James L. Taylor: Before Hillary Clinton Became White

Taylor is associate professor of politics at the University of San Francisco and president-elect of the National Conference of Black Political Scientists.

Despite John Edwards's endorsement of Barack Obama, the very recent transformation of Hillary Clinton in becoming the voice of dispossessed white working class and populist elements in the United States is not at all a political conversion.

That is, if the Clintons' electoral successes, respectively in Arkansas (1978, 1982), nationally (1992, 1996), and in New York (2002, 2006) are any measure. As the most powerful Democratic Party machine since the New Deal, having inspired the party's ideological shift from traditional liberalism to "centrism" in the 1990s, the Clintons' very skillful balance of the party's disparate ethnic, regional, religious, ideological, racial, and gender constituencies saved the national Democrats from the humiliation of occupying the White House for less than five of the past forty years.

Pardon the numbers, but between 1980 and 2005 their native Arkansas alternated with Mississippi, New Mexico, West Virginia, (and occasionally South Carolina, Alabama, Utah, Indiana, and Montana), as perennial states with the four or five lowest per capita personal incomes.

Its average poverty rate between 2002 and 2004 was 17.6 percent and second in the country only to Mississippi's 17.7 percent. The overall state unemployment rate in 2006 was 7.0 percent. Recent unemployment rates among its various populations respectively were 5.6 percent for whites, 7.5 percent for Latinos, and 14.8 percent among its African American residents. Residents with high school education or less constitute 16.2 percent of its unemployed. In 21 of its 26 Rural Swing counties, more of its 2.8 million residents lived in mobile homes in 1990 than in the rest of the state.

It shares ethnic and religious demographics with Appalachia, which includes southwestern New York, western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio, West Virginia, western Maryland, western Virginia, eastern Kentucky, eastern Tennessee, western North Carolina, South Carolina, and northern Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi; by one, Obama has won a majority of these states, even where he has not won the counties or regions.

Arkansas is in many ways a microcosm of the Democrats' "racial dilemma" since 1948; it was the Republicans' dilemma from the Civil War until the early New Deal. Political Scientist Diane Blair's seminal study, Arkansas Politics and Government (with Jay Barth), notes how former Governor Homer Adkins pronounced in 1944 after the Smith v. Allwright case eliminated the all "white primary" that "if I cannot be nominated by the white voters of Arkansas, I do not want the office."

Continue reading "James L. Taylor: Before Hillary Clinton Became White" »

Geoffrey Bennett

7:47 PM ET | 05-30-2008 | permalink | comments (7) | e-mail post

 

Bill Cosby's Famous TV Sweaters Up for Auction

Bill Cosby poses in one of Dr. Huxtable's legendary sweaters.

Oh yes, you know you want one. A collection of Bill Cosby's, ahem, interesting sweaters from his sitcom days have been pulled out of mothballs and are headed for auction. A charity set up to honor Cosby's late son Ennis will benefit from the money raised. According to Yahoo News:

Never available to the public before, three of the iconic sweaters worn by Cosby's character, Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable, on the show in the 1980s and '90s will be sold on eBay's Giving Works charity listing arm from June 2-12. Opening bids will start at $5,000 per item on www.eBay.com/cosby.

OK, paying $5,000 for an ugly sweater a piece of TV memorabilia might be out of reach for most of us, but we urge anyone with the cash to make a bid. Who knows, by helping out a great cause you could end up with the best Halloween costume ever.

Geoffrey Gardner

7:24 PM ET | 05-29-2008 | permalink | comments (4) | e-mail post

NY Gov. David Paterson Wields His Political Power

New York State Governor David A. Paterson attends the third annual "New York Times Sunday with the Magazine" at The Times Center.

Scott Wintrow, Getty Images

Much like the Frank Sinatra tune, New York Governor David Paterson is doing it his way.

Though only on the job for a little over two months, his agenda -- and political approach -- could be described as aggressively progressive.

Here's some of what he's done:

* admits to several previous marital affairs upon taking office

* grants a pardon to pioneering rapper Slick Rick

* signs a bill making it a felony to display a noose as a threat

* decides to be more open about his blindness

And now, Paterson is directing state agencies to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other other states, where it's been legalized.

What do you think of Paterson's tenure thus far? As many career-conscious black politicians tend to tip-toe around issues of race and civil rights, what do you make of Paterson's
noose legislation and same-sex marriage directive?

Geoffrey Bennett

1:06 PM ET | 05-29-2008 | permalink | comments (11) | e-mail post

Judging the Fallout of McClellan's Tell-All Memoir

White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan responds to reporters' questions during the daily briefing on July 18, 2005.

Paul J. Richards, AFP/Getty Images

On yesterday's show, we took a closer look at a new book by Scott McClellan, former White House press secretary and Bush loyalist, which lambastes the Bush administration for its handling of the war in Iraq and Hurricane Katrina, among other things.

Here's more on the book from Politico, which broke the story:

* McClellan charges that Bush relied on "propaganda" to sell the war.

* He says the White House press corps was too easy on the administration during the run-up to the war.

* He admits that some of his own assertions from the briefing room podium turned out to be "badly misguided."

* The longtime Bush loyalist also suggests that two top aides held a secret West Wing meeting to get their story straight about the CIA leak case at a time when federal prosecutors were after them -- and McClellan was continuing to defend them despite mounting evidence they had not given him all the facts.

* McClellan asserts that the aides -- Karl Rove, the president's senior adviser, and I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, the vice president's chief of staff -- "had at best misled" him about their role in the disclosure of former CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity.

Are you surprised by any of these claims? How will it impact Bush's legacy and the current race for the White House? And do you find McClellan's scathing account to be a matter of disloyalty or courage?

McClellan: Plame Leak Case Was Turning Point
McClellan: Bush Embraced Political 'Game' Too Often

Geoffrey Bennett

12:36 PM ET | 05-29-2008 | permalink | comments (5) | e-mail post

Does 'Sex and the City' Reflect Reality?

Wireimage.com

Women of all ages are eagerly awaiting the return (to the big screen) of their favorite fashion-obsessed gal pals. The Sex and the City movie opens this Friday, May 30th and features the entire original cast from the popular HBO series. Some complain that the film's characters only reflect a small slice of the urban experience; namely, affluent white women. Yet among the film's surprises is a small, but pivotal, role played by Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson.

