Urban News Features

Carson Endorsement of Trump May Further Lower GOP Image Among Minorities by Zenitha Prince

March 21, 2016

Carson Endorsement of Trump May Further Lower GOP Image Among Minorities
By Zenitha Prince

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Former Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson, left, speaks after announcing he will endorse Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, right, during a news conference at the Mar-A-Lago Club, Friday, March 11, 2016, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Special to the Trice Edney News Wire from the Afro American Newspaper

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - Dr. Ben Carson’s endorsement of Donald Trump as the Republican nominee for president may cause only a few ripples among Black voters in this year’s election but it could harm the GOP’s ongoing minority outreach, political analysts say.

“I don’t think it will have any impact on drawing Black votes for Donald Trump,” said Andra Gillespie, associate professor of political science and director of the James Weldon Johnson Institute at Emory University. “There’s nothing in Trump’s campaign that’s going to be attractive to rank-and-file Black voters. His racist, xenophobic, misogynistic language has undercut any support he may have gained among minorities.”

Trump’s controversial statements may also undercut any traction the GOP has made in drawing more minorities under the party’s tent, political analysts said. The fact that the only African-American candidate in the race has thrown his support behind such a divisive character does not help.

“Marco Rubio represented the wing of the Republican Party that was trying to reach out to Black voters and that is diametrically opposed to what Donald Trump is doing,” Gillespie said.

Carson suspended his campaign earlier this month and endorsed Trump shortly after—despite the billionaire’s comparison of the retired pediatric neurosurgeon to a child molester, among other insults.

“His decision probably had to do with his looking at who was left in the field and deciding Trump would probably win the nomination. He probably figured (John) Kasich and (Marco) Rubio would not be viable candidates,” Gillespie said. She added, “On the surface, Ted Cruz and Ben Carson have a lot in common—they both come from evangelical backgrounds and both strongly believe in upholding the Constitution.

But if you look at how Cruz’s campaign treated Carson—for example, them telling voters in Iowa that he had suspended his campaign when he hadn’t—he probably felt that was worse than Trump’s insults.”
In a recent interview with Newsmax TV’s Steve Malzberg, Dr. Carson confirmed his endorsement was for “practical” reasons.

“The reason that I’m choosing Trump is because I’m a big picture guy and I recognize he’s bringing in a lot of people who were not interested in coming in before—a lot of those people who were coming in with me as well,” he said.

Plus, the GOP frontrunner would likely not be stopped by one of his preferrred candidates, he added.

“I didn’t see a path for (John) Kasich, who I like, or for (Marco) Rubio, who I like. As far as Cruz is concerned, I don’t think that he’s going to be able to draw Independents and Democrats unless he has some kind of miraculous change,” Carson said. “Is there another scenario I would have preferred? Yes. But that scenario is not available.”

The half-hearted endorsement continued with Carson saying that “even if Donald Trump turns out not to be such a great president… we’re only looking at four years.”

In those potential four years, Carson said he likely would serve in an “advisory capacity” to a Trump White House.

“We haven’t hammered out all the details but it is very important that we work together in this country,” he said. “Again, I’m not going to reveal any details about it right now because all of this is still very liquid.”

State of the Black World Conference Scheduled by Frederick H. Lowe

March 20, 2016

State of the Black World Conference Scheduled
By Frederick H. Lowe

Special to the Trice Edney News Wire from NorthStarNewsToday.com

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - Actor Danny Glover will serve as honorary chairman for the Pan African Institute’s State of the Black World Conference IV in November.

Attendees will discuss a wide-range of topics, including healing the Black family after the war on drugs and the implications of the U.S. presidential election on Black America and the Pan African World.

The five-day conference, which is scheduled from the 16th through the 20th in Newark, N.J., will also focus on the struggle for democracy and development in Africa, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. A major town hall will be devoted to exploring developments in the U.S. and the global reparations movements.

Two conference speakers are Sir Hilary Beckles, author of “Britain’s Black Debt: Reparations for Caribbean Slavery and Native Genocide,” and Mirelle Fanon Mendes, chairman of Frantz Fanon Foundation of France, and the daughter of Frantz Fanon, MD.

