Democratic Presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton has now associated herself with the film Who's Your Caddy. Remember that 2007 film starring the idiot of the airwaves Sherri Sheppard? Well Hillary Clinton has enlisted the maker of that film and the founder of Black Exploitation Television (BET) Bob Johnson.
Senator Clinton and Bob Johnson in South Carolina on Sunday.Photo by Sean Mussenden/Media General News Service.
That's right Bob Johnson is now doing damage control for the Clinton campaign. The damage control comes after the Senator and her husband former President Bill Clinton (stuck their feet in their mouths) made comments that some in the African American community found offensive.
Here is what Bob Johnson had to say at a church in South Carolina yesterday;
"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." - Bob Johnson
Bill Clinton supposedly referred to the Barack Obama Presidential campaign as a "fairytale". His wife, Senator Clinton made remarks which led some to believe that she was diminishing the role of Dr. Martin Luther King's role in the civil rights movement of the 1960's.
Both Clintons say that their remarks were misinterpreted and that they meant no offense.
Maybe they didn't mean any offence and maybe their remarks were misinterpreted. To tell you the truth, to me, that has been over shadowed by Senator Clinton's choice in Bob Johnson.
Bob Johnson is a greedy turncoat that has done and continues to do African America great harm. As the founder of BET he created an outlet for some of the most vile and derogatory programming on the air. As if that wasn't enough, Mr Johnson sold BET to Viacom.
Viacom has taken racist and derogatory programming to a level not seen since the middle of last century.
Most recently Bob Johnson has founded a film company, Our Stories Films. The film company makes films aimed at an African American audience. Their first film was Who's Your Caddy, which was a buffoonish film that relied on stereotypes of African Americans for their entertainment value. Thankfully the film was a flop at the box office.
As an undecided voter I am still weighing my options. Hillary Clinton has narrowed my options by one since she made the decision to ask Bob Johnson to do damage control in the African American community. As far as I'm concerned she may as well have chosen David Duke.
That's right, I see no difference between Bob Johnson and racist David Duke. Well except that Bob Johnson has done far more harm to African Americans than David Duke ever dreamed of doing.
So I'm not sure who I will be voting for in the California Democratic Primary next month, but I know who I won't be voting for, that's Bob Johnson's friend Hillary Clinton.
Will Hillary Clinton's close association with Bob Johnson affect how you vote? Do you find it offensive that Hillary Clinton has associated herself with Bob Johnson?
22 comments:
No, I hope and pray that we as Americans remember what Sen. Clinton's resume has consisted of since her time in undergrad. She has been a faithful humanitarian. Her record speaks for itself. Having worked on Obama's senate campaign, I think there could have been a bit more done here in Illinois, especially for people of color, but no one cares about that. They just want an African American president. Maybe that is valid, and I struggle everyday trying to achieve that mindset, trying to make myself, but ultimately I want a better country. I want my son to have opportunity without worrying he will be imprisoned or sent off to war, and then I remember how safe and secure I felt during the Clinton administration. We as colored people have such short memories. We accomplished more, were able to have a voice and now we have turned our backs for this newcomer. Michelle Obama is the better candidate. She has done more for the community. Sorry for the long rant, as I am still on the fence too but Mr. Johnson is not my concern.
I would never vote for a Clinton for anything. Chelsea could be in a TeenBeat poll for best hair and I wouldn't vote for her.
Clinton lost my vote before Bob Johnson but that just cements it.
So fewer Black males went to jail during Clinton's time and more people came off welfare permanently instead of kicked off without being prepared?
I wasn't planing on voting for her but I still respected Clinton before her attempt to shift the blame for her unadvised statements to Obama. As for Bob "TipDrill" Johnson, I was pretty neutral towards him and thought he might have even been held to an unfair standard because of BET, after alluding to Obama's drug use as a child though, he has managed to move me solidly into the anti-Johnson camp.
Actually I think this a coup for Obama.
Every on knows that BET and good old Bob there is on black people ish list.
That alliance would in my opinion only serve to motivate the new gaurd into Obama's camp and away from the Clintons.
