Sen. Barack Obama, the first black candidate seen as having a viable chance of being elected president, is also enjoying another first. Rolling Stone endorsed the presidential hopeful last week marking the first time the magazine has made an endorsement for a candidate during the primaries.
“Politicians with gifts like Obama’s are so rare that it’s imperative for each of us to do our part,” Rolling Stone editors write.
Obama covers the March 20 issue, which hit stands on Friday, and the website also features a photo history of Obama from his childhood years to the national stage.
SHARPTON THREATENS LAWSUIT
(Photo: Splash)
Civil rights/social justice activist Al Sharpton is threatening to sue the Democratic National Committee (DNC) if it counts Florida’s primary results in the official presidential delegates tally.
Sharpton will be compiling lists of residents who did not vote because they thought none of the votes would count after the DNC stripped Florida of its delegates as punishment for moving its primary earlier in the year.
Although Sharpton has not endorsed a candidate, some have said his efforts in Florida will benefit Obama.
Read the article in its entirety.
STATES TO VOTE ON AFFIRMATIVE ACTION BAN
When election time rolls around in November, voters in Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma will decide whether they want to do away with affirmative action in government-funded projects and public schools.
(Photo: American Civil Rights Institute)Ward Connerly, founder and chairman of the American Civil Rights Institute – a national, not-for-profit organization aimed at educating the public about the need to move beyond race and, specifically, racial and gender preferences, is the main backer of the ballot initiative, dubbed the Civil Rights Initiative. The initiative has already passed in California, Michigan and Washington.
The 37 word initiative would read:
“The state shall not discriminate against or grant preferential treatment to any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin in the operation of public employment, public education or public contracting.”
Connerly said, “it would forbid any state or local agency or special district from engaging in preferential treatment.
Read the article in its entirety.
I’m still pulling for Obama,even through he did win here in OH. Which I was surprised he didn’t.
ok…well i wanna know who CONCRETELOOP is endorsing for President???? We have been waiting………..
and it better be Obama…or i will hate yall forever..
Congrats to Obama on the cover and endorcement!
Al Sharpton get on my nerves sometimes but I can appreciate his efforts (and I’m not even from FL).
If Hillary is so honest, trustworthy and fair then why is she fighting so hard to keep those Michigan delegates when some candidates (including Obama) didn’t even have their names on the ballot? Where is the logic in that?
Sambo is still at work in 08 trying to get rid of affirmative action…..hell just run a criminal background check and you can eliminate a large number of blacks from the applicant pool (mostly drug offenses committed before age 20). So there is no need for them to use this tactic to keep blacks out of jobs.
Go Obama! Maybe he will appeal to an even wider range of the population.
al sharpton is soo annoying. go away al!
i’m conflicted about th affirmative action ban. part of me thinks we need no ban but another part of me knows that if we want to be treated equally, wouldn’t we have to set the example. i mean affirmative action is for women as well and i think it’s interesting that it was turned into a race thing.
@ The Wire Addict
I though it was pretty much obvious…
OBAMA IS NOT BLACK! He is Bi racial just as much black as he is white. If not more seeing that he was raised by his white side of the family. I never understand how people are so quick to call a biracial person black over white as if black blood is so poisonous that it infects and takes over everything else. But anyway, OBAMA 08!!
And what the hell is wrong with this site? Why are the letters cut off all the time, and how come im always being told the internet cant find yall server? I love this site but yall have more computer problems than anyone in the world. Do yall use limewire or something because that shit is like cancer to a computer.
@#8. Yes. Barack’s mother was white but in general he is still black. That’s not to ignore his mothers side, but he is considered. I mean if someone was to ask Barack about his heritage, then of course his mother would be mentioned.
Congrats to Barack for being endorsed by RS. It should definitely give him more exposure, and on a positive note.
Hillary supporters should really consider wrapping it up. I have a strong feeling that Barack will wrap this nomination up before the August convention arrives. I really do. Here’s to hoping. Even if the super delegates shall make the final decision, it will be smart and very wise to make Barack Obama our Democratic nominee. They have to look way deep into. They can’t just look at experience and who has won the states that matter. In the end, every state matters. I say the super delegates should look at who has won the most delegates. states, caucuses, the popular vote, and so on. They should take a really close look into who American’s really want as their president. Barack is the obvious choice. I believe he will put up an excellent fight if it shall come down to the convention.
