Hank Aaron endorses Hillary for President

[DemocratSinceBirth]

Today, the Clinton Campaign announced the endorsement of Hall of Fame baseball player Hank Aaron along with 125 other local community activists and leaders as part of her campaign's increased presence in the delegate-rich state of Georgia.

http://www.mydd.com/story/2008/1/4/112949/2175

[wake.up.america]

1. Hammerin' Hank hits it deep, it's got a chance to go out of the park. Or will it be caught

between center and right field?

[Didereaux]

2. so much for the 'Obama has a lock on the black vote theory'. Aaron is not a dumb jock!

[Sulawesi]

3. You don't seriously believe this is a significant endorsement do you?

[Didereaux]

39. just as damn significant as Oprah or Norris or Britney or any other...

person who endorses a political thing.

[Sulawesi]

47. Oprah is more influential than Hank Aaron I think...I'll leave Britney alone, she's having it rough

[Drunken Irishman]

6. So are you saying blacks that support Obama are dumb?

[Didereaux]

41. No, I said 'dumb jock', are you into athletics by any chance?

[Drunken Irishman]

46. Yes I am and if he were not supporting Clinton, he'd be dumb?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

22. Are you saying Hank Aaron is a good indicator of the black vote?

[Didereaux]

43. Just as good as Oprah. Do you think all blacks are monolithic in their beliefs? hmmmm

[Renew Deal]

32. Was that your theory?

Because that's the first time I've heard it.

[ecstatic]

50. Clinton, thus far, has enjoyed the most black support

I'm not sure where you heard a meme stating otherwise.

[jakem]

4. he is alive?

clearly senile though. sad...

:cry:

[DemocratSinceBirth]

11. Why Would You Suggest A Man Is Senile?

Why didn't you just suggest he's retarded?

[jakem]

14. youre right, he might just be retarded...

i didnt think of that!

:hi:

just a bit of fun, sorry you did not enjoy!

[DemocratSinceBirth]

15. Why Would I Enjoy Seeing You Disrespect A Sports Icon

And one of the pioneers in breaking the color barrier in baseball?

[jakem]

17. i was giving him the benefit of the doubt

as to why he would endorse hillary?

:shrug:

[DemocratSinceBirth]

21. A Comedian, Ay

Stick to your day job....

[jakem]

33. i was trying to avoid my day job...

...but ok, ill go back to work...

:boring:

[DemocratSinceBirth]

36. Just Remember To Turn Of The Slurpee Machine Before You Leave

~

[jakem]

37. wow. thanks for keeping it classy...

[DemocratSinceBirth]

40. Try The Passive Aggresive Shtick On Someone Who Cares

Oh- why don't you use another emoticon in an attempt to insult me...

[jakem]

45. ok. is this not passive aggressive enough?

i think you are an asshole if insulting my job/education/social status is your way to get off when i don't support your candidate.

hows that, jerk?



:insert emoticon here:

[DemocratSinceBirth]

48. We're Making Progress

I cured you of your passive aggressive tendencies...

[jakem]

49. what a fucking relief

heres an emoticon for you!

:grouphug:

[DemocratSinceBirth]

52. A "Thank You" Would Have Sufficed

I really wasn't offended by you dissing Hillary... I was offended by you dissing Hank...I suspect he's a garden variety Democrat with fond memories of the Clinton years who was asked for his endorsement... Because he gave it you suggested he had dementia, errrr senility...

I would have felt the same if Hank endorsed someone else...

[Jai4WKC08]

63. You have some nerve

Hank Aaron is a great man, not only a one-of-a-kind sports hero, but a hero for his work with disadvantaged kids all over Atlanta and the rest of the south. You call him either senile and retarded, and then you have the nerve to be offended because someone insults your job? You're disgusting.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

25. Because he's endorsing Clinton?

:shrug:

[DemocratSinceBirth]

28. If I Endorsed Clinton Would That Make Me A Retard?

~

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

30. No.

It'd just be a good excuse.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

31. I Don't Understand The Animus

He made an endorsement...

It's not like he endorsed Mitt Romney...

I don't see the need to trash him...

[SaveElmer]

5. That's great...Aaron is one of my favorite ballplayers of all time...and the legitimat home run king

Thanks Hank!!!

[DemocratSinceBirth]

12. I Liked Willie Mays Better But I Respect Him And Will Take His Endorsement

~

[Alamom]

59. I met Willie Mays a few years back and talked with him for a while.

An incredibly sweet man. A giant of a man in many ways. I still have the autograph he gave me for my (then) young son.

