The black president some worried about has arrived

[DonViejo]

By Janell Ross July 15 at 12:08 PM

There's this thing people sometimes say down South.

So-and-so is "acting brand new." Sometimes that's a reference to someone behaving like they don't know old friends and family — that they have evolved past their old crowd. Sometimes that's Southern speak for the emboldened, someone behaving like they either don't know the rules or have outright decided to disregard them.

In the past four weeks, we've seen President Obama take up residence in a place that sits somewhere in-between.

He's spoken off the cuff about race relations on a widely circulated podcast (even using the n-word) and then eloquently followed that with what can only be described as a sermon on race relations in America before breaking into song. He's challenged America to go deeper in its support of equality than retiring symbols of slavery (like the Confederate flag) and impolitic words (like the n-word).

While eulogizing a slain minister and state lawmaker allegedly killed by a white supremacist in Charleston, S.C., he outlined a whole raft of ways in which discrimination remains and inequality continues to grow. And now he's gone and announced two major reform packages — housing last week and criminal justice on Tuesday — in the span of two weeks that could, if ultimately implemented, be of particular benefit to people of color in the United States.

more
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2015/07/15/the-black-president-some-worried-about-has-arrived/?

[randys1]

1. President Superman. Accomplishing more than most ten combined.

[oldandhappy]

2. I am grateful for this president.

[Sunlei]

3. No one "worried" about President Obama around here, he hasn't "changed in the past four weeks"

He's the same great man elected as President in 2008.

[nxylas]

32. Blame the Washington Post

The headline was theirs.

[The Traveler]

4. Oh, let's face it

I can't say I approve of everything he has done. I disagree with him passionately on some issues. Of course I do! I was never (as I was previously accused) an Obamabot. I'm a thinking individual, and a realist, and I do not expect the POTUS' thinking to always be in line with my own. (Of course, we'd all be better off if it were, right? ) For one example, I object strongly to the TPP and the manner in which it is being foisted on the American people, etc.

But I can't think of any President in my 59 years who has proven to be more effective ... and the country is by far the better for it. And his achievements were attained despite the ineptitude and belligerence of a legislative branch that is the wonder of the world. (Yep. The whole world is wondering why we haven't gathered pitchforks and torches so as to better apply tar and feathers.)

We may not have achieved anything like perfection of government under President Obama's leadership ... but we made hella progress at a time when progress was both difficult and desperately needed. No, he's not superhuman ... but there are moments when I almost lose track of that.

Helluva job, Mr. President.

Trav

**edited for grammatical cleanup** **Trav to self: Proof read before posting.**

[madokie]

9. Spot on

[stopwastingmymoney]

11. Yes (and you said hella, lol) nt

[mountain grammy]

20. Agree!

[BlancheSplanchnik]

21. ^

[maddiemom]

23. Very true that President Obama has had unprecedented obstruction and

sheer ornery behavior from the Repugs (if 'n he's fer it, I'm agin it, though I used to be fer it). I suspect it won't be many decades before his presidency is historically regarded as an outrageous exception to "normal" government function and our fantasy of the majority of citizens having any real say. I hope I'm still around to see it.

Although I worked on Obama's local campaigns, he's disappointed me many times. Nonetheless, no president, no matter how much opposed, has had it tougher. Clinton disappointed me a lot. His pandering to the right didn't save him from impeachment, no matter how far-fetched the charges. The Republican party has become out of touch with the growing population, but is fighting like a cornered animal, mostly dependent on the big money billionaire donors who, sadly, have, in effect, thousands of votes versus "one citizen, one vote." Scott Walker is a current scary example since Ted Cruz got a bit over eager. Hoping the average, uninvolved and besieged citizens will REALLY pay attention to their own interests this time is our only real chance to begin turning things around.

[maddiemom]

25. Oh, wait! LBJ.

Not a lovable or ...highly esteemed president, but YET...He went out of his way, with all his considerable, politically well-honed powers, to fulfill the policies his administration had promised. Apparently hated Bobby Kennedy, who opposed him, but fulfilled, as best he could, the promises of the Democratic party at that time. Altruistic? I very much doubt it. An overall good guy? No. Mired too much in petty, obstructionist politics to take care of the nation's business? It didn't ever seem to overwhelm progress, on either side, so much before.

[The Traveler]

27. Very good points

LBJ pushed it forward at that ever so critical moment ... but he knew the price. Dude made lots of mistakes ... but his achievement was massive. And we owe it to him not to let the country backslide now.

[justhanginon]

5. The term 'American Exceptionalism" has no better example

than our President Barack Obama and his family. I still have my Obama Biden sticker in my back window and there it will stay in perpetuity. I will probably add other campaign stickers but that one stays to show everybody my pride in having voted for them twice.
I'm an old white guy and if someone had told me seventy odd years ago that I would be voting for a black president I probably would have laughed. Glad it turned out as it did and turned out so well.

[drthais]

6. the most elegant Obama bumper sticker....

?color=White&height=460&width=460&qv=90
I have one of these on my bumper -it's been there since 2008 - a little faded now, but an excellent antidote to the 'W' stickers at the time...

[justhanginon]

7. That is a pretty classy graphic design. I'm not sure that it wouldn't

look out of place in the back window of my '97 Mercury Tracer wagon. Damn car may outlast me.

[True Blue American]

22. Sticker

I have my Love Obamacare and Thank FDR for SS a in my back window, nd have seen some shocked people. I smile at them when they ask me and answer," That is right!b End of any discussion.

