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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

beth willis
Mugsy, please go back to Zera’s post about senate action on McCain’s eligibility. I think you will find it interesting. If you can find it ..by Friday that can be a problem for me. This issue is important to me 1) didn’t go through the courts and McCain has been aware of this for some time (elitism); 2) my child is the daughter of civilians working on an Air Force base in Portugal, her dad taught for Dept. of Defense.;3) the Supreme Court might just adopt this position which is, dare I say, unconstitutional. Peace and grace
By beth willis on 09/05/2008 1:12 pm
Mugsy Peabody
What thread is it on, Beth? I’m out for the day, but I’ll check it out tonight…. If you find it, email it to me on my blogspot, www.mugsypeabody.blogspot. com. Thanks, kiddo….
By Mugsy Peabody on 09/05/2008 1:31 pm
Dona Howlett
Hey Helen When someone asks me what I am I say I’m an American…………I dont add a Scotch, Irish, American Indian, French and English.. Just plain American. What the heck are you talking about.
By Dona Howlett on 08/29/2008 4:23 am
Willow K
What does it matter what he is technically? In common parlance, anyone in the U.S. who looks black is black, you know that I’m sure. He doesn’t have any choice in that. His father is from Kenya. As Kenya is an African nation, I think that also qualifies him to be called African-American.
By Willow K on 08/29/2008 11:03 am
Deni G
Dear Helen Chapman King, You would be better served to pay more attention to the way you present yourself. Here you are passing yourself off as thinking human being, with eyes to see and ears to hear and yet, it appears, you are possess none of the above. It’ll catch up with you. It will make you a small, petty, angry, unhappy, person, who believes exactly what fits in with her little white view of her little white world. oh you probably think god is white too.
Boo!

By Deni G on 08/31/2008 1:22 am
elizabeth cassidy
As a young girl I just loved my President Kennedy. Then a bullet ended that love affair and I was left to wonder why. My father cried in the coat closet because he couldn’t verbalize his grief. The nuns made us say the rosary while kneeling on the hard wood floor. It took me a week to get the feeling back in my knees. A man with a voice from the gods came into my life and he spoke of judging people for the content of their character and not the color of their skin. As I type this, goose bumps are overtaking my body. I just loved my Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. My heart was healing (along with the Beatles showing up) and I believed every thing he said and knew that he was here to make us better people. But then a bullet ended that love affair. I remember screaming into the phone when news broke of his murder. It took my boyfriend about 3 weeks to recover his hearing. Now I was getting angry. But a very good man said that we needed to stay calm and keep the message of Dr. King alive. I just loved my Robert Kennedy. But then a bullet ended that love affair. My friend and I went to see him in a speech and he pointed me out in a crowd because of my red Beatle hat and that he hoped all his supporters could be as excited as I was. I think he really meant that I had a set of lungs on me. Now I lost my belief that my heroes would live to be old men. I also lost some faith in my country. Okay, a lot. Last night i felt a twinge of hope make its presence known to me. I am beginning to feel that change is possible. I am beginning to know that the only way to make this country better is by tossing out the old and bringing in the new. A new voice; a new hope and the people to make both possible. I want to be part of that again. I want to believe that we as a country can get back on track again. I want us all to love our neighbors and work together. I want the sons and daughters in harms way to come home and for us to really, really work on bringing more peace into the world instead of using war as the answer. Thank you Mr. Obama and Mr. Biden for making it possible for this former young girl to believe. Again.
By elizabeth cassidy on 08/28/2008 5:01 pm
No Way-No How -No McCain
Elizabeth—Exactly. You said so perfectly exactly what I’ve felt. Thank you!
By No Way-No How -No McCain on 08/28/2008 5:08 pm
Frank Peterson
Ms Cassidy—great words and beautifully said—thank you—yes John Kennedy was a special man. I was in the Army when he was shot—we say in that hospital stunned—all of us, nurses crying, us guys too—is was devastating—but we’ve finally after Martin and Bobby found another to believe in—it’s been a long dry spell, hasn’t it- but now I have hope like you—and it’s wonderful again.