AOL Black Voices interviewed Ms. Hudson about her follow up to Dreamgirls, and the rising star just seemed excited to be involved:

"I definitely wanted something without any singing involved, and then I didn't want to pick something that I was biting off more than I can chew; so I think this was like the perfect part. It wasn't too much and it wasn't too little, but it was just right to get my feet wet in the door with just acting. And then it's 'Sex and the City.' What else could you ask for?"

Last week, News & Notes spoke with Twanna Hines of FunkyBrownChick.com about what it's like to be black, sexy, and single in the big city. Which point of view suits you best?

Geoffrey Gardner

1:22 PM ET | 05-28-2008 | permalink | comments (5) | e-mail post

Is Obama to Blame for Oprah's Ratings Tumble?

Oprah Winfrey joins Barack Obama at a rally in Manchester, New Hampshire on December 9, 2007.

AP

New ratings out for daytime television point to a downturn in viewership for The Oprah Winfrey Show, and a marked decline in the host's popularity. Her daytime audience, which was at a high of nearly 9 million back in 2004-2005, is now down to 7.3 million.

Some are drawing the conclusion that Winfrey's endorsement of Barack Obama for president is turning her Clinton-supporting female viewers away in droves. According to the L.A. Times:

"Before the primaries and caucuses, she was credited with helping to draw impressive crowds and thousands of new volunteers to Obama rallies in Iowa, which he won, in New Hampshire, which he lost, and in South Carolina, which he won.

An October Gallup Poll before the rallies but after her public endorsement of the Illinois freshman senator found her favorable ratings had fallen from 74% to 66% while her unfavorable ratings jumped by more than 50% from 17% to 26%."

While the numbers don't look great, the show's producers aren't drawing any parallels between declining ratings and Oprah's political affiliations.

"Officials of billionaire Winfrey's company, Harpo Productions, profess no concern over the dip in numbers. They say daytime audiences have generally declined and her audience is still about one-third larger than the No. 2 daytime program, Dr. Phil.

Do you think Oprah's support of Obama is to blame for her ratings drop or are people simply losing interest in the talk show queen?

Geoffrey Gardner

6:41 PM ET | 05-27-2008 | permalink | comments (26) | e-mail post

Mark Sawyer: 'Ugly Betty' Just Plain Ugly

America Ferrera stars in ABCs' Ugly Betty.

Courtesy ABC

Does TV's Ugly Betty play in ugly stereotypes? Mark Q. Sawyer thinks so.

He's back with this submission titled, "Ugly Betty Just Plain Ugly: Latino Assimilation at Black Expense."

Sawyer is director of the UCLA Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity and Politics and the author of Racial Politics in Post-Revolutionary Cuba.

I really tried to love the show Ugly Betty. I even like America Ferrera. The idea of a less than anorexic real woman with curves representing a Latina on television is wonderful. I have also been a longtime fan of Vanessa Williams so, why does Ugly Betty offend me?

In my opinion, the show is pseudo-feminism where the bottom line message is that Latinos can assimilate and achieve success by protecting white male privilege. The central message is that if Latinas take care of white men, and don't challenge their undeserved privilege and in fact defend it, they too can be upwardly mobile.

The show not only offends me as an African American but also should offend hordes of Latino men, who are either absent in popular films or television or there is a suggestion that they are so sexist and backwards the only way for a Latina to achieve liberation is through white men. Let me explain.

Continue reading "Mark Sawyer: 'Ugly Betty' Just Plain Ugly" »

Geoffrey Bennett

4:42 PM ET | 05-27-2008 | permalink | comments (5) | e-mail post

Ron Walters: An Open Letter to Barack Obama

This week's "Political Positions" submission comes from Dr. Ron Walters. In it, Walters offers advice to Barack Obama as he figures out the numbers game, which is vital to winning the White House.

Barack Obama addresses people during a town hall meeting in Boca Raton, Florida.

Joe Raedle, Getty Images

I write this "open letter" to Barack Obama, because I am concerned about one recently written by Harold Ford Jr., urging Obama to try harder to connect with white blue-collar voters by engaging them in states like Kentucky and Indiana in the fall elections. And while I would not argue that he should ignore these states, I worry that the agenda he would use to attract conservative voters could weaken the force of change.

To begin with, worry about the blue collar vote is based on the perception of their strength as a part of the Democratic base. But this year will probably not reflect the 1980s, when they went over to the Republican party en masse, or in 1992 when they were a large part of the Ross Perot vote.

This year, blue collar whites are hurting more than any other time in recent memory and more than any other part of the political demographic with: significant job losses, high prices for everything from milk to gas, the loss of their homes and disaffection with the war policies of the Bush administration.

They have been let down by Republicans on both domestic and foreign policy and although about 20 percent in recent polls have said they would vote McCain if Obama were the choice in the fall, the issue is what would happen to the rest.

I think this year the blue collar constituency is likely to split. One group could go with McCain; another group may buy in to Obama's promise of change to an agenda that favors lower income citizens; and still another group, frustrated by the choices, is likely to stay home. This means that while the split in their votes may be a threat to the Democratic base it could be neutralized by the dynamism created by the Obama campaign.

There is the distinct possibility that a great deal of the loss of blue collar whites could be made up by the new coalition that Obama promises to bring into the fall election. Estimates by the Associated Press are that the new voters Democrats have attracted in the primaries thus far amount to 3.5 to 4 million.

If this proportion holds up in the fall elections, one would have to triple the number of new voters to about 10 to 12 million. This substantial number of change voters should be the focus of the campaign rather than lavishing resources on voters in the conservative heartland of the nation that will most likely not vote for Barack Obama in any case.

The other path to increasing the change constituency is to focus on enhancing the turnout of those groups that have shown they are more likely to vote for a Democratic ticket -- blacks and Hispanics. To be sure, some of the increase in new primary election voters is reflected in the increase in blacks and Hispanics, but more could be done in the general election to increase these numbers, especially among the youth who are trending away from the Republican party by astounding numbers.

