TBT News Network

Danny Davis gains Black Support in Chicago mayoral race

2010-11-06T16:32:00.000-07:00

By John Byrne
Chicago Tribune Writer

After two months of closed-door meetings, a coalition of African American leaders has settled on U.S. Rep. Danny Davis as its "consensus candidate" for Chicago mayor.

It was a late turnaround for the veteran congressman, who was not among the two finalists the Chicago Coalition for Mayor said they were considering endorsing a week ago to succeed Mayor Richard Daley.

Ald. Walter Burnett, 27th, said Davis impressed the group --- which includes African-American elected officials, ministers, business leaders, lawyers, accountants and ex-offenders --- during a Friday night interview in which he showed a strong grasp of how the city works.

Davis, 69, also is familiar to coalition members through his constant community outreach efforts, said Burnett, chairman of the City Council’s black caucus. "He’s one of the hardest working congressmen," Burnett said.

Members of the coalition asked that Davis and state Sen. James Meeks be allowed back to make final presentations after the coalition’s smaller selection committee decided Oct. 28 that former U.S. Sen. Carol Moseley Braun and Cook County Board of Review Commissioner Larry Rogers should be the final two candidates for endorsement.

In the end, Burnett said attendees felt Moseley Braun's time out of the public eye could make it hard for her to build broad support. Rogers "gave us the impression he wasn’t ready," Burnett said, and Meeks could have trouble citywide because of positions he has taken in the past against abortion and homosexuality.

Davis said he thinks he can win even if Meeks and Moseley Braun press ahead with their own mayoral campaigns. "I don’t know what the other candidates will do, but I’m ready to go and I expect to be very successful," he said today.

Davis garnered about 80 percent of the vote Tuesday in winning an eighth term representing the 7th District, which stretches from the downtown Chicago lakefront through the West Side to the western edge of Cook County. Davis ran for mayor against Daley in 1991, losing by a more than 2-to-1 margin.

Despite the group's desire to unite behind a single African-American candidate, the endorsement is not expected to prevent other black politicians from running in the Feb. 22 mayoral election. Petitions can be turned in from Nov. 15-22.

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2010/11/african-american-group-backs-danny-davis-for-mayor.html

Artur Davis leaves Alabama

2010-10-13T07:24:00.000-07:00

By Mr. Politics
TBT Political Writer

One year ago, the sky was the limit for Artur Davis. He was very successful as a Democratic politician in Alabama. Davis was the representative of the Seventh Congressional District and hoped to become the Governor of Alabama. During his campaign, Davis had even won over many conservative voters and it seemed as if he was on the fast track.

The fast track slowed down when Ron Sparks entered the race. Because of Sparks' race, as a White man, no one thought he had a chance against Davis. Because he had been campaigning for two years, the people knew Artur Davis and his approval rating was much higher than Sparks.' With all of this support, Davis became very cocky.

After the incredible run of Barack Obama, people wanted to deem Davis the new version. But, when Davis began receiving praise from the mainstream, he shunned Black media. The Black voters were turned off by this and some began supporting Ron Sparks. Right before the primaries, the Alabama Democratic Convention endorsed Ron Sparks over Artur Davis and Davis only held 50% of the black vote.

When it was time for the people to choose, they overwhelmingly chose Ron Sparks. While Artur Davis conceded, he refused to support Ron Sparks. Losing to Sparks not only eliminated Artur Davis' chance of becoming Governor, it also eliminated his chance of keeping his seat in the US House of Representatives and it would be hard for Davis to gain support in 2012. Because he knew he would lose, Artur Davis announced he would leave politics after his term expired. Recently, Davis' term expired and he is not just vacating his office, Artur Davis is vacating the state.

After being soundly rejected by Alabama, Artur Davis is leaving for Virginia. With this new start, Davis does not want to work in politics. Instead, Davis wants to work in the field of criminal law.

President Obama stands up to the GOP

2010-10-13T07:09:00.000-07:00

By Mr. Politics
TBT Political Writer

From the day he was inaugurated as President of the United States, the GOP has been beating up on Barack Obama. Even after wrecking the economy, the Republicans never thought the nation would go as far as making a Black man the president. But, with that as the reality, they struck back the only way they know how.

