Hey, now THAT'S an idea:

Jerry Smith for President!
He'll have a beer or two with you!

Paid for by Smith for President 2008.

Sent by deek | 10:48 AM ET | 04-15-2008

It worries me that Bob Johnson's comments seem to somehow be marginalized. As the former head of BET, his concurring with Ms. Ferraro's comments should be significant but is the press truly guiding versus reporting in this election season? Despite the dismissive comments of Dan Leistikow and other Obama supporters, the American public isn't tired of the truth and saying we are doesn't make it so. This story should be given the weight it deserves, as when Ms. Ferraro initially spoke or when Hillary Clinton lied, I mean mis-spoke. Pardon please.

Sent by Dave Forsythe | 10:51 AM ET | 04-15-2008

But seriously folks, the fact is that Obama's America isn't what most of Americas America is; if you follow.

He may play well in the halls of academia where you can spend all day getting paid for debating about how many angels fit on the head of a pin, but where the rubber meets the road he falls flat.

Obama has had a very unusual life that is so far removed from everyday American life that he can't help but look at some of us as a seperate species, not unlike what an anthropologist does; which coincidently was his mothers profession.

Sure he's a nice guy and maybe quite a confused guy, but at times you get the idea that he is just winging it and acting the way he thinks we want him to act; an empty vessel.

That is not the mark of a President.

Sent by deek | 10:58 AM ET | 04-15-2008

you have a "regular guy" in the white house now and look at the mess. Wake up America. Its ok to be intellegent.

Sent by yoshi | 11:22 AM ET | 04-15-2008

Given that Bob Johnson has made his millions on the backs of black youth who promote misogynistic themes and use self-deprecating language to depict their depraved values, it is small wonder that he would disapprove of Sen. Obama's efforts to turn this country in a new direction, while uniting people of all races. He (Johnson) does not deserve the respect of the black community, money notwithstanding, and his comments are worthless.

Sent by Gemma Haynes | 11:29 AM ET | 04-15-2008

I am offended with Bob Johnson's comments. To insinuate that Black voters are so ignorant to only vote for Barack Obama because he is Black is insulting.

Sent by Jerry | 11:37 AM ET | 04-15-2008

@ deek. How many clich??s fit on the head of a pin?

Sent by bw | 11:38 AM ET | 04-15-2008

"I don't think he has that common -- what I call 'I-want-to-go-out-and-have-a-drink-with-you -- touch'," Johnson said.

First, that's B.S. I would love to have a drink with Obama. He would most likely have something interesting to talk about and make me feel good.

Second, we've had eight years under a guy who some people reportedly supported because he was a "guy they'd like to have a beer with." For most people, apparently, that means someone who doesn't make them feel stupid by using big words.

This is one of the largest problems facing American democracy - stupid people voting for candidates that they can relate to. What's amazing to me is that this country ever elected someone as intelligent as Bill Clinton.

Sent by Sean O | 11:52 AM ET | 04-15-2008

If I might point out, I could've said the Obama response to Johnson along with the team. Am I the only one, or does anyone else see that a direct challenge to his campaign is always met with a comment sounding something like, "How dare you! A real claim! The American people are tired of hearing of my shortfalls! Ride the REVOLUTION '08!"

I'm tired of it, Barrack. Please just go away and let me rest from your wearisome bandwagon of a campaign.

Sent by Grady | 11:55 AM ET | 04-15-2008

This country twice in the past 8 years elected a guy partly on the basis that he seemed like a guy you would want to have a beer with (not me - I didn't vote for him), and it was disastrous. Maybe we could focus on electing someone with leadership qualities and not worry so much about whether he or she is a fun guy to hang out with.

Sent by Mark | 12:02 PM ET | 04-15-2008

Grady:
What do you think about McCain's silence on the Mit Rommey spin offs (FLDS:Mormon connection) in Arizon, marrying little children). He has been very quite.

Sent by Liza | 12:18 PM ET | 04-15-2008

"I don't think he has that common -- what I call
'I-want-to-go-out-and-have-a-drink-with-you -- touch'," Johnson said.

Yea, that's what i want in a leader of the free world, a made-by-the-marketing- department "common touch" awshucks kind of guy/gal. none of that ivy league smarts, knows what he/she is talking about on the issues and sighs too much on TeeVee nonsense for me. you know what we want -- the kind of person whose water carriers will explain away his/her unceratinty about the facts of geopolitics. for example, not caring enough to know who the leader of pakistan is, cause we all know that's just college professor trivia (who could possibly care who the leader of an islamic state which supports and sponsors radicals and their training schools, borders boiling pot Afghanistan and has real honest-to-god WMD is?? silly liberals)

oh, i forgot, been there, done that, blew the wad that belonged to an entire generation's grandkids.

episode 388 of the dumbing down of the american political discourse brought to you by a real clever guy and his media buddies. who needs intelligent ("get thee behind me nuance")issue-focused substance when you can swap cliches about "character" produced by "compelling narrative" creators?