The goal for each session is to address the critical need to heal and repair African-American families, Black communities and nations from centuries, generations and ongoing damages inflicted by enslavement, colonialism, segregation, discrimination, racial violence, repression, oppression, exploitation as a consequence of White supremacy and structural/institutional racism.

Each session is intended to explore intentionally ways to draw on cultural, spiritual, historical and institutional strengths to enhance or to devise collaborative strategies and models for black empowerment. The conference headquarters is the Robert Treat Best Western Plus Hotel in Newark. The Institute of the Black World 21st Century is based in Elmhurst, N.Y. The email address is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For more information on State of the Black World Conference: http://sobwc.ibw21.org/

President Obama, First Family in Cuba by Frederick H. Lowe

March 20, 2016

President Obama, First Family in Cuba
By Frederick H. Lowe

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President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama arrived in Cuba Sunday for a historic visit.President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama arrived in Cuba Sunday for a historic visit.

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President Barack Obama and President Raul Castro of Cuba during the summit of the Americas in Panama City, Panama.

Special to the Trice Edney News Wire from NorthStarNewsToday.com

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - Like President Richard Nixon did in 1972 when he flew to Beijing, China, to meet with Chairman Mao Zedong of the People’s Republic of China, to normalize relations between the two countries, President Barack Obama flew to Havana, Cuba, on Sunday to begin normalizing relations between Cuba and the United States.

President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will visit Havana, Cuba, on Monday, March 21, and Tuesday March 22, where President Obama is scheduled to meet with Cuban President Raul Castro, and possibly Fidel Castro, the country’s former president and leader of 26th of July Movement that overthrew the American-backed Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista on January 1, 1959. Fidel is Raul’s older brother. President Obama arrived in Havana Sunday, March 20, in the afternoon.

Bay of Pigs disaster set ushers in Cold War

Batista was forced to flee Cuba for the U.S. during the administration of President Dwight E. Eisenhower. Under Eisenhower, Allen W. Dulles, head of the Central Intelligence Agency, hatched the Bay of Pigs Invasion, which was carried out by CIA-trained Cuban exiles with disastrous results on April 17, 1961, under President John F. Kennedy.

Kennedy later called the idea stupid and fired Dulles who was believed to be suffering from early onset dementia. After the Bay of Pigs, relations between the two countries went into a deep freeze with some exceptions. Members of Congress and farmers from the Midwest visited Cuba without U.S. approval, according to Tad Szulc, author of “Fidel: A Critical Portrait.” American tourists and humanitarian groups visited Cuba, traveling via Jamaica, Mexico and other countries without having their passports stamped.

Meyer Lansky, boss of the American Mafia, attempted to meet with Fidel Castro after the Cuban Revolution to keep mob-owned Cuban casinos open but nothing came of it, according to the book “Havana Nocturne : How the Mob Owned Cuba and Then Lost It to the Revolution.”
President Barack Obama and President Raul Castro of Cuba during the summit of the Americas in Panama City, PanamaPresident Barack Obama and President Raul Castro of Cuba during the summit of the Americas in Panama City, Panama.

President Raul Castro met face-to-face during a summit in 2015 in Panama. Cuba is 90 miles off of Florida’s coast, but the successive U.S. governments pursued a policy of placing an economic embargo on Cuba, although other countries like U.S. ally, Canada, did not.

A major thaw began with small steps.

President Obama’s visit constitutes a major thaw in relations between the U.S. and Cuba. According to Ben Rhodes, U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor, the president is traveling to Cuba for more reforms.

“We want to open up more opportunities for U.S. businesses and travelers to engage with Cuba, and we want the Cuban government to open up more opportunities for its people to benefit from that engagement.”

President Obama and President Raul Castro met in 2015 in Panama City, Panama.

Congressional Black Caucus met with Fidel and Raul Castro

Six years before that meeting, members of the Congressional Black Caucus flew to Cuba in 2009, where they met with Fidel Castro and Raul Castro on different days.

Congressional Black Caucus members who visited Cuba were: U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee (D., Calif.); U.S. Rep. Mel Watt (D., N.C.), U.S. Rep. Laura Richardson (D., Calif.); U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush, (D., Ill.); U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D., Mo.) and U.S. Rep. Marcia Fudge. The members of the CBC called for new direction in U.S. foreign policy towards Cuba.

