Calvin Klein SF (San Francisco) Union Square store in San Francisco Shopping Center has as of this writing a display front that triggered an email from a viewer and the video above presenting its design. Personally I think it evokes racist images of lynchings, but its boarderline, so I put the question to a poll vote.
As of this writing 12 percent believe it to be racist, 36 percent questionable but not racist, 7 percent report nothing wrong with it, 22 percent don't care, and 22 percent think it's not racist at all.
The store front's a standout in a San Francisco Center dominated by mannequins that are generally white in color and positioned in normal poses; Calvin Klein's mannequins are a shade of grey so dark, it's almost black. But its not the color so much as how they're positioned and the kind of rope and knots used in the display.
I received this email below from a viewer which explains the person's shock over the Calvin Klein SF Union Square store front display in the San Francisco Shopping Center. I went over to make the video above and get your view on the display.
As I've stated in the video, it was not a good idea to approve a store front that is at best questionable. Everyone who's seen the video thus far has a reaction to it, from furled brows to frowns and raised eyebrows, the video does not make for a stoic reaction.
Why someone would do this is a question I will ask Calvin Klein's staffers in the days ahead. Indeed, the worker that talked to me through the glass admitted that she did not the racial overtones in the display until they were pointed out to her.
But for now, read the email below, then take my poll on this certainly controversial Calvin Klein store display.
The email:
Hey Zennie,
I'm kicking myself for not taking a picture (I don't usually use my phone for anything other than a phone, so it escaped me in a moment of anger), but I just got back from the San Francisco Shopping Center where I happened upon an appalling window display in the Calvin Klein store next to Bloomingdale's on the 3rd floor.
Imagine a window full of frolicking monkeys, swinging from tree branches in various playful poses, but instead of monkeys, there are mannequins wearing the latest Calvin fashions. And instead of swinging from tree branches, the mannequins are swinging from ropes finished in nooses at the ends. All of the mannequins are black. It doesn't sound like much, but I'll tell you, those nooses caught my eye in the first place, and it didn't take long to piece it all together.
Why am I sending this to you? Well, you've got a voice on several forums, and could make this very public and embarrassing for Calvin Klein. That anyone could get past the basic design stages of such a display without questioning its bad taste is unbelievable. That such displays are crafted by designers with an eye on every detail makes it even less excusable. That such displays are often dictated to stores by corporate headquarters and duplicated at all locations makes it a disgusting travesty.
If you happen by that store, or know someone in SF who could take some pics for you to post, you could shine a bright light on a very ugly message going out to the thousands of people who pass by that carefully composed collection of symbols. I was deeply offended, but rather than contact Calvin Klein so they can quietly change their windows, I figured I'd contact someone who can give it a bit more exposure.
The DA reportedly said that there was insufficient evidence to charge Merriman with assault and imprisonment. But the story told by observers goes deeper. San Diego Channel 10 reported that Tila Tequila Nguyen was jealous that Merriman was in bed with two other woman and not her!
I'm not making this up, folks! This is what Channel 10 wrote:
Sources close to the story told Vara that Tequila -- also known as Tila Nguyen -- was unhappy that she was not the only woman getting attention from Merriman, and jealousy played a role in the early morning altercation.
The sources told Vara that witnesses at Merriman's home said the three-time Pro Bowl linebacker went to his bedroom with two women.
Sources said Tequila walked into the room and Merriman asked her to join them. However, the sources said Tequila reacted angrily and threatened to have sex with a member of Merriman's entourage.
According to sources, Tequila was intoxicated, and she got naked and attempted to leave the house.
Sources told Vara that Merriman, 25, tried to stop the 27-year-old Tequila, and that is when she called 911.
Wow!
That fits more with the image "Tila Tequlia" herself presents on her website and in her videos as being a "hot" woman who has multiple personalities, enjoys the good life, including champagne, and consistently rants against haters, and talks about how all the guys want her.
You know, I really feel sorry for Nguyen because in a weird way I'm sure someone warned her that her behavior would catch up to her, and it did. Now, her personality is out there for public view in a way that she didn't expect when she called 911 while intoxicated.
It's sad that she has to go through what's going to be a blizzard of Internet chatter against her (see the Twitter tweets) . Tila's fueling it herself, stating that the DA made a reckless decision, and posting this photo...
Tila's tweeting that "We are looking for my new date!"
Oh, my God!
Shawne Merriman, focus on a good , mature business woman
Tila Tequila is the victim of a violent crime. The San Diego District attorney's decision not to press charges against Shawne Merriman for the battering of Tila Tequila demonstrates an unconscionable negligence in the discharging of their public duties. We strongly feel that justice has not been served in this matter.
Obviously, The San Diego Charger's NFL franchise brings millions of dollars in revenue to the city of San Diego, and it seems clear that other interests are being served by the DA's office than the upholding of the law. A young woman was violently beaten and choked, and the physical evidence is both overwhelming and disturbing. Tila's account of the events has remained consistent from the beginning, while Merriman's story has changed repeatedly.
Just because the DA has made this reckless decision doesn't mean that justice will not be served in this case. No one is above the law. Tila Tequila will immediately begin pursuing civil charges against Mr. Merriman and she will have her day in court."
Reads like a civil suit's coming to me.
Merriman should take a lesson from this and focus on more mature women friends who are solidly in his corner and have their own mainstream businesses.
As for Tila, I'm not sure she's going to learn anything from this, except how to call a new set of people "haters." It's good that what, in a non-Internet past, would have taken months to sort out, took less than a week today.
The lesson is that one can't abuse the legal system as an instrument to support their own insecurities. I hope observers get that message today.
Finally, Nguyen should take time to do something for those less fortunate than she. Host a fundraiser or donate to a charity and give them exposure. (Oh, here it comes.) That would go a long way toward repairing her image.
The DA reportedly said that there was insufficient evidence to charge Merriman with assault and imprisonment. But the story told by observers goes deeper. San Diego Channel 10 reported that Tila Tequila Nguyen was jealous that Merriman was in bed with two other woman and not her!