In 2004, 35 percent of blacks and 66 percent of Hispanics were not registered, and 44 percent of blacks and 72 percent of Hispanics that were eligible did not vote. The addition of new voters to the Democratic base should put into perspective. Much of the speculation about Hillary Clinton's strength in so-called swing states like Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania came from considering the new states such voters might deliver.

Finally, some of Obama's perceived weaknesses are based on head-to-head polls during the primary season, but the tradition is that these numbers do not necessarily hold up in the fall. For example, in 1998 Michael Dukakis was ahead of George H. W. Bush but Bush won; in 1992, Bill Clinton trailed him in the primary elections but Clinton won; and in 2000, Al Gore was ahead of George Bush but Bush was given the election.

Therefore, the moderate wing of the Democratic party and the punditry that seems obsessed with blue collar voters should not dictate to the Obama campaign a strategy that both feeds into Obama's weakness among blue collar whites, and challenges the strength of a change oriented campaign and administration if he wins the presidency.

Such a strategy is disrespectful of Blacks by suggesting that they would stand still while Obama pursues conservative interests to their detriment, in effect, exchanging the progressive substance of change for race.

I think this is a dangerous course the Obama campaign should avoid.

-- Dr. Ron Walters

Geoffrey Bennett

12:10 PM ET | 05-27-2008 | permalink | comments (11) | e-mail post

Clinton Scrutinized Over RFK Remark

By now, you've no doubt heard about the latest dust-up in the Democratic race for the White House: Hillary Clinton's invoking of the assassination of RFK, as a justification for her continued pursuit of the nomination.

She made the comment during an interview with a newspaper editorial board:

What's your opinion of her comments?

Related Links:
Clinton Again Seeks to Explain RFK Remarks
'Let's Move Forward', Axelrod Says of Clinton RFK Gaffe

Geoffrey Bennett

11:57 AM ET | 05-27-2008 | permalink | comments (5) | e-mail post

The 'Racism Vs. Sexism' Debate Revisited

Moji Oderinde is back with this week's installment of "Speak Your Mind." Oderinde hails from Oakland Park, Fla., and blogs at AfroAmerica Writer. This week, she writes about the perceived sexism and racism in the Democratic race for the White House. Take a look and share your thoughts.

Moji Oderinde

I'm loving this brand of theater called the election season, especially that of the Democratic Party. The two main characters, the hero and heroine of this play, are Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton respectively.

The hero was a new brand of post-racial candidate, who generated the main question last year of whether he was "black enough." But recently his blackness is left unquestioned due to a certain Rev. Wright fiasco. What a difference a year makes!

The heroine has been a highly visible figure in the national and international scene for almost two decades. The fact that she is a woman was just an added bonus, but now she laments she might not get the destined prize based on a bias against her gender.

So the plot thickens, and I wonder which of these characters has the biggest hurdle to overcome: the racism or the sexism block.

Unfortunately, this is not theater. It is real life, and millions of voters are banking on changing the direction of the nation with their votes. It is sad (though inevitable) that the media will reduce this historic election season to just race and gender when key issues like the economy, education, and -- the elephant in the room -- an over five-year old war with no exit strategy remain unresolved.

Have I experienced racism? Absolutely. What about sexism? Definitely. As a black woman, I identify with both debates. But I will never say one issue is greater than the other like Gloria Steinem's controversial op-ed for the New York Times, defending the cause of sexism over racism. Nor will I be like Geraldine Ferraro, chiming the same sentiments last March and recently on the Today Show. Now Sen. Clinton joined her supporters in Steinem and Ferraro to voice the Media's "moments of gender bias" in a recent Washington Post interview of how her nomination went from a sure thing to a steep mountain.

Here's the deal about me: One of my pet peeves is with folks seeing hidden racism or sexism in everything. I think such moves could be a cop-out for a fundamental reason why a person might not succeed in a venture, in this case, a presidential nomination.

So as I watched some TV pundits highlighting different scenarios of sexism against Sen. Clinton, I wondered if they quickly forgot some scenarios that could be called racism against her opponent. But I digress.

The perceived sexism aside, could it be that the media or some voters are not against supporting a woman for president, but not this particular woman they see in Sen. Clinton? What about how she ran her campaign?

Let me count the ways: First, she announced herself as the most experienced candidate when the nation's pulse for almost two years has been about change. Second, the inconsistency in her message: She started out as the most experienced before the primaries, found her voice in New Hampshire, became "Rocky" in Philadelphia, and now being the most electable among "hard-working white Americans." Finally, she did not have the strategic foresight to campaign in caucus states or plan for any contingency especially in the area of raising money just in case the primaries ran longer than Super Tuesday.

What does sexism have to do with the missteps of this campaign?

-- Moji Oderinde

Flashback: Speak Your Mind -- Defining Blackness

Geoffrey Bennett

11:30 AM ET | 05-27-2008 | permalink | comments (3) | e-mail post

Spike Lee Takes on Michael Jordan's Story

Director Spike Lee photographed at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival.

Getty Images

While at the Cannes Film Festival to promote his new film, The Miracle at St. Anna, Spike Lee told reporters that he's working on a full-length documentary chronicling the life of basketball legend Michael Jordan.

According to AOL Black Voices:

The Jordan documentary will include extensive unseen footage shot by NBA cameras during the final two years in Jordan's career, the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons. Lee and Jordan previously collaborated on a series of Nike TV commercials.

'Mike wants to come to Cannes, so hopefully we will be here next year,' Lee said.

Lee's The Miracle at St. Anna, based on a novel by the same name, debuts this October. The film tells the powerful story of African-American troops, also known as Buffalo soldiers, based in Italy during World War II.

Are you looking forward to the Michael Jordan documentary? If so, what aspects of Michael's life should Spike Lee focus on?

Geoffrey Gardner

1:03 PM ET | 05-23-2008 | permalink | comments (3) | e-mail post

Black, Jewish Tension Rises Again In Crown Heights

Police fear rising tension in Crown Heights could reach a level seen here in 1991, when violent riots eventually broke out.

AP

Police are descending upon a New York City neighborhood, where tensions between the Jewish and black communities are escalating. Riots broke out in Crown Heights back in 1991, after a black child was killed by a Jewish driver.

Here's more from WCBS:

In the past month, 20-year-old Andrew Charles, who is black, was beaten up, and the suspect is Jewish.

