Don't BET on Bob
In the scheme of things, Robert L. Johnson's recent comments about presidential hopeful Barack Obama should create only a blip on the political radar screen.
But they are so drenched in irony and hyprocrisy that they beg a reaction.
Johnson, the billionaire owner of the Charlotte Bobcats and the founder and former CEO of Black Entertainment Television, attacked Obama at a recent campaign rally for Hillary Clinton.
In defending comments Clinton had made about Obama's references to Lyndon Johnson's and Martlin Luther King's respective roles in the civil rights struggle, Robert Johnson added: "And to me as as an African American, I am frankly insulted that the Obama campaign would imply that we are so stupid that we would think that Hillary and Bill Clinton, who have been deeply and emotionally involved in black issues since Barack Obama was doing something in the neighborhood -- and I won't say what he was doing, but he said it in the book -- when they have been involved."
Johnson's slightly veiled reference was interpreted by many to mean Obama's involvement in drugs as a young man, a fact he touches on in his autobiography. And a point other Clinton surrogates have raised.
Later, Johnson added: "That kind of campaign behavior does not resonate with me, for a guy who says, 'I want to be reasonable, likable, Sidney Poitier "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner." And I'm thnking, I'm thinking to myself, 'This ain't a movie, Sidney, this is real life.' "
In a furious attempt to backtrack on his words. Johnson released a statement hours later that "clarified" what he'd said: "My comments today were referring to Barack Obama's time spent as a community organizer, and nothing else. Any other suggestion is simply irresponsible and incorrect."
Yeah, right.
So, this thing Johnson would only refer to coyly, as "doing something in the neighborhood" was organizing? That makes no sense.
Where to begin on Johnson's wafer-thin credibility?
The criticism that continues to this day over his notorious stewardship of BET, during which he scrapped news and public affairs content in favor of music videos and often tasteless and exploitative programs?
His protestations that it was unfair to expect his channel to be positive and uplifting -- that the bottom line for him was the bottom line?
His firing even of his wife from BET (but she did receive a multi-million-dollar divorce settlement).
The fact is, Johnson seems an odd choice to speak for the Clintons in the black community, where his clout is less than stellar.
BET seems slowly to be improving its content, but some viewers remain unimpressed.
Protesters recently picketed the home of BET's current head, former Greensboro resident Debra Lee.
And the National Association of Black Journalists gave it a "Thumbs Down Award" at last summer's convention.
"It is sad that such a powerful platform as BET has not been used as forcefully to educate and enlighten as well as amuse and entertain," said NABJ President Bryan Monroe. "We hope that its new leadership now recognizes the responsibility that comes along with the power of a major cable network."
Robert Johnson has been too many glass houses to throw stones.
Comments (12)
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Ditto Allen. However, did you reeeeeally expect anything more from Bob Johnson!
Posted on January 18, 2008 9:13 PM
I did, however, think the Clinton campaign might have been smarter than using him as a front man.
Posted on January 19, 2008 12:15 AM
Just to play devil's advocate: If Bob Johnson stood at a podium and simply read the relevant passages from Obama's own memoir, would that be considered an attack on Obama?
Posted on January 19, 2008 1:17 PM
I simply am loving this. The "hallowed" Clintons are finally finding out what most of us already know about criticizing, or making a slip of the tongue about anyone on the "Protected Species List!" We now have infighting among the lemmings who have, heretofore, voted for white liberals. The old bulls are scared to death that if Obama should (God forbid) win without being indebted to the Black Caucus, the NAACP, or Curley and Mo (Jackson and Sharpton) their days a powerbrokers are over. That is what the battle is about.
Posted on January 19, 2008 2:15 PM
The issue here is that Bob Johnson was not the smartest choice as a "front man" for the Clinton Campaign. It is not an issue of an"attack" or a "protected list". I think if Mr. Johnson read from the book at the podium, the results would have been the same. The Clinton's are out of touch with a segment of America that they thought that they were in touch with. That is evident by the use of Johnson. Anyone who knows anything about BET would have known better. What fairy tale are the Clinton's in?