I'm not making this up, folks! This is what Channel 10 wrote:
Sources close to the story told Vara that Tequila -- also known as Tila Nguyen -- was unhappy that she was not the only woman getting attention from Merriman, and jealousy played a role in the early morning altercation.
The sources told Vara that witnesses at Merriman's home said the three-time Pro Bowl linebacker went to his bedroom with two women.
Sources said Tequila walked into the room and Merriman asked her to join them. However, the sources said Tequila reacted angrily and threatened to have sex with a member of Merriman's entourage.
According to sources, Tequila was intoxicated, and she got naked and attempted to leave the house.
Sources told Vara that Merriman, 25, tried to stop the 27-year-old Tequila, and that is when she called 911.
Wow!
That fits more with the image "Tila Tequlia" herself presents on her website and in her videos as being a "hot" woman who has multiple personalities, enjoys the good life, including champagne, and consistently rants against haters, and talks about how all the guys want her.
You know, I really feel sorry for Nguyen because in a weird way I'm sure someone warned her that her behavior would catch up to her, and it did. Now, her personality is out there for public view in a way that she didn't expect when she called 911 while intoxicated.
It's sad that she has to go through what's going to be a blizzard of Internet chatter against her (see the Twitter tweets) . Tila's fueling it herself, stating that the DA made a reckless decision, and posting this photo...
Tila's tweeting that "We are looking for my new date!"
Oh, my God!
Shawne Merriman, focus on a good , mature business woman
Tila Tequila is the victim of a violent crime. The San Diego District attorney's decision not to press charges against Shawne Merriman for the battering of Tila Tequila demonstrates an unconscionable negligence in the discharging of their public duties. We strongly feel that justice has not been served in this matter.
Obviously, The San Diego Charger's NFL franchise brings millions of dollars in revenue to the city of San Diego, and it seems clear that other interests are being served by the DA's office than the upholding of the law. A young woman was violently beaten and choked, and the physical evidence is both overwhelming and disturbing. Tila's account of the events has remained consistent from the beginning, while Merriman's story has changed repeatedly.
Just because the DA has made this reckless decision doesn't mean that justice will not be served in this case. No one is above the law. Tila Tequila will immediately begin pursuing civil charges against Mr. Merriman and she will have her day in court."
Reads like a civil suit's coming to me.
Merriman should take a lesson from this and focus on more mature women friends who are solidly in his corner and have their own mainstream businesses.
As for Tila, I'm not sure she's going to learn anything from this, except how to call a new set of people "haters." It's good that what, in a non-Internet past, would have taken months to sort out, took less than a week today.
The lesson is that one can't abuse the legal system as an instrument to support their own insecurities. I hope observers get that message today.
I had a habit of falling asleep on my couch, in part because I used my laptop there as an escape from working on my nearby desk. All the better to code my then new XFL Simworld game and catch up on the TV news, as I had a better angle to see the TV screen.
I watched KTVU Channel Two religiously, then, and "Mornings On Two" was a guilty pleasure for me. So the TV was almost always on "2" at that time; so it was the morning of 9-11.
I'd fell asleep on the couch, again, but this time I when I woke up the TV was on and I could not believe my eyes: a giant building was on fire. When I focused my eyes and ears I realized it was one of the World Trade Center towers in New York City. I could not believe it.
(Above) Bill Chackhes' video tour of "Ground Zero"
The first thing I did was call my Mom and (now late) stepfather and told them to tune in two Channel 2. The second thing I did was send emails to friends about what was happening. The third thing I did was just watch.
I figured it was just a fire as at that point, it wasn't clear what caused flames to start blowing out of the building. Then as the time passed, it was reported that a plane crashed into it, later the plane was identified as a Boeing 767. I've flown on those alot, so much so I felt as if I knew it inside and out. That's a big plane.
My mind raced. What could have happened to cause that? And as it did, and friends called me, and I watched, the second plane hit the second tower and for a time, both buildings were on fire.
I thought about my friend Dan who wanted me to work for American Express in New York, where I would have been near that building as AMEX World Headquarters was in the World Trade Center. Then I thought about Dan and how he was doing and tried to call him there - no luck.
As more time passed, and it seemed the flames from massive buildings got larger, something unexpected happened that was captured on TV - they fell, World One first, then sometimes later, World Two.
I still to this day can't believe I saw that. I just can't.
I had to get out of the house, so I walked down to Oakland's Lakeshore Avenue and to Arzmendi's where I used to have a morning coffee and pastry with the neighborhood's work-at-home types. But this time it was different.
People who usually got their coffee and whatever and drove to work in an office where still in the neighborhood. It was actually crowded, and everyone was talking about what I just saw: the destruction of the World Trade Center.
It was frankly the first time I've experienced people just bonding in a way I'd only seen after the 1989 Loma Piereta Earthquake and the Oakland Hills Fire in 1991. Yep, I was here for both of those disasters.
But the difference is you could feel America come together. Right now. Over the disaster. Man, that day hurt. Hurt alot. It hurts to have seen so many people suffer then who were in the building, and later, who were families of the people in it.
They didn't do anything wrong at all. And I'm not sure what they could have done that, even if it was wrong, would call for that kind of punishment.
It's an event that bonds people to this day. My good friend, New Yorker Bill Chachkes, who took me on his own 9-11 tour in the video above, talk about that day again and again, and again.
When Republican Congressman Joe Wilson (R - South Carolina) yelled "You lie!" to President Obama during his health care address to a joint session of Congress, he unwittingly created a new star other than himself; his 2010 Democratic Challenger, Rob Miller.
Rob Miller raised over $350,000 online since Wilson's outburst, thanks to the efforts of democratic voting group "Act Blue", and now, MoveOn.org has gotten into the game of throwing supporters and money at Miller.
According to the blog "Shotpolitics", Miller's a native South Carolinian, former Marine captain, and Iraq War combat veteran who's 33 years old. He's married with one child.
Miller was motivated to run for Congress because he observed that too many elected officials had not served in the armed forces yet were making decisions that impacted America's military. He points at Rep. Wilson as one who "is quick to introduce resolutions supporting the troops, but did nothing when our wounded veterans couldn’t get the basic care they needed at Walter Reed.”