Al Sharpton shouldn’t sweat Florida. I am actually one of the people who are hoping that they do a recount. If people were thinking clearly, they’d realize that this isn’t exactly a bad thing. It will actually help Obama. Of course with the delegates. Here’s to hoping that PA is Clinton’s last.
I have a subscription to Rolling Stone and I am happy to hear that Barack is on the cover. I can’t wait to read the article.
LOVE THE COVER W/ OBAMA ON IT!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wonder where Ward Connerly would be if it weren’t for affirmative action?
Talk about kicking the ladder after you’ve climbed it.
Hilary Clinton is wrong if she continue to push for the MICH and FL votes to count. In my opinion she is sranding in her own way and will have herself to thank win she LOSES the race to the white house
GO OBAMA!!
standing
obama is definitely making history. wow!
I was just talking about Ward Connerly, it’s funny because if it wasn’t for affirmitive action he wouldn’t have a job lol. I am from California and it’s not like African Americans were getting any further due to affirmitive action so it staying or leaving dosn’t even matter.
I can honestly say that I have lost all respect for Clinton. How could she consciously say that she wants the delegates sat in FL and MI when it wasn’t a fair contest? I live in FL, and Barack wasn’t even in the state to campaign, and he still won a large part of the state. I’m sure he would’ve done well in Michigan if he were actually on the ballot. Charlie Crist, the Republican governor of FL is all for re-doing the vote, on the state’s tab. Not sure why the DNC hasn’t taken him up on that… If they seat the FL and MI delegates w/o a revote, it will divide the party.
Obama 08!
THE COVER IS SICK!!!! That’s pretty major right there. The man makes me PROUD!!!
Obama ’08
w——#13 asked: “I wonder where Ward Connerly would be if it weren’t for affirmative
———action?”
===================================================
————-That’s a good question!
Also, his claim that the ACRI is a national, “not-for-profit” organization” is
one big farce! Trust me…he has profited big time!
I I agree with number~~o wait i can’t even tell what number they are becuase the damn page is cut the hell off..This site gets on my last nerves when they got computer problems! Then if you can’t read the first few letters or numbers then the site cuts off..SMDH! Yall get it together over there! Thank you
I haven’t commented lately, but I too have wondered about what’s going on with the site. I haven’t spent as much time on here because I can’t read the comments. I’m having to guess at what words are being used. Angel…help.
affirmative action even being able to exist is the nation subtly admitting that there must be equity in how minorities are treated…get real guy…RACISM STILL ALIVE THEY JUST BE CONCEALIN IT~~Kanye West : )
That’s weird. I can see everything. I hate that the margin thing is happening to you guys. I hope the problem is solved soon.
Obama looks great on the cover. Sharpton normally gets on my nerves but I agree with him on this one. Florida and Michigan should not be counted.
This margin issue on the J. Dakar posts is getting very obnoxious and I notice it seems to happen to his posts mostly.
yeah…those interruption ads and “internet can’t display page” crap…boo
Obama looks great on the cover. Sharpton normally gets on my nerves but I agree with him on this one. Florida and Michigan should not be counted.
OBAMA O8!! Although I would vote for either he or Hillary once a democratic nominee has been determined.
Ward Connerly is an Uncle Tom for sure! He helped to abolish affirmative action programs in Michigan where I’m from. They have the nerve to call it the Civil Rights Initiative, which I think fooled a lot of people into signing the petition that enabled the proposal to get on the ballot in Michigan and in some other states including California. Whoever said he probably wouldn’t have a job if it weren’t for affirmative action is right lol, He and Clarence Thomas make me sick.
I am from Cally, and Prop 209 pretty much put the nail in the coffin for minorities to enter the esteemed UC System here in California. (Berekeley, UCLA,etc.). Although I do not agree with Prop 209, clearly because education is funded by parcel taxes through property owners. Minorities in California and urban areas like where I live at in Oakland, are 65% of people of color who do not own homes in the East Bay, in reality, our schools are failing, because our students do not have what is takes to compete with Asian’s and whites who live in more affluent neighborhoods, thus, they all seemed to do well on SAT/ACT’s and our children are left behind. People argue that Prop 209 has actually done the opposite. You can see for yourself, but I am telling the world what I see from the boots on the ground out here, and I have children in the school system here and the fact that I am an educator out here in Oakland Unified School District.
