believe-a word-they-say-news spend Powell's endorsement is going to be entertaining for sure.

Endorsements for the most part do not matter, but this one can not be overlooked by either side of the isle. As my granddaddy would say, it ain't over 'til it is over.

Say it ain't so; Joe's no plumber

Joe Wurzelbacher, "Joe the plumber", learned a big lesson this week about pollies and the media. Both will stroke your fires when they need air time and flatter you to no end. But the minute they smell the smoke they helped create, they spend the rest of the time throwing gasoline on the fire. "Joe the plumber" needs a fire truck from Engine 212 ASAP.

"Joe the plumber" (as he is know in affectionate and despicable terms at the same time) welcome to fifteen minutes of fame. Joe's name was mentioned twenty six times during the presidential debate on Wednesday night. Thursday morning, Joe was in desperate need of an press agent and a few talking points. By the way, Joe's name is really Samuel which he will probably start using again. He was declared the winner by many, including me, of the final presidential debate. Anytime a plumber consumes the attention of a candidate that has never met him, you are the winner.

The clip of Joe asking the Demo candidate about his tax plan and how it would hurt "his business" was shown hundreds of times by every crazy pundit on cable and network news. He was the toast of the town. But it does not take but a few seconds to burn toast. After a minute of vetting Joe, it has been revealed that Joe does not own a business, does not have a license to do business, and is not required to have a plumber's license. Hold up, wait a minute! I am okay with his questioning taxes and the like, but please have your crap together. Do not give the stupid pundits any reason to make you look like an idiot. It will not be long before we see an exclusive of a few customers who are unhappy with the work that Joe has performed in the past. Say-it-ain't-so-Joe before long, Joe will need a fire hydrant outside his home.

In the pest control industry, we can not service a client's home or business without being certified or licensed. We can not operator a business without a charter which must be inspected by the state. We can not advertise our business without meeting these litmus tests. This is the law. So how is Joe making his money, the pest control operators are asking?

As a business owner in the pest control industry, I would not want an unlicensed, non-certified person representing me or my industry. No, Joe was not speaking for his industry but we are going to forever associate him with plumbers. By the way the national union for plumbers release this statement to The Hill.com


Plumbers union rips McCain on ‘Joe the Plumber’
By Chris Good
Posted: 10/16/08 03:54 PM [ET]
United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry (UA) says Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) "manufactured outrage" over Democratic rival Sen. Barack Obama's (Ill.) tax plan in last night's debate by invoking the now-famous — or infamous — "Joe the Plumber."

"Last night John McCain made Joe the Plumber a household name. His manufactured outrage on behalf of Joe would be a lot more believable if his economic plan had anything to do with helping working people deal with the economic crisis," UA Assistant General President Steve Kelly said in a statement released Thursday afternoon.

The UA union claims to be the first organization of any kind to endorse Obama in the presidential race. It did so Jan. 9, 2008.

Joe Wurzelbacher, the now-famous Toledo, Ohio plumber who sparred with Obama over taxes at a campaign event in his hometown, is not a UA member, a UA staffer told The Hill.

The UA staffer claimed that Wurzelbacher is a member of the Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC), a non-union trade group that has endorsed McCain.

Gail Raiman, vice president of public affairs at ABC, stated in an e-mail that Wurzelbacher reportedly works for Newell Construction in Toledo, Ohio, which is a residential contractor. ABC, Raiman stated, “represents commercial and industrial contractors, not residential contractors.”

Neither Wurzelbacher nor Newell Construction is a member of ABC, Raiman stressed.

The UA staffer noted that Wurzelbacher does not hold a plumber's license in the state of Ohio, though Wurzelbacher says he does not need a license as he works for someone else.

"Unlike McCain's, Obama's outrage for the middle class is real. He will turn us in a new direction, not keep us on the same, tired old path of the Bush years," Kelly said, going on to blast McCain's tax proposal.

"McCain's plan gives massive tax giveaways to CEOs and mega-corporations while leaving working families out in the cold. At a time when our economy is bleeding jobs, McCain also opposes investment in infrastructure spending, which would create good jobs and help put our economy back on solid footing."

Geez. I thought it was crazy killing bugs and dealing with the industry's big bug stompers, I can not imagine the sh**, I mean fallout the plumbers will be dealing with because of their new found media star, Sam...I mean Joe. So much for calling a plumber for the truth.

Go vote, then call a LICENSED pest control company.