The release of Alan Gross

Since the release of Alan Gross, a U.S. contractor, in December 2014, the two countries have held a series of diplomatic talks that led to the restoration of commercial air traffic.

Last August, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry reopened the American Embassy in Havana 54 years after it had been closed. The embassy is across from the Plaza de la Revolucion in Havana.

First sitting president to visit Cuba in 88 years

President Obama is the first sitting president since Calvin Coolidge to visit Cuba. In 1928, President Coolidge visited Cuba aboard a U.S. battleship. Former President Jimmy Carter visited Cuba in 2002, 20 years after he left office and at the invitation of Fidel Castro.

Fidel Castro has an interesting relationship with the U.S. He honeymooned here, and he stayed in a Harlem hotel. After visiting Cuba, President Obama and the First Lady will fly to Argentina for a two-day visit on March 23rd and 24th.

In Buenos Aires, President Obama and the First Family will meet with Mauricio Marci, Argentina’s new president to discuss, President Macri’s reform agenda.

Malia, Sasha Turn Heads at First State Dinner

March 20, 2016

Malia, Sasha Turn Heads at First State Dinner

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Malia and Sasha Obama turned the Cross Hall portico into a fashion catwalk — making a splash in designer gowns at their first state dinner. The First Family welcomed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, to the White House. It was the first U.S. visit for a Canadian prime minister in nearly two decades. PHOTO:Pete Souza/The White House

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - Sasha and Malia Obama, the teenage daughters of President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, were nothing less than stunning for their first state dinner, where they were first clad in designer fabrics and later in controversy.

During the official White House event last Thursday night welcoming Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, both Sasha and Malia ruled the red carpet, rubbed elbows with dignitaries and enjoyed a rare star-struck moment with “Deadpool” star Ryan Reynolds.

Unfortunately, heated discussions centering on the girls attire have arisen, marring the First Family’s historic evening. The issue arose when Kristen Sze, an ABC network news anchor in San Francisco, commented about the price of the girls’ gowns.

Ms. Sze called the gowns, which ranged in price from $17,000 to $20,000, “too expensive for such young girls.” She further fueled the discussion by asking her Twitter followers if they would pay that price for dresses for their teenagers.

Black Twitter took to the Twittersphere in defense of the girls, hitting back with comments like, “Better question: Is your mom The First Lady? No? Your opinion is irrelevant.”

The First Family has been characteristically unfazed by the subsequent gown discussion. Joanna Rosholm, press secretary to the First Lady, released this statement in the past about Mrs. Obama’s wardrobe: “And for the record, the government isn’t paying for any of the first family’s wardrobe. Mrs. Obama pays for her clothing. For official events of public or historic significance, such as a state visit, the first lady’s clothes may be given as a gift by a designer and accepted on behalf of the U.S. government. They are then stored by the National Archives.”

Regardless of the social media flap, the elegance of the First Family could not be denied. The always fashionable First lady wore a custom strapless gown by one of her favorite designers, Jason Wu. Her daughters wore dresses by designer Naeem Khan.

Malia, 17, who was seated between Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels and actress Sandra Oh, wore a strapless faille gown with crystal beading from the designer’s pre-fall 2015 collection.

Sasha, 14, wore a dress from the Indian-American designer’s 2016 resort collection. The red, black and sheer gown was embroidered with all-over threadwork, beading and appliqué, accentuated by a fitted bodice and ball skirt. She also tied a thin ribbon around her neck as a choker. She appeared right at home seated next to actress and model Blake Lively.

It was clear that the coming-of-age moment was not lost on President Obama, who couldn’t resist gushing about his daughters.

“When I was first elected to this office, Malia was just 10 and Sasha was 7. And they grow up too fast. Now, Malia is going off to college … and I’m starting to choke up,” the president said during his opening remarks at the dinner.

Prime Minister Trudeau also recognized the girls’ confidence and grace, and took the opportunity to pay tribute to them.