Dating back to the days of Nixon, the Republican Party has relied on scare tactics to gain support. This was evident during the days of Bush II. Now, with President Obama going on a crusade to fix his inherited mess, the GOP and the media has teamed up to block his every move. After the passage of Health Care Reform, it was clear there was a lack of respect for the president.

Never one to give up, President Obama has taken all the hits and he recently began his defense campaign. Late last year, Obama finally began to play hardball with the GOP, but now he is using his own forms of media for defense. Tired of the negative press, the president has started his campaign a little ahead of time. His advertisements show all of the good things he has done since he was elected nearly two years ago. The Republicans and the media have been doing all they can to discredit all the accomplishments Obama has made, now President Obama is back to set the record straight.

President Obama continues fight for Middle Class

2010-09-16T10:38:00.000-07:00

By Mr. Washington, D.C.
TBT News Political Writer

Less than two months away from the midterm elections across the nation, President Obama has his hands full. Throughout the year, the GOP has been trying to make the president look bad. All of their efforts have been thrwarted by their more-conservative counterpart, the Tea Party movement. The Tea Partiers have even won a few primaries and the GOP has to focus on beating them before hounding the president again.

Not looking to campaign again until it is time for his re-election bid, President Obama is trying to live up to his promises. So far, he has pulled the troops out of Iraq and the United States out of the Great Recession. Despite all his efforts, the media has portrayed Obama as the bad guy. With all media outlets making the president look bad, many middle class voters are considering supporting a GOP candidate in their area.

Unfazed by everything going on around him, President Obama is fighting against the GOP's proposal for tax cuts for the wealthy. Instead, he finally wants to deliver on his promise of tax cuts for anyone who makes $250,000 a year and under. He has been trying to push this into legislation, but with frequent delays from his opposition and frequent polling and bad media press, Obama has not had much of a chance. Most of his days are spent refereeing fights between Democrats and Republicans and trying to reason with the media to give him credit for the things he has done. What they cannot stop is what's happening next, the tax cuts.

Jackson, Jr.'s opponent plays dirty in Illinois race

2010-09-02T03:14:00.000-07:00

By Sarah Woolridge
TBT News Staff Writer

Until he was pulled into the Blagojevich mess, Jesse Jackson, Jr. was on the fast track for political advancement. At the time, he was looking to inherit Barack Obama's seat in the US Senate. Even as a young child, his father, Jesse Jackson, had high hopes for his eldest son. But, his son's methods have not always been the best.

Two years ago, Jackson, Jr. was caught with his hand in the cookie jar and his career has been set back ten years. When running for the title of Representative of Illinois Second Congressional District, usually, Jackson would run unopposed. But, this year, not only is their a challenger, but the challenger is a Republican.

Isaac Hayes, of no relation to the late singer, began his campaign against Jackson. He is the pastor of a Chicago church and is very active in the community. Because of this, Hayes has a very strong Black Democratic following. Hayes has been using this to his advantage and he stands a pretty good chance of winning over the fifteen year veteran Jesse Jackson, Jr.

In an effort to bolster his chances to defeat Jackson, Rev. Hayes is pushing for an investigation of his involvement with Rod Blagojevich some two years ago. Many people feel as if Jackson was lucky he did not get into much trouble because it appeared as if he was ready to purchase Obama's Senate seat. If Hayes has things his way, Jesse Jackson, Jr. may be investigated and put on trial, himself, no time to run for office and his hopes is that the people would realize this.

President Obama hopes for Peace in the Middle East

2010-09-02T03:01:00.000-07:00

By Travis Henderson
TBT News Staff Writer

During his 2008 campaign for president, Barack Obama promised to have the troops out of Iraq. Not even two years into his presidency and Obama has lived up to the promise. After reaching his goal so quickly, President Obama has set his goals even higher. For almost as long as the United States has existed, the Middle East has been at war.