Miller's congressional policy objectives are fairly basic: eliminate tax reductions for the super wealthy, and push for stronger ethics laws. In this, he reads as a conservative Democrat, but far more desirable than a person who openly disrespects the President Of The United States in the middle of a joint session of Congress, as Wilson did last night.
Miller's rise to stardom is the child of an incredible degree of anger toward Wilson. But even with this, Charlie Cook of the Cook Political Report doesn't think Wilson will be sunk by the torpedo that Miller's become.
"Some news accounts have noted South Carolina GOP Rep. Joe Wilson faces a "tough race" in 2010. Not so fast - this conservative seat remains relatively secure for the GOP, even after Wilson's outburst. After all, Democrat Rob Miller's 46 percent showing in 2008 was largely attributable to Obama’s strong 45 percent in the state, a factor Miller won't enjoy again.
Instead, this looks like simply more of a distraction for the GOP. Wilson's remark itself isn't likely to be a huge problem for him 14 months from now, but the instant cash it has generated should make Miller one of Democrats better-funded challengers next year."
I'm not sure Cook counted on the involvement of MoveOn.org.
I just got an email from the organization with a link to a petition which reads: "Don't let right-wing extremists hold health care reform hostage. Pass President Obama's plan, including a strong public health insurance option."
I seriously doubt MoveOn's efforts will stop at a petition. What was once a sleeply little race that wasn't expected to be a challenge for the GOP has, overnight, become one that has the attention of, and the money from, a good portion of American liberals.
Proving that a great speech does impact public opinion, a CNN / Opinion Research poll reports that 67 percent of the people surveyed supported the health care proposals President Obama described in his speech Wednesday night.
Before Obama's address to a joint session of Congress, 53 percent of the people surveyed backed his proposal. That's a 14 percent jump in support. More than seven out of ten people said the President clearly outlined his goals. 75 percent of the people surveyed believe the President will be able to pass all or some of his proposals.
This is the injury report for all team games for the first week of the 2009 National Football League season. The NFL's 2009 season kick's off tonight with the game pitting the Tennessee Titans at The Pittsburgh Steelers. The list is provided by the NFL.
NFL WEEK 1 INJURY REPORT – WEDNESDAY
Following is a list of quarterback injuries for the Thursday night game:
Pittsburgh Steelers
Probable
Dennis Dixon (right shoulder)
TENNESSEE TITANS at PITTSBURGH STEELERS on Thursday night
TENNESSEE TITANS
Status Report
QUESTIONABLE
TE Jared Cook (ankle), CB Ryan Mouton (ankle), WR Nate Washington (hamstring)
PROBABLE
P Craig Hentrich (back)
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Tuesday
TE Jared Cook (ankle)
Wednesday
TE Jared Cook (ankle)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Monday
TE Jared Cook (ankle), WR Nate Washington (hamstring) Tuesday
WR Nate Washington (hamstring)
Wednesday
WR Nate Washington (hamstring)
FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE Monday
P Craig Hentrich (back), CB Ryan Mouton (ankle)
Tuesday
P Craig Hentrich (back), CB Ryan Mouton (ankle)
Wednesday
P Craig Hentrich (back), CB Ryan Mouton (ankle)
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Status Report
DOUBTFUL
LB Lawrence Timmons (ankle)
PROBABLE
QB Dennis Dixon (right shoulder)
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Monday
LB Lawrence Timmons (ankle)
Tuesday
LB Lawrence Timmons (ankle)
Wednesday
LB Lawrence Timmons (ankle)
FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Monday
QB Dennis Dixon (right shoulder)
Tuesday
QB Dennis Dixon (right shoulder)
Wednesday
QB Dennis Dixon (right shoulder)
DALLAS COWBOYS at TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
DALLAS COWBOYS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
CB Michael Hamlin (wrist), LB Curtis Johnson (hamstring), LB Jason Williams (ankle)
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
CB E.J. Biggers (shoulder), TE John Gilmore (ankle), LB Adam Hayward (ankle)
FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
WR Antonio Bryant (knee), WR Michael Clayton (hamstring)
DENVER BRONCOS at CINCINNATI BENGALS
DENVER BRONCOS
Practice Report
Wednesday
Practice Not Complete
CINCINNATI BENGALS Practice Report
OUT (DEFINITELY WILL NOT PLAY) Wednesday
CB David Jones (foot), T Andre Smith (foot)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
G Scott Kooistra (knee), S Roy Williams (thigh)
FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
QB Carson Palmer (ankle)
DETROIT LIONS at NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
DETROIT LIONS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
QB Drew Stanton (knee)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
CB Phillip Buchanon (neck), K Jason Hanson (right knee), DE Jason Hunter (ribs), DT Grady Jackson (knee), WR Dennis Northcutt (hand), G Stephen Peterman (ankle)
FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
TE Casey Fitzsimmons (knee), CB Anthony Henry (shoulder)
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
T Jammal Brown (hernia), TE Darnell Dinkins (foot), RB Pierre Thomas (knee)
FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
S Usama Young (shoulder)
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS at INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
TE Zach Miller (knee), T Tra Thomas (back)
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
S Bob Sanders (knee), TE Tom Santi (ankle), CB Jamie Silva (abdomen)
DE Chauncey Davis (foot), LB Tony Gilbert (hamstring), C Todd McClure (calf), RB Jerious Norwood (knee)
MINNESOTA VIKINGS at CLEVELAND BROWNS
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
LB Erin Henderson (calf)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
WR Bernard Berrian (hamstring), TE Jim Kleinsasser (hand)
CLEVELAND BROWNS
Practice Report
OUT (DEFINITELY WILL NOT PLAY)
Wednesday
G Rex Hadnot (knee)
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
RB Cedric Peerman (thigh)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
LB David Bowens (knee), RB Jerome Harrison (knee), DT Shaun Rogers (foot), CB Eric Wright (knee)
FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
LB Alex Hall (shoulder), TE Steve Heiden (knee)
NEW YORK JETS at HOUSTON TEXANS
NEW YORK JETS
Practice Report
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
DE Mike Devito (hamstring)
FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
QB Kellen Clemens (right elbow), RB Shonn Greene (ribs), LB Bryan Thomas (ankle), WR Wallace Wright (knee)
HOUSTON TEXANS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
WR Kevin Walter (hamstring), CB Eugene Wilson (knee)
FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
CB Jacques Reeves (fibula), DT Deljuan Robinson (calf), QB Matt Schaub (ankle)
