As well discussed in this diary "Cone of Silence",  Rev. Rick Warren is to appear on Larry King tonight and if the interview he gave to Beliefnet and OneNewsNow over the weekend is any indication of what the conversation will be like.
 
As you may recall Rev. Warren professed before the forum with Sen Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain that he was not just interested in playing "gotcha."

Often as adults we should let the children speak because they have shown time and time again they are smarter than we are. There is a new video from Brave New Films.

I hope that you enjoy the wisdom of these children as much as I did!

Eagles football player Shawn Andrews had not been to training camp and it sparked all kinds of speculation. Some fans surmised he was holding out for more money and others assumed that it must be a problem with drugs, or he was lazy, too fat or a holdout. The true reason for the holdout was one that had not arisen as a possibility. Shawn was being assessed a fine of $15,000 per day for his absence.

Shawn decided the best course of action was to make an announcement about why he had not attended football camp and it was a courageous move. Shawn Andrews is a professional black athlete.  What's the big deal you ask?

Shawn Andrews came forward to announce that he was battling depression.

I love Mad Men! There, I said it.

I am able to watch Mad Men from a distance, today 2008...as a black female who does so under my own terms and yet I am still intrigued not knowing what will happen next to the characters.  How they will adjust to the turbulence that is just waiting to erupt in the sixties!

According to the shows creator Matt Weiner, "Mad Men uses the overtly sexist and racist atmosphere of a 1960 New York advertising office to talk about persisting issues that we're too "polite" to talk about openly."

This is a re-creation, not to be confused with the stupidity of the real circumstance!

Dear John,

What kind of woman do you think I am? You come around here talking about how you understand me.  You lie right to my face John. You tell me what you think I want to hear. Or you conveniently leave out part of the truth.  Then you give me that grin of yours and think everything is ok.  Well it's not ok John!  Bragging about how all your buddies call you the "Maverick" because you are a different kind of guy. Yeah and all that stuff you whispered about how you will be fair to me! Puhleaze! Do not go there!  

One of the pleasures of reading diaries on DailyKos are the biographies. There are so many lessons to be revealed from another. And born 90 years ago on July 18th the man known as former  prisoner #46664 and  ANC President. Happy~Birthday President Mandela!  

Words of wisdom were shared with Richard Stengel of Time with Mandela: His 8 Lessons of Leadership recently.

Well John McCain may have to swallow his great idea of a commercial.

What is so remarkable is the young lady in the advertisement appears to black.I will not ask why she was there but I will congratulate her on asking the question as captured in the NY TimesMcCain Says He Is Proud of ‘Celebrity’ Ad

Mr. McCain – who has not taken questions from his traveling press in a week – made the remarks after a young woman at a town-hall-style meeting here asked him if he had "flip-flopped" from his earlier pledge to refrain from mudslinging. She asked specifically asked about the new Britney Spears commercial. "I was like, Oh-Kayyyy,’’ she said of the ad, stretching out the word, apparently to indicate skepticism.

"Campaigns are tough, but I’m proud of the campaign we’ve run,’’ said Mr. McCain, whose campaign has broadcast a series of negative ads about Mr. Obama.

"All I can say is we’re proud of that commercial,’’ he said.

 The DNC has presented it's response ad and I love it!!!

There has been an optimistic story about fighting HIV.  Like many I have heard so many previous optimistic declarations about trials, studies and cocktails.  However today, there is some promising information from Houston TX, Posted by Barbara Grijalva, KOLD News 13.

The virus that causes AIDS may have an Achilles heel, and Houston scientist think they've found it.

It could be a way to kill HIV.

The problem with finding a cure or a way to prevent infection is that the virus mutates, and medications quit working on it.

I do not know about you but I have been sorely in need of some New Rules and Real Time. I want to see some great guest and panel discussions.  I miss Bill and I am ready for his return on August 29th.

I wonder what Bill would have to say about the events of this past week? While Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert are doing a great job we need as many voices as possible to nail the Republicans on their b.s.

And boy am I sorry that Dave Chappelle left his show, one can only imagine how funny he would have been during this political season. Dave, it's not too late Comedy Central would take you back in a heartbeat! But I'm getting off topic here...

Like many I watched the CNN documentary Black in America; however, this diary is not about the documentary.  I had been intrigued by the young man that was doing the intro and ads for the CNN special. His words were so effective, insightful and  I found some more info about him on the website his name is Jon Goode.

He already had my attention but I was even more curious when I read:

"Kids will be kids
but moms will be moms,
you can do what you did
and mom's gonna show you
right from wrong."

The media is attempting to derail the Obama candidacy by depicting Obama in the most unflattering terms they can find.  The coverage may be in the guise of defending an issue  or a direct attempt to be crtitical but it invariably includes negative or demeaning terms to define him.  The latest derogatory term that has been unearthed is "Oreo".

John MacLaughlin clearly understands that the term "Oreo" is not favorable to Sen. Barak Obama who is biracial and is campaigning to be President of the United States and for all Americans not just black and biracial people.