July 30, 2018

Jake Tapper not pleased that the Obamas are "living their best life" when the Democratic Party is living its worst since the 1920s.



Some economist reacts to Tapper's tweet with "Don't understand the point of this conversation. Does @jaketapper think Obama should be back in US leading Democrats or blaming @BarackObama for leaving Democrats in an incredibly weak position or just making random observation?"

Tapper says: "Kind of a combo of 2 and 3. Glad he’s enjoying his life; he’s entitled. Also, FYI, as we begin focus on Nov 2018 and 2020, he presided over a historically precipitous decline of his party. Just a factual matter. Some Dems seem angrier at my tweet than at that fact. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯"

He says ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ a lot!

I'm just incredibly uneasy about HuffPo calling attention to that song title. I'm reading about this tweeting at IJR, in "Jake Tapper Roasts Former President Obama over the Current State of the Democratic Party," and nothing is about the song title and why HuffPo mentioned it.

My ideas are: 1. The song is so popular or Beyoncé and Jay-Z are such idols that no one noticed a problem with writing "N***as in Paris," 2. Though the concert was in Washington, D.C., the Washington, D.C. of the Obamas might as well be Paris, and that's why the song title seemed so apt (and "N***as" came along without much thought), 3. The HuffPo tweeter is black and therefore, like Beyoncé and Jay-Z, has a privilege to bandy that word about casually (but the tweets come from "HuffPo Politics," where there is no individual tweeter identified), 4. Knowing the song seemed cool, so naming it proved coolness, 5. HuffPo wanted to create agitation over the use of the word (and believed, because they are liberal, that more anxiety about race will work out well for their side), 6. They actually get a frisson of racist satisfaction when they put that word next to the Obamas' name.

After writing all that, I'm reading the Wikipedia article on the song, which I see is censored and just called "In Paris" or "Paris" on the radio:
The song received universal acclaim from many critics. Rolling Stone commented on the song by saying "Jay and Ye come in hard over a slow, menacing beat and icy synthesizer notes, but regardless, this cut is mostly memorable for including an unexpected sample of dialogue from the Will Ferrell/Jon Heder ice-skating comedy Blades of Glory. 'No one knows what it means, but it's provocative,' says Ferrell with deep conviction, essentially summing up the art of hip-hop lyrics." 

167 comments:

Bay Area Guy said...

Shorter Tapper: We're fucking miserable and you're dancing like morons in Paris! Help us!

rehajm said...

I think Barack is O for ever in his candidate endorsements- why would Jake Tapper believe the Obama's aren't already doing everything they can by staying away?

stevew said...

Is it the only song they danced to? I suspect the author was trying to be provocative. ;-)

-sw

rehajm said...

'Living your best life' is Oprah's shtick. She's not helping, either.

mccullough said...

Obama is enjoying his immense wealth. The Trump era has been very good to him. Better to dance to Jay-Z and Beyoncé than paint pictures of dogs or whatever W does when he’s not getting millions in speaking fees from the boys whose water he carried during his presidency. Obama is cashing in more than W since he wasn’t set up pre-presidency by his Dad’s connections. (And his Dad was set up by his own Dad. The Bushes are not hard working people.).

The Clintons aren’t raking in the bucks these days but they should be able to protect their fortune.

All of these people are crooks. At least Tapper noticed.

gspencer said...

"See ya later, suckers"

https://imgflip.com/i/1os8ef

Ralph L said...

They didn't censor the "mo fuckers" on Wikipedia. Radio edit?

Tapper makes the decline of elected Democrats sound like a bad thing.


BAS said...

I think people should start boycotting songs that if sung out loud will cause a person to lose their jobs and be mobbed by people calling them raciest. Either a word is bad for everyone to use or it's not a bad word.

rhhardin said...

Niggas isn't the same word as niggers and does not have the same performance.

Niggas is more independent men against the man and cuts out the useless and stupid.

I don't care if you use either one. Its shock value depends on recreational outrage.

Nigger itself has a performance matrix.

You're all outrage niggers.

That's not even racial.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

No one knows what it means, but it's provocative

Just so I can clarify how provocative, is that Paris the city, or Paris the celebrity?

Ralph L said...

BO Be Best!

tcrosse said...

Obama can't help it if we're unworthy.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

HuffPo fan-gushes about Obama like a celebrity rag. Maybe the alphanumeric "whatever" symbol Tapper employs actually means WTF? As in WTF did Obama actually accomplish during his turn on Celebrity President? 'Cause the new guy on Celebrity President is remaking the world rather quickly, reordering power structures in a way that has the Chinese nervous, the NK compliant (at least not aggressive as before), the Iranians in economic freefall (with a restless populace), and has scored his first win in the Great Trade Wars, getting the EU to cry "uncle" and agree to work towards "zero tariffs, zero taxes and zero subsidies" on non-automobile exports. Domestically, he is poised to re-order the Supreme Court to a solid conservative majority, expand GOP control in the Senate, and maybe reverse everything we know about the first midterm after a change in WH by repelling the Blue Wave.

That's a lot to celebrate. Maybe the Obama's are just happy their 401K is in good hands now with Trump in charge!

Jersey Fled said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
traditionalguy said...

Obama is living on his earnings from the 6 years he and VJ spent arranging the Iranian Surrender that shipped billions of dollars in untraceable cash and gold bars sent in three airplanes that went to secret places.

And then the Executive Order of December,21,2017 came along. So Obama is waiting his fate and hoping the Coup kills Trump and covers up his crimes.

mccullough said...

Tapper has been tough on the Clintons, W, Obama, and Trump. For a well known journalist, he’s fairly independent. He’s too ensconced in DC but he’s the most independent of the mainstream. Has a healthy disdain for all of them.

And he takes a great dig at Obama with the “he’s entitled” crack.