[Kucinich4America]

7. Sorry Hank

But you struck out this time.....

[BeyondGeography]

8. As long as Barry Bonds doesn't endorse Obama we should be fine

Fun fact: Hank Aaron hit .372 (42-for-113) with seven homers lifetime against Sandy Koufax.

[BenDavid]

9. remember folks bill did not win until he won ga. in 92. and I know

most will say this election is not like 92. well duh!

I congratulate obama on his win, but folks that is just 1 state and now the real race begins. My support for hrc has not faltered and I will support her till the last dog dies....I still believe that by either the 19th of feb the earliest or march 4 the latest hrc will have a majority of delegates to be the nominee....I see obama not being able to do this and I will give him illinois on teh 5th but obama folks ahve got to show me where he will win...

[Carolina]

62. Hill ain't Bill

and this ain't 1992.

Too much has changed.

[Vickers]

10. swing-and-a-miss!

*swish!*

[goldcanyonaz]

13. Notice how Clinton endorsements get trashed while Obama's get elevated?

It's very unfortunate.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

16. One Asshole Up Thread Said He Was Retarded And Senile

And these jerks call themselves progressive...

Yeah, I said it...

[Dawgs]

19. No, not retarded and senile, just an asshole.

[Anouka]

42. Hillary got caught cheating, that's all (the Darrell Jackson pay off)

Check this out:

http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2007/02/sweet_column_in_south_carolina.html

"Sweet column: Read the Obama camp e-mails to woo hired hand. In South Carolina, Clinton, Obama, Edwards bid for same consultant.

WASHINGTON -- South Carolina is a key primary state, and Democratic White House front-runners Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton competed to hire the same influential African-American consultant -- a state senator who is pastor of a 10,000-member megachurch.

Clinton's campaign made a deal, worth at least $10,000 a month, with state Sen. Darrell Jackson's firm, Sunrise Enterprises. *******The contract surfaced when Jackson earlier this week endorsed Clinton for president without mentioning his company would be working for her.*******

But e-mail exchanges obtained by this column show how the Obama campaign tried to woo Jackson, who was also negotiating with former Sen. John Edwards... (more information at the blog)"


So, everybody's doing it, but Hillary -- like the New England Asterisks -- is the one who got caught. I still want to know what exchange happened between Edwards and Jesse 'Nascar Bribe' Jackson.

I think Oprah and Obama is legitimate. But who really knows.

[ronnykmarshall]

53. It's been like that all summer, fall and winter.

McGovern and Mondale have been called senile. The list goes on.

[Dawgs]

18. Hank Aaron is an asshole.

Always has been.

Georgianns love Obama. She will not win here.

I see five times as many Obama stickers as I do Hillary.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

24. I See

If somebody supports a candidate you don't like he's fair game and worthy of derision...

[Dawgs]

34. No. I've always thought Hank Aaron was an asshole.

Living in Atlanta I've heard many stories of how this guy has been a jerk.

This is not a new opinion for me.

[Anouka]

29. I don't think he's an asshole. Look what he's been through.

Death threats, for being a black man integrating. Death threats, for being a black man surpassing the equally but not officially acknowledged black Babe Ruth.

Everybody can't have the heart, spirit and brand of positivity of a Will Smith. Doesn't mean he's a bad person.

[Dawgs]

38. I didn't say he was a bad person. I said he was an asshole.

He chose to be bitter. He could have chose to be a good person, but he didn't.

[flvegan]

20. He also called Michael Vick "a very good guy"

[Anouka]

23. How much did she pay him?

They're already in trouble with a small number in the black community for how they got Magic Johnson's endorsement. If it's a legitimate endorsement, it's kosher.

If there's money exchange involved, it's not. Is it pure?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

26. How Did They Buy Off Magic?

He has a net worth of nearly a billion dollars...

[Anouka]

35. A joint investment fund of $750million with Clinton friend Ron Burkle happened

The Huffington Post version of events:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/01/01/when-magic-backed-hillary_n_79087.html

"When Magic Backed Hillary, Did Money Buy Love?" by Huffington Post blogger Thomas Edsell

"In late-March 2007, Earvin "Magic" Johnson made his first ever contribution to a presidential campaign -- $2,300 to Barack Obama.

No formal endorsement accompanied the cash, but most political operatives thought that the famous Lakers point guard would be firmly in the corner of the first African-American to have a real shot at winning the presidency.

On August 28, Johnson made the second contribution of his life to a presidential candidate. This time, however, the recipient was Hillary Clinton. Johnson gave her $2,300 for the primary election and another $2,300 to use in the general election, if she won the Democratic nomination.