By Frank Peterson on 08/28/2008 5:12 pm
DeBúrca obj
You said it elizabeth! For my first presidential election, back in 1976, I was so excited to vote. However, my candidate was Jimmy Carter, who I really admire and unlike many others, think he was a pretty good president under dire circumstances, but still, there was nothing to be inspired and excited about. Even with Bill Clinton, I was a Gore supporter during his first primary so was not so sure about Clinton. In fact, like many here who are Hillary supporters who are not so sure about Barack Obama, I didn’t really trust Bill Clinton much or like him. But he was the Democratic pick and I sure as hell liked the Democratic platform much more than the Republican platform, so I did not hesitate to cast my vote for Bill Clinton, but without a lot of enthusiasm. But he didn’t disappoint me as a president, I was very happy with the his administration and his obvious love of the American people, but I must say, when I cast my vote for his second term the scandal put a damper on my enthusiasm. Now, at 50 years of age, this woman who wanted so badly at 19 to be excited about a candidate and never really got it through all these years, is now VERY excited, involved, enthusiastic and filled with hope worthy of that un-jaded 19 year old of 1976! Thank you Barack, for giving me that! Thank you for giving it to my children who are so excited to support you and vote for you in this election! Not only am I very proud and happy to be a Democrat but I even get the added bonus of saying you are MY Senator from Illinois and this will not be the first time I am voting for you! Good luck tonight sir, we are with you!
By DeBúrca obj on 08/28/2008 6:04 pm
EKA -
Oh Elizabeth, I don’t remember reading you here before, but I hope you continue writing. That was beautiful. You put into words what so many of us boomers remember. I am writing this after watching Barack’s speech, I would love to hear your thoughts. I am absolutely speechless and moved beyond expression. Do we dare believe again ?
By EKA - on 08/28/2008 11:01 pm
N P
Hi Elizabeth, I was moved by what you wrote here. I wanted to welcome you to Wow. Yours is a voice, thoughtful and intelligent, that I will look forward to hearing.
By N P on 08/29/2008 8:16 pm
No Way-No How -No McCain
The Obamas & Bidens exmplify the values of Jefferson, Paine, FDR, JFK. The exemplify the precepts in the US Constitution. They are the face of America I want in the world. Obama taught Constitutional law. He was the editor the the prestigious Harvard Review and selected as “most likely to become U.S. President by his Harvard Law School class. He could have gone into any top U.S. law firm or to Wall Street and would have easily made $1M a year+ his first year out of school. Instead he went to Chicago’s South Side and served. He has vision and intellect and honor for what this country is all about. He was right when nearly all of WDC got it wrong. He couldn’t have predicted the outcome of going into Iraq any clearer. In public, on tape and in 2002 when the ‘patriots’ were foaming at the mouth over anyone who dared to question the group insanity. That took real guts. McCain was even more of a warmonger than Bush. Even GOP Senator Chuck Hagel said going into Iraq was one of the 5 worst blunders in history. He was right then and he’s making history now. He did it with an amazing feat of strategy, and with 96% of his donations under $200. from regular people. He has gotten more people involved in the process than ever before. There is no one in this country today who has done all of that combined. The world and at least half of the U.S. gets it. How any one can observe the smoking, dismantled hulk of our country and want more of the same, and another D student instead of a scholar, is to me. And yes, sexism and racism are factors. Anytime there is a battle the other side will attack whatever they can. He and Michelle weren’t handed anything. The took out over $80K in student loans to go to law school and worked odd jobs in the summer. I am thrilled with the ticket, can’t wait for tonight, and for Jan 20th. I agree too that the Clintons were absolutely magnificent and they have permanently joined a pantheon of global heroes that is never going away. I anticipate that HRC will have a wonderful role in the administration, am hoping Sec of State. She or Chelsea will be back in the WH one day. This a very proud moment in the Democratic party. The lineup has been stellar. And tonight Gore and Obama! I haven’t seen the stage but imagine that it references WDC monumental architecture which is appropriate given that Obama will speak on the 45th anniversary of MLK Jr.’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech before the Lincoln Memorial. And in a stadium with 80K people as JFK did in LA. We are lucky to have been alive for JFK, RFK, MLK, Jr. and now Obama. This is a very happy day.
By No Way-No How -No McCain on 08/28/2008 5:02 pm
Frank Peterson
Suzanne—if you were here I’d give you one big hug—that was simply so very beautiful and well said. You rock, lady!
By Frank Peterson on 08/28/2008 6:59 pm
No Way-No How -No McCain
Thank you Frank. And I am seriously grateful for the Clintons. Tonight would be dimmed if they hadn’t been so completely presidential, both of them in the truest sense of the word. I’m back with them 16 years ago as Big Dog said, remembering all the excitement then. And who could have imagined then “Don’t Stop thinking About Tomorrow” what all of those tomorrows would bring. Yikes! Did we live, boy, or what?!
By No Way-No How -No McCain on 08/28/2008 8:06 pm
Frank Peterson
Suzanne—we lived indeed—we’ve can walk the walk and talk the talk ‘cause be been there—and some of us have the scars to show for it. :-) And tomorrow—that’s what democrats are all about. Thinking ahead.
By Frank Peterson on 08/28/2008 8:13 pm