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES at CAROLINA PANTHERS
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Practice Report
OUT (DEFINITELY WILL NOT PLAY)
Wednesday
G Todd Herremans (foot), LB Joe Mays (shoulder)
FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
WR Kevin Curtis (knee), T King Dunlap (elbow), LB Moise Fokou (shoulder), DE Darren Howard (groin), T Winston Justice (shoulder), CB Dimitri Patterson (ankle), DT Mike Patterson (ankle), RB Leonard Weaver (knee), LB Tracy White (rib)
CAROLINA PANTHERS
Practice Report
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
S Chris Harris (shin)
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS at ARIZONA CARDINALS
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Practice Report
Wednesday
Practice Not Complete
ARIZONA CARDINALS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
WR Anquan Boldin (hamstring)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
WR Early Doucet (ribs), WR Sean Morey (ribs), QB Brian St. Pierre (back)
FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
WR Steve Breaston (knee), S Matt Ware (shoulder)
ST. LOUIS RAMS at SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
ST. LOUIS RAMS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
S Craig Dahl (hamstring), LB Larry Grant (knee), T John Greco (hand)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
QB Marc Bulger (right finger), RB Sam Gado (ribs), RB Mike Karney (ankle), DE Leonard Little (knee)
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Practice Report
OUT (DEFINITELY WILL NOT PLAY)
Wednesday
T Walter Jones (knee), C Chris Spencer (quadricep)
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
WR Deion Branch (hamstring), CB Travis Fisher (hamstring), DE Derek Walker (hamstring), S C.J. Wallace (rib)
WASHINGTON REDSKINS at NEW YORK GIANTS
WASHINGTON REDSKINS
Practice Report
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
CB Carlos Rogers (calf), T Mike Williams (ankle)
NEW YORK GIANTS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
CB Kevin Dockery (hamstring), T Adam Koets (ankle), CB Aaron Ross (hamstring), LB Clint Sintim (groin)
CHICAGO BEARS at GREEN BAY PACKERS on Sunday night
CHICAGO BEARS
Practice Report
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
DT Israel Idonije (hamstring)
FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
CB Charles Tillman (back)
GREEN BAY PACKERS
Practice Report
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
CB Will Blackmon (quadricep), RB Brandon Jackson (ankle), DT B.J. Raji (ankle)
FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
Wednesday
QB Matt Flynn (right shoulder), S Aaron Rouse (hamstring)
Republican Congressman Joe Wilson (R - South Carolina), who gained immediate Internet-fueled fame for yelling "You Lie" to President Obama during Obama's great health care speech, reportedly called White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel to apologize to the President for his outburst.
“This evening I let my emotions get the best of me when listening to the President’s remarks regarding the coverage of illegal immigrants in the health care bill. While I disagree with the President’s statement, my comments were inappropriate and regrettable. I extend sincere apologies to the President for this lack of civility.”
The response to Wilson's brief heckling was swift, and while some people defended his action, the vast majority of observers rightly saw it as an offense to the office of The President of The United States.
His outburst resulted in 2010 Democratic challenger Rob Miller raising over $70,000 online in just five hours.
Twitter was the source of the latest information torpedo in the (unfortunately) still unfolding story behind the "punch seen round the sports World" by Oregon Running Back LeGarrett Blount to Boise State Defensive End Byron Hout.
Track athlete E.J. Prince used Twitter to blast this:
@realskipbayless Just talked to Jamere Holland (from Oregon WR) said that L. Blount socked dude from Boise State cuz he called him a n_____
@q17 yeah I just hope the news about LaGarett Blount being censored gets out to people like @jemelehill
@jemelehill is ESPN Columnist and Analyst Jemele Hill.
There's no indication that she responded to Prince's Twitter feed. He also sent a tweet to Skip Bayless; no tweet back to Prince from Bayless. Basically it seems that Prince's story is being ignored by certain mainstream media people. I can't confirm that, but it seems that way.
(And on that note, my first blog post speculated on the use of the N-word, not claimed that Hout used it as one blogger inaccurately wrote; this is different.)
E. J. Prince's value in this story rests on his tweet that he talked to (not tweeted) a friend of Oregon receiver Jamere Holland who plays for Oregon and who I will not name here.
E.J. Prince's value is that he's part of a larger "grapevine" network of multi-racial athletes, some connected via the fraternity system and athletics, some not. I contacted Prince on Twitter, and after following each other, exchanged private messages.
From that series of contacts, I made several calls to confirm what Prince was tweeting and I got more information than I bargained for.
Friends of Oregon wide receiver Holland had no idea that Prince put his name on Twitter because there's some kind of "gag order" placed on Oregon players regarding this matter, and they feared Oregon coaches would punish Holland.
This was told to me by an unnamed source over the phone, who said "Young people don't care (about explaining who said the N-word); it's the older people in suits, all of those, who care."
There seems to be an idea that if Blount keeps quiet about what was said then the Oregon would take care of him. What I explained is that Oregon would present a better picture for minority players if it stepped up to defend a player who was the target of a racially-charged statement.
But I think what stopped Oregon from doing that was Blount's punch and his subsequent tirade. Blount's from Mississippi and there's an old school view of the use of the N-word down there: no one uses it, period.
Again, no one is excusing Blount's actions; but there's a view within the grapevine I tapped that the media is unfairly piling on Blount but not punishing Hout. Moreover, every black man I've talked to regarding this story said they knew something racial was said to set Blount off.
It's that nasty experience with being on the receiving end of the N-word that bonds African Americans. There's an idea in some quarters in America that because the word is used in rap music, it's common and accepted to use it in American culture. It's not and its not even desired in the music.
What this proves is New Media is the new grapevine of our country and the World. I hope Boise State fills in the blanks in this picture, but if they come out and say Hout didn't use the N-word, they've got a whole lot of people in Oregon and part of a grapevine on the West Coast willing to tell another story, even if its through Twitter.