Nonapod said...

Sometimes I kinda wish there was a hard, defined line between people who call themselves "journalists" and people who call themselves "political commentators". In my mind a journalists should be someone who maintains an air of objectivity, someone who endeavours to appear apolitical and not take a side. But I guess people want to know Jack Tappers political opinion.

mccullough said...

TradGuy,

Great theory. Obama saw how wealthy the Saudis had made the Bush family and saw his opportunity with the Iranians.

Bay Area Guy said...

Net Worths:

1. Jay Z: $930 Million
2. Beyonce: $350 Million
3. Obamas: a paltry $40 Million (but will grow substantially over the next 10 years (books, Netflix deal, speeches, corporate boards).

These are some rich ass Niggas! (sorry, not sure if I am allowed to say that.)

At some point, the lower ranks of the Democrat Party have got to come to grips with the fact that the upper ranks of the Democrat Party are filled with really, really rich folks (Obamas, Clintons, Nancy Pelosi, Diane Feinstein, LeBron James, Tom Steyer, George Soros) who don't really care about their sorry asses -- except as a tool to purge their own guilt about being so fabulously rich.

rcocean said...

As a Democratic operative posing as a Journalist, you can understand Jake's frustration. I mean, how can he ever get a White House gig, if the Democrats don't take back the Presidency.

As for "N" word. Is there anything more silly than a bunch of old white people being upset that Black people are using the word "Nigger"?

mccullough said...

Obama has Jay-Z and Trump has Kanye.

rcocean said...

That's one reason I liked Obama. He's comfortable not doing politics 24/7. He doesn't strike me as a Hillary type, who's last words will probably be:

"Why aren't I still in the White House?"

Rick said...

The song received universal acclaim from many critics.

These people can't even do their jobs. That's probably why they focus on politics. Nothing is easier than fealty and the few talking points hides the ignorance.

rcocean said...

And if you're over the age of 30, and still using emoticons - it says something about your intellect.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

But please, journo lists aren't dedicated biased democrats. It's all fair and balanced.

Big Mike said...

Obama attacks wealthy for big houses before returning to his $8M mansion.

Obama then chided wealthy individuals for excess, saying, “There’s only so much you can eat. There’s only so big a house you can have. There’s only so many nice trips you can take. I mean, it’s enough.”

"And when economic power is concentrated in the hands of the few, history also shows that political power is sure to follow and that dynamic eats away at democracy.”

After the speech calling for rich people to get smaller houses, Obama traveled back to America and to his $8.1 million eight-bedroom, nine-and-a-half bathroom mansion in one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the world.

rcocean said...

And the worst since the 1920's?

What a crazy statement. The D's have 48 senators, and might retake the House. They have 4 D SCOTUS justices, and the Appeals courts are packed with Liberal D's.

They control the media, the law, and universities. Millions of new Democrats are immigrating here every year.

The only thing the R's have is Trump. And they did everything they could to stop him.

Ray - SoCal said...

Daily News had the article up on Obama’s dancing st the Beyoncé concert on their main page, and now you need to go the archives to find it.

Rick said...

Tapper has been tough on the Clintons, W, Obama, and Trump. For a well known journalist, he’s fairly independent.

Like Althouse he wants the left to be what it claims to be instead of what it is.

Jupiter said...

How's that working out for Paris?

Curious George said...

"mccullough said...
Tapper has been tough on the Clintons, W, Obama, and Trump. For a well known journalist, he’s fairly independent. He’s too ensconced in DC but he’s the most independent of the mainstream. Has a healthy disdain for all of them.

And he takes a great dig at Obama with the “he’s entitled” crack. "

This is crap. He may have been somewhat "tough" when he was the WH correspondent for ABC, but since CNN he's all-in for the Dems.

Paddy O said...

"it says something about your intellect."

That you realize tone doesn't translate in written text especially when communicating to a broader audience not used to critical prose?

AlbertAnonymous said...

The song title is used, as others have said, to be provocative, but also to show the O’s as hip and so “with it”. The fans of the Os will eat it up. Those who aren’t fans of the Os will roll their eyes and ignore the adulation (and the left will think of them as racists for not falling in line and fawning as well).

I think they’re as crooked and selfish as the rest of DC, and frankly don’t give a rats ass what they do (corporate board graft, Netflix deal graft, other BS graft) as long as they go away.

Imagine though, if Trump and Melania were dancing at some event (or video was discovered of them dancing at some wedding) and the song happened to be “niggas in a Paris”... the left’s collective head would explode.

It’s got to be racist if Trump does it, but cool and hip if Obama does it.

Sprezzatura said...

Now we have proof that, as a factual matter, DJT is a liar/deciever.


America was already great.

Down w/ all the Ronnie naming projects around the country. Obama is the true hero of the Rs.

Sebastian said...

"I'm just incredibly uneasy about HuffPo calling attention to that song title."

Why? There's nothing to be uneasy about. 1. Assume black privilege: what goes for blacks, doesn't go for whites, while everyone pretends otherwise. And 2. Apply the Universal Theory of Progressive Instrumentalism. Inference: use the N-word and its variations against whites and conservatives, women if necessary, and use it in the right crowd for the sake of fostering tribal solidarity in support of prog politics.

"My ideas are: 1. The song is so popular or Beyoncé and Jay-Z are such idols that no one noticed a problem with writing "N***as in Paris,""

"People" "noticed" alright, but some things can and others cannot be said. Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent.

"3. The HuffPo tweeter is black and therefore, like Beyoncé and Jay-Z, has a privilege to bandy that word about casually (but the tweets come from "HuffPo Politics," where there is no individual tweeter identified)"

Possibly.

"5. HuffPo wanted to create agitation over the use of the word (and believed, because they are liberal, that more anxiety about race will work out well for their side)"

True in general, but in this case assumes a bit more Machiavellian machination than the average prog is capable of.

