According to a recommended diary on Daily Kos, Sen. Allen is to receive the Thurgood Marshall Award at the National Press Club on September 7th, to honor his "support for historically black colleges and, in particular, public historically black colleges." Apparently, this is not a joke...except that it IS a joke. A BAD joke. If you want to contact the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund to let them know what you think of this travesty, here's the info:
Media Contacts:
Dwayne Ashley
TMSF
90 William Street
Suite 1203
New York, NY 10038
(212) 573-8489
dashley@tmsf.org
Steven A. Claiborne
Associate Director of Marketing & Special Events
212.573.8544 (P)
212.573.8497 (F)
sclaiborne@tmsf.org
Interesting comment on Daily Kos, by the way:
...the NAACP is coming out to bash Allen over this and demand that it is rescinded so the controversy of Allen's bigotry stays in the NEWS, VICTORY FOR WEBB. Allen throws another interception! : )
Well, I sure hope so. Do the Thurgood Marshall people realize that George Allen's cuts to education, when he was Governor, took a disproportionate amount away from Virginia's historical African-American universities - Norfolk State and Virginia State? Do they realize that Sen. Allen voted AGAINST programs that improve education for minorities and communities? That he voted against approximately $24.5 billion for Head Start programs? That he voted AGAINST eliminating testing requirements even if Title I programs that aid students in low-income areas were not fully funded? That he voted against increasing Hispanic education funds by $210 million?
Now, in what way does George Allen deserve an award from an organization that bears the name of the first African American to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States?
[UPDATE: Turns out that the chairman of this organization, James K. Clifton, gave $2,000 to Herman Cain (R-GA) for US Senate.
Interestingly, Cain recently wrote, in an article entitled "Hezbocrats Attack Wal-Mart":
The Hezbocrats, a roaming band of militant guerrillas seeking their party's 2008 nomination for president, have most recently lobbed their rhetorical bombs at Wal-Mart, that cruel capitalist occupying corporation. The most recent base of Hezbocrat activity was Iowa, the state whose January 2008 party caucuses are the nation's first measure of presidential preference. The Hezbocrats, armed with nothing more than Katyusha-grade class warfare rhetoric, descended upon Iowa earlier this month determined to take down Wal-Mart, a company they consider the nation's largest capitalistic oppressor of the proletariat.Leading Hezbocrats, including Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE), Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) and Gov. Bill Richardson (D-NM), attended rallies in Des Moines to slam Wal-Mart, the nation's largest private employer. Wal-Mart's crime? According to the Hezbocrats, Wal-Mart has abandoned the middle class by not paying what they consider a "living wage" or providing its employees free healthcare coverage.
So that's what we're dealing with here...]
[UPDATE #2: So much for that award! Allen claims he's declined it all for the "deserving students." If you believe that, I've got some nice swamp land in southern Iraq to sell you. I'll throw in a couple of camels too, what a deal!]
[UPDATE #3: Michael Shear says that "Allen's abrupt decision highlights the growing power of the Internet in political campaigns and, in particular, the reach of bloggers, many of whom took an early liking this year to Webb."]
Lowell Feld is Netroots Coordinator for the Jim Webb for US Senate Campaign. The ideas expressed here belong to Lowell Feld alone, and do not necessarily represent those of Jim Webb, his advisors, staff, or supporters.
But try not to be so bitter. Just because your ridiculous straw man of Allen as racist is blowing back in your face.
So much for all the "free press" going to Webb, huh? ROFL!!
Allen has done many things for all races and all people of Virginia. He was one of the best Governors in Virginia history, and the people of Virginia, including black people, will vote him back into office.
You notice how Dems get so scared when blacks stray from their party. I remember when Bush was going to speak at the NAACP. You had national Dems going ,Don't let Bush fool ya. Don't let him tell you anything. Don't listen, whaaa, whaaaa.
Silliness to the extreme
Jack Oliver
Position—National Finance Vice-Chairman
Prior to campaign—Deputy Chairman of the RNC Oliver acted as the RNC’s chief operating officer overseeing all day-to-day operations. He also maintained substantial involvement with campaigns at all levels across the country during the historic 2002 GOP victories.
Other positions held—
Boards—Oliver serves as a board member on the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund, as an Advisory Council member of the George Bush Presidential Library at Texas A&M University. . .
(I think he's since left the board)
Rick Santorum! Now there's a fine model of tolerance!
When you look at Altria's list of who it gave money to, notice which party gets the big bucks. Oh, nice contributions to Cantor, Goodlatte, Drake, and Tom Davis.
BTW, the tobacco industry has been a major funder of Grover Norquist.
The people giving Allen this award are thuming their nose to Thurgood Marshall, His Family and endorsing Allen's associated with the CCC(KKK) and his remarks to Sidarth.
Wow.
What are we gonna do about it? I emailed them, I called them. YOU.
Along with that. It's time for a little protest.
This is a democracy, last time I checked. Time to speak up.
Miller and Phillip Morris are members of the Altria corporate family.
George Allen and the GOP are big recipients of Miller PAC and Altria PAC money. http://hosted.ap.org...
See also http://herndon1.sdrd... which shows that the PAC also gave money to Duke Cunningham, William Jefferson, Eric Cantor, and Tom DeLay. (!!!) Miller Brewing also gives money to the ultra conservative Heartland Institute. http://www.heartland...
Altria and Miller Brewing are heavily tied into the GOP-centered K Street lobbying crowd. According to a Washington Post article on the K Street lobbyists, “House Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) . . . has built a political machine of his own that extends from Missouri deep into Washington's K Street lobbying community.†http://www.washingto...
