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Whoopi Goldberg | 08/28/2008 5:00 pm

Whoopi Goldberg on Barack Obama's Nomination

Whoopi Goldberg
Tonight, of course, is Barack Obama accepting his place in history as the first African American nominee. I think it’s very interesting that the other side has sort of been saying, "Oh, he’s such a rock star." Of course, he’s in a giant stadium with pillars that look like they come directly out of antebellum — the antebellum south you look at where he’s going to be talking. In a funny way it looks like the opening of "Gone With the Wind," but the Republicans sort of equate this with a rock star’s status. This is a status that they actually applied to Ronald Regan. Remember, he’s the great orator. He could mesmerize crowds and of course we’ve placed this directly in our own hands, in our own laps, because we don’t want a president who doesn’t have that feel. Because we want people to come out of the woodwork wherever our president goes, and here’s what he has to say. We want him to be good-looking. We want him to be articulate.

They were all over Obama today because, if he’s not on the teleprompter, he’s not as smooth. Well, my gosh, if I’m not up on a teleprompter on "The View" I’m not as smooth. No one is as smooth as they are with a teleprompter, so let’s hope John McCain adapts to that teleprompter, because he could use some help. It’s a shame no one ever said to George W., "Hey, man. Try a teleprompter or something."

I’m listening to all of this and I’ve seen some of the attack ads that are coming out and I am wondering if the Democratic attack ads are going to be the same as the Republican attack ads, showing  the various other people who ran for president, talking about the person who gets the nomination, which we’re assuming is going to be John McCain on the Republican side. Can you imagine — all the talking heads like Rudy Giuliani talking about John McCain, how he’s not a real republican, and all these other guys who were running around, talking about how John is not a real Republican? And he doesn’t hold the Republican values? This is going to be a riot.

It’s a kissy-face-fest whenever you do the conventions so, of course, the Clintons have gotten on board and they took care of business last night. I thought Bill was extraordinary and Hillary was extraordinary. I have to say, I tip my hat to Hillary Clinton because one of the things that didn’t happen during the campaigns –because no one really stopped and said out loud, "Is this a little femophobic?" (That’s what I call it when people go after you because of your gender.) They couldn’t go after Barack for his color because, my goodness, that would have totally rocked the boat, so everybody felt free to go after Hillary for her gender and no one really talked about it. They talked about it a little at the end of her campaign but not a whole lot, but I think she pulled it together and it will be interesting to see if people can tell the truth — why they’re afraid of Barack Obama.

Are they afraid because they think, "Oh, my goodness. I’ve seen black men in rap videos and how do I know he’s not going to turn into that?" I know that sounds silly but I’ve heard stranger things. I’ve heard John McCain say he’s not like us. Well, I don’t know how he’s different except that he’s black. And of course some of his ideas were the same as Barack’s ideas, but John has changed his mind on things like choice. At one point he thought it was a woman’s right to choose what she was going to do. He personally didn’t feel that it was a decision that he should be making. He thought a woman should have the right to choose. Of course, now he’s changed all of that. He once thought that illegal immigrants should be dealt with with dignity and clarity and figure out a way to make it work for everybody, but no more. He’s taken up that other banner. I guess he’s going to start building a up a new wall. It will be interesting to see how tonight goes and what the future brings.