Many historians say the wars in the Middle East have gone on since the Biblical days. But, with incredible things happening each day, it appears as if anything is possible. When Barack Obama began his campaign, he knew he would be a special candidate. Upon becoming president, Obama knew his presidency would be special. Even with the lows, it has been very special for him.

After doing seemingly the impossible when he pulled out of Iraq, the president plans to do even better, make peace between Israel and Palestine. For the past week, Obama has been talking with their leaders, hoping to reach an agreement. Now that America has pulled out of Iraq with plans to also pull out of Afghanistan, the United States do not look as hypocrytical. Due to this, other leaders have been willing to speak with President Obama. He has pleaded with them to not let this opportunity for peace pass them by.

Charlie Rangel joins Muslims is Mosque rally

2010-09-02T02:50:00.000-07:00

By Travis Henderson
TBT News Staff Writer

While in the middle of his ethics trial and his re-election bid, Charlie Rangel is in quite a mess. Despite things not looking good for the 80-year-old New York congressman, he maintains faith. Rangel feels as if he will be found "not guilty" of his charges and also win his upcoming election.

In the meantime, however, Congressman Rangel is standing up for what he believes in. The Muslims have made international news with their plans to build a worship center in the heart of Manhattan. It has not even been ten years since the bombings of the World Trade Center.

Because the towers were bombed by a Muslim group, many people see it as a sign of disrespect for them to build a worship center so close to the bombings. But, what most people fail to realize is that the only Muslims who supported the bombings were the ones who arranged it. In the United States, though, a group of people are subject to stereotypes.

Charlie Rangel has been a fixture in Manhattan politics for over forty years and he is very much involved with the battle surrounding the Mosque. When he was asked of his stance on the issue, Rangel said he was not in this because of his re-election bid, he was only standing up for what is right. Rangel feels New York City, of all places, should be very tolerant towards all religious groups. This, not his upcoming election on September 14, is why Charlie Rangel is supporting the construction of the Mosque.

September, though, is going to be a very busy month for Charlie Rangel, as his election is on the 14th and his trial is only a few days later.

Florida's Kendrick Meek stands by Obama in ending Iraq War

2010-09-02T02:38:00.000-07:00

By Travis Henderson
TBT Political Writer

President Obama was expecting to hear a bit of praise when he finally pulled the United States out of the unpopular Iraq War. But, instead, his media backlash continues. Due to his unpopularity, many Democrats have been backing away from the president for some time. Sensing this, Florida US Senate candidate, Kendrick Meek, has stepped up.

Ever since he fully began campaigning, Meek has called himself the only real Democrat. The slogan was only for Florida, but it could also go for most of the nation. Out of all the Democrats currently campaigning for office, Meek is the only one who even mentions the president. Not only has he made it clear he and the president are on the same side, he has sided with him on Iraq.

Recently, Kendrick Meek spoke on President Obama pulling out of Iraq. He said after seven long years of fighting in Iraq, he is glad the war is over. When Obama was campaigning, most people wanted the war to be over. But, now that it is, everyone has a problem with this, as if they have forgotten the war was started over a lie from the previous president. Meek knows the dirty game being played by the media, but he is confident the majority of the American people will see through it and continue to support President Obama.

Martin Luther King, Jr. being brought into Abortion Debate

2010-08-27T11:37:00.001-07:00

By Herman Mitchell
TBT News Staff Writer

Abortion has been a major topic for years. The issue was prominent during the 2004 Presidential Election and George W. Bush’s stance on the issue was key in him landing a second term. In the black community, teenage pregnancies are higher and more abortions are taking place. Abortion was also a major issue in the 2008 Presidential Election and Barack Obama said he will only accept abortion if it deals with the health of the mother.

With everything from the Tiger Woods saga to the BP oil leak in the Gulf Coast, the issue of abortion has been overlooked. Even though abortion is banned in most of the United States, women are still having them done. Abortion has been a major political issue for years, as has the race issue. Even though a number of minorities have abortions, most have no opinion on the matter.