"The song received universal acclaim from many critics."

And why not? I mean it's got a "menacing beat" and "icy synthesizer notes."

"this cut is mostly memorable for including an unexpected sample of dialogue . . . 'No one knows what it means, but it's provocative,' says Ferrell with deep conviction, essentially summing up the art of hip-hop lyrics."

Yes, a supremely suitable summation of that "art." Convictions without content, art without meaning, and those nullities imagine they have attained a level of civilization never before achieved.

Henry said...

The "living the life" and "1920s" mashup creates a nice Great Gatsby vibe.

tim in vermont said...

"America was already great."

Says the man who can't stop bragging about his money that seems to have come from mom and dad.

mccullough said...

Just because Tapowr trashes Trump doesn’t mean he’s in the tank for the Dems. He trashes them,, too.

He criticized and criticizes Obama (and W and the Clintons). Trump is the current president so he’s going to trash him the most. Trashing the president is good no matter who it is.

Very few people criticize all of them. Someone who does has some independence. Of course CNN pays his bills so he’s not very independent. They’ve gone with Anti-Trump as their model, just as Fox is pro-Trump (and was Anti-Obama). Guy has to make a living. But within those constructions he’s the least bad of a bad lot of journalists.

Kevin said...

Apparently Jake doesn't get the nuance in Obama's approach to his post-Presidency.

Thankfully Obama is too smart for the kind of grassroots party-building that a typical person in his situation might try.

Or would Tapper prefer pallets of cash?

lgv said...

There are two parts to this post. First, the state of the Democratic Party is not of the making or responsibility of Barack Obama. The current state is the result of the monopoly of the Clinton Corporation. I would say DNC, but that inept, nearly bankrupt organization was taken over by the Clinton Corporation during the presidential campaign. It is in no better hands under Che Perez.

Former Presidents have reached a pinnacle and should mostly fade away, e.g. Bush, Bush, and even Clinton, who, if not for Hillary, would wander off and spend all his time on dickin' bimbos and tagging along on Epstein junkets. Besides, Obama spent the last two years in semi-retirement, racking up rounds of golf and pontificating about his now non-existent legacy.


Gahrie said...

As a neutral reporter..why should Tapper be invested in the future of the Democratic Party?

lgv said...

The second part of the post deals with who can and can't use the N-word. I think there is a bright line now. White people can't use the word at all, not even to quote someone else. The penalty is loss of job. Black people can still use it.

tim in vermont said...

Nothing wrong with the song title. It evokes Josephine Baker to me, but it does create a problem for us white people. So what?

And I always thought that the destruction of the Democratic Party was Obama's biggest achievement. I commented on it many times during his presidency.

Wendybar said...

That's what Socialist leaders do Jake!! Obama loves being a celebrity. Michelle does too.

Kevin said...

Just because Tapowr trashes Trump doesn’t mean he’s in the tank for the Dems. He trashes them,, too.

He criticized and criticizes Obama (and W and the Clintons).


Trashing W is straight-up Dem.

Trashing Bill and O are because they looted the party with Tapper's support.

AlbertAnonymous said...

Igv,

I thought I’d read that O decimated the DNCs coffers and left it broke. And part of the reason Hillary co-opted the DNC was because it WAS broke and Hillary needed to save it by her crafty grafty ways...

But who knows.

narciso said...


Obama's handiwork:

http://thehill.com/opinion/white-house/399448-whatever-happened-to-the-unmaskings-probe

tim in vermont said...

The Clintons didn't force Obama to pass Obamacare, which was wildly unpopular. If you want to say that it wasn't, look at the scoreboard.

Nonapod said...

I don't pay much attention to Jake Tapper so I wouldn't know, nor do I honestly care, if he attacks both Ds and Rs with equal vigor. I just like the idea of journalists at least attempting to keep their opinions to themselves.

Yes, I know that's fantasy. I know that's evidently not what most people want. People (I guess) want to know their news tellers opinions on the news they're reporting. It's weird.

Tommy Duncan said...

'No one knows what it means, but it's provocative,' says Ferrell with deep conviction, essentially summing up the art of hip-hop lyrics."

Now that's a real dig. Ferrell gets it.

Earnest Prole said...

Jake Tapper kinda has a point here, no?

Clyde said...

Just saw an article claiming that Netflix is concentrating on building "faith and family-based shows". Lemme guess, shows about faith in the Obama family...

tim in vermont said...

Would have went without saying, E P.

Infinite Monkeys said...

Obama has Jay-Z and Trump has Kanye.

I'm waiting to see who's on the Snoop Dogg ticket.

bagoh20 said...

Dems are messianic about Presidents, becuase politics is one of the many religions of the left. The Democrats are much more concerned with the image of their President rather than what he does. Thus, they still love Obama despite his devastating effect on their party, and loved Hillary despite the fact that they can't tell you anything of substance that either one of them has ever done. It's who the image is - not what the person will do. This is a stark difference with conservatives. Can you even imagine a conservative uttering that quote about Obama's pants crease or getting a thrill up their leg about a conservative candidate. Trump supporters are not in love with his image, or who he is. They are excited about what they expect he is doing and will do and the results are there, becuase you get more of what you support.

rehajm said...

..he presided over a historically precipitous decline of his party...

He INHERITED this mess! Poor Obama- his brilliance in every other matter could not overcome his ridiculously bad timing.

Achilles said...

Obama just spent 8 years weaponizing the federal government against his enemies and spying on political opponents.

He will be spending a lot of time overseas for a while.

In countries that will refuse to extradite him.

Kevin said...

Ending the word with "a" was always supposed to be the thing that neutered it and made it ok. I guess we're finally at a point where they are admitting that was always bullshit, huh?