179 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

SUZY FOR
I really appreciate Whoopi’s comments regarding “femophobia” (her term for anti-female bias) and Hillary’s campaign. As an alpha female myself, it was hard to watch the party leaders and the media gang up on another alpha female and take her down. You know, I have always felt very empowered and not at all a victim but the media was so obviously sexist in their treatment of Hillary that I am rethinking how much progress we have really made. Can women be openly powerful or is it still safer to play the games we all know how to play to get what we want in the workplace? As a woman company-owner in the transportation industry (which is still pretty male-dominated) I have learned too well to use humor to defuse situations when dealing with some of my middle management males. My best girlfriend, who is an oby-gyny, and I have discussed this dilemna many times —when we assert ourselves in the same manner as our husbands, we are clearly considered emasculatig — which doesn’t mean we don’t do that but we both do it judiciously. Anyhow, the primary campaign made me realize that sexism is alive at well — which is depressing. On the positive side, however, it did illustrate that it is no longer acceptable to be openly racist…..Any thoughts?
By SUZY FOR on 08/28/2008 10:46 pm
James the Game
Suzy…I’ve been saying on this site for months that, although women have made huge gains since the 1960s, they’ve actually backslided in recent years. All the Hillary campaign did was underscore that. I see Barack Obama as the best hope for turning the tables on that, and evening the playing field for women.
By James the Game on 08/28/2008 11:08 pm
N P
Hi Everyone, What a great speech from Obama. He was strong, confident, aggressive. (Charlie Rose should be interesting tonight.) After Obama started out by showing the terrible state our country is in, I liked how he just “called McCain out” on several specific points: “It’s not that John McCain doesn’t care. It’s because John McCain doesn’t get it.” Talking about patriotism: “(our soldiers) …They have not served a red America or a blue America. They have served the United States of America.” “We all put our country first.” McCain likes to say he’ll follow Bin Laden to the gates of Hell. He won’t even follow him to the cave where he lives. “But the record’s clear: John McCain has voted with George Bush ninety percent of the time. Senator McCain likes to talk about judgment, but really what does it say about your judgment when you think George Bush was right more than ninety percent of the time? I don’t know about you, but I’m not ready to take a ten percent chance on change.” So now off to hear the commentary and watch Charlie. What a great speech. I’m going to have to print it out tomorrow, and read through it a couple of times. G’night.
By N P on 08/28/2008 11:20 pm
Chrome Toe
Yep - on another thread I expressed my frustration with folks who are otherwise smart, educated and kind hearted who are holding to the “obama could be a terrorist plant” theory. I just couldn’t understand how any logical human being could think that. Then the light bulb came on and I realized “oh… it’s RACISM”. It was a serious ah ha moment as Oprah puts it. I love Whoopi’s paragraph about Guilliani and others being shown on tv saying that McCain isn’t a real republican. Funny and true. Those would make some great ads.
By Chrome Toe on 08/28/2008 11:25 pm
No Way-No How -No McCain
I thought the venue looked amazing and overwhelming with 84K energized, engaged and intent people. John Dean and Bill R. were not that hot. Gore was terrifice, Durbin is so genuine and warm. Loved the Obama bio and the MLK salute. It was overall very impressed. What I loved the most was the enthusiasm of the crowd. The Wash Post was the first out with a review. On Google anyway. They said meaty, substative, light on rhetorical flourishes and style that Obama might have thought would provide fodder for GOP to rip-apart. Here’s JFK’s at the LA Stadium also with an audience of 80K. His too was a workmanlike speech, a calls to arms, rather than his own usual soaring rhetoric. In tone as well as setting they were similiar. Great night.
By No Way-No How -No McCain on 08/28/2008 11:40 pm
No Way-No How -No McCain
oops—-here’s the link to JFK’s LA Stadium acceptance speech: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsdomV7giC0
By No Way-No How -No McCain on 08/28/2008 11:43 pm
Mugsy Peabody
Thanks, Esther. Been thinking about you. Hope you’re staying cool down in the desert.
By Mugsy Peabody on 08/29/2008 12:16 am
Lynn Marie
Good to hear from you Whoopie—I cannot wait for HOT TOPICS on the View! I am an Independent. I am not sure of my vote right now. Obama was very powerful tonight-I enjoyed all he had to say and felt he was and is a very genuine man. It was a BIG SHOW as you say and it did look like the set of Gone With the Wind! I cried through much of it because of how far I feel we have come. I grew up in a neighborhood where I didnt see a black person until I was 14-now I am the minority where I live. I loved when Barack said ‘ENOUGH’ and looked straight into the camera! I don’t care how much the ”talking heads ” rip this all to shreds they are just entertainment to laugh at 95% of the time. I am already hearing McCain may be picking Mitt Romney as a running mate—that really throw me off because he was Govenor in my state and did an excellent job while he was-I like him. We shall see……………..
By Lynn Marie on 08/29/2008 12:45 am
amy lamb-hall