In an effort to bring more Black Americans in on the issue, a number of reports, possibly held by the GOP, have brought Martin Luther King, Jr. into the issue. As many already know, King was pro-life and he was also a Republican. However, he was very close with presidents John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson because of their stance on Civil Rights. Had he lived longer, King would have switched political parties, most likely.

Last year, the Republican Party used Martin Luther King, Jr.’s unchanged political affiliation to woo over black voters. Now, King’s stance on abortion will be used to lure more Black Americans into the issue.

President Obama thanks troops for Fighting in Iraq

2010-08-27T11:34:00.001-07:00

By Herman Mitchell
TBT News Staff Writer

During his 2008 campaign, Barack Obama promised the American people he would bring about a quick end to the War in Iraq. Late in the presidency of George W. Bush, the truth about the war finally came out and the American people wanted no parts of it. The nation was in a mess and looking for a way out. President Obama promised to have the nation out of the recession and out of Iraq before the end of 2011.

Even with the opposition from the GOP, President Obama has seen tremendous success in fixing the nation. In his first year in office, Obama’s plans helped pull the United States out of the worst recession since The Great Depression. However, with the Arizona immigration fight and the BP oil leaks that ravaged the Gulf Coast, there has not been much time for celebration. With everything going on, the president has suffered from relatively low approval ratings.

Sticking to the plan, President Obama has continued down his list, but the recent problems have been added to his list. With the War in Afghanistan reaching unexpected heights in the past few months, Obama had to come up with a new plan. The War in Iraq has been irrelevant for some time and the president decided to withdraw the troops. Many of these troops will be coming home, while others will be headed over to Afghanistan.

The president has thanked all the troops, those here and passed on, for their seven years of service out there in Iraq. Obama, along with the rest of the nation, soon hopes a similar message can be delivered to the troops fighting in Afghanistan.

Carmelo Anthony likely leaving Denver

2010-08-27T11:32:00.000-07:00

By Joseph Nicholson
TBT News Writer

Seven years ago, Carmelo Anthony was drafted by the perennial losing Denver Nuggets and he led the team to their first playoff berth in nine years. In the time since Anthony joined the franchise, the Nuggets went from being one of the forgotten teams of the NBA to being fan favorites. In 2009, Anthony led them into the playoffs on a run that nearly sent the Los Angeles Lakers home.

Throughout the free agent season of the past two seasons, there have been rumors of LeBron James changing teams, which happened. There were also rumors of Dwyane Wade leaving Miami, but Carmelo Anthony always stated his heart was in Denver. With his free agency period coming up following this upcoming season, there were rumors of Anthony wanting a change of scenery.

With the season set to start less than two months from now, these rumors are looking more and more like possible reality. Several reports are saying members of Carmelo Anthony’s camp have reached out to Nuggets’ management. Most outlets are saying Anthony is hoping to sign with another team following the 2010-2011 season. Initial rumors had him heading to his hometown team with the New York Knicks, but Anthony has also been linked to the Miami Heat.

If he does, indeed, leave Denver, Carmelo Anthony will face a backlash similar to the one endured by LeBron James.

Today's sports

2010-08-25T13:44:00.000-07:00

Today's sports involves a lot of non-sportsman like conduct. This football season young and old fans are watching their teams to see amazing games. Hopefully there won't be any off the field flags. I think that the athletes have forgotten the main reason for playing the sport. Fun. This year I will be posting the little league football season in my area. These kids can and will be showing the grown up how to play the games.
Hopefully in the near future, I will have some kind of sporting show. It will be to give a closer look into the true meaning of athletes and their sport. Look forward to the D~Bo files and my weekly report on "Little League : how it should be".

Florida: Kendrick Meek - the "#Realdem"

2010-08-24T22:50:00.000-07:00

By Luther "Trey" Hollis
TBT Entertainment Staff Writer

Florida - Kendrick Meek has run the successful campaign against Jeff Greene. With a play-by-play report of his "RealDem" Tour of Florida communicated through Facebook, Meek won the hearts of Floridians all over the state. Perhaps his tour was the driving force behind his win.