Then last week, 16-year-old Alon Sherman, who is Jewish, had his jaw broken while being allegedly robbed by two black teens. The attackers were arrested Thursday.

Inside a Jewish museum dedicated to tolerance and understanding, black and religious leaders pleaded for the public to write a new history of race and religious relations.

"We are one standing together yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Forever," said Jewish Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn).

Added Councilman Mathieu Eugene (D-Dist. 40): "We may have arrived on different ships, but now we are all in the same boat."

While the police presence in the neighborhood is expected to dissipate once the tensions are resolved, many fear that the violence will return once they leave.

"It's a bad thing. I hope it doesn't escalate," one black resident told CBS 2. And if it does, there will be a quick response.

"It's scary what's been going on, but I'm happy police are taking it seriously," said Chana Levine, a Jewish Crown Heights resident.

Geoffrey Gardner

5:39 PM ET | 05-22-2008 | permalink | comments (3) | e-mail post

Mark Sawyer: McCain's Crooked Talk on Cuba

Today, we're starting a new series, featuring online commentaries written by our political contributors. "Political Positions" brings you opinionated reactions to the week's news, so be sure to read and respond.

This first piece comes from Mark Q. Sawyer, director of the UCLA Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity and Politics and the author of Racial Politics in Post-Revolutionary Cuba. Here, he writes about what he considers John McCain's politically expedient stances on U.S. relations with Cuba.

Mark Q. Sawyer

Yesterday, Sen. John McCain attacked Sen. Barack Obama -- his potential opponent -- on Cuba policy and argued we must stay the course with our current lack of engagement with the island. Why is it that McCain supported normalizing relations with Vietnam, a regime that tortured him and cost 58,217 American lives, but won't talk with Cuba?

McCain, who once sensibly suggested that some reforms in Cuba could open the door to constructive engagement, is now hardening his position simply to garner votes among older Cuban American voters in South Florida. He is attempting to draw a distinction between himself and Barack Obama by characterizing Obama as "naive on foreign policy." It may be good politics, but is it sound policy?

Continue reading "Mark Sawyer: McCain's Crooked Talk on Cuba" »

Geoffrey Bennett

12:38 PM ET | 05-22-2008 | permalink | comments (6) | e-mail post

You Gotta Play to Win ... and This Kid Won $35 Million

A 19-year-old construction worker is South Carolina's newest millionaire -- 35 times over. Jonathan Vargas picked the winning numbers in last weekend's $35.3 million Powerball jackpot.

Here's more from AOL Black Voices:

Vargas said he plans to buy his mother a house and quit work.

"Right now, there's no really big plans in the works," he said. The first thing he plans to do is get a lawyer and a financial consultant. He said he already has an accountant -- his aunt.

... Vargas, who admitted he's still a little scared by the prospect of being a millionaire at his young age, said the money is "a blessing from God."

"You never ask the Lord why you are blessed," he said. "I'm not going to ask the Lord why he put it in my hands."

What would you do with $35 million?

Geoffrey Bennett

11:24 AM ET | 05-22-2008 | permalink | comments (5) | e-mail post

On the Search for Africa's Einstein

Physicist Stephen Hawking poses at the CalTech library in 2000.

As discussed in yesterday's "Africa Update", world-renowned physicist Stephen Hawking is once again on the search for intelligent life. This time on Earth!

Joining forces with Hawking are Neil Turok, founder of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), and other luminaries -- including two Nobel laureates in physics, David Gross and George Smoot, and Michael Griffin, the head of NASA.

Their goal is to construct Africa's first 15 postgraduate centers for advanced math and physics. According to the Times:

"The world of science needs Africa's brilliant talents and I look forward to meeting prospective young Einsteins from Africa," said Hawking.

Neil Turok, founder of the project and professor of mathematical physics at Cambridge University, where he is a close colleague of Hawking, said the aim of the centres was to "unlock and nurture scientific talent" across Africa. "Apart from an African Einstein, we want to find the African Bill Gates and the Sergey Brins and Larry Pages of the future," said Turok, referring to the founders of Microsoft and Google.

The group got together after the British government refused to fund the endeavor, choosing instead to focus resources on poverty-related issues.

"The Department for International Development spends 1.5 billion of taxpayers' money on aid to Africa every year but there is precious little to show for it. The people who will make Africa rich are the brightest people because they will generate wealth," Turok said.

Is the key to humanity's survival locked away in the mind of a brilliant African student?

Geoffrey Gardner

2:44 PM ET | 05-21-2008 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

Senator Byrd Endorses Barack Obama

Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV) makes opening remarks on Capitol Hill on May 15, 2008.

Tim Sloan, AFP/Getty Images

The oldest serving Senator in U.S. history (and former KKK member), Robert Byrd of West Virginia, has officially endorsed Barack Obama for president.

The 90-year-old Senate icon's support comes a week after Hillary Clinton's 41-point victory over Obama in the West Virginia primary. According to The Charleston Gazette, Byrd said:

"I had no intention of involving myself in the Democratic campaign for President in the midst of West Virginia's primary election. But the stakes this November could not be higher."

"Barack Obama is a noble-hearted patriot and humble Christian, and he has my full faith and support," Byrd concluded.

Primary in Byrd's endorsement was the fact that Barack Obama shares his firm stance against the war in Iraq, and has from the beginning. Here's more from the Washington Wire:

"After a great deal of thought, consideration and prayer over the situation in Iraq, I have decided that, as a superdelegate to the Democratic National Convention, I will cast my vote for Senator Barack Obama for president," Byrd said, adding that Obama "possesses the personal temperament and courage necessary to extricate our country from this costly misadventure in Iraq."

What do you make of this endorsement?

Geoffrey Gardner

6:35 PM ET | 05-20-2008 | permalink | comments (5) | e-mail post

Sean Bell Officers to Be Disciplined?

The officers involved in the shooting death of unarmed New Yorker Sean Bell were acquitted of manslaughter.

The acquittal resulted in a major protest in New York.

Now, the New York City Police Department has moved to discipline the officers in the case. In addition to the three officers directly involved in the shooting, five others were cited, including the lieutenant supervising the undercover operation in which the officers were involved.

We'll bring you more on this in the coming days.

