By Michael H. Cottman
Say one thing about John McCain: He's got nerve.
One day after the Republican presidential candidate sparked controversy by saying Democrat Barack Obama "played the race card," McCain stood before members of the National Urban League in Orlando and told a room packed with African Americans that Obama lacks substance.
"If there's one thing he always delivers, it's a great speech," McCain said. "But I hope you'll listen carefully, because his ideas are not always as impressive as his rhetoric."
The conservative from Arizona received a cool but cordial reception from a crowd clearly eager to hear from Obama a day later.
McCain, who is trailing Obama in most major polls, may not have overwhelming support from black Americans, but that didn't stop him from speaking to those who are not a part of his traditional base and will probably not vote for him no matter what he told them.
But McCain had nothing to lose. In November, Obama will garner most of the black vote; nobody is debating this point. There are, however, some black conservative members of the National Urban League and who will support McCain, but it's a game of numbers.
Are there enough black Republicans in America to help put McCain over the top? Probably not. There weren't even enough black conservatives who wanted to publicly support McCain in Orlando.
Democrats tell me that because McCain is behind in the polls and lacks the charisma to attract throngs of voters to his rallies, he must go negative. This is why Democrats say McCain released a new television ad comparing Obama to Britney Spears and Paris Hilton -- celebrities with no substance -- and taking a swipe at Obama's appeal to attact 200,000 people to a rally in Germany.
Then the McCain camp accused Obama of introducing racial politics into the campaign.
On the campaign trail, in Missouri, Obama told audiences that his opponent is trying to make voters "scared" of him because he doesn't look like past presidents -- an apparent reference to being black -- has a "funny name" and "doesn't look like all those other presidents on the dollar bills."
McCain campaign manager Rick Davis said Obama's remarks were "divisive, negative, shameful and wrong."
Obama explained his thinking.
"I was in Union, Missouri, which is 98 percent white -- a rural, conservative [city]. And what I said was what I think everybody knows, which is that I don't look like I came out of central casting when it comes to presidential candidates," he said in an interview with Florida's St. Petersburg Times.
"There was nobody there who thought at all that I was trying to inject race in this. What this has become, I think, is a typical pattern from the McCain campaign, whether it's Paris Hilton or Britney or this phony allegation that I wouldn't visit troops. They seem to be focused on a negative campaign. What I think our campaign wants to do is focus on the issues that matter to American families."
Simply put, Obama introduced racial politics into the presidential campaign just by running for office.
This month, at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Obama will become America's first black presidential nominee and could win the White House in November and become the nation's first black president. It can't be ignored. It is what it is.
Even some Republicans have scolded McCain for his "childish" television ad featuring Spears and Hilton. And in the discussion of racial politics, many black voters are still asking why McCain voted against a federal holiday honoring civil rights leader the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
Although McCain has said he was wrong to vote against the legislation, some black voters want a more deeper understanding of why McCain was so resistant against a day to officially honor a man who stood for peace.
With the November election fast approaching, here's a chance for McCain to impress the black electorate with his rhetoric and show there is substance in his message beyond talk of being a war hero.
Comments
Airline RACIAL Profiling Attack-McCain Affiliates Targetting Us!
THE RACE CARD? RACISM IS WHY MY FAMILY AND I ARE UNDER ATTACK - * HERE IN CANADA *AND MY ASSOCIATES OF MCCAIN(no this is not a hoax WE ARE IN DANGER! Please read on!)
www.aaronjamesstory.com
![]()
http://aaronjamesstory.com/IMAGES/NWAProfilingAttackBanner.JPG
Covert and illegal juncture of U.S. and Canadian government, the U.S. is attempting to effect the murders of my mother and I our our kidnapping to the U.S./ torture in retaliation for our exposure of Minneapolis's racial profiling attack upon us-Canadian citizens- on our 3 day trip to the United States in seek of medical consult at the Mayo Clinic. (21blacks:1 white imprisoned in MN Council on Crime and Justice declares Hennepin judiciary corrupt with "collusion between prosecution and judges to effect of targeting victims of police brutality blacks and the poor."
