GM Working On New "Cadillac One" Limo For Obama [Obama-mobile]

Now that we're going to have a new president, it's time for a new presidential limo—and GM is whipping up quite a doozy for the new Prez-elect. "Cadillac One" will be based off of the GMC Topkick, which you may remember as Ironhide from Transformers. For pretty obvious reasons, details on what exactly makes up the new limo are scarce, but it will most likely include five-inch thick glass (which can stop military assault rifles), cellphone jammers and blast-proof ceramics. But will it have backseat DVDs for watching Spongebob on? Guess only Malia and Sasha will know for sure. [Boston Globe via Jalopnik]

Barack: The First

On November 4th, 2008, 47 year old Barack Obama was elected to serve as the 44th President of the United States. Obama has been labeled the messiah, the chosen one, and has an astronomical burden of getting this country out some of the worst predicaments in American history. With that being said, Obama has the chance to go down as one of the greatest Presidents in US history if he pulls the US out of this recession, the war, and 'cures' racism. Ok, curing racism is impossible, but how about create 'tolerance'. Although I am fairly young, I can not ever remembering so much pressure on the shoulders of one man. Sure their was Jordan with the Bulls (before Pippen), Kobe after Shaq, maybe Bill Gates. But those are not nearly as important to leading a nation. It is like the unknown Doug Williams leading the Washington Redskins to the Super Bowl. Sure Williams wasn't the first black qb to ever play the game, but he was the first to the highest pinnacle. Like Tiger Woods and the Masters, Jackie Robinson and MLB, Bill Russell and the Celtic Dynasty, Tony Dungy and the Super Bowl, Obama is not the first to play the game, but he was the best candidate to bridge the gap. I use a lot of sports references because during my lifetime, the great accomplishments and firsts that are truly notorary have been through sports. Throw in entertainment and academics, all the first have already occurred. That was until we got Obama. This was my Dr. MLK moment. Hopefully this story has a better ending that MLK, but this was the event of a lifetime, one of the few first that cannot be duplicated for this nation. The historical value of this event was significant for a number of other reasons as well. For Black Americans (African-Americans, Black, etc), this marked the first person to consider themselves as Black to be named to this great honor of running our nation. For Biracial Americans, the pride of potentially becoming accepted by both sides of the aisle. But for America, the fight for equality and race relations just took a giant step forward. The bar has been raised. Personally, it was a game changer to me. The awkwardness of being first will not apply to the next generation. My child will not need to have the aspiration to be "the first black president", he can just aspire to be "president". I thought that during my lifetime, this accomplishment would happen. But I thought that it would be later in life, after the Generation X and Y were of age and had children of voting age. For this to happen so fast is amazing. And how it happened is even more amazing. I stood in line for 2.5 hours where it had previously only taken 10 minutes to vote, but it peaceful and no one was clock watching. Not to say everyone was unanimous in there vote in my polling place, but it was just a calm atmosphere. Calm...just like the Obama acceptance speech. (below)

By the Numbers:
Obama - President
Electoral Votes: 349
Popular Votes: 64,030,409
McCain
Electoral Votes: 162
Popular Votes: 56,494,802

Sir Charles with Campbell Brown

Vote for the Guy with One House

(CNN) -- Republican presidential candidate John McCain is just holding on like a boxer before he gets knocked out, comedian Chris Rock says.

Comedian Chris Rock told Larry King he's proud of Barack Obama's character.

Rock, an avid supporter of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, spoke with CNN's Larry King on Thursday. He said Obama is more grounded with your average American -- not somebody like McCain with "12 houses."

"The other guy [McCain] can lose five houses," Rock said.

"I'll go with the guy with one house. The guy with one house is scared about losing his house." Watch Chris Rock describe a beaten up McCain »

King began the interview by asking Rock about Thursday's economic bailout talks when Obama and McCain went to the White House for discussions with the nation's top leaders.