It is good in some ways, but in the case where urban education across this country is mainly funded by parcel tax and federal dollars, our children are still so far behind. This is why it is important to become home owners in our communities.
As far as Al Sharpton, he is a media whore like Jessie, but they always seem to come on time….
The newest of news is that Florida, Michigan and Howard Dean are looking at mail in ballot voting…..I am not buying it…we had enough voter fraud in Florida.
Two most people that came out didn’t really vote much for Hillary anyway…I say split the delegates 50-50, in which Obama still beats her!
Jesus take the wheel…I wish this thing was over already. OB looks great on RS! GET EM OBAMA! OBAMA 08!
To you all with margin problems, please e-mail me at j@jdakar.com with the following information:
1. Your computer’s operating system
2. Your internet browser
3. Your screen resolution
Peace and blessings,
J. Dakar
I have to comment on this. I live in the state of FL and I did not vote in the primaries because I didn’t think it would count. When I heard them saying on the news that Hillary had won in this state I was highly upset, and I am assuming alot of people here in the state of Florida that is backing Obama feel the same way. I cannot call myself a supporter of Al Sharpton, but I hope he goes all the way with this because this time it is worth it.
@ #31 That would be everyone!!! Every since CL changed it’s web page it’s been problems!!!!!!!!!!PLEASE FIX IT!!!!!
One more thing…I have lived in this state for almost 6 years and this is the most crooked state when it comes down to elections. I am soo happy I will be living in CT when it is time to vote in the presidential election. If they give Hillary those votes I will not be surprised it’s just another way of cheating here in this state, the same way they cheated with Bush.
Oh yeah nice cover Obama
OBAMA OBAMA OBAMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#33: Well, everyone, e-mail me.
We can’t fix the problem unless we know what’s causing it and the only way to know that is to know what you all are using to access the site.
Peace and blessings,
J. Dakar
Black folks like Ward Connerly and Clarence Thomas are worst that any White bigot could every be! WTF, are these people thinking? Don’t they know that they got where they are because of affrimative action programs, especially Thomas!!!!
Hell NO!! I am not going to let this ish fly….and most of yah need to be the same because this will forever effect the future of Black America!
I am indeed an Obama supporter, but I really do not care for that aura they have on him on the cover of Rolling Stones….It’s like they are viewing him as this “god figure” and I just don’t approve of that….When you put people on high pedestals like that, you are bound to get dissappointed, so they need to be careful with their imagery because it might turn around and bite him!
I just wish that a Democrat gets in office, because McCain will is just another Bush and this country clearly can not afford another Bush!
Hmmmm….If Obama is thinking of teaming with with Al Sharpton he will surely fall flat on his face! (Al Sharpton out of all people LMAO)
Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are the biggest money hungry crooks in the black community today (they are definitely nothing special in my book)! I sure hope Obama knows what he’s doing lol! CLINTON ALL THE WAY in 2008!
“When shit hits the fan in our country……We need a leader not a speaker” Clinton ’08
Affirmative Action definitely should NOT be done away with. In theory, it sounds good to think that individuals could make unbiased decisions regarding admissions, job promotions, and etc. However, the harsh realty is that the civil rights movement was NOT 100′s of years ago, but rather only 5 decades ago. With that being said, I do believe the younger generation will be more able and willing to handle this situation accordingly in the future. But, sadly, the “Old School” generation are the individuals still in power. So Consequently, until these individuals are “RID OFF”, affirmative action will still be needed. ( PERSPECTIVE OF A YOUNG BLACK MALE BORN AND RAISED AND ALABAMA)
@#39. Too bad Clinton doesn’t fit the mold to be a leader. Which is why she’s losing and is now depending on super delegates to give her the nomination. I hope to God that Barack wraps this up before August.
@ #41……What’s your definition of a leader? LMAO! (this should be good)
“When shit hits the fan in our country…..We need a leader not a speaker” Clinton ’08
All of you with those Go Obama statements, especially those of you who comment on the anti-AA article, may want to finds out where Obama stands on this issues FIRST.
Just curious, how down with Obama would ANY of you be if it’s proven he’s aganist affirmative action? Here’s the deal, I’ve already “got mine”, so any of the rest of you who could benefit from AA will be the ones who could potentially be sorry they supported Obama.