hi whoopi i do hope you read this, i agree with you about the Hillary speech. she scored a home run. but after hearing that speech did you doubt Obama’s vp choice?do you think they could not work as a team in the oval office?Or do you think Hillary might have stolen some of the limelight from Obama?i have watched you on he view and i think that you may be one of the best people on television, but i suspect that you are the smartess person out there. hey give me a shout out. even though i am a white southern mother of 3, 20,19, and17and 3 kids that are not ours biologicaly,but they were either kicked out of their home due to step parents, pregnacy, or they were beaten by a parent ,they are 21, another21, and 19 years old.i am an atheiest, living in the bible belt ie-southern baptist and i am a stay at home mom, but i am really interested on your thoughts and ideas. it is not easy being a very liberal democrat down in south carolina. alot of racism and sexism runs rampant.so, other than the 6 17-21 yr olds. and my spouse i am isolated. hope you have been enjoying broadway, wish i could have seen it.Best wishes on the new season. i am sure it wil be a fire cracker event everyday.Thanks for all you do, best regards, amy lamb-hall
By amy lamb-hall on 08/29/2008 7:43 am
Dorothy Nichols
There’s a reason we love to use Greek architecture, it was the Greeks who first used democracy as a form of government. And last night I saw democracy in action in a lot of ways. Maybe it’s because this is my hometown, but it seems like I’ve heard a lot more about the protests going on. The big one Wednesday actually caught my attention the most. A few thousand people, marching without permits from a concert by Rage Against the Machine and the Flobots, led by Iraq war Veterans in protest of the Iraq war, walked up on the Pepsi Center. They were well behaved and orderly, and when they got there demanded to be heard by Obama’s people. Here’s the part that gets to me - it worked. A representative came out and agreed to meet with the veterans and hear their concerns. So they turned to the crowd, told them the good news, and asked them to disperse - which they did, orderly and quietly. These were not the ‘Recreate ‘68’ people, this was a much larger group, and I’m so very happy that it worked exactly the way protests are supposed to work. I have no doubt that the Republican convention will have many more protests and protesters. I just hope they can deal with it as smoothly as we’ve seen here in Denver. The speeches were all quite awesome, and I love that the whole thing was so family oriented. I only had to keep my kids up a little past their bedtime so they could see history in the making. I was so afraid the protests would get out of hand and make Denver look foolish, and I’m so glad it didn’t turn out that way at all. And yes, it is totally awesome that so many young people have turned out and become involved in the process. It’s going to take a lot more than one good President to fix this country - and they were all there to answer the call to action. 10 years to energy independence. Heck yeah!!!
By Dorothy Nichols on 08/29/2008 7:53 am
Eve Fulton
Did anyone read David Brooks article in the New York Times. I know it’s suppose to be funny or sarcastic but I don’t get it. Maybe I’m so nervous that Obama will not make it that I’ve lost my sense of humour. Great article Whoopie !
By Eve Fulton on 08/29/2008 8:10 am
Zera Lee
I have not read his article, but I have watched him represent the conservative perspective on the News Hour with Jim Lehrer (PBS) since before the primaries. He is normally pretty good about staying objective, but during the convention I noticed him getting a bit petty in his remarks - a bit more partisan than necessary. Not up to his usual standards. I think his personal views are getting the better of his professionalism, at least during the conventions. The examples I have seen of Republican humor have only proven to be funny, stage right.
By Zera Lee on 08/29/2008 1:34 pm
theCHEROKEErose
i was just reading an article about obama on a national news feed..i know i am literally preaching to the choir here, but have come to the conclusion that americans are so desperate after 4/8 years of crummy ‘leadership’ that they are ready to elect ANYBODY who looks, sounds different than the incumbent…i guess it is just HUMAN nature…makes me wonder just how far we would go….
By theCHEROKEErose on 08/29/2008 9:20 am
libby kandall
so, what do you think of sara palin?i have never heard of her before today.i’m sure we will all know more than we even want to…in about 10 minutes. be well, you are so loved. libby kandall nyc.
By libby kandall on 08/29/2008 10:38 am
Zera Lee
I admit that I have not researched her, but I have run accross her in the news. Her choice is a two-edged sword. It may be brilliant, and it may backfire dramatically. On the plus side: She won her last election on a reform platform. She can help McCain with social conservatives that do not trust his recent conversion from maverick to arch-conservative. She can also appeal to the bitter Hillary ‘supporters’. On the minus side: She is already touched by a “serve at the pleasure of” type firing scandel. Alaska has been pure Republican ever since oil was discovered, and any association with Big Oil is currently a negative. The reform agenda appealed because corruption is so systemic among Alaskan Republicans. Alaska politics is one place that is arguably more corrupt than DC itself, and it is all on the Republicans. Her selection is going to bring this back to the headlines at a time when the RNC wants to project themselves as change agents and the safe choice while tarnishing the Democrats. They are going to have enough trouble with Uncle Gustav reminding voters of Aunt Katrina during the Republican convention. It looks like she is already standing on the shoulders of Hillary and others to attack the glass ceiling, sort of. VP isn’t Prez, and getting elected as a Republican in a state that only elects Republicans is more like fighting the traffic than fighting the good fight. imao. I would rather see a woman walk in on her own feet than riding the coattails of a man. Alaskans Fret About a Future Without Help From ‘Uncle Ted’ Court Filings Reveal Evidence Against Stevens Tarred by Scandal, Republicans May Be Losing Alaska The ugliest is yet to come.
By Zera Lee on 08/29/2008 2:53 pm