Country First, by Michael Davis

Michael Davis

Master Of The Universe, Lord Of All Media, Most Interesting Black Man In the World, Sexiest Man on Earth, Mentor, Writer, Artist, Producer & Uppity.

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47 Responses

  1. Chris Gumprich says:

    "When Obama wins (and he will) you can join him and make the country great again!"As someone with no say in this election (I'm Canadian, and we have our own problems), all I can do is hope that you are right. I'd really like to believe that Obama will win the election in a landslide… but then I also believed that Bush wouldn't see a second term.I watched as much of Palin's speech as I could stand (almost two minutes), and counted exactly three black faces in the crowd — one of whom I think might have been a security guard. I said to my wife "I wonder what Michael Davis would make of this?"(By the way, first time commenter, starting reading your columns a month ago, because I was a Milestone reader at the beginning and have always been interested in how the company came to be.)

    • Michael Davis says:

      Welcome Chris,One of my very best friends live in Canada. So-can either of you guys (Lovern I'm talking to you) give me some real estate tips? If McCains wins I'm moving to the great north.Eh?

      • Mike Gold says:

        I'll join you up there. Canada's a great place. Friendly people, wonderful weather, and their country doesn't turn on the whim of religious zealots like Book Burnin' Palin.

        • Chris Gumprich says:

          They may not be religious zealots, but we have our own brand of right-wing nutjobs in power.

      • Chris Gumprich says:

        Lovern and I would give you the same tips, as we live in the same city. Not sure you'd want to move up here, because if the Conservatives win a majority on October 14, we might as well be the 51st Republican state.If Obama wins, I might be moving down there!

  2. Tony Isabella says:

    I love you, man.

  3. Marc Alan Fishman says:

    A lovely set of thoughts, Mr. Davis. Yes, the days of Lincoln's party are long gone. As a native Chicagoan, whose parents worked on the south side of the city for well over 25 years, I took great offense to "the party of inclusion" over the last 4 days. They took pot shots at my city, and worse than that, they degraded community organizers. I read in a response to that recently that community programs (like the ones Barack worked for and lead) rise in defiance to government's that don't care for it's people!More than that, the right wing's message that they believe in "the strength of our spirit" and that with smaller government comes less taxes, and more money in our pocket. Yet, here we are, crippled by debt created from a war birthed without fact…. in a recession! What are we supposed to do… give them MORE power so we can be MORE in debt? It's amazing to me to hear them double speak. Ever watch a documentary or news story where they interview a neo-nazi or KKK member, and how they speak so passionately about their values, and how right they all look while they dole out their redderick? It feels an awful lot like that right now.I could probly match your anger stanza for stanza this morning, but suffice to say, your points well made, and agreed with 100% over here in Chi-Town. And to think DC is about to ask Superman if he's Red or Blue. Lucky for us, Batman wears black.

    • Mike Gold says:

      Marc — and Michael — I was a community organizer in Chicago, before Obama was. I even spent some time in and around Altgeld Gardens doing drug education work, mostly out of the area churches. So, yeah, I found Rudy 911's comments to be personally offensive.But I've found Rudy 911 to be offensive for well over a decade now.(Note: "911" TM Rudy Giuliani. His Rights Reserved.)

  4. Vinnie Bartilucci says:

    After the Democratic convention, Obama got a one-point rise in the polls. This is a surprise, because as a rule candidates get several points bump after their big speech, because most of the time that's the first time actually have a chance to hear what they have to say (and more importantly, how they say it and how cute they are).After this convention, the candidates are in a dead heat again, which means McCain and the VPILF also only got a point bump.In short, for the third election in a row, the American people are deadlocked. You couldn't get closer to a 50-50 election if people walked into the voting booth and were presented with a large coin. As hard as they've tried to find candidates that wold stir up the populace, people are apathetic.Should Obama lose, it won't be for any massive conspiracy (though a series of books will be published detailing the conspiracy – prople love that stuff), but because not enough people casred enough to make it happen. That Eddie Murphy movie where he gets elected to Congress (and the fact that I can't recall its title speaks volumes about its overall quality) had a GREAT plot idea. He runs in the district of a congressman who had recently died, Murphy's character using his middle name so he can run with the same name as the dead congressman. He wins because most people just remembered the name of the incumbent and voted for him. Brilliant.Then there's the scene in Chris Rock's "Head of State" where the entire populace of a (white) suburban town in California runs screaming out of their homes for the nearest polling place when the news reports we might have the first black President.Two of the finest bits of political satire I've seen in any recent films.