Earnest Prole said...

Would have went?

tcrosse said...

I thought I’d read that O decimated the DNCs coffers and left it broke. And part of the reason Hillary co-opted the DNC was because it WAS broke and Hillary needed to save it by her crafty grafty ways...

But who knows.


Donna Brazile. That's what she said in her book

bagoh20 said...

If you are not Black, but you enjoy rap music, are you allowed to sing along with all the words?

Achilles said...

anti-de Sitter space said...

Now we have proof that, as a factual matter, DJT is a liar/deciever.


America was already great.

Down w/ all the Ronnie naming projects around the country. Obama is the true hero of the Rs.


If the leftists weren't totalitarian racist pieces of shit you would feel sorry for how pathetic they have become.

If you dance to the JayZ song "N*****" that means you cal call everyone racist. But only if you are a leftist.

Privilege.

Pookie Number 2 said...

Obama is the true hero of the Rs.

I assume he meant well, but wasn’t curious enough to see whether the silly political ideas he swallowed unquestioningly in his youth actually worked. Once the country got over its tokenist infatuation with Obama-the-mirage and saw how much economic growth Obama-the-man was obstructing, they turned to Trump.

So you’re correct in seeing Obama as the proximate cause for the current economic upswing, but giving him credit for it is probably too generous.

Michael K said...

The current state is the result of the monopoly of the Clinton Corporation.

I agree but the failure of Obama to accomplish anything of substance is also at fault.

Obamacare was the Pelosi/Reid corporation doing a redo of Hillarycare which included the insurance companies.

It didn't do any better but they did get it passed.

Dems are messianic about Presidents, becuase politics is one of the many religions of the left.

It is THE religion of the left. Environmentalism and its bastard child, global warming are doctrines, not the religion.

WisRich said...

Poor Jake. Asking Obama to get busy fixing the Democrat party is a little bit like asking an arsonist to put out a fire.

Martin said...

The real story is how Tapper is fully and completely on the Democrats' side. He left himself a bit of wiggle room but only a fool would buy any denial.

tim in vermont said...

What is the permission structure of the word?

I never realized that permission structure was such a useful concept. I admit that I won't use a word that during the '60s I heard used often and unironically.

tim in vermont said...

Global Warming is equivalent to the fall from the Garden of Eden to liberals. It's more mythic than doctrinal.

Molly said...

(eaglebeak)

Having the full name of the song appear is good for Obama. It helps him in his never-ending quest to attain street cred (like attending the Rev Wright's church).

This is important for a guy who's half-white, was raised by white relatives, went to not one but two Ivy League schools, and had to educate himself ab ovo to the American black experience, since the "black part" of him wasn't American, and the "white part" of him was anti-American (Mommy was a Commie).

Drago said...

Bring LLR Chuck's "magnificent" Obama back!!

Those Al Qaeda affiliates aren't going to just fund themselves! They need More Obama!!

Henry said...

tim in vermont said...
Nothing wrong with the song title. It evokes Josephine Baker to me
More Great Gatsby.
The Obamas are Daisy Buchanan.
The Democrats are Myrtle Wilson.

Robert Cook said...

The Dems have themselves to blame for acting like Republicans and not like what they pretend to be: concerned for the working and poor people in the nation. Obama exemplified this when he was in office.

Henry said...

Nothing wrong with the song title. It evokes Josephine Baker to me

I should say, more 1920s.

Howard said...

The OP song is attributed to Jayz and Conyeah

HoodlumDoodlum said...

Ann Althouse...I'm just incredibly uneasy about HuffPo calling attention to that song title.

Why uneasy? Is that not the title? Should we all just pretend it's not the title for sake of politeness? I thought the Media, Left, and you smart nice people always say you want to have "conversations about race in America." How can we have a conversation if we're uneasy even admitting basic facts?

Isn't the quote "facts don't care about your feelings?"
President Obama was (is?) super cool, Professor. You yourself had a lot to say about how appealing he was and a large part of that appeal was his coolness. Well cool guys listen to rap/hip-hop and rap/hip-hop has a lot of lyrics and titles that include words we have to write with asterisks. Why should any of that make anyone uneasy?

Anyway because it's 2018 I'm not sure you're allowed to have an opinion on this or express feelings one way or another--you do still identify as a white woman, don't you? If so I think you're disqualified from commenting entirely. Sorry.

Big Mike said...

America was already great.

Not during the eight years of Obama.

Sebastian said...

@Cook: "The Dems have themselves to blame for acting like Republicans"

You mean, in the way they support Republican judicial nominations, Republican tax cuts, Republican energy policies, Republican opposition to Obamacare, Republican support for Trump, such as it is?

"not like what they pretend to be: concerned for the working and poor people in the nation."

Well, they still are concerned about "poor people," in the sense that they favor expanding all social programs and more redistribution, no? Do they even pretend to be concerned about working people anymore, as they push identity politics, SSM, transgenderism, green energy, tax increases, Russian collusion, open borders, and "socialism"?

Drago said...

Robert Cook: "The Dems have themselves to blame for acting like Republicans and not like what they pretend to be: concerned for the working and poor people in the nation"

No True Scotsman rears its head again...

It's also a shame Venezuela didn't try REAL socialism, which clearly would have worked.

Totally.

Obviously.

HoodlumDoodlum said...

Robert Cook said...The Dems have themselves to blame for acting like Republicans and not like what they pretend to be: concerned for the working and poor people in the nation. Obama exemplified this when he was in office.

Good afternoon Robert. I'm curious: do you have in mind a President you like or wish current politicians/Presidents would emulate? I understand your contention that all recent Presidents have been war criminals and/or worked against the poor, etc; do you have in mind a good example that future Presidents should imitate?

I'm Full of Soup said...

