Talk about cross-generational hatin'. This week former Atlanta mayor Andrew Young was asked for his comments about Barack Obama's prospects for The Number One Spot, and he just couldn't withhold his venom.
Former Atlanta Mayor and Ambassador Andrew Young explained why he does not support Sen. Barack Obama to win the Democratic nomination for president - until "2016."But of course, it gets worse as the geriatric Young couldn't resist taking one last, completely uncalled for stab at the youngster.
He made the remarks after being asked by a crowd member about the Illinois Democrat at a "Newsmakers" event held in Atlanta.
"I want Barack to be president," he responded with a long pause, "....in 2016."
"Barack Obama does not have the support network yet to get to be president...," he said. He reflected on his days serving as one of many lieutenants to Martin Luther King Jr. He also said that while Obama's rival Sen. Hillary Clinton is surrounded by quite a few black advisers Obama has very few.
"To put a brother in there by himself is to set him up for crucifixion," he said.
He also joked that author Toni Morrison may have been on to something when she referred to former President Bill Clinton as the "first black president."WTF!?!
"Bill is every bit as black as Barack," he said. "He has probably gone out with more black women than Barack."
Can we please clear up a few things about The First Black President? Under Bill Clinton, the number of blacks in prison exploded. He did nothing for repealing the Reagan era construct of mandatory minimum sentences. The prison industrial complex exploded during his time in office. He did jack squat for Rwanda. He emptied the welfare rolls, under the misinformed expectation that the economy would hold up (it didn't). He presided over the corporate corruption that was the dotcom boom (and subsequent bust). He threw Lani Guinier under a bus. I could care less about his premarital indiscretions, but they clearly fueled to the Christian conservative movement that pimpslapped us with 8 years of George W. Bush.
And what exactly did he do that was so great for blacks? Oh yeah, that's right, he perfected The Art of Tactful Pandering. His wife is running plays from the same book right about now. Black President my ass. [||]
Wake up, Black America. Please.
Seriously, I know Andrew Young and his civil rights era generation of politicians feel disconnected from today's new Ivy League upstarts (Cory Booker, Obama, Duval Patrick, etc.) but how necessary was it to go there?
Obviously there's some level of jealousy at play here, thus the unnecessary low blow. And obviously, Young supports the Clintons, which he's certainly entitled to.
What's sad is that if Young would step back a bit, he'd appreciate the fact that Obama is part of his legacy. Had it not been for the groundbreaking efforts of him generation, there wouldn't even be a Barack Obama. In short, he should be proud, not jealous. You don't see Bill Russell hatin' on Lebron do you?
Watch the video of this nonsense.
Somebody call Shady Acres.
MLK is cryin' inside.
Andrew Young explains why he is not supporting Obama [Redding News Review]