Sent by tim in exile | 12:22 PM ET | 04-15-2008

I hate to say it folks, but I think this election campaign will come down to the following. The democrats will spend masive amounts linking McCain to Bush and the republicans and their media will spend massive amounts subtly telling people not to vote for the black guy.

Sent by Mike Fleissner | 12:27 PM ET | 04-15-2008

This conversation is ridiculous of course, as is most hypothetical conversation. But try to imagine someone named Hillary Clinton running for Senate in New York who hadn't just been FIRST LADY for 8 years. See? Hillary's entire resume is based on something her husband did for her. At least Obama's 'black' resume is based on something a black mad did. Hillary's 'I'm a woman' thing is all propped up by a man. A white one at that.

Sent by Christopher Brown | 12:27 PM ET | 04-15-2008

It is refreshing to hear Obama speak un-jaded by politics. Do we really want another decade of our history written by the same 2 families? New ideas, new approach. The old ways just are not working.

Sent by S | 12:40 PM ET | 04-15-2008

Although Johnson and others suggest otherwise, the reason Obama will "probably win the nomination" is that most Democrats in the primary have voted for him. Folks can argue all they want that America doesn't identify with or support Obama, but I'm not seeing how the numbers support that. In Pennsylvania, maybe, but national polls still show Obama with a lead over Clinton by 10 points, and then there's the delegate count. That's a lot of Americans asking him to represent them, however you might want to pigeonhole his supporters ("liberal whites" and "African Americans").

If people keep dismissing my "white liberal" vote as unAmerican or delusional or tricked by the media, I might just have to get offended. Maybe Clinton, who likes to speak up for voters who've been maligned, will stand up for those of us who have been looked down on as fans of college education and who pride themselves in not knowing the difference between types of guns.

Sent by Michelle | 12:47 PM ET | 04-15-2008

I am an Obama supporter, but I still think it's absolutely important to note that Hillary Clinton is a very smart, successful woman all on her own, and that it's not fair (or accurate) to attribute her success to her husband. There are many women who are senators. Moreover, there are many first ladies who did not go on to have their own political career. I'm absolutely pulling my hair out over her right now, but I also think she is incredibly intelligent and admirably ambitious in pursuing an office that has been closed to women and facing a public eye that makes fun of her wardrobe.

Still, Obama 08!

Sent by Michelle | 12:55 PM ET | 04-15-2008

LOL, it seems I was correct in my assertion that liberals couldn't see what was wrong with Obamas "bittergate" comments. You agree with them as can be seen by the comments here.

Yep, you just keep calling Americans stupid and see where it gets you; you can always blame Diebold and "the man."

Sent by deek | 12:56 PM ET | 04-15-2008

"Hillary's entire resume is based on something her husband did for her. At least Obama's 'black' resume is based on something a black mad did. Hillary's 'I'm a woman' thing is all propped up by a man. A white one at that."

To say that Senator Clinton's accomplishments and resume are only because of her husband is
EXTREMELY SEXIST. And that's beside the fact that it's untrue--take a few minutes to do some objective research on her background and see what her professional resume encompasses.

Sent by Karen | 1:03 PM ET | 04-15-2008

How sad to see the shallow and short sighted view of so many of Obama supporters...even if Obama wins the nomination (can't imagine, with more "questionable" conduct to be revealed) with tremendous support from the media, old school politicians that spin his every blunder to an example of "well, hold on...there might really be something good in Obama's blunder that we can all learn from..." (this hurts my head to think about it...), and with all his intensely committed supporters...what then? Face it...Obama lacks the substance to really battle his way to the White House, and it will be a BATTLE (and he will lose)...there is still more that will come to light and prove to be yet another setback (embarrassment) to his ill fated attempt to be President...and why the uproar towards Bob Johnson? He pretty much has spoken the same words Obama spoke OUT OF HIS OWN LIPS years ago...so why is Obama allowing the demonizing of Bob Johnson and Geraldine Ferarro on a point he has already said about himself? Keep in mind also that Bob Johnson was somewhat a pioneer in being the first African American in his industry...as far as the first African American President, I doubt seriously if Obama would truthfully get the award for that...though history may not have blantantly identified in history books previous American Presidents as African Americans, the arguement could be made (lots of African Americans claimed to be white in the 1800s...can you blame them?)...so why give Obama undue credit...some of his supporters need to do research on this issue and become enlightened to the fact that he would not be the original black article. As I watched Hillary and Obama during the Compassion Forum, I felt a bit sad realizing that while the Democrats have two candidates that get tremendous support from opposites of the street, the Presidency will most likely go to McCain (Don't get me wrong, McCain is sounding pretty good to me these days...and he's not a pure breed party Rrepublican, I like that..being an Independent)...at that point Obama supporters will wonder what would have happened if Obama had joined Hillary as Vice President (logically, Obama needs the on the job training... he seems so out of sorts when under direct pressure...he can learn alot from Hillary...she's tough)...and sadly it will be a thought reflected upon much too late for hope, let alone change...

Sent by ard | 9:32 PM ET | 04-15-2008