I don't view Tapper as being independent or non-partisan when he is, in essence, begging Obama to come back and save the Dem party.

Michael K said...


Blogger Robert Cook said...
The Dems have themselves to blame for acting like Republicans and not like what they pretend to be: concerned for the working and poor people in the nation.


Albert Shanker explained it when he said "When children pay union dues, I will concern myself with children."

Cookie, surely you know the Golden Rule. "He who has the gold, makes the rules."

The only way to reduce the impact of government corruption on the individual is to reduce its size and power.

Mark Twain, 150 years ago said, "No man's life, liberty or property is safe while Congress is in session."

That was before the income tax, the Federal Reserve and "The Great Society."

Comanche Voter said...

Ah Jakey---Do you really think that the Obamas--a pair of true grifters, ever really gave a flying fling about the Democrat Party--or the country for that matter? Their life slogan is, "We got ours (or as individuals, I've got mine) and too bad about you". Grifters gonna grift.

Don't expect either one of them to be looking out for anybody but their own sweet self.

Yancey Ward said...

The second comment makes the point that I think should be obvious- when has Barack Obama ever successfully helped any Democrat candidate? Isn't Obama doing the best thing for the party by simply staying away?

Amadeus 48 said...

Man, I used to love the 2004 version of that O guy. Whatever happened to him? Gone to Paris? Illinois? Texas?

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

So the only way to help the working poor is to devastate the nation with socialism?

Yancey Ward said...

And I don't get this squeamishness about the song title "Niggas in Paris". What I find annoying is the "bleeping" of the song title. Just because you use the exact title the song was given by its composer doesn't make you a racist. And bleeping it out just makes you looks stupid, in my opinion.

Wilbur said...

It's much easier and self-satisfying to sit back and harrumph about "the working and poor people" than to actually prescribe a remedy. What's your idea, Cook? $20 minimum wage? Higher income taxes and income redistribution? Revolution?

Yancey Ward said...

Really, the song was probably written just to make white people uncomfortable about using the title, and what do white people do in response- they censor the title like idiots.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Beyonce and Jay z = over-rated hype machine. Keeping people poor.

Rick said...

they censor the title like idiots.

Is it stupid or does it intelligently balance the risks of our stupid culture?

https://www.barstoolsports.com/boston/unh-sorority-under-fire-for-singing-kanye-west-golddigger-lyrics/

Sprezzatura said...

Yes Doc Mike, America was more free for your demo 150 years ago.

Yancey Ward said...

Its stupid, Rick, because the cultural danger is self-inflicted.

Hagar said...

And I don't get this squeamishness about the song title "Niggas in Paris". What I find annoying is the "bleeping" of the song title. Just because you use the exact title the song was given by its composer doesn't make you a racist. And bleeping it out just makes you looks stupid, in my opinion.

Repeat, because I could not say it better.

AllenS said...

So, Jake Tapper wants Obama to get out there... and what, tell everyone about his accomplishments? Well, let's take a look at one of his initiatives, shall we?

Wiki --

The Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), colloquially known as "cash for clunkers", was a $3 billion U.S. federal scrappage program intended to provide economic incentives to U.S. residents to purchase a new, more fuel-efficient vehicle when trading in a less fuel-efficient vehicle. The program was promoted as providing stimulus to the economy by boosting auto sales, while putting safer, cleaner, and more fuel-efficient vehicles on the roadways.

The program officially started on July 1, 2009, processing of claims began July 24, and the program ended on August 24, 2009, as the appropriated funds were exhausted. The deadline for dealers to submit applications was August 25. According to estimates of the Department of Transportation, the initial $1 billion appropriated for the system was exhausted by July 30, 2009, well before the anticipated end date of November 1, 2009, due to very high demand. In response, Congress approved an additional $2 billion.

A study by University of Delaware researchers concluded that for each vehicle trade, the program had a net cost of approximately $2,000, with total costs outweighing all benefits by $1.4 billion. A 2017 study in the American Economic Journal found that the program, intended to increase consumer spending, reduced total new vehicle spending by $5 billion.


Obama might snark from the sidelines, but reminding America of his accomplishments is off the table.

rhhardin said...

Would have went?

Dialect. "Went" is not heard as carrying tense.

Achilles said...

anti-de Sitter space said...

Yes Doc Mike, America was more free for your demo 150 years ago.

And the democrat party was having their slaves taken away.

150 years ago the democrat party started writing up Jim Crow laws and putting up monuments to their great leaders.

100 years ago they started the eugenics movement.

60 years ago democrat Bull Conor was hosing black people down and sicking dogs on them.

40 years ago they took over the public school system and set up affirmative action.

Now they want to whitewash their role in history and force black kids into shitty public schools while their kids go to private schools.

They hand out spoils to keep black people on the plantations which are now leftist dominated blue cities where democrat voters commit 90+% of the nations gun crime.

Nothing ever changes. The democrat party is still based off of a racial spoils system.

Achilles said...

Robert Cook said...

The Dems have themselves to blame for acting like Republicans and not like what they pretend to be: concerned for the working and poor people in the nation. Obama exemplified this when he was in office.

You can be jealous of us.

The Uniparty still owns the democrat party because democrat voters are not as smart as republican voters.

Your choices are Obama, Clinton, Bushes, George Will and Max Boot and the Neocons on the one hand, or Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie, Warren and Venezuela on the other.

Open borders, abolish ICE, crony trade, endless wars and fucking idiot spokemen are all the democrat party has now.

Nancy Pelosi can't even make her mouth work anymore.

Have fun with that.

readering said...

Althouse comments. Where i come for secret truths about oldest political party in USA.

Rick said...

Its stupid, Rick, because the cultural danger is self-inflicted.

It's the enemy's weapon so it's not exactly "self" inflicted. I consider it prudent to protect oneself from enemy fire even when I think their reasons for war are stupid.

