Cara Live!

During my flight to Denver today, I had a lot of time to think about the enormous magnitude of this week’s event. As I’ve mentioned in past blogs, I grew up in a neighborhood with older citizens --most of whom were grandchildren of slaves. As the Old Negro proverb says, “it takes a village to raise a child,” well the entire neighborhood influenced my upbringing. As I think about my pilgrimage to Denver, I can’t help but think of all of them. I sat on their porches frequently and listen to stories of the past. Most of whom had big dreams that they were never able to see come to fruition. I would always ask why? As I think back, no one ever mentioned the lack of opportunities because of race, though. In contrast, my life has been very different than they could have dreamed for me. As I watched Ted Kennedy speak last night, I began to marvel at the past and began to look at the possibilities. I met Senator Kennedy about 2 years ago. At the moment my hand met his, the tears began to swell ...

Bernard (‘Bernie Mac') McCullough died this weekend from complications of pneumonia. Back in 2006, Bernie Mac was hospitalized at which time they released his diagnosis. He had been sick for years with a condition formally known as Sarcoidosis. It is reported that Sarcoidosis was the underlining factor in his death. Sarcoidosis is a common disease that can go undetected because it can be mistaken for several other diseases. The disease may produce inflammation in the form of bumps or discolored areas which are granulomas. It may affect the skin, liver, lymph glands, spleen, eyes, nervous system, heart, brain and kidneys, but it most often starts in the lungs. Although anyone can get sarcoidosis, the risk is greater if you are a young black adult and no one knows why. When I initially heard about Bernie Mac’s illness a couple years ago, I would check news sources frequently for his progress. It was very personal because I’m a sufferer of sarcoidosis, too. In late November 1994, I wo...

Two weeks ago, Obama was in Europe capturing the media's full attention. McCain did all he could to get some publicity. Obama returned to the states on Sunday, July 27, 2008. The next day, the McCain camp released a fallible ad. The ad which shows Obama shooting a basketball narrates "and now he made time to go to the gym, but cancelled a visit with wounded troops. It seems the Pentagon wouldn't allow him to bring cameras." The first thing wrong with this ad is that clip was taken when he was at a gym during his visit with troops in the Middle East -- NOT GERMANY. As a matter of fact, blurred in the background of the clip, the troops are watching him. Secondly, his visit with troops in Germany was cancelled because Pentagon & White House informed his campaign just a day prior that he would not be able to visit without the House Delegation (Chuck Hagel, R-Neb. & Jack Reed, D-R.I.). Otherwise, it would have been in violation of campaign rules as it relates to fu...

On Friday, July 18, 2008, Obama left for his much anticipated international trip. With him, an entourage of media and the anchors from all 3 major networks -- CBS, NBC & ABC, respectively. Because of all the attention, the pundits and McCain campaign are taunting media bias. Remember, McCain toured Iraq in March 2008 with Joe Leiberman (I - CT) & Lindsey Graham (R - SC) without massive media. If it wasn't for Leiberman, McCain was oblivious between the difference between the Al-Qaeda and the Iran extremists. The media did not capitalize on his gaffe because of the hype with the Democratic primary at the time. Interestingly enough, if Obama had made this verbal blunder, the media would still be playing it and the Right would say that he knows nothing about international policy or how to handle the war. McCain did an interview on Monday with Good Morning America mentioning the "Iraq - Pakistan border." Again, he gets away with it. If he doesn't know the geograp...

In the past month, Tim Russert & Tony Snow have died. Although Snow had been battling cancer, it was not as unexcepted as Russert's death. Last year, Snow did an interview with Russert on Meet The Press. Both, in their 50's, were looking like the picture of health. While watching a replay of this clip last week, it was iry to know that the two of them did not realize that they only had approximately a year to live. Again today, death looked me straight in the face. An attorney whom I'd been working on a project with died suddenly on Sunday of a massive heart attack. Each time we talked, he always mentioned that he was stressed. Over time, his slouched shoulders begin to revealed it's toll. Last week, he was here and gone today. I grew up in a neighborhood of seniors. Here I was in the sunrise of my life and they all being over 60+ were in the sunset. I would sit on their porches and listen to stories of what they wished they "coulda, shoulda, woulda" done....

On July 4, 2008, my friend, Tony, calls me to make the announcement. I immediately blurted out, "so, the possibility of Barack Obama winning the presidency killed him, huh?" I'm originally from NC and was able to view the bigotry politics of Jesse first hand. Mr. Helms believed in the values of the Old South and worked to maintain them while in the Senate. Although he claimed that he was not a racist, he opposed civil rights, the holiday honoring Martin Luther King, the extension of the Voting Rights Act in 1982 and affirmative action. In 1956 he wrote, " to rob the Negro of his reputation of thinking through a problem in his own fashion is about the same as trying to pretend that he doesn't have a natural instinct for rhythm and for singing and dancing." While running for Senate against his Harvey Gantt, African-American opponent, he used a race baiting ad to defeat him. So, it is apropos that he would die during an election year where there is the prospec...

In the past weeks, I’ve been plagued by the question of ‘Is America Ready For A Black President? With racism raising it’s ugly head since Barack Obama entered the race, the most appropriate question ‘Is A Black President Ready For America?’ Initially, Obama’s campaign was viewed as insignificant until he won Iowa. Once it was understood that Obama is a player in the game of presidential politics, as said in street vernacular “it was on.” Obama was running a campaign that transcended race. During the South Carolina primary, Hillary & Bill Clinton decided to play the race card. All of a sudden, Obama became the Black candidate, instead of, the candidate who happens to be Black. When the race card wasn’t working as effective as anticipated, then the religion card was put on the table ……”is he Muslim? Oh better yet, we got these Rev. Jeremiah Wright tapes, let’s make him Christian and play the 3 second loop over & over & over. Yeah, that’s the ticket.” You can’t help but notic...

While working the Obama campaign in Pennsylvania, my canvassing partner, Sophie (a 20-something white female) asked me ‘why does Obama identify himself as Black'. At that very moment, I realized that there is now a generation that is not familiar with the one-drop rule or maybe doesn't even care. Although we are moving towards MLK's dream where people are judged by the content of their character and not by the color their skin, race still seems to matter. Racial identity is still important especially with how the media and government categorize us. In the American psyche, identifying by one race is a focal point, but as society continues to blend culturally, this is becoming increasingly complicated for those who would like for us to check just one box. So, why is it significant that Obama chose to check the Black box?

Last night AMERICAN history was made. As I watched Obama's speech, I couldn't help but think that my grandparents would be proud and that MLK never could have dreamed this back in August 1963. At that very moment, I couldn't control the emotions and tears of joy that ran down my cheek. This nomination means so much to this country and the world. As the political commentators kept noting the division of the voters......young vs. old, I thought that maybe, just maybe, the prejudices and discord of the older generation (65+) is losing ground. For the first time in a very long time, I'm hopeful for the future of America. GOD Bless Senator Barack Obama and GOD Bless America.