Legal Attachments For this Document are on my server
***Corroboration: Roch Tasse International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group Rocht(at)iclmg(dot)ca ph: 613 241 5298;
Lesley Hughes Canadian Dimension Magazine e:lesleyhughescanada(at)yahoo(dot)om
; Our attorney Adam Masiowski Pinx Law 204 949 1700 ext 3.
Confirmation Minneapolis Police Brutality/Corruption Michelle Gross mgresist(at)minn(dot)net head of Communities United Against Police Brutality in Minneapolis, and recently attacked at RNC Aug 29/08 at Convergence Center by MN Police.
I was left in a pool of blood and we have been placed through extra-judicial persecution by FBI and related factions for having spoken out.
We are exposing the covert mechanisms of oppression of the people and particularly of the black people of the U.S. after my mother and I were attacked in Jan 18/06. Now 3 years later and 14 attempts upon our lives here in Canada (U.S. contracting foreign agencies locally here in Canada to effect covert operations/attempts upon our lives) we are still speaking out.
www(dot)aaronjamesstory(dot)com RE ABDUCTION ATTEMPTS TO UNITED STATES ON BEHALF OF MINNEAPOLIS KKK AFFILIATED POLICE Family Friends Associates terrorized now 3 years ongoing after U.S. Northwest Airlines profiling Attack by Minneapolis Police recent attempts at kidnapping and abduction by criminally charged Winnipeg Police in Canada
Legal Attachments For this Document are on my server
***We have received threats directly from FBI
including those from agent Steven Davis who claims close association with current Senator nominee John McCain "Mc Cain is a very good friend of mine" in addition to having placed us on FBI.gov. We are living under FBI/U.S. Faction tyranny and terror.
***Corroboration: Roch Tasse International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group Rocht(at)iclmg(dot)ca ph: 613 241 5298;
Lesley Hughes Canadian Dimension Magazine e: lesleyhughescanada(at)yahoo(dot)com; Our attorney Adam Masiowski Pinx Law 204 949 1700 ext 3.
Confirmation Minneapolis Police Brutality/Corruption Michelle Gross mgresist(at)minn(dot)net head of Communities United Against Police Brutality in Minneapolis, and recently attacked at RNC Aug 29/08 at Convergence Center by MN Police.
LINDA JAMES (ON BEHALF OF Aaron James)
HOME: 204-889-9134
OFFICE: 204-632-5598 FAX: 204-889-9134 (home phone/fax)
ON BEHALF OF: AARON JAMES 204-477-6497
#2 – 390 STRADBROOK AVE., WPG MB R3L 0J8
DATE: July 28,2008
TO FAX #: 948-1014
FAX TO: The Law Enforcement Review Agency (LERA)
# 420-155 Carlton Street, Winnipeg, MB
Attention: George Wright, Commissioner (945-8696)
C/O Marnie Walker (945-8667)
NO. PAGES: 23
SUBJECT: Urgent Complaint Report Concerning Illegal
Conduct by Winnipeg Police Officers, Putting
Aaron James (my son) at Serious Risk
This is a desperately urgent situation, as the illegal police activity is on-going, and my son, Aaron James, is at serious risk. He no longer feels safe in his home, and, is unable to be outside his home unless accompanied by a friend, or a family member, to act as a deterring witness, to ensure his safety.
I am faxing you three separate documents which explain Aaron's and my situation in detail. If clarification, or further information is required, you may contact me at the above numbers. You may also contact our lawyer, Adam Masiowski of Pinx and Co. (949-3749).
I will begin with the events of October 27,2007, after which there have been numerous subsequent events, the most recent having taken place in July of 2008:
On October 27,2007, approximately 8 to 10 Winnipeg Police officers went to my son Aaron James's home, and:
** With no warrant, and no grounds, they illegally apprehended him, with guns drawn, after he opened his apartment door, due to their threats to break it down if he did not.
Aaron James, LERA Cover Letter – Page 2
They told him through the door, that they had left their warrant at the station, however, he overheard one of the officers remark to the others "We can go back to the station and write something up ourselves and sign it ourselves, if necessary. It later was revealed that there was no warrant. They knew from the outset that they had no legal grounds to do what they were doing……something which they admitted to only 10 or 11 hours later!