Achilles said...

readering said...

Althouse comments. Where i come for secret truths about oldest political party in USA.

Some people call them secrets.

Other people call it history.

Part of being a democrat voter is being smart enough to make that distinction.

gadfly said...

Althouse: He [Tapper] says ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ a lot!

Saying "Shrug" aloud instead of just drawing an emoji picture of a shrug or actually shrugging his shoulders makes for a difficult new twist in face to face communications.

Drago said...

readering: "Althouse comments. Where i come for secret truths about oldest political party in USA."

readering believes democrats had nothing to do with slavery, Jim Crow or public schools trapping minority children in horrific educational circumstances.

That's so dumb it almost, almost, qualifies as a gadfly comment.

mikeski said...

bagoh20 said...
If you are not Black, but you enjoy rap music, are you allowed to sing along with all the words?


"Sing" is not the correct term. Maybe "chant"?

And yes you can, but you have to replace those words with the word "beep".

...

Why don't we apply these rules to other uncouth words?

Obviously, everyone can use A** and S***, since everyone has one, and everyone does.

If you have "indoor plumbing," naturally or surgically, you can say C***.

Nobody can say B**** anymore, until dogs learn to talk.

F-bombs, in general, are only for non-virgins.

But maybe they need more-specific cases.

"MFer" is for people who have lain with a woman who has a child.

"GFY" is for people who have taken care of business themselves.

etc.

readering said...

I tend to get my US history from historinas.

Right now reading Battle Cry of Freedom (OUP 1988). Just got to the part where Ft. Sumter weeks away from running out of supplies.

readering said...

Also historians.

Drago said...

readering: "I tend to get my US history from historinas"

Why not get your US history from male "historino's" as well?

Drago said...

Sometimes I get hayfever over reading fake history and I'm forced to take a couple of anti-historinas/os.

Michael K said...


Blogger anti-de Sitter space said...
Yes Doc Mike, America was more free for your demo 150 years ago.


Yes, PB&J sock puppet but you are firmly attached to the government teat so you don't see it.

I don't want the country to be like 1880 but a reduction in the federal octopus might be possible and all that could be done would be helpful.

Sanity would help, like there are two sexes.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

The comments sections have devolved into non stop Obama/ Democrat Derangement Syndrome and non stop Trump sychophancy. Maybe y’all need to take anti-propaganda meds.

Drago said...

Inga seems upset that obama is no longer able to directly fund Al Qaeda.

Well, you'll just have to accept that and come to terms with it.

narayanan said...

rhhardin said...

Niggas isn't the same word as niggers and does not have the same performance.

Niggas is more independent men against the man and cuts out the useless and stupid.

this would disqualify Obamas - ? independent ? cuts out useless and stupid ?

Darrell said...

Inga would really leave for good if she weren't insane.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“Inga seems upset that obama is no longer able to directly fund Al Qaeda.”

The Propagandist could use some anti-psychotics. This type of comment is what happens when Trump Sycophancy Syndrome and Conspiracy Theory Belief Syndrome meet head on.

Do you people truly buy into this shit?

Michael K said...

Inga is here to defend the Iran subsidy and the China transfer of millions of DOD personnel files.

The devil always needs an advocate.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“Inga would really leave for good if she weren't insane.”

So Darrell is saying only insane folks comment here, lol.

readering said...

James M. McPherson.

Darrell said...

Alexandria Occassional-Cortex could be a historina if she put her mind to it.

Darrell said...

No, I'm saying YOU are insane, Inga.

Drago said...

Inga: "The Propagandist could use some anti-psychotics."

"BREAKING: Obama Knowingly Funded Designated Al-Qaeda Affiliate"

https://www.dailywire.com/news/33587/breaking-obama-knowingly-funded-designated-al-ryan-saavedra

alternate sources:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6001403/Obama-administration-approved-200-000-grant-group-linked-Al-Qaeda.html

https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/249575

tsk tsk Inga.

A most pathetic performance, even for you.

LLR Chuck will be most disappointed.

Darrell said...

*Alexandria Occasional-Cortex*

Drago said...

Of course, if Obama and hillary and Kerry were willing to spy on Americans and the Congress (which they did) in order to fund the biggest global state sponsors of terror in Tehran, why would the obama admin hesitate to send a couple hundred grand directly to Al Qaeda?

Remember, obama also pardoned unrepentent Puerto Rican terrorists just for the heck of it.

But according to Inga, I'm sure that didn't happen either.

After all, history began anew this morning and washed it all away....

Big Mike said...

@Cookie, how badly does it gall you that the party which actually does care about working and poor people is the Trump Republicans (as opposed to the Chamber of Commerce Republicans)?

Known Unknown said...

"If you are not Black, but you enjoy rap music, are you allowed to sing along with all the words?"

I always just substitute the word ninja.

Known Unknown said...

"Ann Althouse...I'm just incredibly uneasy about HuffPo calling attention to that song title."

I'm uneasy they used asterisks as if we are all a bunch of children.

Known Unknown said...

"Good afternoon Robert. I'm curious: do you have in mind a President you like or wish current politicians/Presidents would emulate? I understand your contention that all recent Presidents have been war criminals and/or worked against the poor, etc; do you have in mind a good example that future Presidents should imitate?"

Cook has some mythical creatures in mind as our ideal democratic servants. However, our government is and always shall be run by humans, with all of their frailties and imperfections.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“World Vision has issued the statement below, published in full, on July 25, 2018.

“World Vision’s work in Sudan is focused on improving the lives of the most vulnerable children. In 2017, our programs reached approximately 674,000 vulnerable people, 70 percent of these were children and women. The work sub-granted to IRA in 2014 was a very small percentage of our significant program expenditures in Sudan, less than 1% of our total at that time.