ALSO: During a conversation about whether New York police officers racially profiled people during stop-and-frisk searches, we talked briefly about the case of a freelance reporter for the New York Post who was stopped by police and subsequently filed a profiling lawsuit against the NYPD. The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) is shepherding the suit.

Now, an update: the Post has severed their relationship with the reporter, Leonardo Blair.

The NYCLU (part of the ACLU) also produced a video specifically about the case.

Be assured there will be more news to come on both these fronts.

Farai Chideya

6:10 PM ET | 05-20-2008 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

Book Outs Hip Hop's Secret Gay World

The cover of 'Hiding in Hip Hop,' written by Terrance Dean.

In what could be described as a follow-up to the much-hyped (and in some corners, much-reviled) On the Down Low, Terrance Dean's Hiding in Hip Hop outs the music industry's secret gay s1/4ulture. Here's more from a Newsweek review:

And though Dean's intention was never to out anybody, he provides just enough information for readers to go crazy searching Google. There's a New York R&B singer who often opened for Jay-Z, caught the ears of Death Row Records and has worked on Broadway. A member of a rap group that changed hip-hop with its "philosophical rhymes over hard-core beats" who then went solo to achieve chart-topping success, eventually landing the lead in a movie. (He's also married.) "Men who have secret love affairs have separate homes and apartments, and separate phones strictly for their romantic flings," writes Dean. "No one ever suspects a thing, and they go to great lengths to keep it that way."

Are you surprised by Dean's claims? What impact, if any, will this book have?

Geoffrey Bennett

12:44 PM ET | 05-20-2008 | permalink | comments (6) | e-mail post

Living in the 'Burbs Taking a Toll on Kids' Health?

iStockphoto.com

Is childhood obesity becoming a bigger problem than teen smoking, alcohol and drug abuse or reckless driving? That's the surprising finding of a survey referenced in a Washington Post article about the rising numbers of overweight suburban kids.

On the face of it, children in the suburbs have every advantage. They live in communities with well-funded parks systems and sports leagues and are more likely to come from affluent and better-educated families than their urban counterparts.

Yet suburbia's kids keep getting fatter, too.

Experts say the reasons are varied. Overworked parents don't cook healthy meals regularly. They let their children spend too many hours watching TV or being strapped in car seats. Crowded youth leagues might fight over field times, but many kids are left alone after school with nothing to do.

Is this an issue you face in your home? How do you manage to instill the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle?

Geoffrey Bennett

12:26 PM ET | 05-20-2008 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

Can't Find a Good School for Your Kids? Buy One!

Will Smith and his son Jaden Smith (left) attend the 'Pursuit Of Happyness' premiere in Rome, Italy.

Elisabetta Villa, Getty Images

What does Will Smith do when he can't find a decent school for his kids? He buys them their own.

The actor recently paid $889,000 to lease Indian Hills High School in Calabasas, Calif., after failing to find a decent educational program for his two young children. Smith and his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, have been home schooling their brood until now. According to People:

"We started home-schooling our children probably six years ago," he said. "We found about eight or nine other parents that home-school, so we put them together. ... There's just very powerful educational concepts that we believe in, and we feel like 'I want to design the system that revolutionizes public education.' "

In 2005, Jada Pinkett-Smith told Essence that the decision behind home-schooling came from their dissatisfaction with current models of education.

"The school system in this country -- public and private -- is designed for the industrial age," she said. "We're in a technological age. We don't want our kids to memorize. We want them to learn."

Parents just don't understand, huh Will?

While most people will find it difficult to provide their kids with a school of their own, that doesn't mean you shouldn't be involved with your child's education. Have you raised kids through the public school system? Share your survival stories, tips, and opinions.

Geoffrey Gardner

6:11 PM ET | 05-19-2008 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

Insert the Caption: Obama Greets 75,000 Supporters

Ahead of tomorrow's Oregon primary, Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, greet a record crowd of 75,000 at Waterfront Park in Portland, Ore.

Photo Credit: Justin Sullivan, Getty Images

You know what to do. Insert the caption!

Geoffrey Bennett

6:03 PM ET | 05-19-2008 | permalink | comments (6) | e-mail post

Simone and ... Simone: The Great Nina and Daughter

Nina Simone

File

Last week, we spoke with singer Simone (whose legal name is Lisa Simone Kelly) about her first album, Simone on Simone.

Her mother is the inimitable Nina Simone, a woman who traveled from the segregated South to concert halls and stages around the world, and finally left the United States in disgust over what she saw as naked racism.

Her daughter, Simone, said she was fierce "from the rooter to the tooter" -- a woman who never marched to anyone else's beat.

Simone's new album is a tribute to her mother, the legendary singer Nina Simone.

Koch Record

But her beat lives on. Her work is now remixed by hip electronica DJs and sampled by hip hop artists including Talib Kweli ("Sinnerman") and Common featuring Kanye West ("Misunderstood").

And you'll still hear the originals of plenty of her songs, from "Young Gifted and Black" to "My Baby Just Cares for Me" (which was part of a famous, languidly sensual, Chanel No. 5 advertisement).

And Nina Simone also sang a very different kind of song... "Mississippi Goddam," which she wrote to protest the tragedies of the civil rights era, including the murder of four girls in the church bombing in Birmingham.

Simone told us a bit about her mother's journey in singing "Missippi Goddamn," a portion of the interview we could not include on air. Take a listen by clicking the link above.

Of course, in addition to to Nina Simone, her daughter Simone is a talent in her own right ... as her new album reveals.

Farai Chideya

4:02 PM ET | 05-19-2008 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

Fabulous Series on Detention of Immigrants

Every now and then, you have to give your props to other journalists who are doing great work.

In this case, I want to highlight a series on the detention of immigrants fighting deportation. Some get asylum. Some get deported. And some, the articles argue, die from poor medical care.

As America fights over the issue of undocumented/illegal immigration, detention remains a less known area ... and the Washington Post has done quite a job of investigative reporting. I expect this to be nominated for a Pulitzer next go round ...

Farai Chideya

3:57 PM ET | 05-19-2008 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

Is Michelle Obama Fair Game for the GOP?

Barack Obama stands with his wife, Michelle, during a primary results rally in Raleigh, N.C.

With an attack ad running in Tennessee that questions Michelle Obama's patriotism, Barack Obama is hitting back. On today's Good Morning America, Obama called the GOP ad "low class."