This is the text of President Obama's heath care speech (from the Daily Kos):
Madame Speaker, Vice President Biden, Members of Congress, and the American people:
When I spoke here last winter, this nation was facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. We were losing an average of 700,000 jobs per month. Credit was frozen. And our financial system was on the verge of collapse.
As any American who is still looking for work or a way to pay their bills will tell you, we are by no means out of the woods. A full and vibrant recovery is many months away. And I will not let up until those Americans who seek jobs can find them; until those businesses that seek capital and credit can thrive; until all responsible homeowners can stay in their homes. That is our ultimate goal. But thanks to the bold and decisive action we have taken since January, I can stand here with confidence and say that we have pulled this economy back from the brink.
I want to thank the members of this body for your efforts and your support in these last several months, and especially those who have taken the difficult votes that have put us on a path to recovery. I also want to thank the American people for their patience and resolve during this trying time for our nation.
But we did not come here just to clean up crises. We came to build a future. So tonight, I return to speak to all of you about an issue that is central to that future – and that is the issue of health care.
I am not the first President to take up this cause, but I am determined to be the last. It has now been nearly a century since Theodore Roosevelt first called for health care reform. And ever since, nearly every President and Congress, whether Democrat or Republican, has attempted to meet this challenge in some way. A bill for comprehensive health reform was first introduced by John Dingell Sr. in 1943. Sixty-five years later, his son continues to introduce that same bill at the beginning of each session.
Our collective failure to meet this challenge – year after year, decade after decade – has led us to a breaking point. Everyone understands the extraordinary hardships that are placed on the uninsured, who live every day just one accident or illness away from bankruptcy. These are not primarily people on welfare. These are middle-class Americans. Some can’t get insurance on the job. Others are self-employed, and can’t afford it, since buying insurance on your own costs you three times as much as the coverage you get from your employer. Many other Americans who are willing and able to pay are still denied insurance due to previous illnesses or conditions that insurance companies decide are too risky or expensive to cover.
We are the only advanced democracy on Earth – the only wealthy nation – that allows such hardships for millions of its people. There are now more than thirty million American citizens who cannot get coverage. In just a two year period, one in every three Americans goes without health care coverage at some point. And every day, 14,000 Americans lose their coverage. In other words, it can happen to anyone.
But the problem that plagues the health care system is not just a problem of the uninsured. Those who do have insurance have never had less security and stability than they do today. More and more Americans worry that if you move, lose your job, or change your job, you’ll lose your health insurance too. More and more Americans pay their premiums, only to discover that their insurance company has dropped their coverage when they get sick, or won’t pay the full cost of care. It happens every day.
One man from Illinois lost his coverage in the middle of chemotherapy because his insurer found that he hadn’t reported gallstones that he didn’t even know about. They delayed his treatment, and he died because of it. Another woman from Texas was about to get a double mastectomy when her insurance company canceled her policy because she forgot to declare a case of acne. By the time she had her insurance reinstated, her breast cancer more than doubled in size. That is heart-breaking, it is wrong, and no one should be treated that way in the United States of America.
Then there’s the problem of rising costs. We spend one-and-a-half times more per person on health care than any other country, but we aren’t any healthier for it. This is one of the reasons that insurance premiums have gone up three times faster than wages. It’s why so many employers – especially small businesses – are forcing their employees to pay more for insurance, or are dropping their coverage entirely. It’s why so many aspiring entrepreneurs cannot afford to open a business in the first place, and why American businesses that compete internationally – like our automakers – are at a huge disadvantage. And it’s why those of us with health insurance are also paying a hidden and growing tax for those without it – about $1000 per year that pays for somebody else’s emergency room and charitable care.
Finally, our health care system is placing an unsustainable burden on taxpayers. When health care costs grow at the rate they have, it puts greater pressure on programs like Medicare and Medicaid. If we do nothing to slow these skyrocketing costs, we will eventually be spending more on Medicare and Medicaid than every other government program combined. Put simply, our health care problem is our deficit problem. Nothing else even comes close.
These are the facts. Nobody disputes them. We know we must reform this system. The question is how.
There are those on the left who believe that the only way to fix the system is through a single-payer system like Canada’s, where we would severely restrict the private insurance market and have the government provide coverage for everyone. On the right, there are those who argue that we should end the employer-based system and leave individuals to buy health insurance on their own.
I have to say that there are arguments to be made for both approaches. But either one would represent a radical shift that would disrupt the health care most people currently have. Since health care represents one-sixth of our economy, I believe it makes more sense to build on what works and fix what doesn’t, rather than try to build an entirely new system from scratch. And that is precisely what those of you in Congress have tried to do over the past several months.
During that time, we have seen Washington at its best and its worst.
We have seen many in this chamber work tirelessly for the better part of this year to offer thoughtful ideas about how to achieve reform. Of the five committees asked to develop bills, four have completed their work, and the Senate Finance Committee announced today that it will move forward next week. That has never happened before. Our overall efforts have been supported by an unprecedented coalition of doctors and nurses; hospitals, seniors’ groups and even drug companies – many of whom opposed reform in the past. And there is agreement in this chamber on about eighty percent of what needs to be done, putting us closer to the goal of reform than we have ever been.
But what we have also seen in these last months is the same partisan spectacle that only hardens the disdain many Americans have toward their own government. Instead of honest debate, we have seen scare tactics. Some have dug into unyielding ideological camps that offer no hope of compromise. Too many have used this as an opportunity to score short-term political points, even if it robs the country of our opportunity to solve a long-term challenge. And out of this blizzard of charges and counter-charges, confusion has reigned.
Well the time for bickering is over. The time for games has passed. Now is the season for action. Now is when we must bring the best ideas of both parties together, and show the American people that we can still do what we were sent here to do. Now is the time to deliver on health care.
The plan I’m announcing tonight would meet three basic goals:
It will provide more security and stability to those who have health insurance. It will provide insurance to those who don’t. And it will slow the growth of health care costs for our families, our businesses, and our government. It’s a plan that asks everyone to take responsibility for meeting this challenge – not just government and insurance companies, but employers and individuals. And it’s a plan that incorporates ideas from Senators and Congressmen; from Democrats and Republicans – and yes, from some of my opponents in both the primary and general election.
