Here are six people or groups of people who paved the way for the Obamas during my lifetime. I’m 29, so this is post-MLK era. This list was also not created to exclude anybody, but instead to celebrate some of my personal choices:

6. Tiger Woods -

One of the first multiracial celebrities who transcended race. He’s the most popular golfer by far despite golf being the most lily-white sport we have.

5. Will Smith -

He’s the first black actor to become Hollywood’s biggest star. The fact that he’s had a record eight $100 box office-grossing movies in a row proves that.

4. Michael Jordan -

As a kid, growing up in Springfield, MO, a Southern MO town, Michael Jordan was the most popular athlete by far. There were more Air Jordans floating around my grade school than Bart Simpson T-Shirts. He achieved mainstream acceptance among whites like no athlete before him.

3. Oprah Winfrey -

Without Oprah Winfrey, I don’t think either Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton would have made this far. No question about it in my mind.

2. Jesse Jackson -

What he did in 1988 built the foundation for BHO’s historic campaign. Period.

1. The Huxtables -

After seeing Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha on stage talking to their father over the TV, I couldn’t help think about the Huxtables. If the barrier is broken, and the Obamas move into the White House, Bill Cosby and the rest of the show deserve some credit for putting some cracks in that glass celing. For a lot of white families, the Cosbys proved that a black family could be just as American as the Cleavers or the Seavers. Without Phylicia Rashād’s Clair–who was also a lawyer, and devoted mother and wife on the show–a lot of America would not be open to Michelle (and not all of America is–yet!). I also couldn’t help thinking of little Rudy Huxtable when Sasha blurted out, “hi, daddy!” I’m guessing I wasn’t the only one.

Today at a star-studded rally for Barack Obama that took place in Los Angeles, one star on that stage outshined all of the others. It wasn’t Ah-nold’s wife Maria Shriver, or her cousin Carroline Kennedy. They were both fantastic, by the way. It wasn’t Oprah Winfrey — who might actually have a future in politics with speeches like the one she made. It wasn’t even the one and only Stevie Wonder.

The star who shined the brightest was Michelle Obama.

Sure, I’m biased. I’ve been bragging about Michelle for months, even years. I’ve long said she has the strength that Democrats often relate to Hillary Clinton, and the grace that Republicans often relate to Nancy Reagan. The fact that I went to see Barack in St. Louis yesterday but am talking about Michelle instead says something. Barack was fantastic, but even I have never heard Michelle like I did today. There’s no doubt about it — she has the potential to be one of our finest First Lady’s. Now others are starting to see that too.

I managed to get my mom to watch the rally on CSPAN today. She’s essentially a lifelong Republican. I’ve been trying to get her to vote against Hillary (she hates her), or even for Obama. She watched the entire thing, and came away amazed. She even went as far as to say that Michelle “could potentially be the greatest First Lady ever.” My mom lived through Barbara, Jackie O, Lady Bird and Nancy, and also knows a considerable deal about other powerhouses such as Eleanor Roosevelt. Yeah, that statement totally blew me away.

If the Clintons are a co-ticket, then so are the Obamas.

Continue Reading »

• The L.A. Times makes it’s first presidential endorsement since ‘72 — it’s Obama.

• Oprah is goin’ back to Cali. You’re the shit, Oprah.

• The post-Edwards race is a tie, according to Rasmussen.

• MoveOn.org — which I’m proudly a member of — endrosed its first ever presidential candidate today. Yep, Obama.

• Bill Richardson didn’t endorse Obama before Super Tuesday, but at least he didn’t endorse Clinton.

• But could a possible Gore endorsement be on the way?