Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Convention Coverage Leans One Way

A black cable network, TV One, is making plans to break from regular programming and cover the Democratic National Convention in August, according to The Live Feed. "Senator Barack Obama running for president is a huge deal for TV One as it is for the African American community," said Johnathan Rodgers, president and CEO of TV One, a channel in about 40 million homes. "African Americans have fallen in love with his candidacy, his family ... we will be covering the democratic convention all the time."

Well, now, you may ask about the coverage schedule for John McCain. Don't bother. There is no plan to cover the Republican Convention.

"We are not a news organization, " said Rodgers, speaking at the opening session of the semi-annual Television Critics Association press tour in Beverly Hills. "We are a television network designed to celebrate African American achievement. If Hillary was the nominee, we would not be covering this year's Democratic Convention."

According to the article, TV One does have "a Republican pundit as part of its convention coverage, comedian Sheryl Underwood. But she's also voting for Obama."

Underwood claims black Republicans would not be offended by the network's decision. "McCain is not going to win it, that's why I'm over here, because I want to be with the winners - and I'm a Bush Republican."

So, as all the racist non-believers of the new messiah, Obama, have said before, he is the recipient of votes solely on the color of his skin. Up until now, however, it wasn't so blatant. His whole victim schtick is only going so far. He loves to say those racist Republicans will remind you he is black. Of course, it hasn't happened. It was the Democrats, the Clintons, doing that from the beginning.

Can you imagine if another network did this? Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson would be all over it. Michelle Obama would do more speeches telling you how mean America is. Downright mean, she says. Actually she was the very first to bring race into the campaign. She kicked off his announcement with her first interview, declaring he could get shot just going to the gas station because he is a black man in America.

There's your change, America.

Fired Up.

6 comments:

Nikki said...

interesting. I wonder if they would cover the republican convention if Condi Rice were to be the veep nominee...something tells me otherwise. :)N

Z said...

I did a piece on Black Republicans, too....A friend at church saunters up to me and tells me she's considering Obama. Yup, a conservative black girlfriend I thought was pretty darned wise.

I was wrong.

Anonymous said...

You can't be serious. Obama is somehow to blame for this, I guess, he and his elitist self.

This network is covering an event that falls in their wheelhouse. And yes, if Condi was running, I have every confidence they'd cover it, too. They aren't a news channel. It's about celebrating the achievements of African-Americans. That's what they do. Obama's campaign is an achievement by every bit of the definition of their mission statement. If it were a gay fashion and culture network and there was an openly gay candidate, I imagine they'd be covering it, too. Where is your issue with that, exactly?

It's like Michelle Malkin kvetching over the Obamas putting gherkins in their kids' tuna salad. Quote: "don’t ask me what those are, I have no idea." Really? Wow.

This nitpicky crap would be almost unbearable if the hysteria of it wasn't so damn funny.

Ever notice that the only people who call him the Messiah or the Second Coming are Republicans? His supporters seem to be a whole hell of a lot more grounded in the reality. Is this some sort of Freudian dream, I wonder?

Karen Townsend said...

Jennifer;
I re-read my post, as I was fairly certain I didn't blame Obama for the channel's decision. I didn't. Take a breath.

And, the whole messiah thing? It's noticeable. I rarely reference it but it's there. It's the intention of the marketing of Obama for the mass production of events. And, now the Invesco field acceptance at the Convention? Yeah, nothing obvious about that scene.

Whatever.

And, I have no idea about the Malkin reference to pickles.

Anonymous said...

No direct line, of course, but you wove him and his "victim shtick" into the middle of your take on the network, leaving a clear dotted line inference, at best.

He can do no right. I get it.

The Invesco field thing is an amazing development. To give the opportunity to witness and be part of such a seminal event of American politics to thousands who would never, under typical circumstances, make it through the doors of a political convention hall is an incredible thing. That's what's obvious to me. I only wish I could be there in person myself.

Karen Townsend said...

I call truce, Jennifer.

We'll agree to disagree. Nothing new in this campaign, right?

I'm packing an overnight bag and going to sleep. At the crack of dawn I'm on the road. Looking forward to it.