Meek's major opponent, Jeff Greene, ran his campaign with his own tremendous injection of cash, but was unable to truly connect with Florida voters. The various updates posted on Greene's Facebook page appeared to be written in third-person, giving the impression that posts were not from Greene directly, but from a "ghost writer" instead. This showed evidence of Greene's inability to connect to the middle-class base that Florida is heavily populated with.

Meek's Facebook posts were personal, and written in first person. Meek uploaded photos of his interaction with the Florida populous as he traveled throughout the state. With such a personal approach, Meek actually let the public into his life. There were live posts of Meek's fishing trip with his son. There were photos of B.B.Q. cookouts with McCray's Barbecue in Mangonia Park, Florida. There was a real personal connection between Meek and the Democrat base of Florida.

It seems that the issues were pushed aside as voters chose the candidate that knows Florida. With the reports of Greene running in California as a Republican 28 years ago, the Florida Dem base became weary of Greene's motives.

Conversely, Meek has served the state of Florida as a State Trooper, and State Congressman. Meek knows the political arena, whereas Greene struck a nerve in the voters as a greedy corporate representative.

Meek now faces a tough three-way battle for the Florida Democratic U.S. Senate seat with Independent Florida Governor Charlie Crist, and Republican nominee Marco Rubio.

Crist was recently battered by the Florida GOP for his decision to switch to the Indy party upon his decision to run for the Florida Senate seat. Rubio runs in the race with plenty of experience, being in the Florida House of Representatives since 2000.

You can expect an intense campaign from each of the candidates as November speedily arrives. We can only watch to see if Meek has the stamina, and notability to pull the upset in Florida.

Connect with Kendrick Meek:
http://www.kendrickmeek.com
http://www.kendrickmeek.com/facebook
http://twitter.com/KendrickMeek

Jay-Z tops Forbes Hip Hop Cash Kings' list

2010-08-20T06:51:00.000-07:00

By Mr. Hollywood
TBT: The Magazine Contributor

Once again, the top hip hop earner is Jay-Z. Last year, his checks totaled at $63 million. While Jay-Z remains among the top of the earning list, Beyonce actually earned more than the self-proclaimed "40 million boy." It has become expected of Jay-Z to top the list each year.

Ever since his 1996 debut, Jay-Z has continued to expand his business interests. Not only was Roc-A-Fella Records a way for him to put his music out, but it was also a way to get more artists under him. Jay-Z used the popularity of his music to branch out into clothing, one of the first rappers to do so.

With all the side ventures he had, Jay-Z continued to flip and expand. He shocked the hip hop community when he left the label he founded, Roc-A-Fella Records, in favor of Roc Nation. Behind new sensation, J. Cole, the label is currently making noise. Still undecided on putting out another album this year, Jay-Z does know he can continue to do what he does, run the town and the Nets, and still be one of the top hip hop earners.

Magic Johnson considering buying Detroit Pistons

2010-08-20T06:17:00.000-07:00

By Allan Thompson
TBT: The Magazine Staff Writer

In the late 1980s, the Detroit Pistons rose to become the top team in the Eastern Conference. For most of the decade, the Boston Celtics had been a force. But, age and injuries ended their run. Upon making out of the East, the Pistons had to face the Magic Johnson-led Lakers. Their NBA Finals' matchups altered the friendship of Johnson and Isiah Thomas.

Not long after the retirement of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Johnson would retire because of his HIV/AIDS virus. Instead of taking this as a death sentence, Johnson has become one of the biggest businessmen in the nation. He has a chain of movie theaters, owns a few fast food restaurants, and is part-owner of the Los Angeles Lakers. Magic Johnson has even coached the team.

Dubbing himself a Laker for life, many thought he would possibly attempt to become the majority owner of the franchise if the Buss family ever gave it up. If there was any former NBA player who would go on to own a team, many assumed it would be Johnson. But, his successor as the face of the NBA, Michael Jordan, would buy the Bobcats this February. Since then, the sports media has been putting pressure on Johnson to purchase an NBA team. With a net worth well over $300 million, he can definitely afford to and he is always looking to expand his business interests.