I am not surprised Clinton has associated herself with Bob Johnson. I haven't been a fan since her husband dissed Lani Guinier but I totally had an open mind, I was focused on gathering information instead of just focusing on partisanship. She made me want to throw up on Meet the Press yesterday. Nothing was ever her fault and not just on Obama, on Iraq as well. I find it interesting that the press isn't talking about the manoeuvring that went on in her responses on Iraq.
I think strategists have realized that it wasn't working to make it seem like Black people don't like Obama so now they're trying to make it seem like we like him a bit too much, like if he gets elected he's suddenly going to hand us the 40 acres and a mule we've been denied. And indeed, the comments that have been made have made a lot of Black folks not want to vote for her. So it serves to make white folks feel like if Obama gets elected, we'll just have a racial nightmare for four years.
Unfortunately Bob Johnson and his legacy has quite a bit of influence on the way black people think and act. I thin America is ready for a black President, but I don't know if African Americans are ready. We are sometimes our biggest critics, and can make it very hard for another to succeed. I don't anyone person is above criticism, but it's the way we criticize. I don't mean to stereotype, I know there are a lot intellectual blacks able to be objective, but I'm referring to the Bob Johnson's type who seem to practice the crab in the barrel mentality.
I don't think an alliance with the Clintons is a bad thing per se, however, given his track record I question his motives and his message to black people.
Yes, the alliance with Bob Johnson was a dealbreaker with me. I am not a 'Clinton hater', and frankly I agree with several things that they did when Bill was president that some black people dislike.
But cozying up to Bob Johnson is not something that I can recover from.
"Every one knows that BET and good old Bob there is on black people ish list."
AMEN. And if Hillary and her "black" husband were so in tune with and for US (black folk), they would know that too. I don't find their affiliation offensive, as much as I do Hillary's thinking she shows solidarity with the black community by being affiliated w/Johnson.
They use Bob Johnson, thinking they're getting the last laugh. Joke is on the Clintons this time.
I don't have cable, but I certainly do NOT miss having BET. What a mess. Anyway, if Clinton wins the nomination, I will vote for her, but not be happy about it. I feel that she and Bill in a big picture way, do want to make the country a better place. The problem is that they are Machiavellian about it and will do whatever it takes to push their agenda. Regardless of who has to suffer. That scares me.
I really like Obama and Edwards and think they would be a great ticket. I'm still debating between the two, but leaning towards Obama.
No.
She was never someone I would consider voting for anyway.
I'm moderately amused at watching black people finally "see" the Clintons for who they are. Maybe we're starting to finally accrue a level of political sophistication. And in no way do I mean that as a diss.
I like to look at a candidate with a cool mind and cold eyes.
I never was going to vote for Clinton anyway, but this strikes me as ludacrous that thay could've thought that Johnson was the right person to allign themselves with. Since when is Bob Johnson a spokesperson for black people? I keep saying that desperation makes u do stupid things.
Tasha
www.thesowingcircle.blogspot.com
Strictly speaking, they make me sick. Really, though ...
I should add though, that you will find seriously damning benefactors with just about all of the candidates.
Don't get it twisted; there isn't one candidate that isn't eyeball deep in blood money - and if you follow every candidate's money trail, you will find ugliness, greed, and oppression of the underclass with EVERY last one of them.
One has to strike deals with the devil to get the kind of money to get to this level in politics -- which is why I hate the way the system is set up. A truly principled person has no chance of becoming president.
So it's not a matter of 'seeing the light' about any candidate. It's about finding out who has made LESS deals with satan than the others have.
"She has been a faithful humanitarian." LOL!! Faithful humanitarian don't use race baiting and racial politics to get elected, they stand on their own merits.
Clinton had my attention until she got scared and started getting nasty.
For Bob Johnson to say that about Obama what about the junk he has pump into the community? He has done more damage that any one can do to a whole generation. The Clinton's are playing dirty.