** With no warrant, and no grounds, they illegally detained Aaron for a period of 10 to 11 hours, withholding all meals.
** With no warrant, and no grounds, they illegally entered his home, and performed an extensive illegal search of his premises. While he was illegally detained, they also made copies of his apartment keys, as we initially suspected and as was later confirmed to us as matters unfolded.
** With no warrant, and no grounds, they carried out an illegal seizure of a number of Aaron's legally owned personal belongings.
** While illegally detaining Aaron, the officers made numerous, repeated threats to arrange for Aaron's illegal abduction from Canada to the U.S.A., by way of handing him over to the Minneapolis, MN Police. They were, in fact, forestalled from doing this at that time, because of the fact that I went to the "Public Safety Building" in the company of our journalist, Lesley Hughes, whereupon, the officer at the desk voluntarily and spontaneously assured us that they had no intention of sending Aaron to Minneapolis, without our having raised the subject ourselves at all! (This was duly noted by our journalist.)
** Having illegally seized Aaron's possessions during their traumatizing actions of October 27,2007, the police proceeded to forward those illegally taken belongings to the Minneapolis Police Force. (This fact was later revealed to our lawyer, Adam Masiowski, by a Winnipeg Police officer, reading from their files, when he (Adam) attended the "Public Safety Building", with Aaron's signed consent form in hand, on the afternoon of December 21,2007, to make enquiries.)
** Shortly after having illegally seized Aaron's possessions, the Winnipeg Police filed for a Disposition Hearing – if Aaron's belongings were deemed to be destroyed, the police would not have to admit in a Canadian court that they had sent those belongings to Minneapolis.
Aaron James, LERA Cover Letter – Page 3
** On December 7,2007, I retained Adam Masiowski with the intention of having the illegal police actions appropriately dealt with at the upcoming Disposition Hearing.
** The Winnipeg Police, for a period of over 7 weeks, declined to take or return our lawyer's calls, and continued to attempt to pursue Aaron instead, despite having had a signed consent form hand-delivered by Adam, to the "Public Safety Building" on December 21,2007.
** The Disposition Hearing has been, of necessity, repeatedly re-scheduled, as the police, and the crown, have been deliberately withholding the disclosure requested by our lawyer, to the point that the crown was reprimanded by the judge.
** On Thursday, May 22,2008, our lawyer was advised by the crown (Michelle Wiancko) that she, and the officers concerned, were apprehensive about the illegal police activity being revealed in the courtroom, especially given that one or more of the officers involved (Sushnyk for certain) are already facing charges of being unlawfully in a dwelling place. The crown said that she was therefore authorized to make Aaron an offer: If Aaron would agree not to pursue the matter further in court, and would sign a document agreeing not to own guns for two years (he has never owned guns!) they would be willing to drop the entire matter of the Disposition Hearing.
** The offer was declined – we want the traumatizing, illegal police activity to come under a judge's inspection.
** The Dispensation Hearing is now scheduled for Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008.
** IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER, AT THIS POINT, THAT AARON IS NOT FACING ANY CHARGES WHATSOEVER, AT THE UPCOMING HEARING, OR OTHERWISE, IN CANADA.
************************************************************We expected that this should be the end of the matter until the September 3rd Disposition Hearing, however, the Winnipeg Police Officers, whose illegal activity is to be exposed in the courtroom, have decided again to take matters into their own hands, and Aaron is seriously at risk, and in great danger!
Aaron James, LERA Cover Letter – Page 4
The Winnipeg Police officers in question have resumed their attempts to apprehend Aaron illegally, to assist U.S. authorities in kidnapping him and illegally transporting him into the U.S.A., their October 27th,2007 attempt having been thwarted by the Journalist, Lesley Hughes, and myself, at that time!………
On Saturday, July 5,2008, (10:50 A.M.) Aaron called me in alarm, stating that the police were back at his door (see our faxed account of this). They hid in the back lane as I approached by taxi (this confirms our suspicions that our cell phones are tapped), which is where I found them, and heard one of them exclaim in alarm: "And, there she is!!!"! Shortly after my arrival, the Winnipeg Police officers fled the scene!
On Wednesday July 9th (7:20 P.M.) the police came back, and fled the scene before I could catch them this time, after Aaron called me on his cell phone.