In addition, the contribution -- chickenfeed to someone of Magic's wealth -- was backed up with an all-star endorsement.....

On December 17 and 18, Magic joined Bill and Hillary for a tour of Iowa. Speaking in Davenport, Johnson infuriated Obama supporters when he told the crowd, "You don't want somebody in there that is young or a rookie at politics" -- a direct dig at Obama.

What happened between Johnson's $2,300 contribution to Obama in March and his $4,600 donation to Clinton in August?

Over the summer, a seemingly unrelated series of events intervened.

In June, Johnson, who is an extraordinarily successful entrepreneur, began talks with billionaire Ron Burkle about forming a joint investment fund of $750 million or more to take advantage of the growing and lucrative markets in inner city and minority-owned businesses, according to Eric Holloman, president of Johnson's Canyon-Johnson Urban Fund.

Burkle has been one of Bill Clinton's closest friends and supporters. Burkle and Bill Clinton were often seen together in and around Los Angeles, and Clinton frequently stayed at Burkle's mansion, which was the scene of much-reported partying. Burkle gave Bill Clinton a lucrative consulting job as a senior advisor to his investment firm, Yucaipa Companies.

When Hillary announced, Burkle became a strong backer and encouraged Johnson to support her.

Now, spokesmen for both Burkle and Johnson flatly dispute that there is any connection whatsoever between the Burkle-Magic investment partnership and Magic's Hillary endorsement.... (more at Huffington)"
--------------------------------------------------------



The black entertainment gossip version of events, after the Huffington Post piece, from Bossip under the keyword 'Bolitics' (I hope someone didn't think the online equivalent of beauty shops and barber shops aren't paying attention):

http://www.bossip.com/10185/majoc-johnson-is-a-ho/

"We actually liked Magic before this sh*t. We thought it was suspect when we saw a video of Magic explaining why he is supporting Hillary Clinton.

Well, it was about the stacks, Magic is in talks for a $750 investment fund with a close Clinton supporter, Ron Burkle. Ron Burkle also owns some of Sean Jean so don’t expect Diddy to be supporting Obama anytime soon."

[DemocratSinceBirth]

44. Guilt By Association

African Americans are not a monolith...They can support whomever they want...

[Anouka]

56. There's a difference between support and pay offs.

if magic johnson really was pressured into supporting the clintons after first supporting obama, that looks bad.

sure, you can support whomever you want -- but if your support depends on who pays you most, then you're an *ssh*le and your support is meaningless because it is insincere. You can be bought.

maybe that's alright by you. but someone who can be bought is a mercenary, they have no loyalties, they have no sincerity, they have no ethics, they can be just as quickly bought by someone else. their support is therefore meaningless.

it matters if the clintons have to buy their way through the black community.

just as it matters when the bushes tried to buy their way through the black community, through the black churches.

it matters when any candidate does it. in my opinion.

but if you disagree, please explain why, even if it's just an 'that's the nature of the political process beast'.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

57. I Don't Accept Your Premise That The Clinton's Have To Buy Their Support In The African American

Community...

I know anecdotally and empirically there are many African Americans that are fond of the Clintons...

You are impugning Earvin Johnson's character on nothing more than hearsay and who he chooses to associates with... That's not how we roll in America...

[brentspeak]

27. I think Hank just got caught looking.

[crawfish]

51. *whiff*

A swing and a miss...

[Beacool]

54. Fantastic, thank you Hank!!!!!

:bounce:

[Snarkturian Clone]

55. Another one for the

"Who the fuck cares?" file.

[mckeown1128]

58. No way Clinton can win Georgia....sorry...

it is about as likely as Obama winning New York.

[joeprogressive]

60. Blacks make up about 12% of the population

and don't vote in very high numbers. Oprah gets many more white suburban votes for Obama than Hank gets Blacks for Clinton. At the end of the day there will be more celebrities lined up for Obama than Hillary.

[Carolina]

61. All the kings horses and all the kings men...

Couldn't put ...

Same goes for all the 'big' name endorsements.

Apparently many voters, caucus goers, etc. couldn't give a rip about endorsements

And good for 'em!

[Jai4WKC08]

64. This one touches my heart

I'm probably showing my age, but when I was a little girl, I spent a lot of afternoons watch Hammerin' Hank in Fulton County Stadium. I even got to see him tie the Babe's record. He's a wonderful man. And was one helluva looker in his day. :)

[Cameron27]

65. He's a wonderful man

and he doesn't deserve to be trashed just because he supports Clinton. It's disgusting.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

66. Word

~