The Detroit Pistons have risen and fallen since the late 1980s and currently find themselves as one of the worst teams in the NBA. They are hoping these fortunes will change after signing former standout, Tracy McGrady. Finally free of injuries, McGrady feels he can help turn the Pistons around on the court. While there is promise on the court, away from the court is a different story. The franchise is currently up for sale and there is no one willing to purchase the losing franchise. Recently, Magic Johnson has expressed interest in purchasing the team because he loves the idea of solely building a contender.

Even if he does go through with the purchase of the Detroit Pistons, Magic Johnson wants to make it clear his loyalties still lie with the Lakers. But, the opportunity to be the majority owner of an NBA franchise rarely presents itself.

Obama remains confident in Democrats' chances

2010-08-20T06:01:00.000-07:00

By David Maffa
TBT: The Magazine Political Writer

Even with all the negative press surrounding him, President Obama remains confident in the Democrats' chances. The first mid-term election year of the Obama presidency is already here. In an effort to get back in office, the GOP has resorted to dirty tatics. With everything falling apart here recently, things are not looking good for the Dems.

For their own political standings, several Democrat office holders are distancing themselves from Obama. With the party seemingly in turmoil, Obama redirects them to the problems with the Republicans. They can point out all the problems, but have yet to provide one solution. Meanwhile, the Democrats have had all the ideas.

President Obama has pointed all of this out time and time again of how they are using scare tactics and childhood antics to block progress. Because the GOP is in a large mess and the Democrats are actually doing fairly well, the president is urging all of his party members to maintain a clear head. Right now, the media is telling the people the Democrats are in trouble in order to rattle the Democrats. Things are finally getting on track for the Dems and Obama does not want a little bit of media scrutiny to get in the way of this.

Artur Davis refuses to campaign for Ron Sparks

2010-08-20T05:38:00.000-07:00

By Jeffrey Williams
TBT: The Magazine Political Writer

Following the Barack Obama story, another black politician, who attended Harvard University with Obama, had plans of a similar story. Congressman Artur Davis had been very successful as a Democrat in Alabama. His run of success came during a long Republican run in the state. Davis thought he could adapt Obama's gameplan and win the state.

Upon discovering him, the media had a field day with Artur Davis. His approval rating was high because he represented the Seventh Congressional District of Alabama. The district covered Birmingham, a predominately-black city. With the black vote in his back pocket, Davis sought to win over the conservative white base.

Last summer, Davis made a lot of noise when he went against the president on the Health Care Reform bill. His defiance earned him several conservative endorsements and a great number of Republicans were interested in the message of Artur Davis. Initially a moderate Democrat to begin with, Davis became more and more of a Republican. The change in political views in order to win an office turned off his Seventh district base and they turned to Ron Sparks. Seemingly having no chance against Davis, Sparks chipped away until the race was very close. A bitter political fight played out between the two and Sparks won because he out-blacked Davis.

Now the odd-man-out, Artur Davis is not governor and has no chance of ever winning political office within the state of Alabama again. Still, Davis is the representative of the Seventh Congressional District and there is a bit of influence he still holds. Recently, the congressman was asked if he would come out and endorse his former rival. Apparently holding on to the bitter loss, Artur Davis said he would not endorse Ron Sparks and would not support the campaign in any other way.

Obama blasts GOP for blocking Small Business

2010-08-20T05:29:00.000-07:00

By Arthur Shaffer
TBT: The Magazine Contributor

President Obama made a lot of promises when he was campaigning for the presidency. When America was at its lowest, they needed a hero. For a short period of time, Barack Obama was this hero. But, after he actually got into office, his record approval rating was dropped with the help of media outlets, such as Fox News.

Ever since he got into the White House, the media has done all they can to make Obama's accomplishments seem like mistakes. If that has not been enough, the GOP's mistakes, such as offshore drilling, have now become problems created by Obama. The initial promise of Barack Obama was to help out the small businesses and he still plans to do so.