Here are the details that every American needs to know about this plan:
First, if you are among the hundreds of millions of Americans who already have health insurance through your job, Medicare, Medicaid, or the VA, nothing in this plan will require you or your employer to change the coverage or the doctor you have. Let me repeat this: nothing in our plan requires you to change what you have.
What this plan will do is to make the insurance you have work better for you. Under this plan, it will be against the law for insurance companies to deny you coverage because of a pre-existing condition. As soon as I sign this bill, it will be against the law for insurance companies to drop your coverage when you get sick or water it down when you need it most. They will no longer be able to place some arbitrary cap on the amount of coverage you can receive in a given year or a lifetime. We will place a limit on how much you can be charged for out-of-pocket expenses, because in the United States of America, no one should go broke because they get sick. And insurance companies will be required to cover, with no extra charge, routine checkups and preventive care, like mammograms and colonoscopies – because there’s no reason we shouldn’t be catching diseases like breast cancer and colon cancer before they get worse. That makes sense, it saves money, and it saves lives.
That’s what Americans who have health insurance can expect from this plan – more security and stability.
Now, if you’re one of the tens of millions of Americans who don’t currently have health insurance, the second part of this plan will finally offer you quality, affordable choices. If you lose your job or change your job, you will be able to get coverage. If you strike out on your own and start a small business, you will be able to get coverage. We will do this by creating a new insurance exchange – a marketplace where individuals and small businesses will be able to shop for health insurance at competitive prices. Insurance companies will have an incentive to participate in this exchange because it lets them compete for millions of new customers. As one big group, these customers will have greater leverage to bargain with the insurance companies for better prices and quality coverage. This is how large companies and government employees get affordable insurance. It’s how everyone in this Congress gets affordable insurance. And it’s time to give every American the same opportunity that we’ve given ourselves.
For those individuals and small businesses who still cannot afford the lower-priced insurance available in the exchange, we will provide tax credits, the size of which will be based on your need. And all insurance companies that want access to this new marketplace will have to abide by the consumer protections I already mentioned. This exchange will take effect in four years, which will give us time to do it right. In the meantime, for those Americans who can’t get insurance today because they have pre-existing medical conditions, we will immediately offer low-cost coverage that will protect you against financial ruin if you become seriously ill. This was a good idea when Senator John McCain proposed it in the campaign, it’s a good idea now, and we should embrace it.
Now, even if we provide these affordable options, there may be those – particularly the young and healthy – who still want to take the risk and go without coverage. There may still be companies that refuse to do right by their workers. The problem is, such irresponsible behavior costs all the rest of us money. If there are affordable options and people still don’t sign up for health insurance, it means we pay for those people’s expensive emergency room visits. If some businesses don’t provide workers health care, it forces the rest of us to pick up the tab when their workers get sick, and gives those businesses an unfair advantage over their competitors. And unless everybody does their part, many of the insurance reforms we seek – especially requiring insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions – just can’t be achieved.
That’s why under my plan, individuals will be required to carry basic health insurance – just as most states require you to carry auto insurance. Likewise, businesses will be required to either offer their workers health care, or chip in to help cover the cost of their workers. There will be a hardship waiver for those individuals who still cannot afford coverage, and 95% of all small businesses, because of their size and narrow profit margin, would be exempt from these requirements. But we cannot have large businesses and individuals who can afford coverage game the system by avoiding responsibility to themselves or their employees. Improving our health care system only works if everybody does their part.
While there remain some significant details to be ironed out, I believe a broad consensus exists for the aspects of the plan I just outlined: consumer protections for those with insurance, an exchange that allows individuals and small businesses to purchase affordable coverage, and a requirement that people who can afford insurance get insurance.
And I have no doubt that these reforms would greatly benefit Americans from all walks of life, as well as the economy as a whole. Still, given all the misinformation that’s been spread over the past few months, I realize that many Americans have grown nervous about reform. So tonight I’d like to address some of the key controversies that are still out there.
Some of people’s concerns have grown out of bogus claims spread by those whose only agenda is to kill reform at any cost. The best example is the claim, made not just by radio and cable talk show hosts, but prominent politicians, that we plan to set up panels of bureaucrats with the power to kill off senior citizens. Such a charge would be laughable if it weren’t so cynical and irresponsible. It is a lie, plain and simple.
There are also those who claim that our reform effort will insure illegal immigrants. This, too, is false – the reforms I’m proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally. And one more misunderstanding I want to clear up – under our plan, no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions, and federal conscience laws will remain in place.
My health care proposal has also been attacked by some who oppose reform as a "government takeover" of the entire health care system. As proof, critics point to a provision in our plan that allows the uninsured and small businesses to choose a publicly-sponsored insurance option, administered by the government just like Medicaid or Medicare.
So let me set the record straight. My guiding principle is, and always has been, that consumers do better when there is choice and competition. Unfortunately, in 34 states, 75% of the insurance market is controlled by five or fewer companies. In Alabama, almost 90% is controlled by just one company. Without competition, the price of insurance goes up and the quality goes down. And it makes it easier for insurance companies to treat their customers badly – by cherry-picking the healthiest individuals and trying to drop the sickest; by overcharging small businesses who have no leverage; and by jacking up rates.
Insurance executives don’t do this because they are bad people. They do it because it’s profitable. As one former insurance executive testified before Congress, insurance companies are not only encouraged to find reasons to drop the seriously ill; they are rewarded for it. All of this is in service of meeting what this former executive called "Wall Street’s relentless profit expectations."
Now, I have no interest in putting insurance companies out of business. They provide a legitimate service, and employ a lot of our friends and neighbors. I just want to hold them accountable. The insurance reforms that I’ve already mentioned would do just that. But an additional step we can take to keep insurance companies honest is by making a not-for-profit public option available in the insurance exchange. Let me be clear – it would only be an option for those who don’t have insurance. No one would be forced to choose it, and it would not impact those of you who already have insurance. In fact, based on Congressional Budget Office estimates, we believe that less than 5% of Americans would sign up.