KING: Obama and McCain at opposite ends of the table. What do you make of it?

ROCK: What do I make of it? If this was a boxing match, McCain would be holding.

KING: Holding on?

ROCK: Yes. It's like he got hit really hard in the stomach like, 'OK. I can't let him go. He's going to knock me out.' So that's what appears to be going on right now. Just a hold.

KING: Has the financial crisis affected you?

ROCK: Larry, I drove a cab over here tonight. When it's over, I'm going to try to pick up some more fares. I'm losing everything, Larry.

KING: Really downtrodden?

ROCK: Yes, it's real bad.

KING: Have HBO paid you already?

ROCK: They have paid me, but the money is worthless now. Haven't you heard? Your money's worth nothing.

KING: You must be ... proud that at this stage in our history a black man is running for president on a major ticket.

ROCK: Um, you know what? I'm proud Barack Obama's running for president. You know? If it was Flavor Flav, would I be proud? No. I don't support Barack Obama because he's black.

KING: I said just as a proud feeling. That's normal.

ROCK: There's a proud feeling because of the character of the man. You know, I was -- I supported John Kerry and, you know -- and what's my man? Al Gore.

KING: Al Gore.

ROCK: But this guy seems to be a little bit more. He seems to have watched other peoples' mistakes and, you know, seems to have a little bit more going on.

KING: From a comedic stand point, who is funnier, McCain or Obama? Seriously. Is Obama not -- it's hard to be funny about Obama?

ROCK: No, no. It's weird. People ask me that all the time. ... McCain jokes are just easy jokes, like I don't want a president with a bucket list. That's like a McCain joke. Those jokes are easy. It's like you basically, you know, you know, take the dust off your Reagan jokes and tell them again. You know?

But Obama, oh, this is a whole new set of jokes. I got to find a whole new move to the basket here. So I kind of hope he wins.

KING: Didn't you introduce Obama at a rally?

ROCK: I introduced Obama at the Apollo Theater not too long ago. I think Obama would be great. I mean, just look the big thing right now is the economy. And people are going broke. And here: The choice isn't Republican or Democrat. The choice is you got a guy that's worth $150 million with 12 houses against a guy who's worth a million dollars with one house.

KING: Well --

ROCK: The guy with one house really cares about losing a house, because he is homeless. The other guy can lose five houses and still got a bunch of houses. Does this make any sense? Am I the only one that sees this?

KING: It's unique way of ...

ROCK: I'm just saying, John McCain could lose half his houses.

KING: You got a point.

ROCK: And sleep well.

KING: You and Bill Clinton were on Letterman on Tuesday. You had some problems with the tone of his endorsement of Barack Obama. ... Do you think Bill is hesitant about Barack Obama?

ROCK: You know what? You know, he did a great speech in Denver. And Hillary's been on the campaign trail. Just at that moment, if you watched what happened on David Letterman, it appeared he was holding back. And when you tell a joke and everybody laughs, it is not because they disagree with what you're saying. So --

KING: They get it?

ROCK: Yes, they get it. The whole audience was in on it. But, you know, hey, the guy's in a weird position there. His wife ran for the thing and she didn't win.

KING: The next night, on "The Daily Show," Jon Stewart asked Clinton about the Letterman appearance and Clinton suggested that Obama supporters who questioned commitment are missing the point.

ROCK: It was great. It was great. And you're right, [Obama] does need to get some of the votes that went to Hillary and all that. I don't understand any Democrat that voted for Hillary that doesn't support Obama. Because their views are pretty similar. You know what I mean? ...

I understand people supporting Mr. McCain. But a Democrat that's going to just be mad is -- there's something kind of really messed up about that.

KING: Have you always done political humor?

ROCK: You know --

KING: When you started, did you do politics?