My definition of a leader would be someone of the likes of MLK. Someone who isn’t afraid to stand up for what they believe in regardless of the consequences. Someone who isn’t afraid of change and breaking down boundaries. Someone who isn’t afraid to speak their mind on positive need for changes. Someone who isn’t a desperate phony, but seems genuine in every way. Barack Obama fits that description perfectly in my eyes.
You can keep quoting Hillary all you want. It’s not going to give her any kind of advantage. When it all narrows down, Barack will be our Democratic nominee. It has begun!
Barack Obama in 08!
Like Clinton, I thnk Obama would make a great VP, lol!!!
IT’S BEEN SAID BEFORE BUT I CAN’T IMAGINE MR. CONNERLY HAVING THE POSITION HE DOES HAVE W/ OUT THE BENEFIT OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION…
ON THE OTHER HAND I HAVE ALWAYS QUESTIONED COMPLACENCY AMONGST OUR PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY IN THE REALITY SHOW-BLING ERA WE LIVE IN. THE MEDIA DO A FINE JOB OF PROMOTING THE QUICK, FAST AND IN A HURRY LIFE AND WE AS CONSUMERS DO A FINE JOB OF EATING IT UP. I DON’T WANT TO NULLIFY THE WORK THAT MY FORE-FAMILY HAS DONE FOR ME TO STAND WHERE I AM TODAY, BUT WHEN I DO LOOK AT THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, THREADS OF MISGUIDED DIRECTION CAN BE SEEN THROUGH THEIR GOOD INTENTIONS…
SOMETIMES IT SEEMS LIKE AFFIRMITIVE ACTION AND THE (CIVIL RIGHTS) MOVEMENT AFFORED US THE ABILITY TO GET TO A LEVEL OF COMFORTABILITY WHERE WE TAKE WHATEVER WE ARE GIVEN INSTEAD OF BEING VIGILENT IN OUT THOUGHT AND DECIDING FOR OURSELVES. EVEN WITH THESE TWO DEVICES ( THE MOVEMENT AND AFFIRM. ACT.) RACISM STILL EXIST ON MY JOB. AND IT WILL CONTINUE WITH OR WITH OUT THESE TWO SOLUTIONS.
UNFORTUNATELY I’M OFF MY LUNCH BREAK AND GOTTA GO BUT, JUST SHARING MY THOUGHTS…
Of these states: Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma the largest African American population and graduation rate is at The University of Missouri- Columbia at 6% and 57% respectively. The banning of affirmative action would greatly hamper the admissions process at these state’s flagship universities whose track records with African-Americans aren’t so great in the first place. At UC Berkeley the percentage of black students was 6.7% in 1997 and in 2007 it’s at 3.1%. The University of Michigan is already beginning to feel the heat. Before the Gratz vs. Bollinger and Grutter vs. Bollinger rulings it black student pop. was around 8% and in 2007 it was 5.6% and it’s projected to go down. All of this while the national black graduation rate is at 43% and black women make up 66% of all blacks earning new bachelors degrees. The American Civil Liberties Union’s Civil Rights Initiative is the biggest misnomer known to man. THEY DON’T GIVE AFRICAN-AMERICANS LIBERTIES, THEY TAKE THEM AWAY!!!!!!
Black people get what they deserve with the affirmative action ban. You want to be around white people so much. You want to hold their hand and act like things have changed when they haven’t changed at all. Black people spew this nonsense about “Dr. King’s dream” and now the white man is going to use black people’s dreams against them. There is no way that black people can qualify any reasoning for maintaining quota-based decision making without it being race-based. Remember, it’s 2008 and “color doesn’t matter”, lol. So then why the hell should the government perpetuate affirmative action? Affirmative action in and of itself is racist and the white man will use that as his reasoning. Affirmative action was conjured up as another short term ploy or trick to be used to appease blacks with the full-fledged knowledge that ultimately nothing would come of it.
HIllary is such a hater I swera she can’t play fair to save her life
Why does she keep pushing for Fl to count, she knows it will benefit her but she is trying to break ther rules. Obama is a genius and I don’t understand why she feels just because she is older and has some more experience then him she deserves to win ugh!!!
——-J. Dakar, what’s the story on Hillary’s buddy…New York Governor Eliot Spitzer?