“In March 2014, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) approved World Vision’s grant proposal that clearly listed Islamic Relief Agency (IRA) as a proposed sub-grantee. At the time of selection, there was no indication that IRA had any possible ties to an alleged terrorist-supporting organization.”

“There are several Islamic Relief organisations operating around the world which are not blocked, and when we searched the blocked parties lists for “Islamic Relief” in “Sudan,” the searches produced no results. That is still true today on the website of the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

“In May 2014, when WV applied to renew its registration with OFAC as a charity working in Sudan, it identified IRA as a sub-grantee in its application. OFAC approved the renewal in August 2014 without any comments or questions about IRA.

“In November 2014, we informed OFAC and USAID that we had concerns about IRA in Sudan possibly being related to certain other organisations with “Islamic Relief” in their names, designated by the US government as organisations allegedly supporting terrorism. Because of these concerns, we suspended further grant implementation by IRA pending clarification from OFAC.

“In January 2015, OFAC responded that IRA in Sudan “appears to be the same entity” as the one on OFAC’s blocked parties list. The sub-grant by then had expired, it was not renewed, and we discontinued any future collaboration with IRA. At this time, OFAC authorised us to pay IRA $125,000 for the humanitarian work that was verified to have already been completed under the grant. The payment made to IRA was not a diversion of funds but payment for programming services of confirmed quality.

“World Vision took its compliance obligations seriously, but respectfully asked permission to pay IRA money owing for legitimate humanitarian work (salaries, humanitarian aid and supplies for beneficiaries, travel etc.) already incurred. World Vision explained failure to do so could have exposed it to potential legal liability for breach of contract, resulted in the very real chance of Government expulsion from Sudan and as a consequence, the loss of a lifeline for tens of thousands of children and their families.

“World Vision has robust controls and screening processes in place and condemns any diversion of aid funding and strongly condemn any act of terrorism or support for those activities.

“We have no evidence that any of our funds have been used for anything other than urgent humanitarian work.””

Of course Drago only believes propaganda and would like you to not question his assertions.

Drago said...

Don't feel bad Inga.

There's always 10%, minimum, who don't "get the word" about something.

Now, the fact that you are always in that 10%, regardless of issue, well, that probably should be a concern....which it would be if you were the kind of person who only occassionally ends up in that group.

Which you aren't. Because you are always in that group.

So disregard my last transmission.

Drago said...

LOL

Inga doesn't seem to realize, because she only cuts and pastes and has no understanding of what she is reading (as always), that the US govt ALREADY KNEW that the group that was receiving funding through World Vision was a terrorist group, yet obama released money ANYWAY!!

LOL

Inga falls back on the agency claiming THEY didn't know!

Poor Inga. Reading comprehension continues to elude her.

"In a Wednesday statement, the London-based World Vision explained that they were unaware of the terrorist designation for the group and that they took action once they were made aware of it."

https://www.christianpost.com/news/world-vision-responds-helped-obama-admin-fund-al-qaeda-affiliate-226416/

Too funny.

Inga can't help herself.

langford peel said...

As usual when there is a massive failure like the Democrat Party there is an Obama in the woodpile.

If you move quick you can catch him by the toe.

todd galle said...

Battle Cry of Freedom is pretty good. It's a popular history version of McPherson's textbook Ordeal by Fire. I was assigned Ordeal by Fire as a text at Gettysburg College for a Civil War class. Met the author a few years back, and he offered an autograph as what I have is the first edition. One of the reasons never to resell your textbooks.

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

Good God, these fools still believe that Obama gave a shit about anything but himself. He so manifestly did not, that I find it mind-boggling that anybody could have fell for his con.

langford peel said...

Look ar how they are destroying the NFL.

Thanks Obama.

You freed up a lot of time for me.

lgv said...

lgv,

I thought I’d read that O decimated the DNCs coffers and left it broke. And part of the reason Hillary co-opted the DNC was because it WAS broke and Hillary needed to save it by her crafty grafty ways...

But who knows.


O was not in charge of the DNC coffers. The DNC was. If it allowed Obama to do it, it is still DW-S who failed or was complicit, which is pretty obvious.

Drago said...

So the real question for Inga and LLR Chuck and other backers of the dems, is why didn't the obama admin, which knew for a fact that World Vision was providing funding to a known, documented and recognized Al Qaeda affiliate, inform World Vision of that fact?

obama didn't tell them, kicked money to World Vision that they knew would go directly to the terrorists, and then, only after it was called out by others, informed World Vision.

World Vision then did what anyone sane (note: not dems) would do: they took steps to never fund the known terrorists again.

Something obama didn't do....for obvious reasons.

Jim at said...

Althouse comments. Where i come for secret truths about oldest political party in USA.

You mean the party of Jefferson and Jackson? Two guys you've heaped onto the pile of shame to the point you no longer name your annual dinners after them?

That party? Or the smoking crater you've created in their absence?

todd galle said...

I'd be curious to check the current edition text as compared to my 1984 (I think) volume to see if it's been 'updated' to current philosophies. McPherson didn't seem like that type, but his editors, who knows.

langford peel said...

The Democratic Party is the party of Keith Ellison, Mad Maxine, Barney Frank and Jake Tapper.

Normals need not apply.

Rick said...

Niggas isn't the same word as niggers and does not have the same performance.

Yet the campus radicals treat them as the same when it suits their political preferences.

TrespassersW said...

The song received universal acclaim from many critics.

That's not what "universal acclaim" means.

Geoff Matthews said...

Why is it that these N!**S$ need to celebrate in a white country? Doesn't Africa have something to offer?
In 10 years, someone will dig up this tweet and get me fired for it.

exhelodrvr1 said...

But Tapper is able to report political news with no bias.

exhelodrvr1 said...