ROCK: I'm interested in the world. Jon Stewart does political humor. Bill Maher does political humor. I talk about stuff the way guys would talk about it at the barber shop. I don't belong on any panel on this show. You know what I mean? I don't deserve to be near Roland Martin and Anderson Cooper and all these guys. I try to talk about politics in a way a guy that works at UPS would understand.

KING: You did a lot of Brooklyn stuff.

ROCK: I do all sorts of stuff, Larry. All sorts of stuff. You know, I hope Obama wins just because, you know, the country needs it. The country needs a change. We kind of seen what this whole McCain thing is. And I'll go with the guy with one house. The guy with one house is scared about losing his house.

 

KING: I never thought of it that way.

ROCK: It is that simple.

Democratic VP - Joe Biden - 5 Things You Didn't Know

Joseph Biden Jr. is Delaware’s longest serving Senator. Biden was elected to office in 1972, just weeks before his 30th birthday, making him among the youngest Senators in history. Since then he’s won re-reelection five times, generally by a wide margin. His 35 years of congressional tenure include service on the powerful Senate Committee on Foreign Relations (which he currently chairs) and the Committee on the Judiciary, two of the oldest in the Senate.

Put another way; Joe Biden has been in Washington since Barack Obama was 11 years old.

To further acquaint you with this vice presidential hopeful, here are five things you didn’t know about Joe Biden.

1- Joe Biden survived a brain aneurysm
In the winter of 1988 Joe Biden was chairing the Senate Judiciary Committee’s hearings on Supreme Court nominee Anthony Kennedy when he began to experience neck pain. The pain worsened and was joined by other problems, including nausea. Eventually, Joe Biden went to the hospital.

Turns out Biden had what’s called a berry aneurysm at the base of his brain that was leaking blood into the space between his brain and the brain’s protective lining. An emergency, six-hour surgery at Walter Reed Medical Center took care of the problem and in this regard Joe Biden lucked out, since most people with a brain aneurysm get no advanced warning -- it simply bursts, resulting in paralysis, mental impairment, coma or death.

2- Joe Biden's son is going to Iraq
Joe Biden’s oldest son, 39-year-old Joseph Robinette "Beau" Biden III, is not only Delaware’s Attorney General but he is also a Captain in the Delaware Army National Guard's Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps, assigned to the 261st Signal Brigade in Smyrna, Delaware. Beau Biden and the 261st are being deployed to Iraq on October 3, the day after his father participates in the first vice presidential debate.

According to the Wilmington News Journal, Beau Biden’s job with the 261st is as a military lawyer who offers “legal advice on disciplining soldiers” and who advises “commanders and soldiers on issues such as wills and powers of attorney.” Their deployment is expected to last a year.

As for Joe Biden, he isn’t thrilled about his son’s deployment. Ever since he voted to authorize the use of force in 2002, Joe Biden has been one of the war’s more vocal critics.

3- Joe Biden is a member of the Alfalfa Club
Another thing you didn’t know about Joe Biden is his affiliation with one of Washington’s most secretive and elite clubs, the Alfalfa Club.

In 1913, a group of Southerners founded the Alfalfa Club in Washington D.C., allegedly for no other reason than to have an annual dinner on the birthday of Confederate General Robert E. Lee in late January.

Today, the secretive Alfalfa Club (journalists are barred from attending the dinner) has around 200 members. Most of them are part of Washington’s wealthy and elite. Along with Joe Biden, they include President Bush, his brothers and his father; Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts; a number of both Democratic and Republican members of Congress, state Governors and mayors; and some not directly involved in politics, such as Michael Dell.

4- Joe Biden was a below-average college student
Joe Biden completed his undergraduate work at the University of Delaware, but he didn’t do so in any exceptional manner. In his first three semesters he scored mostly Cs and Ds, and even an F in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC). For about 100 years, starting in 1862, an ROTC class, which taught mechanics, military tactics, etc. was compulsory for most male U.S. college students. Only in physical education classes did Biden receive As.

His academic record didn’t improve much while at Syracuse College of Law either, where he graduated 76th in a class of 85.