Despite all this, the insurance companies and their allies don’t like this idea. They argue that these private companies can’t fairly compete with the government. And they’d be right if taxpayers were subsidizing this public insurance option. But they won’t be. I have insisted that like any private insurance company, the public insurance option would have to be self-sufficient and rely on the premiums it collects. But by avoiding some of the overhead that gets eaten up at private companies by profits, excessive administrative costs and executive salaries, it could provide a good deal for consumers. It would also keep pressure on private insurers to keep their policies affordable and treat their customers better, the same way public colleges and universities provide additional choice and competition to students without in any way inhibiting a vibrant system of private colleges and universities.
It’s worth noting that a strong majority of Americans still favor a public insurance option of the sort I’ve proposed tonight. But its impact shouldn’t be exaggerated – by the left, the right, or the media. It is only one part of my plan, and should not be used as a handy excuse for the usual Washington ideological battles. To my progressive friends, I would remind you that for decades, the driving idea behind reform has been to end insurance company abuses and make coverage affordable for those without it. The public option is only a means to that end – and we should remain open to other ideas that accomplish our ultimate goal. And to my Republican friends, I say that rather than making wild claims about a government takeover of health care, we should work together to address any legitimate concerns you may have.
For example, some have suggested that that the public option go into effect only in those markets where insurance companies are not providing affordable policies. Others propose a co-op or another non-profit entity to administer the plan. These are all constructive ideas worth exploring. But I will not back down on the basic principle that if Americans can’t find affordable coverage, we will provide you with a choice. And I will make sure that no government bureaucrat or insurance company bureaucrat gets between you and the care that you need.
Finally, let me discuss an issue that is a great concern to me, to members of this chamber, and to the public – and that is how we pay for this plan.
Here’s what you need to know. First, I will not sign a plan that adds one dime to our deficits – either now or in the future. Period. And to prove that I’m serious, there will be a provision in this plan that requires us to come forward with more spending cuts if the savings we promised don’t materialize. Part of the reason I faced a trillion dollar deficit when I walked in the door of the White House is because too many initiatives over the last decade were not paid for – from the Iraq War to tax breaks for the wealthy. I will not make that same mistake with health care.
Second, we’ve estimated that most of this plan can be paid for by finding savings within the existing health care system – a system that is currently full of waste and abuse. Right now, too much of the hard-earned savings and tax dollars we spend on health care doesn’t make us healthier. That’s not my judgment – it’s the judgment of medical professionals across this country. And this is also true when it comes to Medicare and Medicaid.
In fact, I want to speak directly to America’s seniors for a moment, because Medicare is another issue that’s been subjected to demagoguery and distortion during the course of this debate.
More than four decades ago, this nation stood up for the principle that after a lifetime of hard work, our seniors should not be left to struggle with a pile of medical bills in their later years. That is how Medicare was born. And it remains a sacred trust that must be passed down from one generation to the next. That is why not a dollar of the Medicare trust fund will be used to pay for this plan.
The only thing this plan would eliminate is the hundreds of billions of dollars in waste and fraud, as well as unwarranted subsidies in Medicare that go to insurance companies – subsidies that do everything to pad their profits and nothing to improve your care. And we will also create an independent commission of doctors and medical experts charged with identifying more waste in the years ahead.
These steps will ensure that you – America’s seniors – get the benefits you’ve been promised. They will ensure that Medicare is there for future generations. And we can use some of the savings to fill the gap in coverage that forces too many seniors to pay thousands of dollars a year out of their own pocket for prescription drugs. That’s what this plan will do for you. So don’t pay attention to those scary stories about how your benefits will be cut – especially since some of the same folks who are spreading these tall tales have fought against Medicare in the past, and just this year supported a budget that would have essentially turned Medicare into a privatized voucher program. That will never happen on my watch. I will protect Medicare.
Now, because Medicare is such a big part of the health care system, making the program more efficient can help usher in changes in the way we deliver health care that can reduce costs for everybody. We have long known that some places, like the Intermountain Healthcare in Utah or the Geisinger Health System in rural Pennsylvania, offer high-quality care at costs below average. The commission can help encourage the adoption of these common-sense best practices by doctors and medical professionals throughout the system – everything from reducing hospital infection rates to encouraging better coordination between teams of doctors.
Reducing the waste and inefficiency in Medicare and Medicaid will pay for most of this plan. Much of the rest would be paid for with revenues from the very same drug and insurance companies that stand to benefit from tens of millions of new customers. This reform will charge insurance companies a fee for their most expensive policies, which will encourage them to provide greater value for the money – an idea which has the support of Democratic and Republican experts. And according to these same experts, this modest change could help hold down the cost of health care for all of us in the long-run.
Finally, many in this chamber – particularly on the Republican side of the aisle – have long insisted that reforming our medical malpractice laws can help bring down the cost of health care. I don't believe malpractice reform is a silver bullet, but I have talked to enough doctors to know that defensive medicine may be contributing to unnecessary costs. So I am proposing that we move forward on a range of ideas about how to put patient safety first and let doctors focus on practicing medicine. I know that the Bush Administration considered authorizing demonstration projects in individual states to test these issues. It’s a good idea, and I am directing my Secretary of Health and Human Services to move forward on this initiative today.
Add it all up, and the plan I’m proposing will cost around $900 billion over ten years – less than we have spent on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and less than the tax cuts for the wealthiest few Americans that Congress passed at the beginning of the previous administration. Most of these costs will be paid for with money already being spent – but spent badly – in the existing health care system. The plan will not add to our deficit. The middle-class will realize greater security, not higher taxes. And if we are able to slow the growth of health care costs by just one-tenth of one percent each year, it will actually reduce the deficit by $4 trillion over the long term.
This is the plan I’m proposing. It’s a plan that incorporates ideas from many of the people in this room tonight – Democrats and Republicans. And I will continue to seek common ground in the weeks ahead. If you come to me with a serious set of proposals, I will be there to listen. My door is always open.
But know this: I will not waste time with those who have made the calculation that it’s better politics to kill this plan than improve it. I will not stand by while the special interests use the same old tactics to keep things exactly the way they are. If you misrepresent what’s in the plan, we will call you out. And I will not accept the status quo as a solution. Not this time. Not now.