The Post article continues:
The network of political committees with ties to Roy Blunt is complex and elaborate. His campaign committee has raised $8.58 million since 1996. His leadership committee, the Rely on Your Beliefs Fund (ROYB Fund), has raised $1.68 million since 2000. A separate ROYB 527 Committee collected $1.67 million from 2000 through 2002.Over the years, seven companies with business before Congress stand out as the most reliable Blunt supporters: Altria, SBC Communications, Union Pacific, Burlington Northern, Verizon, United Parcel Service and BellSouth have together given more than $1.2 million to political committees tied to Blunt. Altria is the largest contributor, giving more than $270,000. Blunt, a vocal social conservative, divorced Roseann Blunt, his first wife, to marry Altria lobbyist Abigail Perlman in October 2003.
Blunt's lobbyist son Andrew includes among his clients Altria-owned Kraft Foods, Philip Morris, and 36 percent Altria-owned Miller Brewing, along with SBC Missouri, Burlington Northern and UPS. Hartley has among his clients Verizon (paying $320,000 a year), SBC ($120,000) and BellSouth ($120,000).
BTW, according to the book Leasing the Ivory Tower: The Corporate Takeover of Academia, by Lawrence C. Soley,"Philip Morris's Miller Brewing Company . . . donates $150,000 annually to the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarships to African-American students. But Miller also spends more than $300,000 a year to advertise the program and its contributions, and these advertisements carry the Miller logo
So is the TMSF just an organization that is careful not to bite the hand that feeds it? Or are they active supporters of these right-wingers? Who do the members of TMSF give to?
I have tried to rewrite my finds of this afternoon into a diary. I didn't want to repost here, but it is at http://www.dailykos....
My early judgment -- it's primarily a vehicle for Altria to look good -- and they favor the GOP -- but most groups like this parcel out some money and recognition to the "other side" so there is the appearance of fairness. I would guess someone from the Allen camp approached the Fund through one of their sponsors.
I also read speculation that Altria does this as a way to deflect criticism from its marketing, which, as is well known, has targeted minorities in the past.
How can they or YOU just sit there and let a known racist get an award with "thurgood marshall's" name on it.
George Allen no matter what he's done, isn't a person who's character fits in Thurgood Marshall's beliefs.
Start calling everyone, press, the people giving this award, black leaders, EVERYONE.
Allen spokesman John Reid said the senator was notified Aug. 3 that he was one of five people to receive the award from the New York-based fund, a national organization that was established in 1987 and has given about $50 million in scholarships to more than 5,000 Thurgood Marshall scholars. The ceremony is to be held Sept. 7.But Thursday morning, several liberal bloggers caught wind of the fund's decision, describing it as "a travesty" and a "BAD joke." The sites listed phone numbers of the organization's senior executives and urged readers to call the numbers to protest.
That effort was apparently successful, Reid said.
Allen's abrupt decision highlights the growing power of the Internet in political campaigns and, in particular, the reach of bloggers, many of whom took an early liking this year to Webb."Apparently, this is not a joke . . . except that it IS a joke. A BAD joke," wrote Lowell Feld, a blogger for a Virginia site, Raising Kaine, who also is a paid Webb staff member.
Feld provided information for contacting "the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund to let them know what you think of this travesty."
That's impressive.
I expect the Allen camp will start blame Webb for "victimizing" them. It is quite possible that they'll name RK, if they figure it will help them.
Allen himself has begun the blame game and victim language in his statement on the matter.
"There are some during this election year who plan to exploit my selection," the senator said in a statement issued Thursday night. "I regret that there are those who would put their personal or political dislike of me ahead of the needs of deserving students and I do not want to be the cause of any controversy."
That is a very well crafted statement, right out of the Rove/Wadhams playbook. Whenever Bush makes a statement beginning with "There are some who say", you know that a wild accusation of terrible villainy will follow. Since he doesn't call out specific names here, Allen dodges accountability for the accusation, while deflecting criticism and any call for him to take personal responsibility in the matter, and sets up a straw man that he can knock down through the rest of the campaign. Next up, expect them to proclaim more assertively that "there are some who" would hurt minority students because they are "exploiting" Allen for political gain.
This is a tricky maneuver by Allen, designed to further dupe the public. I think that the WaPo is falling for the manipulation of the Allen campaign by printing these statements without any analysis, while naming Lowell and RK. But now that the public has seen the technique at work for 6 years, perhaps we can combat it. The Post should be held accountable for accurate reporting of the news. We cannot allow Allen to play the victim, dodge responsibility, and turn us into an invisible threat. That's a McCarthy/Nixon/Rove tactic. Implicating that bloggers would cause harm to deserving minority students for political gain is a gross distortion, and should be challenged.
Scratch the fly analogy. I just paid close to $500 bucks for eyeglasses. Can you imagine what they'd cost if I was a fly?
Well think again boys and girls. Posted yesterday 0945 and within <20 hours positive results.
Truly incredible. Way to go gang. From a BAD JOKE to GOOD NEWS.
Terrific story and great scoop. Reminds me of the old days of journalism, when you read something and it gets the people all upset and rallied-up and then you do something about it.........only on a keyboard and phone.
PM did some serious digging and was uncovering names and connections. I'll bet those guys took one look at where that was headed and went running for the hills. All those corporations do NOT want to be tied in with maca**a man - at least not in this way.
Lowell brought it to light and PM followed up.
Kudos.