"The GOP, should I be the nominee, can say whatever they want to say about me, my track record," Obama said. "If they think that they're going to try to make Michelle an issue in this campaign, they should be careful because that I find unacceptable, the notion that you start attacking my wife or my family."

Is it fair for political opposition to question or "attack" a candidate's spouse?

Geoffrey Gardner

2:52 PM ET | 05-19-2008 | permalink | comments (3) | e-mail post

NAACP Names New President

Courtesy NAACP

The NAACP has found its new leader. And instead of picking a "politician, minister or civil rights icon," the group has chosen 35-year-old "lifelong activist" Ben Jealous.

The AP has more:

Jealous was born in Pacific Grove, Calif., and educated at Columbia University and Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar.

He has worked as a community organizer for the NAACP; as managing editor of a black newspaper in Mississippi; executive director of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, the country's largest group of black community newspapers; and as director of Amnesty International's U.S. Human Rights Program.

Since 2005, Jealous has served as president of the San Francisco-based Rosenberg Foundation, a private institution that supports civil and human rights advocacy.

Despite his own successes, Jealous said blacks in America still have a hard row to hoe, and that the gains of recent decades have created a false sense of progress.

What do you think of the NAACP's decision? What should Pres. Jealous do to maintain the organization's relevance?

From Today's Show:
NAACP Names New President
Can New Leader Jump Start the NAACP?

Flashback:
Julian Bond vs. Kevin Powell: What's Next for Civil Rights Movement?

Geoffrey Bennett

11:33 AM ET | 05-19-2008 | permalink | comments (2) | e-mail post

White Valedictorian a Matter of Pride or Validation?

Amid news of Morehouse College graduating its first white valedictorian, this week, we have a submission from blogger Kyle "Scoop" Yeldell. Yeldell, a Morehouse graduate and writer for Finditt.com, takes issue with what he calls the "media attention and slant to [valedictorian Joshua Packwood's] success."

Kyle "Scoop" Yeldell

Spike, Martin, Samuel, shoot, even Mukasa could be the face of dear old Morehouse.

It's been circulating that for the first time in Morehouse's 141-year history that she has a white valedictorian.

Joshua Packwood is a valedictorian that had a holistic college and social experience, one who excelled in the classroom both and abroad. Josh earned the right to be both valedictorian and wear the title "Morehouse Man."

However, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution titled their article on him with a preposterous question: Is he the face of Morehouse College?

Continue reading "White Valedictorian a Matter of Pride or Validation?" »

Geoffrey Bennett

12:32 PM ET | 05-16-2008 | permalink | comments (14) | e-mail post

Rev. Jesse Jackson Requests Secret Service Files

Civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson speaks at a press conference on relief aid in Haiti.

Thony Belizaire, Getty Images

Members of the United States Secret Service are under investigation after racist and sexually charged e-mails recently surfaced. One in particular, which references two-time presidential candidate Jesse Jackson, has the civil rights leader upset. According to CBS:

"Rev. Jackson's dealings with the Secret Service date back to his two campaigns for the Democratic presidential nomination in the 1980s. He actually asked for and was assigned protective details before other candidates back then.

The Secret Service e-mail, obtained from a court filing in Washington, was titled "The Righteous Reverend," and jokes about the deaths of Jackson and his wife when a missile strikes their plane. The e-mail ends with, it "certainly wouldn't be a great loss and probably wouldn't be an accident either."

Jackson is requesting to read every correspondence that concerned him and his family, dating back to the 1980s. While the most damaging e-mails found had nothing to do with the elder Jackson, his son, U.S. Rep Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.), isn't convinced this was a one-time event.

"The Secret Service is charged with investigating threats, not initiating them. This gives you some sense, some insight, into what may be taking place there," he said. "The Congress of the United States has oversight responsibilities and we're going to be looking very carefully at what's going on there."

Should Barack Obama be worried about the level of protection he receives from the Secret Service? One lapse in Obama's security at a Dallas event left some wondering.

Geoffrey Gardner

5:26 PM ET | 05-15-2008 | permalink | comments (1) | e-mail post

Is Facebook (et al) Taking Over Your Life?

iStockphoto.com

Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Flickr, Twitter, MeetUp ... these days, there's a social networking site for your every need. But can you be too connected?

Blogger Natalie P. McNeal (via The Root) is feeling the urge to unplug:

"I manage my actual social life far better than my virtual one. I have my own operating hours, for instance, to coordinate time with friends who hang out too late on work nights. I take them to events like receptions that end by 10 p.m.

But with social networking sites, there isn't a clear beginning, middle or end. You start by snooping on friends' pages and posting pithy status updates, and next thing you know, you're losing hours playing Scrabulous, and you've slipped into a networking vortex.

... Between my multiple e-mail accounts, IMs, and my blog, I am a fully connected woman. I am not saying these social networks aren't fun. I'm just saying I need to unplug."

How connected are you? And where do you draw the line?

Geoffrey Bennett

12:22 PM ET | 05-15-2008 | permalink | comments (4) | e-mail post

Did LeBron Really Say THAT to His Mother?

It's the latest tale of the tape: In the second quarter of a recent Cavaliers-Celtics game, LeBron James appears to curse his own mother.

It happened when Paul Pierce committed a hard foul against LeBron. The two became entangled near where LeBron's mother, Gloria, was sitting. She got up to defend her son, and that's when LeBron appears to tell her to "sit your a** down."

Check it out for yourself (around 0:12).

First question: Did he say it? Second question: If LeBron really did say what most people think he said, why did his mother not kill him right there on the court?

Geoffrey Bennett

5:28 PM ET | 05-14-2008 | permalink | comments (8) | e-mail post

John Edwards Endorses Barack Obama

Sen. John Edwards attends the 30th Annual 'Outstanding Mother Awards' in New York City.

Amy Sussman, Getty Images

NPR is reporting that Sen. John Edwards will endorse his former rival, Sen. Barack Obama, at a rally tonight in Michigan.

Will Edwards' support help Obama? How big a role will it play in the campaign?

More: John Edwards to Endorse Obama

Geoffrey Bennett

5:16 PM ET | 05-14-2008 | permalink | comments (4) | e-mail post

Has Google Finally Met Its Match?