The Canadian leader recalled how he grew up in the spotlight when his dad was prime minister and how he missed state dinners because he was too young. He went on to express his admiration for the sisters’ strength and said that they enjoy a “remarkable childhood and young adulthood that will provide extraordinary strength and wisdom beyond your years for the rest of your life.”

Obama's Foreign Policy Has Moved Us Toward Reason by Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.

March 20, 2016

Obama's Foreign Policy Has Moved Us Toward Reason
By Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - As Barack Obama’s presidency counts down its last months, amid the raucous babble of the Republican presidential debate, people are beginning to realize how much we will miss Obama’s leadership. He has served with dignity and grace, increasingly rare attributes in American politics. His family has exhibited the values that Americans embrace. He has brought the economy back from the freefall he inherited.

Republicans, of course, scorn all things Obama, with particular emphasis on his foreign policy. They argue that he’s destroyed our nation’s credibility, gutted our military and fostered the spread of terror. The din covers the emptiness of the argument.

In reality, Obama’s foreign policy will be remembered as making a start toward reason. His record, of course, is complex. The president has enjoyed some remarkable successes — taking out Osama bin Laden, traducing al-Qaida, the nuclear deal with Iran, normalization of relations with Cuba (and thus with other neighbors across the hemisphere). He’s also met with frustrations as well. He was unable to extract us from Iraq, Afghanistan, and now Syria and Libya. He failed to close Guantanamo. He’s also asserted, dangerously, unprecedented executive prerogatives in the use of drones, assassination, the hunting of whistle-blowers, mass surveillance and more.

But Obama’s biggest legacy is his effort to turn America away from the interventionist appetites of both the neo-conservatives and the “indispensable nation” liberal activists. In a remarkable set of interviews with Jeffry Goldberg in the Atlantic, Obama argues that while the United States must lead, it cannot police the world. We must be both “hardheaded” and “big hearted.” We have to be clear about our real security concerns, learn to pick our spots, and not allow ourselves to be dragged into every civil war or humanitarian crisis.

The president is clear — and clearly right — on the priority of threats facing the U.S. Despite the popular terrors about terror, he understands that the Islamic State is not an existential threat to the U.S. In contrast, climate change potentially threatens the world if we don’t act to counter it.

Similarly, the president argues that the Middle East is no longer terribly important to U.S. interests, particularly with our increasing energy independence. The U.S.-China relationship, in contrast, is the “most critical.” Sustaining a peaceful rise of China that will make it a partner in securing international order is far more important to our security than all of the civil wars in the Middle East.

Obama believes, against the clamor of an interventionist foreign policy establishment, that overextension in the Middle East is far more destructive than restraint in the region. As his adviser Ben Rhodes summarizes, the president’s view is that “overextension in the Middle East will ultimately harm our economy, harm our ability to look for other opportunities and to deal with other challenges, and, most important, endanger the lives of American service members for reasons that are not in the direct American national-security interest.”

According to Goldberg, Obama also has a common sense position about Putin. He sees Russia as weak, not strong, but understands that it has direct security concerns about Ukraine and Georgia on its border. That fact is, as Obama says, the U.S. is not going to war over Ukraine. Russia is prepared to do that. “People respond to what their imperatives are, and if it’s very important to somebody and it’s not that important to us, they know that and we know that.” Mexico has had to learn to live with the United States; Ukraine similarly has to learn to live with Russia.

This sounds like common sense, but it challenges the consensus of the foreign policy establishment that believes the U.S. is the only superpower and can “win,” as Donald Trump would say, simply by flexing its muscles. But of course they argue, we must be prepared to maintain credibility and strike if someone calls our bluff. Obama clearly understands the dangers of this posture.

Obama has made mistakes, as any president does. But he has come to understand the limits of U.S. power to direct global events, even as he realizes the importance of U.S. leadership to force global action. He calls on us to understand our limits and to set real priorities. He does this in the face of a national security state that is permanently engaged across the world, in the face of liberal and conservative interventionists who scorn common sense as weakness, and in the face of allies who are happy to have the U.S. carry the load.

Listen to the posturing and the bloviating of the Republican contenders for the presidency. Listen to the drone of the think tankers and academics calling for escalation without thinking of consequences. It doesn’t take long to realize that how much we should value the first steps that President Obama has taken toward reason.