——-aka: Client # 9!!!
Go head Barack! Breaking all kinds of barriers!
Al should sue!
I live in Michigan and I’m not quite sure if the ban on affirmative action has taken a toll on an already fledgling economy. I don’t see at this moment, how blacks, latinos, women and other races are being affected because there are just no jobs/careers here for anyone PERIOD!
With that being said, I think it would be great, if it were realistic for people to get jobs based on merit alone but we know that just doesn’t happen. The world, especially not the U.S., is not colorblind nor is it gender blind. The funny thing is, this all started b/c a white girl got rejected at U of M law school, claiming she was denied admission when she was more qualified than some minority students and the minority students were let just b/c they were minorities. Now, how she got the records, I have no idea but the point is the person and the people who benefit most from affirmative action–WHITE WOMEN–started this whole debacle. I hear now she’s working for the ACLU or some group to provide equality. But needless to say that when women stop being paid less than men and employers stop discriminating b/c of race then affirmative action can be abolished. But until then, we deserve an extra leg up, hell, we don’t get nothing else, and I don’t want your welfare, damn that, give me the job, please!
I’m glad someone is coming around. Government money is for everyone one and not just black people. I dont see what the big deal is now. I went to Langston U. in langston OK. nothing wrong with that HBCU. Black people are still killing themselves to get into OU or OSU and turning around and crying when the government pulls funding from HBCU’s that need it because no one is attending. I say get rid of AFFIRMATIVE ACTION. And that Al Sharpton thing is a mess. I bet if Obama would have won Al would have been on the other side saying the same thing clinton is saying now. I dont guess he cared enough to try to fix the problem before the primary. That would be too much like right. Oh well McCain 08
What in the name of the almighty is this fool doing, working to strip back decades-old civil rights legislation and call that mess the CIVIL RIGHTS INITIATIVE?!
Shameful.
the fl and mich delegats should not be seated under these conditions. the primaries were bogus and not fair. the two states should follow the rules in which both candidates and the dnc agreed upon.
a similar situation happened in the ’96 election in which the state paid for the recount.
howard dean, chairman of the dnc, has repeatedly said that fl and mich would not be counted unless the respected states pay for the recount. i guess time will tell
Oh My GOODNESS!!! I actually agee with Al SHARPTON ON SOMETHING!!!!
I think the world is coming to an end. I’m proud of him this time. He just made me eat a lot of my criticism of him. This is strategic. I don’t think he will actually do it. But strategically, the threat of it is pretty smart.
Just goes to show how wrong I can be when I want to be. Go figure.
Just because there is 1 BLACK person running for president…folx want to run a massive campaign to get rid of Affirmative Action……Affirmative Action is not equivalant to Obama running for president. There is still a lot of work to be done in regards to race relations in this country.
@ TAM
I agree with you, all things being equal, we wouldn’t need affirmative action programs. But we don’t live in a society in which women and ethnic minorities have equal opportunity, equal pay, etc. compared to whites and males.
As for Al Sharpton, I agree that he seems to be more concerned about his celebrity than with helping to make real changes in this country in terms of equality. One problem I have with the black leaders of today is that it seems they all want to be the sole voice representing African Americans, instead of trying to work together. I agree with him that the election should be fair, however I’m surprised that he’s being so vocal about this because seating the delegates in FL and MI would give Hillary Clinton more delegate votes since she won in both those states. He seemed to be supporting Hillary in the beginning, and saying that “Black people shouldn’t vote for a candidate just because he’s Black” (referring to Obama of course). Yet HE ran for president too, and you can’t tell me that he didn’t expect to receive an overwhelming amount of support from Black people.
there is always a first. GO BARACK!
“Black folks like Ward Connerly and Clarence Thomas are worst that any White bigot could every be! WTF,”
No, black people like the singing and dancing, women abusing materialistic jigaboos are the worse than any White bigot could ever be. Ward Connerly and Clarence Thomas are not shooting and stabbing anyone or making music about huslin and drug dealing like Cassidy, Suge Knight , 50-cent, Jay-Z, Pacman Jones, or any of these other little sellout faggots. And they are not constantly whining to the whiteman for a handout like he’s his mommy like Al, Jessie and the rest of the goddamned waste-of-sperm little sissies.
When are y’all black people going to grow up, recognize FELONS and SELLOUTS for what they are?