    • Russ Rogers says:

      The polls I saw had Obama and McCain in a statistical dead heat before the Democratic convention, with 45% to 45%. After the Democratic convention, I saw poll numbers of 49% Obama to 41% McCain. Some recent polls have put Obama up over 50% to McCain's 42%. Take a look at these stats: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/pres…They seem to show a statistical dead heat going into the Democratic Convention. Obama gets a significant bump from the Democrats convention. And then Obama takes a hit from the Republican convention but is sill maintaining a convincing lead. McCain and Palin did get a small bump from the Republican convention. But it's not anywhere near what the Democrats saw. Currently Obama and Biden seem to have a clear, statistical lead. Of course that means nothing come November. What matters is whose supporters show up to VOTE.

    • Michael Davis says:

      Vinnie-you do realize that most times when there is a Black President from Hollywood the world is about to come to the end or some such other disaster is upon us. Deep Impact and 24 come to mind. Another film where there is a Black President the entire population of the U.S becomes morons. I can't for the life of me think of the name but that's the plot so help me. There a few more but I'm on brain freeze.

      • Vinnie Bartilucci says:

        That would be "Idiocracy", with the magnificent Terry Crews. And the world is saved by a white guy – Luke Wilson no less. What a delightful observation. There's also The Fifth Element (Tiny Lister, another actor who never disappoints). But I wouldn't say James Earl Jones in "The Man" had a world about to go to pot.And let's not forget that in both cases on 24, the primary female associate of the black president would make Lady Macbeth seem like a Cub Scout den mother. Wow, talk about life imiitating art…

        • Mike Gold says:

          Idiocracy's a great movie — absolutely fantastic, with a moral and everything. I'm also quite a fan of Terry Crews.

      • Linda Gold says:

        "Idiocracy" is the film. It's by Mike Judge ("Bevis and Butthead", "King of the Hill") and if McCain gets elected I will know that it is a vision of the future.

    • Michael Davis says:

      BTW That Eddie Murphy movie where he gets elected to Congress is called 'The Distinguished Gentleman.' That movie was so bad it was good. I watch it whenever I catch it on cable.

  5. Russ Rogers says:

    The age of sexual consent in Alaska is 16. Nobody's going to jail. Bristol Palin's choice to have the baby is brave. But if Sarah Palin had her way, he own daughter wouldn't get that CHOICE. Sarah Palin doesn't believe women should have the right to make ANY choice, even in cases of rape, incest or where the mother's life was threatened carrying the fetus full term.Palin is a political huckster. She was for the Bridge to Nowhere before she was against it. She said, "No, thank you," to building the bridge, but Alaska has kept the money the Federal Government had already given Alaska for it.Karl Rove is a snake who engineered the push polls in 2000 that implied McCain had fathered a bastard black baby. Those lies, those personal and racist attacks on McCain's family are far worse than anything that has been leveled against Sarah or Bristol Palin. Cindy McCain hasn't forgiven Rove. But John McCain has found it politically expedient to bring in Rove as an advisor. Yeah, let the Advisor to Bush help with the "Change we can believe in." Real smart. Frankly, I can't believe it!Rove is a lying sack of shit. Treasonous scum. And McCain thinks he can put "America First" while getting into bed with that snake.Both parties are running on "CHANGE." Both parties realize this country desperately needs a change from this Republican President and his policies. Rove was a key advisor to Bush.Now McCain expects us to believe he can be the engineer of change while pulling people like Palin and Rove along side him to help change things. That's just bull shit.America needs change. I firmly believe we can change. Yes, we can. I'm on that train. USA! USA! USA!

    • mike weber says:

      Bristol Palin's choice to have the baby is brave.Well, it was certainly somebody's choice for Bristol to have the baby…

      • Russ Rogers says:

        Like I said, if Sarah Palin has her way, Bristol wouldn't get a choice.

        • John Tebbel says:

          That's right, in her world only the rich would have access to the family planning of their choice. The rest of us will have as many as G*d blesses us with. And if we can't afford them, their limited government will take them away to raise, lest poverty corrupt them.