A Plumber won the Final Debate of 2008

Joe Wurzelbacher, "Joe the Plumber", was the clear winner of the final debate of the 2008 Presidential election. I thought that it was befitting since so much poop was thrown out that a plumber was truly needed to flush out the truth. As always, I strongly encourage you to check facts before you repeat a statement from either candidate.

A partial list of the major blunders from Factcheck.org are listed below:

Spin and hype were apparent, once again, at the third and final debate between McCain and Obama:

* McCain claimed the liberal group ACORN “is now on the verge of maybe perpetrating one of the greatest frauds in voter history ... maybe destroying the fabric of democracy.” In fact, a Republican prosecutor said of the first and biggest ACORN fraud case: “[T]his scheme was not intended to permit illegal voting.” He said $8-an-hour workers turned in made-up voter registration forms rather than doing what ACORN paid them to do.

* McCain said “Joe the plumber” faced “much higher taxes” under Obama’s tax plan and would pay a fine under Obama’s health care plan if he failed to provide coverage for his workers. But Ohio plumber Joe Wurzelbacher would pay higher taxes only if the business he says he wants to buy puts his income over $200,000 a year, and his small business would be exempt from Obama’s requirement to provide coverage for workers.

* Obama repeated a dubious claim that his health care plan will cut the average family’s premiums by $2,500 a year. Experts have found that figure to be overly optimistic.

* McCain claimed that Obama’s real “object” is a government-run, single-payer health insurance system like those in Canada or England. The McCain campaign points to a quote from five years ago, when Obama told a labor gathering that he was “a proponent of a single-payer health care program.” But Obama has since qualified his enthusiasm for Canadian-style health care, and his current proposal is nothing like that.

* Obama incorrectly claimed all of McCain’s ads had been “negative.” That was true for one recent week, but not over the entire campaign. And at times Obama has run a higher percentage of attack ads than McCain.

* McCain described Colombia as the "largest agricultural importer of our products." Actually, Canada imports the most U.S. farm products, and Colombia is far down the list.

* Obama strained to portray himself as willing to break ranks with fellow Democrats. His prime example was his vote for a bill that was supported by 18 Democrats and opposed by 26. Congressional Quarterly rates him as voting with his party 97 percent of the time since becoming a U.S. senator.


A detailed analysis of the debate is listed at www.factcheck.org. The debate was boring and for all the hype given to "whipping his you know what" and the "say it to my face" talk on cable-don't-believe-the pundits-news-networks, the candidates would not have gotten a crowd at my Catholic School playground. No street fighting here. No even a good school yard dust up!

I did appreciate the "kill him" comments being addressed or in this case, not answered. I think all grown men and women should be responsible for their actions. As for McCain's facial expressions, his looks would have made a blind man laugh. Only a few more weeks to go folks, hang in there. In the meantime, if you are looking for the truth call a plumber.

It Ain't Over until It's Over

There are sure signs in the air that the talking heads and fake news pundits contracts are coming to a close. Every channel has someone declaring a winner and a loser. November 4 is over two weeks away. Being ahead in the polls does not make one a winner. First lesson in Joe Jackson's school of street fighting politics. It ain't over until it is over. You do not stop campaigning until the campaign is over. You fight to the end.

So what is my beef? We have given away common sense thinking to the 24 news cycle. Gloom and doom or psyche and fear. That is all we hear. McCain may act insane but he has risen from the ashes several times. In a million years, I would never have thought McCain would be the Repub select for 2008. Who knew? I know my man Romney is sitting at home going "what the hell happened?"

Do not forget about 2000? A winner was not declared until several months later. History has a way of revisiting the present.

My granddaddy would have never declared a winner before midnight on the day of election. And that was back in the days of the old trusted paper ballot. No tricked out voting machines in his day. Folks are out buying meat to barbecue already, planning their "galas" for the Demos sweep through out the country. How tacky is that! Mississippi folks know their manners...you plan a fish fry with fresh catfish (from the Delta of course)!

It ain't over til it is over! Got to run, today is the first day of early voting in Tennessee.

Just Vote!

Genma Holmes Speaks to McCain's supporter James T. Harris

Last week James T. Harris, a talk show host and McCain's supporter, made national news when he begged McCain to take it to Obama at a rally for McCain. I had never heard of Mr. Harris until the clips of him were replayed repeatedly. I was instantly intrigued and wanted to find out more about him.

Mr. Harris remarks were not something that many have not heard before. What made Mr. Harris stand out was the fact that he was a man of color in sea of white faces yelling "take it to him". The crowd, according to the pundits, were angry and upset. Two other men spoke of their frustrations with the McCain campaign as well, but Mr. Harris got most of the attention from the talking heads and media critics. He has been the subject of several talk shows over the last few days.