5- Joe Biden drives a 1967 Corvette
The last thing you didn’t know about Joe Biden is what kind of wheels the man has.

Joe Biden’s current wife is his second; his first wife, Neilia, passed away, along with the couple’s daughter, in a car accident shortly after his initial election to the Senate in 1972. Joe and Neilia Biden were married on August 27, 1966, in Skaneateles, New York, and his father -- a car salesman -- gave his son a sweet wedding gift: a brand new 1967 Chevy Corvette, a car he still owns today.

When The Man is One of Us

This is a great perspective on why Black America (particularly "the Black Caucus") may not be ready for a Black President. Check out theroot.com more often for some great insight into culture, politics, and news.

By Jack White | TheRoot.com
Sure, Jesse is an old fool who doesn't know how to act. But his latest gaffe shows how none of us is really ready for this moment.

July 10, 2008--On one level, it is easy to dismiss the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.'s crudely worded metaphorical threat to castrate Barack Obama for supposedly talking down to black people as the raving of an increasingly irrelevant, former big shot suffused with resentment at the rising star who pushed him off stage.

That, after all, is the sort of talk we'd expect from a lynch mob, not a civil rights leader who does not seem to realize that the times have passed him by. Even his son and namesake, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., agrees that his dad is doing more harm these days than good. Pronouncing himself outraged and disappointed by his father's ugly words about Obama, Jackson Jr. issued a statement that, in effect, ordered dear old dad to "keep hope alive" and shut up.

That's good advice, and one can only hope that Jackson Sr. accepts it. But in a deeper sense, his stunningly inappropriate comments symbolize the social, political and psychological vertigo that all of us, and especially black Americans, are experiencing because of Obama's success. We are all, including Obama, in a place we never really thought we would be, and it has knocked us off our feet. We don't know how to act. We don't have a plan. We're searching for our equilibrium. And until we regain our footing, we can expect all sorts of bizarre behavior from people who ought to know better. Hold on to your hat.

We haven't really been in a place this confusing since 1954, when the NAACP's crusade against segregation culminated in the Brown vs. Board decision and the walls came tumbling down. It's fair to say that we were so focused on winning that fight that we weren't prepared for the victory or its aftermath. We've spent nearly 60 years since then trying to figure out what kind of relationship we want to have with America and with each other. For the most part, we, like Jackson Sr., have seen ourselves as outsiders battling for justice and a seat at the table. Our default has been to protest. And while that mindset has served us well, it has, in a flash, been made damn near obsolete by the prospect, even the likelihood, that one of us may soon become the most powerful man in the world. If that happens, how can we seriously argue that we're being held back by anything but the limits we place on ourselves?

That, it seems to me, accounts in part for the frustration some of us are feeling by what we interpret as Obama's move to the center. We are simply not accustomed to one of our own playing real, power politics. Some of us see his call for an expansion of George Bush's half-hearted commitment to faith-based social programs as mere politics, what Jackson Sr. castigated as "talking down to black people." We explain Obama's support for the compromise Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and the Supreme Court's upholding of a citizen's right to bear arms as attempts to inoculate himself against Republican attacks.

And, of course, they are.

But they, like Obama's Father's Day speech urging black men to take more responsibility for their children, are more than political posturing. They represent the first stirrings of a new consensus that places more emphasis on a public discussion of personal responsibility than on protest, on publicly delving into our own shortcomings and dysfunctional behavior.

There's nothing new about this kind of self-examination, but in the past we've conducted it mainly in private, in barbershops and beauty parlors, and churches. We've bristled when whites in power like Daniel Patrick Moynihan, joined in the critique of, for example, our soaring rate of out-of-wedlock births. We've moaned about the negative consequences of washing dirty laundry in public. But such a self-protective mindset no longer makes sense because Obama is one of us, who has taken part in our private handwringing about the self-inflicted wounds that bedevil segments of the black community. He hasn't said anything most of us haven't heard or said at the dinner table. But now, because Obama is who he is, the whole world is listening in to the conversation.