On Thursday July 10th (8:00 A.M.) The officers came back yet again. This time, they attempted to deceive Aaron into opening his door, by actually mimicking the special knock pattern which I always use when I knock at Aaron's door!!!!
This is significant – I have used this knock pattern for years when I arrive at Aaron's home. He lives in an apartment building, so, the knock pattern is only heard if you have a way of hearing what is going on inside the building!
THE ONLY WAY THAT THEY COULD POSSIBLY KNOW TO USE THAT KNOCK PATTERN TO DECEIVE AARON INTO THINKING THAT I WAS AT HIS DOOR, IS IF THEY EITHER HAVE A LISTENING DEVICE ILLEGALLY PLACED SOMEWHERE IN THE HALLWAY, OR, IF THEY HAVE HEARD THE KNOCK PATTERN THROUGH OUR TAPPED CELL PHONES!!!
Aaron telephoned me, instead of going to the door, and told mw what was taking place. I went immediately to his apartment, but again, they fled before I arrived on the scene, after he placed his call to me.
These police officers are not acting within the law, or in any official capacity, as has been confirmed by our lawyer,
Aaron James, LERA Cover Letter – Page 5
who has been told, repeatedly, that the Winnipeg Police have nothing on their books which would require them to be looking for Aaron James.
This police activity is clearly intended to facilitate Aaron's illegal kidnapping to the U.S.A, an intention which they repeatedly stated to Aaron on Saturday, October 27,2007 – an intention completely supported by the fact that our lawyer has already been advised by an officer at the "Public Safety Building" that Aaron's illegally seized possessions had been sent to the Minneapolis Police!!!
IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE NO LEGAL GROUNDS ON WHICH TO ACT TO EXTRADITE AARON TO THE U.S.A.
(Details are included in the documents which I am faxing.)
THE WINNIPEG POLICE OFFICERS' ACTIONS ARE ILLEGAL, AND ARE IN VIOLATION OF CANADIAN LAW. AS SUCH, THEIR ACTIONS ARE OVERTLY CRIMINAL IN NATURE.
AARON REQUIRES IMMEDIATE, EFFECTIVE PROTECTION FROM THIS ILLEGAL AND CRIMINAL ACTIVITY!
I am faxing you the following documents, as well as this five-page cover letter:
*** U.S.A. States That The Kidnapping of Citizens of Other
Countries is Acceptable under U.S. Law
(From the Sunday Times, in Britain)
*** WINNIPEG POLICE: ILLEGAL DETENTION, REPEATED THREATS,
AND ATTEMPTS TO KIDNAP AARON JAMES, AND TO HAND HIM OVER
TO THE MINNEAPOLIS POLICE
*** THE ABDUCTION ATTEMPT ACCOUNT FROM SATURDAY, JULY 5,2008
(forwarded to me by Aaron, by e-mail.)
It is urgent that measures be taken to deal with this matter, before anything further takes place.
Thank you very much for reviewing these documents. I look forward to hearing from you as soon as possible.
Yours truly,
Linda James
Oct 1/08 ago I did a taped show with We The People Radio network Michael Herzog- go to WTNRN.org TO FIND IT- outed CIA agent Barbera Hartwell was also a guest on the show and called in to speak with Michael and I having heard of our ordeal.
***FBI agent Steven Davis has sent threats to our family including boasts about current presidential nominee John McCain, being "a very good friend of (his)" while threatening that FBI and U.S. Marshal Kelly Meutschler are "eagerly seeking (my) rendition to the U.S."
FBI Co-Intel Pro Division is notorious for their attacks upon the Black Panther Party, and the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Malcolm X. and Fred Hampton. We have had occasion to speak briefly with Fred Hampton Junior and Pam Africa of MOVE in Philadelphia.
To contact us:
Aaron James e resist1000(at)usa(dot)com Linda James lindajames(at)mts(dot)net We are now living in terror.
***We have received threats directly from FBI
including those from agent Steven Davis who claims close association with current Senator nominee John McCain "Mc Cain is a very good friend of mine" in addition to having placed us on FBI.gov. We are living under FBI/U.S. Faction tyranny and terror.