    • Michael Davis says:

      Damn Russ, tell us how you really feel. With regards to the 'age' of consent. The family value demigods would have everyone wait until they are married (unless you are gay then you just have to WAIT, forever ) to have sex. The fact that this kid was 17 (and maybe 16 when she started to DO it) and unmarried proves my point that you cannot regulate morality. Even in a home which is STACKED in moral judgement. I'm not kidding when I say I feel so sorry for the kid who is the father. Did you see the look on that poor kids face? He looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there for all the world to see. WHO does that?Who puts two kids on display who are clearly ill at ease with the lime light. Let's assume (because I don't really know) that he did NOT want to be there. Does anyone think he would have been at the family Thanksgiving if his soon to be momma in law was not trying to be V.P.?Here's what I find really funny. They dragged these kids out to show unity and family but the two heads of the GOP family are NO WHERE to be seen. The President and Vice President. Do these people really think that the country is so damn stupid that they can hide those guys and we will forget them?

  6. Hannah says:

    You've pretty much said everything that's been on my mind. ESP?

  7. Carmen says:

    …..you can get on the train or get out of the way.Well you don't have to tell me something twice. I for one am not getting on the Republican train and I will for sure be getting out of the way….all the way to my polling place to vote for Obama. This is my only chance to tell the Republicans how I feel about the past eight years they have been in office. I excercise my right to vote and vote I will in November (vote to elect Obama as our President).Michael thank you for such a well written …tell it like it is article. You may not think of yourself as a hero but I think you are HERO.

    • Michael Davis says:

      'You may not think of yourself as a hero but I think you are HERO.'Thanks Carmen, that means a lot to me. (insert something funny here)

  8. Tatiana says:

    "At the GOP convention Rudy Giuliani said that Barack Obama is the most inexperienced candidate in the last 100 years. That's debatable, but let's say he's right. He also said that Obama has never run anything. He also made light of Obama's inner city work as a community organizer."The GOP making light of Obama's work as a community organizer really upsets me. As an avid volunteer in community organizations for the past 20 years of my young existence, I have seen first hand how change can be effected in the working community. The same working community that the GOP says "elitist Obama" is out of touch with. President Clinton embraced the power of social change in a big way with his book "GIVING: How Each of Us Can Change the World."

    • Elayne Riggs says:

      Tatiana, someone on one or another of the blogs noted that "Jesus was a community organizer; Pilate was a government official."

      • Vinnie Bartilucci says:

        Not a fair comparison…his dad got him the job.And no, you did not just compare, Barack Obama and Jesus Christ. Again.

    • Michael Davis says:

      'As an avid volunteer in community organizations for the past 20 years of my young existence…' Show off!! That's funny, I've been volunteering for 20 years also. Since I was 2.

  9. Russ Rogers says:

    Barak Obama was the President of the Harvard Law Review in 1990. That made him editor in chief of a staff of more than 80 editors. I would call President of the Harvard Law Review a bit or prestigious, executive experience. I wonder what Mike Gold thinks of that credential for Obama. Would managing a staff of 80+ editors be a difficult executive challenge?Obama graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law in 1991. McCain graduated from the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1958. Another prestigious school. But McCain graduated 894 out of 899! That's in the bottom one percent! I don't think of myself as an elitist. But seriously, the bottom ONE percent of his class? What is the Latin term for "the bottom of the barrel"? That's magna cum nada.Oh well, that's the grade I would give Bush for the last seven-plus years in the White House: magna cum nada.

    • Vinnie Bartilucci says:

      Do you know what you call a man who graduates top of his class at Annapolis? "Sir".Do you know what you call a man who graduates LAST in his class at Annapolis? "Sir".All of this posturing about experience is really a load of dingo's kidneys. Just about the only thing I would consider as being even CLOSE to "real" experience for being President is being Vice-President. Everybody else is just looking at the job, and trying to find a way to apply the skills they have to the job.To a great degree, the role of President is a figurehead. They sign or veto laws (which can be passed anyway by congress or overturned by the courts), but a great odeal of the job is delegated to others. Selected properly, a Cabinet can allow a President to go through his term not doing that much at all (That set up is a gift to all of you – go nuts)The primary job of the President (IMHO) is to be the public face of the country. Like the Statue of the Unknown Norwegian in Lake Wobegon, he's the person that you look to to get a feel for how the country is going. A charasmatic person with a positive outlook for the country is going to get a different reaction than a shrill whiner who spends great amounts of time sayting how BAD the country is. So based solely on that, I do think Obama would make a better President, since he is undeniably charismatic and inspires hope.But the real work of the government is done by the congress and the President's cabinet. Ideally, they should all work together, but since everyone's more interested in scoring points (so they can be re-elected) than they are in getting stuff done, not a lot really gets done. The recent Bush years notwithstanding (War tends to change the rules a tad), I believe the Republican/conservative fiscal model (smaller government, less taxes, less controls on business) results in more prosperity than the Democratic model. I don't know ANYONE who's suggesting getting rid of Welfare or Medicare, completely privatizing Social Security or any of the things Democrats love to claim. (For the record, I'm more liberal on social issues, which technically makes me a Libertarian, but I prefer to call myself a Republican because I'd rather be associated with a party that stands a 50-50 shot at winning)The best solution is usually a bit of both systems, but that's not going to happen any time soon, because both sides are too worried about seeming like they "lost" if they admitted the other side had some good ideas. Show me a person who can actually convince both sides that by working together EVERYBODY looks good and we all "win", (as opposed to everybody placing or tying for first) and I'll vote for them in a twinkling.Alas, being born in Canada, it cannot be me.