The attention makes us uncomfortable and disoriented. So does the prospect that one of us might soon be in charge of trying to fix this mess instead of simply complaining about it.

We're not really ready for the day when The Man becomes a black man.

It's a dizzying idea that is going to take some getting used to. And until we do, we'll stumble about, like Jesse Jackson Sr., saying all kinds of crazy things as we slip and slide on the new paradigm.

Jack White is a former columnist with TIME magazine.

Obama Vice President Picks: Who Are The Frontrunners?

Obama Vice President Picks: Who Are The Frontrunners?

by Will Thomas
With the Democratic nomination now in its endgame, it's time to speculate on that question that makes politicos weak at the knees: who will be tapped to be vice president? Unlike the top job, there is no election here, and it's the first big choice that we get to see the candidate make about his cabinet.

So, who will Obama pick? Will he favor someone with experience like Joe Biden? A Western governor like Janet Napolitano? Or will he satisfy the media's desire for a dream team and try for the Obama/Clinton ticket?

We've identified 10 possible VP choices for Obama, as well as the general criteria that might guide his decision. Think we're missing someone? Let us know in the comments section. And be sure to register your favorite on HuffPost's Vice President poll.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A VEEP

Location, location, location: A VP who is popular at home can help land a win in a tossup state. It's one reason why someone like Sherrod Brown (OH) could be a good pick. Of course, location isn't everything; Cheney, after all, is from Wyoming.

Strong anti-war record: It's not a requirement that someone be against the war to run on an Obama ticket, but they will have to have a good track record explaining why they changed their mind. Otherwise, expect all those comments about Hillary Clinton to come up, as well as one word: "opportunist."

Post-partisan record: If you're running to overcome the divided state of politics, you probably won't inspire confidence by picking Sen. Russ Feingold as your running mate. Sen. Jim Webb (a former Republican) or Gov. Schweitzer (picked a Republican as his Lieutenant General) are good examples.

Complementing record: On the one hand, a VP can balance a candidate's weaknesses. On the other hand, they can magnify those shortcomings. Richardson and Biden, for example, have long resumes that let them go toe-to-toe with McCain, but it could remind voters of Obama's inexperience.

THE TOP TIER
Jim Webb
Webb is the closest thing to a frontrunner for Obama's VP these days. A former Republican, he served as Secretary of the Navy for Ronald Reagan. Webb defeated George "Macaca" Allen to become a junior senator in Virginia.

Pro: Webb is a good foil for Obama's post-partisan message, and he's got the military credentials to match up with John McCain. He's good at playing the attack dog, which will let Obama take the high road. And he's from trending-blue Virginia, which would be a great pickup in November for Democrats. He's also pro-guns.

Con: Webb can be a little out-of-control as attack dogs go.

Hillary Clinton
This ticket is either a dream or a nightmare. Some see it as the only way to reunite the Democrats in time for November. Other see it as the fastest way to destroy the Obama brand.

Pro: Strong appeal with working class voters and women.

Con: See Iraq War vote, 3AM phone call, Bill Clinton in South Carolina, and the month of March.

Bill Richardson
You know him, you love him; he's the New Mexico governor with a heart of gold, a kickin' mustache, and -- thanks to James Carville -- a new nickname.

Pro: You've heard them all before. A foreign policy resume a mile long, executive experience, and a lock with Hispanic voters. And he picked Obama, despite his Clinton ties.

Con: Did you watch any of the debates?

Joe Biden
He is Mr. Foreign Policy. He also claims the best line of the primary season thus far. Too bad no one told Iowans he was running for President.

Pro: He trumps any foreign policy claims that McCain brings to the table. He can hit McCain hard.

Con: He tends to hit everyone hard. And he's a Washington figure, which could hurt a campaign running against Washington.