While the media often reports of each mistake Barack Obama makes while trying to pull the nation out of its worst economy since The Great Depression, they never tell of how the GOP is a staunch supporter of big business. The GOP's support of big business comes at the expense of the middle class and small businesses. Barack Obama promised to change this, but in order to change these problems, he needs cooperation. Cooperation is something he is not getting from the GOP and he has put them all on blast. For the past few months, he has tried to play nice, but after the oil mess, the gloves are off.

Due to their love of big business, the GOP has blocked the plans President Obama has for the small businesses.

LeBron James continues back-and-forth with Dan Gilbert

2010-08-20T05:20:00.000-07:00

By Thomas Schull
TBT: The Magazine Contributor

Early last month, LeBron James shocked the world when he decided to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers for the new-and-improved Miami Heat. The Heat had just landed Chris Bosh and re-signed Dwyane Wade. Poised, on paper, to dominate the East, James made the move best for him.

As far as his legacy goes, such stars as Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, and Scottie Pippen feel it is shot. But, peers such as Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh are focusing on the right now. Coming as a surprise to many, Dan Gilbert, the owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers started an anti-LeBron campaign.

Fans across Cleveland went from loving James to hating James and recently he revealed he hates them too. Growing up only a few miles outside of Cleveland, LeBron James went to school with children from Cleveland and he said they rubbed it in the face of him and his friends that they lived in the city. Because of the constant teasing, James said he and his friends grew up hating Cleveland.

Even now, he said there are still people in Cleveland that he hates. While not mentioning names, Dan Gilbert has been the most-vocal person in Cleveland going against LeBron James. Even with all he had done for James in his time as majority-owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James has every right to hate him because he has led this hate-campaign against him. With the preseason set to start in less than a month, the focus is quickly going to shift from the Miami Heat's domination to each team focusing on their own championship aspirations.

President Obama pushes for Small Business aid

2010-07-28T13:49:00.000-07:00

By Timothy Woods
TBT: The Magazine Contributing Writer

Since he landed the highest office in the world, Barack Obama has been pushed in many different directions. He has done his best to fix the problems of the world and things have turned out well, for the most part. One aspect of the everyday life he has yet to focus on is small business.

Among other things, small business was hit pretty hard by the economic recession. From the start, Obama promised he would find a way to help the small business owners. But, most of the people in Congress only look out for big business. Today, the president has started his latest fight.

When he first took office, President Obama reluctantly allowed Congress to pass a bill to bail out big businesses. He has wanted to help small business owners out ever since he first took office. Now, after the mess with BP, the pressure is on Obama to bail out the small businesspeople who have been neglected for the past ten years. He is only able to do a little bit without the help of Congress, but Obama is pressing them for a bill to benefit small businesses.

Terrell Owens signs with Bengals

2010-07-28T13:41:00.000-07:00

By Anthony Davis
TBT: The Magazine Contributing Writer

When the Buffalo Bills revealed they would not be re-signing superstar, Terrell Owens, Chad Ochocinco rallied for him to join him with the Cincinatti Bengals. Owens was open to the idea, mainly because he was such good friends with Ochocinco. The organization, on the other hand, was not ready to make a committment with Terrell Owens.

For the second consecutive summer, Terrell Owens was on the market until late. Last year, Owens was a long shot when he ended up with the Bills. After each team in the NFL turned the former fixture of the league down, it appeared he was headed into retirement. Despite his age, Owens felt he had more left in the tank and he did not give up.

Switching gears, Terrell Owens began focusing on his reality show with VH1. Chad Ochocinco, fresh off the hit ABC series, "Dancing with the Stars," joined him. With the two NFL stars bringing in solid numers for VH1, the Bengals decided to reconsider Owens. Following another meeting with the team, Cincinnati decided to take a risk on the 37-year-old wide reciever and they signed him to a 1-year deal worth $2 million.

Rangel faces House Ethics Committee

2010-07-23T08:30:00.000-07:00

By Jeannette Davis
TBT: The Magazine Staff Writer

After being caught up in corruption charges and forced to step down as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, the House is ready to deal with Charlie Rangel. The House has appointed an eight member subcommittee to investigate wrongdoings by Rangel.

