Former USDA official Shirley Sherrod claims she was abruptly fired by the Obama administration because the White House feared Glenn Beck would target her in a segment on his show. (Which he did anyway, of course.) Ben Jealous, NAACP president, claims that he was “snookered” by “the right” into misrepresenting, exploiting and demonizing Sherrod. The way the Obama administration and the NAACP bungled the case of Shirley Sherrod should disturb and alarm everyone concerned with fairness, courage and racial honesty.

Denied due process, Shirley Sherrod was misrepresented, exploited, demonized …

For the most part, my reaction to the Tiger trouser snake scandal has been a ‘Kanye shrug’. I certainly wouldn’t want the absolute worst moments of my marriage all over the tabloids. On the other hand, I conduct myself in such a way that even the worst moments wouldn’t be particularly interesting or considered outrageous by anyone other than my hubby.
I am perplexed as to why Gatorade hasn’t dropped Tiger Woods endorsement deal yet. But then again, it is an energy drink. I guess it all makes then since at …

Blond, white and beaming, Tareq And Michaele Salahi breezed into the first White House State Dinner of the Obama presidency. The Salahis hadn’t made it onto on any guest lists, hadn’t gone through any of the usual background checks beforehand and apparently didn’t even pretend to have done these things. Instead, they were just smiley, dressed “appropriately” for the festive occasion and walked right in.
When I heard “White House party crashers” story for the first time, I wondered two things:
1. What if the Salahis are terrorists and have …

You have to hand it to Glenn Beck. He is a wizard at whipping up controversy and, therefore, publicity. Beck’s latest dangling shiny object comes in the form of an announcement that in order to support the sales of his upcoming book which will outline a 100 year plan for America, he is organizing a gathering on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. The date is August 28, 2010; the 47th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech.
At [a] rally and in a letter on his …

By CHRIS SIMMONS
It’s eulogy time for two “urban-based” situation comedies. To be more precise, it’s more like the end of an era. Again.
The CW’s decision to cancel EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS after four seasons, and THE GAME after three, means that the netlet (an industry term which, loosely translated, means “a little network that WOULDN’T”) will no longer air comedy series starring (and created, written and directed by) African-Americans.
We’ve been here before, right? Remember back in the day when FOX ran entire nights’ worth of shows like …

Perhaps those of us on the outside looking in have it all wrong. Perhaps Mr. Steele is a mole. Maybe Michael Steele is a one man, chocolate colored, fifth column for political progressives. It’s becoming plausible that Mr. Steele’s goal is to burrow in and then ransack the GOP from the inside while other conservatices/Republicans take on that task from the outside. Think I’m wrong? Then you explain Steele’s latest, self-hating suck up:
While hosting Bill Bennett’s radio show Friday morning, Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele appeared to agree …

President Obama’s presser was pretty low key. It was solid on information if light on the inspirational charisma thing. One exchange in particular caught my ear. I too was surprised and pleased that the President called on Ann Compton. I was also surprised by her question:

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Visit msnbc.com for Breaking …

Top radio trash talker Tammy Bruce took her vocal derision of the First family to a new low today. Bruce hurled criticism after criticism at the First Lady in a rant that sounded like Bruce was unraveling on air. What triggered Bruce’s tirade? Oh, that would be the First Lady’s recent conversation with school children in which she shared that other kids had accused her of "talking white" :
"I wanted the A for myself, and I wanted to do it, and ooh, they said you sounded like a …

My overarching takeaway from attending and participating in Tavis Smiley’s State of the Black Union 2009 on Saturday was that it was reflective of the broad spectrum and diverse character of the conversations happening in black America everyday. It’s all good that millions of people are now participants in these conversations and there were mind opening and soul touching moments throughout the symposium.
I would have gotten more out of a bit less discussion of historical context and more time spent presenting specific strategies and tactics that each and every …

Fellow State of the Black Union 2009 panelist, blogger and new friend Lenny McAllister is hosting a Live Web Chat on AOL Black Voices/Blackspin today and tomorrow.
I encourage – everyone – to hop on over, jump in and get your conversation on.
Live Web Chat on AOL Black Voices/Blackspin
Tavis Smiley’s State of the Black Union 2009 “Accountable – Making America as good as its promise” will be broadcast live on C-Span tomorrow. Our blogger’s panel, I will be one of the moderators, will be streamed Viewable ONLY online …

In getting ready for my role as blogger panelist at “Tavis Smiley’s State of the Black Union” this Saturday, I’ve just participated in one of the most frank, wide ranging and invigorating conversations on the state of ‘Black America’ that I can remember having. As a guest on my friend Kevin Ross‘ Blogtalkradio show, I hashed it out, no holds barred, with Kevin and fellow blogger Lenny McAllister – both black Republicans.
Listen to the Kevin Ross show on Blogtalkradio.
Kevin, Lenny and I will be blogger panelists on ‘Tavis …

Here’s what appeared in the New York Post today:
As the Chairman of the New York Post, I am ultimately responsible for what is printed in its pages. The buck stops with me.
Last week, we made a mistake. We ran a cartoon that offended many people. Today I want to personally apologize to any reader who felt offended, and even insulted.
Over the past couple of days, I have spoken to a number of people and I now better understand the hurt this cartoon has caused. At the same time, I have …

It’s bad enough that the stereotype of overbearing, over controlling mothers is being pimped for ‘reality’ show ratings. But NBC’s ‘Momma’s Boys’, in which young men (with their mothers along for the ride) is heavily promoting one mother who is unapologetic in her racist and anti-Semitic views when it comes to defining ‘the right girl’ for her son. Ryan Seacrest is one of the show’s producers. Scott D. Pierce of Deseret News has watched some of episodes:
But the fireworks are really ignited when we meet Khalood Bojanowski, the mother of …

I had a hard time sleeping last night, I kept thinking about mothers of missing children this Thanksgiving week. My blog amigo Yobachi asked me if I knew anyone here on the west coast who could spearhead an effort to get the word out about Chioma Gray, a beautiful, smart, kind and ambitious young girl now missing for almost a year. I don’t know anyone like that, but I can lend my voice to the effort to find Chioma Gray and to bring her home to her family. Here is …

Do did you see Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live? What did you think?
Maybe it’s just in my head but I felt a small tug of discomfort watching as Palin played with the others. Try as everyone might, the interactions between the cast and Palin fell a little short of breezy. Why? Who knows? The cause could be as simple as poor cue card placement.
To Palin’s credit, I thought she looked appealingly silly bopping along to Amy Poehler’s ‘Palin Rap.’ And certainly did herself no harm by showing up …