I was surprised when Maya Angelou came out and publicly supported Hillary Clinton. Not too say that Hillary isn't a empowering candidate or anything like that. It's just that when African Americans have a true, viable candidate in Barack Obama running for the Oval Office, I don't understand how an empowering African American cannot cast their vote or public support in favor of the CHANGE Obama represents.
With that said, Bob Johnson has never been someone I identified with. At all.
Hillary had zilch chance of getting my vote, because of her politics, in the first place. This just confirms my rightness.
Bob Johnson+the Clintons=PITIFUL!
Peep how desperate they become once their backs are up against the wall. We just need to take note, move forward and not allow this idiotic discourse derail Obama's momentum.
House on a Hill,
Well first I think you are generalizing when you say no one cares about Sen. Obama's record. From what I've seen a lot of people in the African American community are seriously looking at his overall record.
I think most people want a responsive President, whether it's Obama or Clinton or anyone else.
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Symphony,
Lol@the Chelsea comment. I'll admit she really wasn't on my radar, for one because I think the Bush-Clinton dynasty needs to come to an end. And two, because I was bothered by her getting her buddy Gloria Steinem to chime in with her feminist op-ed.
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HC,
I agree, that statement coming from someone who has made the living he has from promoting all that is bad, is really crazy.
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ClnMike,
I think you may be right. It's making me look at Obama a little harder.
I figure if Bob Johnson is against him, then he must be good for Black people. Lol
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Liz,
I think you are right. This will be the first time that a democrat has tried to use the southern strategy. And that's exactly what all this race baiting from the Clintons is.
Bill Clinton is one of the best politicians of our time, there is no way I think all of this stuff was off-handed.
I think Hillary's tears were fake and I think her LBJ statement was planned.
They knew and know exactly what they are doing.
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Mrs G,
I agree with you about Bob Johnson. I also think he is trying to position himself politically at the expense of African Americans. But that doesn’t surprise me.
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SheCodes,
It bothers me because Clinton obviously thinks Bob Johnson has influence amongst African Americans.
That tells me how off her perception of us really is.
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Anali,
Yay, another person without cable! I thought I was the only one. Lol
I think you are right about what the Clintons will do to get power.
I think Bill is a brilliant politician and I think Hillary is willing to do anything to win.
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GoldenAh,
I think that there have been a lot of Black people seeing Hillary for who she is.
Also I have read and heard a lot of criticism directed toward her.
I think the media portrays us as being unsophisticated, by going to beauty salons to get the so-called Black opinion.
It's funny that I never she White women being interviewed in beauty salons.
But I agree that everyone should try to look at the candidates very carefully and coolly.
And no dis taken. Lol
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Tasha,
Well this was the height of desperation then, because it was really, really stupid.
And the interesting thing is the so-called mainstream media hasn't even picked up on Black people being disgusted that Bob Johnson was her choice. They are so stuck on the White point of view; they are missing a big story.
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Jose,
They are defiantly making me sick now. I've been getting tired of them since Hillary's crying episode.
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SheCodes,
I agree but Bob Johnson?! They may as well have had Snoop Dogg speaking for them.
They could have at least gotten Bill Cosby. Lol
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Professor Tracey,
I agree the race baiting is a deal breaker.
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JJ B,
I totally agree. Bob Johnson attacking Obama is like a convicted murderer attacking the judge.
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Don,
Well remember that it was Maya that started that Bill Clinton was the first Black President crap. So I'm not surprised.
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Tami,
I agree she was not in my top two for sure, maybe not even top three.
I have always been disturbed that she would not own up to her support of Iraq.
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Mango Mama,
I think this is just the beginning of the race baiting. And if Obama wins the nomination them we will see this kind of stuff multiplied by a billion for the repubs.
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Hi, MDC,
I'm really second guessing my hesitant support of Sen. Clinton. As a black woman, I'm offended that Sen. Clinton would ignore the atrocities BET has committed against the black community and seek support from Johnson.
NBW,
One day Hillary looks for support from Gloria Steinem, the next it's Bob Johnson?
Aren't Bob and Gloria at the opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to the treatment of women?
So I agree with you totally.
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