Ironically, over forty years ago, when Rangel first ran for office, he fought corruption. The incumbent had gotten comfortable in his position. Rangel used this against him and won. Decades later, he has become the monster he set out to destroy.

Even with everything against him, Charlie Rangel is still running for re-election. In November, the general election will be held and he will likely be without a job. Despite the evidence against him, the congressman is ready to proclaim his innocence.

Charlie Rangel said he cannot wait to prove his innocence to the people who have been by his side for the past forty years he has been in office. Despite everything going on, Rangel has not faced any direct charges against him. Rangel has admitted to some of the allegations, but hopes the controversy will die down before the September primary elections. Sensing weakness, a Democratic challenger has risen to compete for the seat Rangel has held for forty years.

A formal hearing will be a trial-like session involving formal charges with lawyers for the House acting as prosecutors and Rangel's lawyers defending him.

Unemployment Bill passed by House on to Obama

2010-07-23T07:57:00.000-07:00

By Jeannette Davis
TBT: The Magazine Staff Writer

With unemployment at its highest in decades, all eyes are on President Obama to do something to get the people of the United States working again. Due to the still-sluggish economy, many companies cannot afford to hire many new employees. The president has offered temporary government jobs to people, but they are not considered true jobs. Obama tried to make the best out of a horrible situation when he offered jobs to people to help in the Gulf Coast.

In an effort to have something long-term for the American people, President Obama got to work on his unemployment bill. From the start of his presidency, Obama had plans of reforming everything wrong with the nation, at the time. After getting Health Care Reform, Wall Street Reform, and Immigration Reform, Obama moved on to tackle unemployment. The GOP had devised a plan of blocking each bill the president offered, but after he stood his ground, the focus has been on bettering America.

The Republicans do not want to extend the bill until it is paid off. They said there is no question of America being able to pay the expenses, instead it is the Democrats not wanting to pay it first. Despite GOP opposition, the bill was passed by the Senate and the House and it will be sent to the White House for the president to look over. It is expected of President Obama to quickly pass the bill.

Tech Talk: Show #1 - Going Paperless before Hurricane Season.veg.avi

2010-07-20T19:13:00.000-07:00

Philadelphia girl helped by President Obama

2010-07-20T18:32:00.000-07:00

By Jeannette Davis
TBT: The Magazine Contributing Writer

Bullying has been a problem for years as children play their games in schoolyards across the nation. Children find different ways to solve their bullying problems. However, no girl has gone to the measures of Philadelphia fifth grader, Ziainey Stokes. For as long as she has been in school, Stokes has been bullied and she had enough. Instead of turning to a parent, teacher, or adult figure, she decided to write a letter to the president back in January.

Surprisingly, President Obama got back with her. Ziainey Stokes was tired of being bullied and she took her problem to the highest office. In the letter, Stokes wrote of how she has been bullied for years. Ever since he first entered politics, Barack Obama has represented the underdogs. Even after his landslide victory and his role as the first African-American president in United States history, President Obama has been bullied. The media bullies him each day, so he sympathizes with Stokes.

In March, Stokes recieved her response from the president. After realizing she had recieved a hand-written letter from President Obama, 11-year-old Ziainey said she wanted to cry. Because she was in a public place, she held on to her tears. Obama started the letter off by thanking Stokes for telling him about the problem. He went on to credit her as a hero for trying to change a situation which has had an impact on America since the nation was first established.

Obama told Stokes she deserved to go to school in an environment that was safe and where she felt welcome, as the other students do. The president suggested she create an organization to fight bullying across the nation. Due to the influential words from President Obama, Ziainey Stokes decided to take the advice from the president and start her own group. Currently, Stokes is working on her own organization, No Child should be Bullied.

While all of this was going on, Stokes' mother, Zina, had no idea what had been going on for so many years and was surprised her daughter reached out to the president. She was glad her daughter took the non-violent route so many other bullied students take and created an organization to stop this from happening.

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