      • Linda Gold says:

        Sorry Vinnie, but if you look at the record here in the U.S. the economy does considerably better under the Democrats. Under the Republicans those at the very top do very well, under the Democrats everyone including those at the top do better. And if you don't think this group of Republicans don't want to get rid of welfare or privatize social security and medicare and medicaid you have not been paying attention. That is exactly what the neo-cons want. They hate government and want to get rid of as much as they can while turning the rest over to their buddies to run-you know like Hailburton which has done such a bang up job rebuilding Iraq while electrocuting our soldiers in the shower among other things.

    • Mike Gold says:

      "I wonder what Mike Gold thinks of that credential for Obama. Would managing a staff of 80+ editors be a difficult executive challenge?"I ran a couple of DC editorial meetings for Dick Giordano, and I attended what seemed to be one thousand endless editorial retreats. And NONE of those editors were lawyer-wannabes. So, yeah, Obama's aces in my book!

  10. dc says:

    great post!right on in every way!ever consider running for public office?denys c.

  11. Taisha D. says:

    You know as popular as Obama seems to be I inevitably find myself always stuck in political conversation with staunch republican supporters (maybe because I live in the “great commonwealth” of Kentucky… HELP!). I usually welcome these debates but lately it seems that “Bush’s Buddies” as I like to call them are becoming increasingly aggressive about the fact that they believe McCain should be the next president nominated. It’s highly frustrating (as I’m sure you agree) to try and talk sense into these obviously extremely deluded people. I said all of that to simply say this. I have been overwhelmingly entertained by the things I read in this posting. And maybe entertained is the wrong word, but I’m not sure how else to explain exactly how happy I am having read it. It’s comforting to know that I’m not the only person in America who can read through the BS that was shown on TV during the RNC.I can’t understand how people were so ready to impeach Clinton for something that I don’t believe affected his ability to do his job, but were hesitant to even say anything when Cheney shot someone in the face (and then got HIM to apologize for what Dick Cheney and his family "had to go through"!! – WHAT?!). Anyway, I started rambling… my point is, if by some random twist of whatever McCain wins (or steals) this election, well, just save some room on the bus for me because I’m moving to Canada also.

  12. Anonymous says:

    WOW! To say I am insulted by this cartoon would be a gross understatement. I come here to ComicMix to read COMIC BOOKS, and about COMIC BOOKS and all I have read over the last few weeks are political swipes…Most of them being dominated by the "Pro-Obama" crowd.There is a reason that most celebrities, writers, and artists should focus on their craft, rather than wax political science philosophy. Especially considering that most of them, don't even know from which they speak, and in the process, lose 50% of their audience. If I wanted to read about the latest presidential race, I would turn to the newspaper, or cable news. I WANT TO READ ABOUT THE INDUSTRY THAT I LOVE…COMIC BOOKS!!!I beg and implore all of you contributors here at ComicMix…Please, please, please stop confusing this site with a place like "MoveOn.org".

  13. Reg Gabriel says:

    Late to this party , but Bravo, man. And yeah, you're pretty much preaching to the choir, but several of your points I've stated almost verbatim to a couple of Republican (yeah, I'm almost ashamed, but I can't disown them) friends…one of whom just made history as the first Black Republican delegate for SC…."Let's not get into the Lincoln lie, and even if that was the case…that was 150 years ago man!! What the heck have they done for the disenfranchised since??" And, "Yo, man… ya'll couldn't give sister Rosa and Martin any love? At all??" And as far as the Rovian set piece…. I could almost kiss Matt Damon…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6urw_PWHYkDecisions made in the best interests of our country, my a**.