Annals of Implausibility, Bob Johnson Edition

[babylonsister]

http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_stump/archive/2008/01/13/annals-of-implausibility-bob-johnson-edition.aspx

Annals of Implausibility, Bob Johnson Edition

From The Caucus:

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.”

Johnson later explained his statement thus:

My comments today were referring to Barack Obama’s time spent as a community organizer, and nothing else. Any other suggestion is simply irresponsible and incorrect.

Riiiiight.

On Friday I said that, if you were cynical, you could argue that the Clintons have an interest in polarizing the nomination fight along racial lines--the idea being that, even if it hurts them in the short-term (with African Americans in South Carolina), Obama can't win if he becomes the "black candidate," which is what racial polarization accomplishes.

Well, I no longer think you have to be cynical to make that argument. This is just despicable stuff.

--Noam Scheiber

[SteppingRazor]

1. And on Morning Joe this morning, they had a Clinton campaign rep. on, who said...

that they accept Johnson's explanation -- and she said it with a straight face! It would have been the deadpan humor moment of the century, if she hadn't been serious. :eyes:


Even Joe freakin' Scarborough was at a loss for words. After the woman (whose name, unfortunately, escapes me) said that the Clinton campaign accepts Johnson's explanation, there was this long, awkward silence. I almost fell out of bed. But, hey, I had to get ready for work anyway, so falling out of bed was a good thing. :P

[babylonsister]

2. Well, despite everything,

I'm glad you got up! :rofl: This is really hard to fathom; instead of chastising this guy, they're going with this story line? I thought he'd be fired by now, from whatever 'job' he's supposed to be doing.

[SteppingRazor]

3. Well, that's the thing. I don't think he has an official job.

He was just a special guest, introducing Clinton at the event. The Clintons, obviously, are trying to pull as much of the black vote as they can -- and I certainly don't blame for that, that's politics -- so they had the founder of BET introducing Hillary.

Personally, I think that's kind of a silly move, but what the hey.

[ellacott]

4. It WAS a silly move

Many black people have a higher opinion of Clarence Thomas then they do Bob Johnson. I don't understand why they didn't know this.

[SteppingRazor]

6. My point exactly.

This is purely anecdotal, of course, but every black person I know who is politically aware rolls their eyes at Johnson's name, at best.

[ellacott]

7. Yes, most would run from any endorsement he makes n/t

[babylonsister]

5. Or, he's doing his job so he can collect favors later. I have the

impression Johnson's reputation precedes him for many people. He's not universally loved just because he founded BET...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=4055810

[rocktivity]

9. DING DING DING! Babylonsister, you're our grand prize winner!

I have the impression Johnson's...not universally loved just because he founded BET...

Not even close--he toes the MSM line in exchange for Viacom having made him a billionaire. The minute the deal went down, he unloaded BET's most valuable assests--Tavis Smiley (no Bush monarchy-questioning newscasting) and the Teen Summit talk show (no black youth voice unless it's from a hiphop video).

:headbang:
rocknation

[babylonsister]

10. It's hard to believe Clinton is embracing and agreeing with this guy.

Scarborough had been showing a clip of him all morning; he's a whackadoo. And now the Clintons agree with his lame excuse about community service for what he initially said? :wtf:

[rocktivity]

8. LBJ created the legislation BECAUSE MLK had fought for it!

I'm glad Johnson wasn't around in 1776--he would have said, "Those guys who threw the tea into Boston Harbor led a moral crusade, but..."!

:headbang:
rocknation

[Adelante]

11. Here it is on video, for anyone who hasn't seen it

http://tpmelectioncentral.com/2008/01/bob_johnsons_neighborhood_line_the_video.php

[babylonsister]

13. Thanks for the link; it's almost like MSNBC has it on a loop.

They are inspiring the conversation, for better or -probably- worse.

[HughMoran]

12. This guy Johnson sounds like he has foot-in-mouth disease

The Clinton campaign would do well to steer clear of his remarks (and him) in the future. What a jerk!