Posted on January 19, 2008 3:49 PM
I've always been pretty amazed by the black community's support of Hillary. Bill, I can sorta see. But Hillary's efforts to connect with black folk are so faux-folksy, so crudely performative, that I just can't see them selling in the long run.
On "outing" Obama on his drug use, this will simply misfire, I think, by connecting him to black America--and white America--more as a "real person," less as a staged, soundbite, all-things-to-all-people mannikin (where his true liabilities lie).
Posted on January 19, 2008 5:43 PM
Brian, I agree.
As for Doug's point, if Johnson had read from Obama's memoir the relevant passage, it would have lacked the air of innuendo he obviously was attempting to achieve. And it would have contained some context.
It also would have prevented Johnson from spinning afterward that he was referring to Obama's community organizing.
Gimme a break.
Posted on January 21, 2008 9:16 AM
Contrary to popular belief, all African Americans are not one body. We have different beliefs, different thoughts. We believe in different people, have different opinions, different heroes. We are a multi faceted group of people just like all other races. In my opinion Bob Johnson is a scare old played out man. He probably believes there is only a small amount of room at the top for one or two black people and if he aligns himself with mister charlie and miss anne he will keep his place. "Oh, Barack is climbing up the ladder let me pull him down. He's talking about helping the country as a whole, let pull him down."
Isn't it funny that bill clinton choose Harlem for is office space and hilary ran for the New York senate. I see it now. "You know hil, you're gonna need the black vote to win the senate seat. I'll set my office up in Harlem and those Negroes will eat that up. Hell they already think of me as the first black president. Watch while I play them, yet again."
bill and hilary clinton are not African American!! Wake up Black People!
Posted on January 21, 2008 12:06 PM
Bob Johnson is a real disaster. If he wasn't of such a dark hue, I would think he was a member of the KKK. He has helped me decide who I will be voting and campaigning for. Many thanks Bob
Posted on January 21, 2008 6:07 PM
Bob's comments were a help to Obama. Black people have seen this sad behavior before. The self anointed, personally well off Black leader attempts to tell other Blacks that they should take the side of a White leader. Has Bob ever taken a public stand against another White politician? No! So by attacking Obama, he does the one thing that would help Obama...makes him Black enough to be criticized by those in power. Keep talking Bob. Obama will be supported by more Blacks with every word you say!
Posted on January 21, 2008 6:12 PM
I agree that black people are not one monolithic mass that thinks alike. So, it doesn't upset me that some black folks may support Hillary and others may support Obama or Edwards. However, what makes me cringe is the notion that Obama isn't "black enough". What does that mean? Even Andrew Young made a nonsensical barb saying that "Bill is every bit as black as Obama" Really, was Bill on the South Side of Chicago doing community activism in the hood? Obama has a black wife, black children...seems black enough to me.
I also deplore that some people believe that Bill Clinton was the "1st Black president"...oh really? He really showed his "blackness" by throwing thousands off the welfare rolls. Or how about Clinton doing nothing while hundreds of thousands of Rwandans were massacred. We can debate the Clintons' policies, but voting for Hillary because we believe that Bill was the first Black president? Please.
Posted on January 21, 2008 7:57 PM
I, too, question Bill Clinton's credentials as the "first black president."
There's no doubt that he has a very high comfort level among African Americans.
There's no doubt, either, that he embraced opportunities to speak to black organizations when some Republicans stayed away.
But what did Clinton tangibly do for black people?
The bottom line is, the second black national security advisor and the first two African American secretaries of state were appointed by George W. Bush.
The first black national security advisor, Colin Powell, served under Ronald Reagan.
This is not to praise Bush so much as to challenge Clinton's record.
Where, as they used to say, is the beef?
Posted on January 22, 2008 1:17 PM