Sure, Google has cornered the market on search. But if this trick takes hold, their name may no longer be as ubiquitous.

Zyber Media's PimpMySearch.com allows you to replace Google's name with your own ... or whatevever word you choose, by laying a customized "skin" over Google's search interface.

Here's how:

Use this link, swapping out "NAME" with whatever word you want to display.

http://www.pimpmysearch.com/home.html?gname=NAME

Paste it into your Web browser ... and voila!

(Special thanks to our very own Tony Cox for putting us onto this.)

Geoffrey Bennett

2:21 PM ET | 05-14-2008 | permalink | comments (6) | e-mail post

White Cop Disciplined for Profiling Black Police Chief

A white police officer has been pulled off active duty after harassing the wrong man: Deputy Chief Douglas Zeigler.

The highest-ranking black officer in the NYPD was parked in a department-issued SUV, wearing plainclothes, when two officers approached him. According to the New York Daily News:

"In his briefing to Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly, Zeigler said the two cops, who are white, had no legitimate reason to approach his SUV, ranking sources said.

After they ordered him to get out, one officer did not believe the NYPD identification Zeigler gave him."

NYPD Chief Douglas Zeigler

At the same time, the officers in trouble offer a different story:

"When one officer spotted Zeigler's service weapon through the rolled-down window, he yelled "Gun!" according to sources who have spoken with the officers.

Both cops raised their weapons and ordered the driver out of the car, sources said.

Instead of saying he was an armed member of the NYPD, Zeigler shouted, "Don't you know who I am?" the sources said."

Following a rash of highly-publicized incidents involving the police and civilians, some argue that this event further illustrates the notion that racial profiling in the department is alive and well.

State Senator Eric Adams is calling for reform within the NYPD, especially when dealing with minorities.

"Something is wrong with our Police Department and their interactions with people of color," said State Sen. Eric Adams (D-Brooklyn), a former police captain.

WCBS has more:

The incident was reported as police are being criticized for stopping and frisking record numbers of pedestrians -- about 145,000 in the first quarter of this year. The majority of them were black or Hispanic.

The Rev. Al Sharpton, who has been leading demonstrations in the city to protest the acquittals of three police officers in the shooting death of an unarmed man as he left his bachelor party, took note of the Zeigler incident while speaking at his weekly rally in Harlem.

"You can't make this stuff up!" he said. "The problem isn't that they didn't recognize him. It is that they don't recognize our rights!"

Geoffrey Gardner

5:55 PM ET | 05-13-2008 | permalink | comments (7) | e-mail post

Why Do Black Smokers Seem to Prefer Menthols?

iStockphoto.com

Are black smokers' preference of mentholated brands like Kool, Salem and Newports a matter of cultural preference, tobacco industry marketing, or some combination thereof?

A researcher at the University of California offers his theory via the New York Times:

"The migration of African-Americans to urban manufacturing centers after World War II, coupled with the emergence of black-oriented newspapers and magazines, created various opportunities for niche marketing. In the case of cigarettes, with research showing a slight black preference for Kools, a menthol brand, the industry saw an opening to appeal to black smokers."

And then there's this: Though magazine advertising for cigarettes has declined, the Times reports "the portion devoted to menthol brands -- only 12 percent in 1998 -- had grown to 76 percent by 2006."

More: Cigarette Bill Treats Menthol With Leniency

Geoffrey Bennett

11:40 AM ET | 05-13-2008 | permalink | comments (4) | e-mail post

Fine Arts Commission to King Sculptor: Change It!

The United States Commission of Fine Arts says the sculptural renderings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. planned for the Washington Mall make him appear "confrontational."

A close-up of the sculptural rendering of the proposed MLK Jr. statue.

Getty Images

The 28-foot tall statue, carved from a large chunk of granite called the Stone of Hope, is the centerpiece of the memorial. But this statue of a man who embodied hope, compassion, and freedom is said to resemble an Eastern European dictator with a chip on his shoulder.

According to the New York Times, "the commission, whose approval is necessary for the project to proceed, recommended that the sculpture portray Dr. King as a more sympathetic figure."

The group has asked lead sculptor, Lei Yixin of China, to make the modifications. As you'll remember, some were critical of Yixin being selected over an African-American artist to lead this project.

How should he convey King's strength, while making him appear -- as the commission requests -- "more sympathetic"? What do you think of their suggestion?

Related Links:
King To Soon Stand in Nation's Capital
Commission Calls for MLK Statue's Redesign
Some Say Memorial Design Misrepresents MLK Jr.
Design Change Sought for King Memorial

Geoffrey Bennett

3:59 PM ET | 05-12-2008 | permalink | comments (13) | e-mail post

Would You Rather Buy Lies or the Awful Truth?

R&B singer R. Kelly arrives at the Chicago courthouse where jury selection is scheduled to begin for his child pornography trial.

Scott Olson, Getty Images

It's been six years since famous R&B crooner R. Kelly was nabbed on child porn charges.

Even with the subsequent release of a sex tape supposedly documenting the entire affair, and plenty of sordid details related to his alleged crime being made public, the man's popularity has hardly suffered. Certainly, he has still been touring and making money. (The same could not be said for Michael Jackson after his first court battle over similar charges.)

In fact, on today's roundtable discussion, we learned that listeners actually complained when radio stations pulled R. Kelly from the airwaves following his arrest.

Then there is the Senegalese Singing Sensation, Akon. According to TheSmokingGun.com, he faked his way to the top by exaggerating a largely benign criminal past.

"Police, court, and corrections records reveal that the entertainer has created a fictionalized backstory that serves as the narrative anchor for his recorded tales of isolation, violence, woe, and regret. Akon has overdubbed his biography with the kind of grit and menace that he apparently believes music consumers desire from their hip-hop stars."

AOL Black Voices has more on Akon's fraudulent past, including video of his now-refuted debut hit "Locked Up."

Do you agree that the hip-hop community lends a level of respect to performers who have served time? Do you care that Akon may have invented a troubled past to sell records? If child porn charges aren't enough to turn the public off a performer, what are?

Subscribe to the "News & Notes" RSS Feed to remain current on all the hottest topics.