Brian Schwietzer
Never heard of him? You should. Schweitzer has been Montana's governor since 2005, and is currently one of the most popular governors in the country.

Pro: In addition to his executive experience, Schweitzer has spent a good amount of time around the world (including the Middle East) in his former life as an irrigation developer. His popularity and his pro-gun stance could help Obama in the Mountain West area. He also refused PAC and special interest money during his 2004 campaign. He's also criticized the economic consequences of the Iraq War, an approach that Obama has recently adopted.

Con: Despite his travels, he has no official foreign policy experience. He also doesn't bring in any delegates from his own state (though that could be offset if he helps in places like North Dakota, Wyoming and Colorado).

WORTH WATCHING
Janet Napolitano
Another popular Western governor, Napolitano has settled into a second term in McCain's very red home state. She also backed Obama early in the race.

Pros: She has proven her executive capacity in Republican territory, as well as the Southwest, which will help sway Obamicans. A female candidate could also help reunite the Democrats.

Con: Her stance on immigration could prove costly among Hispanic voters.

Sherrod Brown
Brown is a favorite among progressives for his economic populism and outspoken criticism of the war.

Pro: Could help deliver an important swing state.

Con: Doesn't really satisfy the idea of a unity ticket.

Chuck Hagel
A Republican senator who has fought with Bush tooth and nail over the Iraq war, Hagel is one of three Republicans who voted with the Democrats over a withdrawal plan. He also has served on the Banking, Foreign Relations and Intelligence Committees. Hagel has also said he's considering endorsing Sen. Obama.

Pro: Broad Senate experience. A living embodiment of Obama's commitment to work with like-minded Republicans. Also is a veteran with experience in Reagan's administration

Con: He is still a Republican (especially on abortion and health care), which would not sit well with a lot of Democrats.

Wesley Clark
Rhodes Scholar turned four-star general and once-presidential candidate. A star resource for Democrats on military affairs.

Pro: John McCain would have to salute him. And he has Southern appeal.

Con: Backed Clinton early and has been a very active surrogate. Not always the best politician on a national stage.

Kathleen Sebelius
Talk about reaching across the aisle. This Kansas governor convinced a Republican to leave his party, become a Democrat, and run as her lieutenant governor. Kansas is rife with stories of Republicans undergoing conversions, and Sebelius gets a good amount of credit for this.

Pro: Another Red-state governor with an excellent post-partisan record. Having a female VP could be a strong ticket.

Con: Sebelius didn't wow anyone with her response to the State of the Union, which raises questions about how she would do on the national stage. And her location in Kansas doesn't add much that Obama doesn't already get from Illinois.

Tom Daschle
The former South Dakota senator, Daschle has been a strong supporter of Obama's campaign; he's a national co-chair and is rumored to play a big part in the campaign strategy.

Pro: Can bring in votes from his home state.

Con: Weak campaigner: he lost his Senate seat while he was the sitting Majority Leader.

HONORABLE MENTION
Mike Bloomberg
Sure, most voters have never heard of him. And sure, he's never been a national player. But the current mayor of New York has been a darling of the media, as they spent months seeing if he would get into the Presidential race. Coupled with some private conversations with Obama that caused a tizzy in the fall, a Bloomberg candidacy could cause some media attention that would rival that of even John McCain.

Pros: Excellent economic record. Interested in policy minutiae. Post-partisan (former Republican switched to Independent). Media darling.

Cons: Unheard of outside his home state. It's tough not to seem like an elitist when the world 'billionaire' applies to you.

Obama: Yes He Can

According to the AP, Barack "The Obamanator" Obama officially clinches the title of Free World Leader of the Democratic National Convention (I wanted to make it sound more interesting than what it is). With this announcement, there has yet to be an official bowing down from Hilary "The Pants Suit" Clinton.

So the stage should be officially set between Obama and John "The American Hero" McCain.