I never knew President Clinton was on his Council until he said so so he has had three brilliant minds. His own,the two Clinton's. Now,we have Bernie, Elizabeth, Sherrod Brown, Al Frankenstein and many more on our side.

What about a Clinton/ Sanders team? We could get President Obama and Joe Biden to work behind the scenes.

What about that group? Joe is compassionate, Obama cool and collected. Think how they could change this Country!

Any suggestions here?

[maddiemom]

24. I would too, if I still had the car.

And VP Biden! Having been interested in national politics before I was old enough to vote, and involved locally for decades, I was first aware of Biden, then in Congress, on a serious political talk show discussing the possibility of running for president only if several other Democrats that he really supported did not jump in. Not sure of the show, but think it was in the Reagan/Bush I era. He appeared to be an extremely knowledgeable, calm, sane man. Wanting his party to have a good candidate, rather than just push himself forward, blew my mind!
The Republicans have done an amazing job of negating him as a buffoon since he's an easy, open, humorous man, not always guarded and on script. He was too gracious a gentleman (not hard if you weren't just mean) to Sarah Palin in the first VP debate. Why was anyone surprised that he mopped the floor with Paul Ryan? (Fox disagreed, I know). Would I want him to run for president this time? NO, despite family sentimentality. His time has, sadly passed. Like Jimmy Carter, however, I'm sure he has much to contribute otherwise.

[ellie]

8. Good!

I love President Obama!

[flamingdem]

10. So, the cheerleaders were right all along..

AM I RIGHT?

[DFW]

12. Hell, I could have told you that three years ago

Except that the WH made me promise at the time to not talk about details (campaign season and all):

http://www.democraticunderground.com/125170848

[Aerows]

13. I've lived my entire life in the South

The DEEP SOUTH.

and this is a train wreck of an article right here.

"Acting brand new"? Which South are you in, author? South of nowhere?

Goodness gracious.

[1StrongBlackMan]

15. The Black south ...

the writer of the piece is African-American.

And, as anecdotal as this may be, I don't know a single African-American that is not familiar with that term.

[Stellar]

16. hear, hear! nt

[1StrongBlackMan]

17. Anything remotely non-screamingly critical of the President is met with a ...

the same seemingly reflexive responses, by the same folks ... even when they do not understand what the F@$% the article is about.

[Stellar]

18. Hey, the truth is the light...moving right along!

Moving swiftly along!

[MADem]

14. I thought he showed up in Jan 2009!

And he wasn't my first choice, either, but I rolled with it and came to appreciate him. Once he put his hand in the air and took that oath, I made it my particular point to have the man's back, and I'm glad I did. The last two terms have been great--it's nice to not have to wake up in the morning with a sick feeling, wondering if you're going to be recalled to active duty because some moron has started World War Three!

There are so many reasons to appreciate that guy!

On issues of race, there's one thing I hope he never does--and that's invite Tavis over for lunch. The way that guy has dissed him, he can just stay on the other side of the fence.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

19. I believe the cops feel it's their duty to keep people in their place.

[craigmatic]

26. He's definately best president of the last 30 years but let's not pretend that little show he put on

in that church was anything more than that-a show. Also he's not impressing me by just now with over a year and change left in office by just now talking about black issues. He lost the congress and he's running out of time and now he wants to do for blacks. Too little too late.

[babylonsister]

31. That little show in church, the one where he

stood up to represent 9 dead people, speaking of grace and healing? That was no show to me, it was heartfelt. I wonder what you watched.

[craigmatic]

33. I saw him play it up for the cameras. Every other time he's addressed blacks he talks down to us

about pulling ourselves up by the bootstraps but he's used his exec power to sign orders for gays and latinos. I'm not impressed. If he wanted to impress me he'd declare an end to the drug war and release its prisoners but he won't because on some level he wants to prop up the system. Not to mention that everytime he talks about black individuals he's quick to condemn like he did with Kanye, Bernie Mack, and Bill Cosby there's not even that thoughtful pause he usually talks with.

[True Blue American]

36. Amazing Grace

I have watched that video several times. It was the best display I have ever seen out of a President. All that empathy was lost on the pundits. They still attacked his voice. Made me wonder if they croaked like a frog when they try to sing

[Cha]

28. "I know what I am doing, and I’m fearless," Obama said. Thank you so much, Don..

also from your link..

"Here's the thing: This Obama might look or sound "brand new" to some Americans. He might even sound a little something like the black president some white Americans across the political spectrum feared (or hoped[ /I] But to people who watch the White House closely, this is the President Obama who has been developing for some time."

[lovemydog]

29. He and his Administration have restored

the popularity of progressivism at home and diplomacy abroad. His harshest critics from the right have been hateful, from the left dumb as doorknobs. I'm glad he's pushing major reform of housing and criminal justice. I think he will be successful because they make sense in terms of saving money and doing what's right.

[True Blue American]

37. The Cable Media

Share much of the blame for the hate of this President. It is a never ending rant day after day. They lie,edit videos.

It is really sad.

When Al Gore sold his Current TV station to AJ, companies did everything they could do to keep them off the air. TW took the station off the very next day. Then,after thousands of complaints from unhappy customers they had to put it back on.

Cable companies are bleeding customers already.

[lovemydog]

38. Yes, agreed.

I've noticed that people who watch a lot of cable media (I wouldn't call it news) seem more anxious and hostile, too.

[grahamhgreen]

30. You mean the president we all voted for...

[libodem]

35. Woo Hoo

What more.can be said?