If there are limits to inspiration, politics cannot afford to know them. Yes, they flood the airwaves with negative ads -- but I'd venture to say that we're never going to see a Mitt Romney ad about President Obama's use of drones in the Middle East. That's an issue that seems to upset folks on the Left more than anyone -- some of whom Romney outright frightens -- so that's not a demographic Romney can pursue, per se. It's one that the President has to pursue. Again.
And this time, I'm not sure that will.i.am can help.
Pure, concentrated inspiration is harder for an incumbent to find, and to employ. But President Obama cannot just win over those on the fence by blasting his opponent. A candidate for President must inspire his voting base. Romney seems to be doing that by attacking the President at every turn, protecting the One Percent and hanging out with a loud-and-proud birther. How is the President making his own argument?
Melissa will start Sunday morning by setting up the case for the President's re-election, and opening up a conversation about how that case is being made by Democrats. She'll also stage a pop quiz about vice-presidential picks past and present, preview the upcoming Wisconsin recall election, and dig deep about the problem of urban violence.
Our guests will include:
- Marty Beil, Executive Director of the Wisconsin State Employees Union, AFSCME Council 24.
- Karen Finney, former Democratic National Committee communications director, columnist for The Hill, and current MSNBC political analyst.
- Lisa Graves, Executive Director of the Center for Media and Democracy, the publisher of PR Watch, SourceWatch, BanksterUSA, and ALECexposed.org.
- Ari Melber, attorney, correspondent for The Nation magazine and a writer for their blog, an opinion contributor to Politico and an MSNBC contributor.
- Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League and former mayor of New Orleans.
- Jay Smooth (a/k/a John Randolph), videoblogger at ill doctrine and Animal New York, and DJ of New York's longest running hip-hop radio show, WBAI's Underground Railroad.
- Robert Traynham, former aide to Rick Santorum and host and moderator of The Comcast Network's "Roll Call with Robert Traynham."
- Douglas Wilder, former Virginia governor. Wilder was the first African American to be elected governor of a state.
As always, folks -- be sure to interact with us during the show here in the comments of this post, on Facebook, and on Twitter, using the hashtag #nerdland. We look forward to having you join us at 10am ET on msnbc!
Leave a Comment:
Our President,Mr.Obama has made a decision to never orchestrate any act that can be identified as helping a disproportionate number of Blacks,he is even willing to ignore the hardships of Blacks in destitute situations.
Oh wow that is wholly unfair. A part of our president's problem is that we as
black people see ourselves entirely too separate from the rest of the American
people. As if no one has it as bad as we do. That simply isn’t the truth. The
thing about civil rights is that if you elevate civil rights for some you
elevate them for all.
I am a black member of the LBGT community; people seldom acknowledge what it has
meant for a black man in leadership to acknowledge our equality. Black people
are not a homogenous block of people. He has helped many black people. He is
the president of all of America, not just Black America.
Barrack has had no help from congress. Why don't we call the bush tax cut jobs program a failure and talk about the desire to shut down gov again in this slow jobs market.
Obama care refunds and no ones talking.
I gave the US Army two years of my life during the Viet Nam era and took an oath to protect and defend the US Constitution and its Bill of Rights. One of these rights, probably the most important, is the concept of one man one vote. Now, Republican governors across the country are trying to enact laws to suppress that right, thus indicating to me that my service was trivial, possibily meaningless. I'm offended. Shame!
So Mitt Romney likes to fire people, give grades of F and jump people he does not like and cut their hair. He also has a history of losing it on the campaign trail, screaming at people that "America is right and you're wrong" just after saying to them that he'd be glad to listen. Is this the year of the bully or what?
5 trillion in new debt under Obama.
He has got nothing done in 4 years by congress. And yes, as president he is suppost to get the congress unified. (this is his fault) He is so far left that he wont even talk to some of his own democrats, so we know he wont talk to any republicans. How can we get America to agree on things if he cant stand up and be the leader he is suppose to be
And just to let the under educated bunch of you, that still somehow are praising this man for what? IDK... We (as Americans) have actually been in an uptick in the economy, (because thats what was going on when he took office, NOT because he helped it, he actually ended up hurting the economy) the problem is that it was growing at such a slow pace that we should actually have close to ten million jobs created by now, but we have actually lost a NET of two million jobs since he has taken office. Stop blaming BUSH, he hasn't been in office in four years. Obama has, and hes done nothing to make me think he can do any better in a second term. Please start reading people, you have no idea what your talking about.
Failed economic policies. Failed stimulus programs, failed debt crisis, failed unemployment= Failed Presidency. GET THIS THREW YOUR THICK LIBERAL HEADS
Melissa when you so called "progressives" are so blinded by the corporates, I truly worry. Unions, PUBLIC and PRIVATE, are the only option the "rest of us" have against corporate power. It was true in the Gilded Age and it is even more true now.
And what is with the constant parade of right wing African Americans on msnbc. If over 90% of African Americans support Obama, how the heck does msnbc constantly have the right overly represented by AA on news shows. If I never have to hear or listen to Michael Steele, Ron Christie, Robert Traynham it will be too soon. And Robert is the worse....he's black, he's gay and he roots for those who would destroy black as well as gay Americans.
This comment has to do more with the matter of the aesthetics of the program as opposed to President Obama.
I could not help but notice the complexion of the panel, i.e. melanically disadvantaged. Mark Morial and Douglas Wilder (two light skinned African Americans) and in addition to Melissa, you had Jay Smooth and Karen Finney, all three biracial.
Was there a particular logic behind such a configuration of individuals? Were there no other equally qualified persons of African ancestry to comment on the subjects of the day?
While I respect the social, cultural, and political contributions of those assembled, I felt that my observation needed to be raised.
MHP: I live in Seattle (two blocks from where Gloria Leonidas died). What to do about gun violence? It's good to ask for summer jobs and other youth-oriented programs. What we need as well are people brave enough to come forward about crimes and criminals. It's time to end "no snitchin'."
People lets cut out the bull sh-t the GOP said the only thing on their mind was to make Pres. Obama a one term president which was saying the hell with the poor and middle class. The only thing about that was Pres. Obama should have follow the stand your ground law and said fu-k all of you since you are not willing to work with this black man because the white house is only for white men. If they would have worked with him and told the Red Neck tea party to go to hell it would be a little better end of story.