Obama did speak out against identity politics in that interview he did a couple of weeks ago. I'm sure the Demos will pay attention to that.

Loren W Laurent said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
rhhardin said...

"Niggas is more independent men against the man and cuts out the useless and stupid."

this would disqualify Obamas - ? independent ? cuts out useless and stupid ?


Obama wouldn't be either a nigger nor a nigga. He's an elite. Everything else is his own act, like John Kerry buying a hunting license.

Piece of shit fits Obama, however. That's just a character thing.

readering said...

BCoF rates it's own wiki entry, which only mentions a later 2003 illustrated abridged edition.

Michael K said...

Cookie has lost heart once Gus Hall went down to defeat in spite of Brennan's support.

He doesn't have a candidate lately but is very interested in Occasional Cortex.

Loren W Laurent said...

When circumstances necessitate the use of the troublesome word I choose to proceed with another vowel to be less objectionable.

So: Niggo.

Because an 'O' at the end of words makes them friendly: Cheerios, Doritos, Oreos.

Thus, in usage:

"Let go of my Eggo, niggo."

See? Friendly.

pacwest said...

"Occasional Cortex."

Love it. I hope it sticks.

Tom said...

Is Jake Tapper a journalist or a political consultant? Wait, I think I know the answer to this one...

langford peel said...

The cat wakes at midnight.

The blind man needs his umbrella.

The parrot speakers in tongues.

langford peel said...

Now the resistance will know what to do.

narciso said...


Zombies line up here:


https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1023948560688197632.html

walter said...

His groovy WH parties were just part of the job..

Bob Loblaw said...

There are two parts to this post. First, the state of the Democratic Party is not of the making or responsibility of Barack Obama. The current state is the result of the monopoly of the Clinton Corporation. I would say DNC, but that inept, nearly bankrupt organization was taken over by the Clinton Corporation during the presidential campaign. It is in no better hands under Che Perez.

Hillary was the only possible candidate because she had buckets of cash and the Democratic party apparatus was broke. Well, worse than broke - they were millions in debt. To have a viable national campaign they needed Hillary's money, and she was only willing to provide that money, understandably, if she could put her loyalists into all the positions of power and tilt the playing field in her direction.

Was it really Obama's fault the Democrats were broke? That's a serious question - I don't know.

walter said...

O was accused of shirking fund-raising

Two-eyed Jack said...

My new favorite Jay-z song is "Liquid Sex di Tangerang." That and "Shed Legacy." Thanks everyone!

walter said...

[JAY-Z:]
Yo, get close enough to HOV smell like a kilo still
First album 26, I ain't need no deal
Already a hood legend, I ain't need no shine
First Rollie flooded out, I ain't see no time (woah)
Stand up niggas
We only ducking indictments
Dope boys, off-white, looking like soft white on 'em, hehe
You know what I'm saying?
We in the building, we came for a billion, ain't nobody playing
Live every word that I'm rapping
Said I lost 90 bricks and it happened
You probably wouldn't believe everything you seeing right now right now if it wasn't live action
I ain't on the 'Gram, they record who I am
God to these dope boys
How you not be a HOV fan?
I only shoot a Benz
I'm what Supreme didn't become
If Alpo didn't snitch
Niggas would be like Young
I got your President tweeting
I won't even meet with him
Y'all killed X and let Zimmerman live
Streets is done

You know what I'm sayin'
Ayy, ayy, yeah
You know what I'm sayin'

Jack Klompus said...

Aww yeah Inga's back copy-pastin' like a pro. Vegas is taking bets on when she entertains an original thought in her pinhead. 2065 is trending at 5-1.

glenn said...

Did I read that right? “Entitlement?” Jake, Jake, you and your whole generation define entitlement.

Howard said...

Ode to Jake Tapper

Desperado, why don't you come to your senses
You been out ridin' fences for so long now
Oh, you're a hard one
I know that you got your reasons
These things that are pleasin' you
Can hurt you somehow

Howard said...

No one has had the balls to tell him: It's Chinatown, Jake.

TravelinPilgrim said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
TravelinPilgrim said...

“The Democratic Party is the weakest it has been since the 1920s”
But what about the Blue Wave that was supposed to hit in November? Methinks that Tapper is revealing how confident he truly feels about the Democrats’ chances in the mid-term election.

buwaya said...

Dang, you're right.

The Unknown Indonesian has written quite a libretto.
Set it to music and you've got something
With a beat.

Gahrie said...

do you have in mind a good example that future Presidents should imitate?


Comrade Marvin is a big fan of the Fidel Castro/Hugo Chavez/Pol Pot/Mao/Stalin school of governance.

Gahrie said...

Is there anything more silly than a bunch of old white people being upset that Black people are using the word "Nigger"?

Perhaps Black people using the word constantly complaining whenever anyone else does?

Or maybe members of the NAACP getting angry when people use the term "colored people".

Bad News Billy said...

Iron Law of Bureaucracy[edit]
Pournelle suggested several "laws". His first use of the term "Pournelle's law" appears to be for the expression "one user, one CPU." He has also used "Pournelle's law" to apply to the importance of checking cable connections when diagnosing computer problems. His best-known "law" is "Pournelle's Iron Law of Bureaucracy":
In any bureaucracy, the people devoted to the benefit of the bureaucracy itself always get in control and those dedicated to the goals the bureaucracy is supposed to accomplish have less and less influence, and sometimes are eliminated entirely.[42]
He eventually restated it as:
...in any bureaucratic organization there will be two kinds of people: those who work to further the actual goals of the organization, and those who work for the organization itself. Examples in education would be teachers who work and sacrifice to teach children, vs. union representatives who work to protect any teacher including the most incompetent. The Iron Law states that in all cases, the second type of person will always gain control of the organization, and will always write the rules under which the organization functions.[43]