On Friday, several national radio programs played Mr. Harris remarks through out the day and left us with much to digest over the weekend. There were many theories on why he would say what he said to the crowd. The cries that he was a plant or paid by the McCain camp from people of color got my investigative juices flowing and I went to work. I did my faithful Internet research and decided to give him a call. I have always been one to get it from the source, the talking heads are paid to spew their mindless garbage and it is hard to know what is the truth from our news junkets anymore. Instead of spending the entire weekend waiting to see how this will be played out on Monday,I decided to ask questions why the topic was hot. God knows, this week, we will have something else to talk about.

Mr. Harris show is on the weekend lineup for his station, 620 WTMJ. After finding his time slot, I waited to see what the fuss was all about. I listened to the first hour of the show and called his producer the second hour. During the first hour, he took calls from only those who supported his statements to McCain. He shared about the level of hate mail and death threats that he was now getting. He asked his callers "did they see anything wrong with what he said"? Now that made me pause, because he stated at the beginning of the show he only wanted to hear from those who supported his statements. The lines were on fire, according to Mr. Harris. This gave me time to listen to his style and check out his website as well. He is a Repub through and through. He was raised in a Demo family but became a Repub later in life. In Nashville, Black Repub capital of America, he would be right at home.

I had two questions for Mr. Harris. I told the producer my first one and saved the second one for on the air. Our initial greetings were pleasantries and nicies (as I was taught by my granddad to say). Manners count when you are from the South. Besides he had the power to cut me off at any time. He mentioned he had a cousin from Mississippi who was concerned about his safety and I went there with the whole "I am from Mississippi too". You may laugh but that one liner has opened more doors for me than I can count. Back to Mr. Harris.

My first question was how does it feel to receive hate mail and death threats the same way Obama gets? Oh, yes I did. I think it is important to understand what others feel and maybe just maybe we can give each other grace. We discussed what he meant about taking Obama on and hitting him where it hurts. My concern with him was that he can say one thing to an audience and the audience may have a different take on the meaning of those words. In Mississippi, an angry crowd of white folks was never a reason for black people to celebrate. We went home and locked our doors and prayed. Many people(black and white, Jew or Gentile)can recall what happens when you see a group of angry folks getting together and wanting to make things happen. My granddaddy told us enough stories that I do not have to go looking for a group of angry people, black or white.

My second question, why he did not wear the attire in his publicity photos to McCain's rally? In his publicity photos, he would have been mistaken for a Muslim easily. He said his wife told him not to wear that. He went on to state that he was in line and one of the organizer recognized him brought up front.

I tried to load the radio link on this post but could not get it to cooperate with me. Hearing it first hand is so much better and you can come to your own conclusion about him. In the link I am providing, if you move the dial button to almost half way, you will get our ten minute conversation. He was pleasant with me.

My concern comes from my years of being a Mississippi brat. You do not agitate a group of angry folks and do not think violence will not happen. If we are going to have a campaign, let us do it with out the mob mentality. Remarks like "kill him" and "off with his head" should be saved for your children football games where cries of dissent are respected and welcomed. Okay, yes I do get rowdy at my kids games but I do not view the opposing team as terrorists.

Whether you are a Demo or Repub the rules are the same. Race baiting is becoming a familiar theme in too many elections. Mr. Harris did not give me an answer about why he did not wear the publicity photo clothing to the event. I have a strong sense that he would not have been on the front row, nor would he have been given a mic to share his views. Less than three weeks left to in the campaign season. Thank God. I do not think I can take any more.

James T. Moore 10-11-08 Hour 2
http://www.620wtmj.com/podcasts/jamestharris/30846109.html?video=pop&t=a

The Eyes of the Nation Are on Nashville

For the last several months, Belmont University and the city of Nashville have been preparing for the Presidential Debate. There will be viewing parties across the country and throughout our great city. I will be inside seeing the debate live and in person. I have gotten several calls over the weekend asking me to attend several meet and greets, I mean donor parties, for the Presidential Candidates. To meet Obama with Governor Bredesen at his home is going for $2500 and to meet McCain a cool $1500.

I told the supporters since I am still counting my pennies left over from the Wall Street mess, "thanks, but no thanks". I did managed to throw out my media credentials with Inspired Living Magazine and will be able to get a few photos snapped for the media outlet. Daddy would be proud. Not one cent spent to hob nob with the few people with money left in the city.

I will be updating throughout the day on the happenings around the city. Hopefully, no one will suspend their campaign before Tuesday or no late breaking news that the sky is falling.