Everyone in this room knows what will happen if we do nothing. Our deficit will grow. More families will go bankrupt. More businesses will close. More Americans will lose their coverage when they are sick and need it most. And more will die as a result. We know these things to be true.
That is why we cannot fail. Because there are too many Americans counting on us to succeed – the ones who suffer silently, and the ones who shared their stories with us at town hall meetings, in emails, and in letters.
I received one of those letters a few days ago. It was from our beloved friend and colleague, Ted Kennedy. He had written it back in May, shortly after he was told that his illness was terminal. He asked that it be delivered upon his death.
In it, he spoke about what a happy time his last months were, thanks to the love and support of family and friends, his wife, Vicki, and his children, who are here tonight . And he expressed confidence that this would be the year that health care reform – "that great unfinished business of our society," he called it – would finally pass. He repeated the truth that health care is decisive for our future prosperity, but he also reminded me that "it concerns more than material things." "What we face," he wrote, "is above all a moral issue; at stake are not just the details of policy, but fundamental principles of social justice and the character of our country."
I’ve thought about that phrase quite a bit in recent days – the character of our country. One of the unique and wonderful things about America has always been our self-reliance, our rugged individualism, our fierce defense of freedom and our healthy skepticism of government. And figuring out the appropriate size and role of government has always been a source of rigorous and sometimes angry debate.
For some of Ted Kennedy’s critics, his brand of liberalism represented an affront to American liberty. In their mind, his passion for universal health care was nothing more than a passion for big government.
But those of us who knew Teddy and worked with him here – people of both parties – know that what drove him was something more. His friend, Orrin Hatch, knows that. They worked together to provide children with health insurance. His friend John McCain knows that. They worked together on a Patient’s Bill of Rights. His friend Chuck Grassley knows that. They worked together to provide health care to children with disabilities.
On issues like these, Ted Kennedy’s passion was born not of some rigid ideology, but of his own experience. It was the experience of having two children stricken with cancer. He never forgot the sheer terror and helplessness that any parent feels when a child is badly sick; and he was able to imagine what it must be like for those without insurance; what it would be like to have to say to a wife or a child or an aging parent – there is something that could make you better, but I just can’t afford it.
That large-heartedness – that concern and regard for the plight of others – is not a partisan feeling. It is not a Republican or a Democratic feeling. It, too, is part of the American character. Our ability to stand in other people’s shoes. A recognition that we are all in this together; that when fortune turns against one of us, others are there to lend a helping hand. A belief that in this country, hard work and responsibility should be rewarded by some measure of security and fair play; and an acknowledgement that sometimes government has to step in to help deliver on that promise.
This has always been the history of our progress. In 1933, when over half of our seniors could not support themselves and millions had seen their savings wiped away, there were those who argued that Social Security would lead to socialism. But the men and women of Congress stood fast, and we are all the better for it. In 1965, when some argued that Medicare represented a government takeover of health care, members of Congress, Democrats and Republicans, did not back down. They joined together so that all of us could enter our golden years with some basic peace of mind.
You see, our predecessors understood that government could not, and should not, solve every problem. They understood that there are instances when the gains in security from government action are not worth the added constraints on our freedom. But they also understood that the danger of too much government is matched by the perils of too little; that without the leavening hand of wise policy, markets can crash, monopolies can stifle competition, and the vulnerable can be exploited. And they knew that when any government measure, no matter how carefully crafted or beneficial, is subject to scorn; when any efforts to help people in need are attacked as un-American; when facts and reason are thrown overboard and only timidity passes for wisdom, and we can no longer even engage in a civil conversation with each other over the things that truly matter – that at that point we don’t merely lose our capacity to solve big challenges. We lose something essential about ourselves.
What was true then remains true today. I understand how difficult this health care debate has been. I know that many in this country are deeply skeptical that government is looking out for them. I understand that the politically safe move would be to kick the can further down the road – to defer reform one more year, or one more election, or one more term.
But that’s not what the moment calls for. That’s not what we came here to do. We did not come to fear the future. We came here to shape it. I still believe we can act even when it’s hard. I still believe we can replace acrimony with civility, and gridlock with progress. I still believe we can do great things, and that here and now we will meet history’s test.
Because that is who we are. That is our calling. That is our character. Thank you, God Bless You, and may God Bless the United States of America.
President Obama is today's Regan: The Great Communicator.
When President Ronald Reagan was heading what would be called the "Reagan Revolution" I never missed a speech thinking as a liberal that he would make a misstep or some error in statement; instead I came away mesmerized. Today, Barack Obama, our 44th President officially hit that mark of The Great Communicator.
Obama took the heath care reform issue, seemingly on its death bed, and brought it back to superhuman life, promising to be the last president to have to take on the task of health care reform.
But most important, Obama combined fact, challenge, emotion, and appeal to reach out to Republicans and in a fashion that can only be described as "Kennedyesque" took on as his own the need to reform the malpractice insurance problem plaquing America.
Overcoming the scream of "You Lie" belched by Republican Congressman Joe Wilson (R - South Carolina) when the President said that no illegal aliens would get health care, Obama countered it's true and then seemed to gain thunder. "All are responsible here..No need to change coverage or doctors; keep what you have... Insurance can't deny you coverage because of a pre-exisiting condition.. They can't drop it when you get sick or water it down when you need it.. He went on and ticketed off point after policy point in a clear way that would make Reagan smile.
Obama then tipped his hat to Republican Senator John McCain (R - Arizona) when he said the reform program would make sure that Americans who had pre-existing medical conditions could get health care. McCain smiled and gave his signature thumbs-up.
Finally, Obama closed his speech by memorializing the late Senator Ted Kennedy, who championed heath care reform. In a segment of his speech that caused the room to go quiet, Obama reminded all that Kennedy wanted all Americans to have and be able to afford health care and reached out to those less fortunate than he.
And Obama made it clear that a "public option" was not an option.
In all, it was a speech right for the moment. Not quiet the high water mark of his speech on race or his first State of The Union speech, but close.