Geoffrey Gardner

1:06 PM ET | 05-12-2008 | permalink | comments (8) | e-mail post

Should Obama Help Clinton Pay Her Campaign Debt?

Hillary Clinton addresses a crowd of supporters in Eleanor, West Virginia.

Joe Raedle, Getty Images

In order to keep her presidential pursuit afloat, Hillary Clinton has loaned her campaign nearly $12 million of her own money. But unless she's able to raise that amount and repay herself before the Democratic National Convention, Clinton will have to claim it as a loss.

Now, as part of a Clinton-Obama "olive branch" deal, (which would likely include Clinton withdrawing from the race), Obama would help Clinton discharge some of her debt. It's not as unusual as it may sound.

Some Obama supporters were initially skittish about the idea. But the New York Times clarifies how it would work:

"If Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton would happen to broker a deal to help pay off her campaign debts -- this remains a big if, aides said, because nothing has been formally discussed -- the money would not be taken from Mr. Obama's campaign account. Instead, he would have to make a fund-raising appeal on her behalf, asking people to contribute."

And Thomas Edsall further explains:

"Under federal campaign finance law, the Obama campaign cannot directly pay off Clinton's debts, or the $11.43 million she has loaned the campaign, because that would violate campaign contribution limits. But if Obama is the nominee, he and his donor base could provide invaluable help to her in raising money through signed appeals, joint fundraisers and by other methods."

So ... should Obama help pay Clinton's campaign debt? If so, how?

Geoffrey Bennett

12:03 PM ET | 05-12-2008 | permalink | comments (13) | e-mail post

Southern African Music Friday

Thanks to YouTube, enjoy some good audio (and bad, but fascinating, classic video) of South Africa's Miriam Makeba:

Plus, a political photo montage set to the music of Thomas Mapfumo of Zimbabwe:

Farai Chideya

6:18 PM ET | 05- 9-2008 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

Did Clinton Play the Proverbial 'Race Card'?

Making the case that she appeals to a wider swath of voters than Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton offered some blunt remarks about race.

We debated Clinton's comments on today's reporters' roundtable. Take a read and tell us what you think:

"I have a much broader base to build a winning coalition on," she said in an interview with USA TODAY. As evidence, Clinton cited an Associated Press article "that found how Sen. Obama's support among working, hard-working Americans, white Americans, is weakening again, and how whites in both states who had not completed college were supporting me."

"There's a pattern emerging here," she said.

Geoffrey Bennett

5:34 PM ET | 05- 9-2008 | permalink | comments (14) | e-mail post

Batman vs. The Penguin on Elections

Continuing the YouTubeification of political commentary and satire, the cartoonist who goes by the name Tom Tomorrow posted this snippet on whether politics is flash-n-dazzle or issues-based.

What do you think?

Farai Chideya

2:45 PM ET | 05- 9-2008 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

Feeling Pain at the Pump? It Could Be Worse

Gas prices in Fremont, Calif.

iStockphoto.com

As the price of gas reaches record highs in this country ... compared to other places across the globe, paying $4 per gallon could be considered a privilege.

CNNMoney has more:

"Out of 155 countries surveyed, U.S. gas prices were the 45th cheapest, according to a recent study from AIRINC, a research firm that tracks cost of living data.

The difference is staggering. As of late March, U.S. gas prices averaged $3.45 a gallon. That compares to over $8 a gallon across much of Europe.

... Cheap gas prices have also lulled Americans into a cycle of buying bigger cars and bigger houses further away from their work - leaving them more exposed to rising prices, some experts say."

Check out the comparisons:

How much are you paying for gas these days? At what point will the price of gas impact your daily driving?

Geoffrey Bennett

12:56 PM ET | 05- 9-2008 | permalink | comments (2) | e-mail post

Al Sharpton Arrested at NYC Protest

The Rev. Al Sharpton and nearly 200 other demonstrators were arrested Wednesday during city-wide protests over the Sean Bell shooting. AOL Black Voices has more, including photos of the arrest:

Sharpton, shooting survivors Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield, and Bell's fiancee, Nicole Paultre Bell -- who legally took his name after his death -- linked arms as they blocked a street at the Brooklyn Bridge's base.

They were trailed by at least 200 demonstrators who kneeled in prayer in the road and counted to 50 in a reference to the barrage of gunfire that killed Bell.

The arrested protesters were expected to be issued tickets for misdemeanor offenses and be released soon, police said.

Today, Farai spoke with NPR correspondent Margot Adler, who was covering the protests, as well as the Rev. Herb Daughtry, about the Sean Bell protest he conducted outside of the House of Lords Church in Brooklyn on Wednesday. Do you feel that Al Sharpton's protest, and subsequent arrest, will help Sean Bell's loved ones find justice?

Geoffrey Gardner

11:41 AM ET | 05- 8-2008 | permalink | comments (0) | e-mail post

Please Welcome Our Newest 'News & Views' Voice

We've got another blogger around these parts -- Geoff Gardner (not to be confused with yours truly). You'll be seeing more posts from us in the coming days, as we announce a bunch of new partnerships. So as Farai, Geoff G. and I continue bring you News & Views, please continue to weigh in!

Geoffrey Bennett

5:48 PM ET | 05- 7-2008 | permalink | comments (3) | e-mail post

Video Shows Philly Police Kicking Suspects

Two days after the fatal shooting of a Philadelphia policeman, (the third city officer slain on duty in two years), video captured by a news helicopter has the citizens of Philadelphia in an uproar.

AOL Black Voices has more:

Fifteen police officers were taken off the street as authorities investigate a video showing three suspects being kicked, punched and beaten after they were pulled out of a car during a traffic stop.

"At a glance it does appear to be a bit beyond the pale," Doug Oliver, a spokesman for Mayor Michael Nutter, said Wednesday. "Officers are not allowed to operate outside of the law."

Watch and decide for yourself. Video courtesy of AOL Black Voices.

On today's show, Farai discusses police-civilian relations in another major city, New York. How do you feel about the police in your town? Feel free to share positive stories, as well.

More from NPR:
What to Do If You're Stopped by the Police
Videotaped Police Beating Roils Philadelphia

To stay informed as this story develops, sign up for our newsletter, "News & Notes Daily."

Geoffrey Gardner

5:47 PM ET