Source: WENN

Since President Obama won re-election last Tuesday, a lot of folks have been extremely salty and in denial, and one of those people just happens to be Mitt Romney. While the President spent his day yesterday talking to reporters about the possibility of working with Romney in the future since he agreed with some of the Governor’s ideas on certain things, Romney was throwing shade in a phone conversation with campaign donors where he claimed that the reason he couldn’t bring in a “W” for them was because the President won over voters with his promises, which Romney called “gifts.” According to USA Today, he says, “The president’s campaign, if you will, focused on giving targeted groups a big gift. He made a big effort on small things.” Yet he believes that his campaign tried to pay attention to big issues that affected the whole country, worrying about foreign policy issues, a strong economy and more. This is what he had to say according to The New York Times:

“With regards to the young people, for instance, a forgiveness of college loan interest, was a big gift…Free contraceptives were very big with young college-aged women. And then, finally, Obamacare also made a difference for them, because as you know, anybody now 26 years of age and younger was now going to be part of their parents’ plan, and that was a big gift to young people. They turned out in large numbers, a larger share in this election even than in 2008 … You can imagine for somebody making $25,000 or $30,000 or $35,000 a year, being told you’re now going to get free health care, particularly if you don’t have it, getting free health care worth, what, $10,000 per family, in perpetuity, I mean, this is huge … Likewise with Hispanic voters, free health care was a big plus. But in addition with regards to Hispanic voters, the amnesty for children of illegals, the so-called Dream Act kids, was a huge plus for that voting group.”

Romney went on to call the President’s alleged strategy an “old playbook” that singles out certain interest groups while alienating the public at large. Too bad that’s not really why President Obama won and Mitt Romney is licking his wounds with pissy donors right now. Too bad he didn’t bring up his damaging 47 percent comments, or the Republican party’s obsession with talking about rape, or the fact that Romney did a whole lot of flip flopping throughout the campaign so that people–black, Hispanic, young, old, whatever–barely could figure out where he stood on issues that mattered. The man spent more time trying to say what the specific crowd in front of him wanted to hear rather than sticking to his guns and having a backbone. Too bad he thought he could buy the election and assume he could ignore the 47 percent he tried to diss behind closed doors. But I could go on. Either way, it’s a shame that folks can’t be gracious losers. And besides, everyone can benefit from the promises President Obama made, not just these certain voting groups. And on a sidenote, when did people run campaigns where they weren’t promising big things to get voters on their side? Don’t knock it because you didn’t do it right, sir.

Source: WENN, AP Images

I had a bit of a revelation yesterday when thinking about President Obama’s re-election. Of course I’m super excited to call Barack Obama my president for another four years — and you know control my own vayjayjay without Republican oversight — put there is something equally exciting about this re-election that has nothing to do with him. We will no longer have to hear from the ignorant characters who showed their you know what’s this election season.

Between random endorsements, trying to hold the president for ransom, and making the case for legitimate rapes, by the time November 6 came around, most of us couldn’t wait for the entire electoral process to be over just so we wouldn’t have to see or hear from these fools who will now be disappearing into conservative oblivion anymore. Let’s take one last look at them shall we?

So I was watching “Jimmy Kimmel Live” in the hopes of hearing some hilarious commentary about the election, because the late-night comics usually keep the laughs coming with their skits and parody videos. But I was howling in my apartment when I saw this video of a reporter for WSVN 7 News in Florida at Obama headquarters painfully confusing one black man with two men who look absolutely nothing like him. When the anchors caught up with the reporter to get his take on the night’s events, you could tell that said reporter, Blake Burman, was too excited to show the audience that there was a big celebrity in his midst. Now who that celebrity was, unfortunately, the homie Blake clearly wasn’t too sure of that part. As the camera panned slowly to Black Eyed Peas front man will.i.am and back to Burman, he paused and with an assured look on his face, said “That’s Wyclef Jean giving an interview there.” As he continued with his statements about election night, someone working with him let him know that the fella was definitely not Wyclef, but they told him wrong and he then went on to claim that will.i.am was rapper Wale of all people (you know, the MMG member with the locs). A few minutes later, as his commentary went on, Burman cleared up that this mystery celebrity was indeed will.i.am, and he pulled the “I must be tired” card that Diane Sawyer used to explain her own interesting behavior and confusion on ABC during election night. I’m not mad at him, in fact, I thought it was very hilarious. But will.i.am? He might not have found it so comical…

And if you’ve got a minute, you also need to check out this hilarious video (made like a PSA) Jimmy Kimmel did on obnoxious social media behavior that needs to stop now that the election is over. That includes claiming you’re moving to Canada, calling folks “scumbags” and “socialists,” and even pooping on people’s lawns. Hey, I’m sure somebody’s doing the latter in saltiness. Classic.

Josiah True/ WENN.com

Okay, okay, okay, so maybe rapper, Game, is not so bad after all. Well, at least around election time that is.

According to TMZ, The Los Angeles born and raised MC was actually in NYC during yesterday’s nerve-racking election. And since many residents were still struggling with no electricity, no gas and even being displaced from their homes that were hit by Hurricane Sandy, he decided to step up and try to help folks get to the polls–by any means necessary. The rapper doled out $20 for cab fare to more than 500 people who had no way to get where they needed to be in order to vote, and he also drove people in New Jersey to polling places using his own means of transportation. All in all, he says he spent about $10,000 in his efforts, but says that he planned to do so because he didn’t want the many people he saw affected by last month’s hurricane to lose out. Plus, he says it was “small change” anyway. And while he did vote for Barack Obama via absentee ballot for California, he told TMZ that he wasn’t trying to influence anybody to vote for any particular candidate–he just wanted them to get out there and vote.

Well isn’t that nice! Can’t say whether this was done for publicity for his new reality show “Marrying The Game,” or if he was just that moved by people hurting on the East Coast, but the man deserves some major props for coming through and helping out in such a way. Some claim he was trying to push people to vote a certain way, but I doubt that. Plus, I’m sure those folks riding around in whatever luxury vehicle he was rolling around the city in were appreciative. Check out what he had to say to TMZ cameras:

WENN

And in other rapper news that has to do with the election, according to BET.com, if you’ve been missing Young Jeezy, you’ll be glad to know that he’s got a new single out, and it’s in honor of President Obama and another historic win for the President. I’m sure that in 2008 and after the results came in last night, you were probably banging “My President Is Black” by the rapper out of your speakers, your cars, your computers, etc. And while that track is great, “We Done It Again,” is a bit more calm, cool, and collected and reflective of things that have happened since 2008. Jeezy says the thirst for another four years of leadership from someone like the President–NOT Mitt Romney–is real (“What does Romney know about my ghetto? I say the least”), and he’s hoping the President’s win will help every little boy and girl struggling in ghettos around the country. As Young Jeezy says, “We waitin’ on a savior, maybe Barack.” I’m also digging the fact that this track isn’t so heavy with expletives like “My President Is Black,” but it’s still a dope one. Check it out and let me know what you think!

Source: Blog.VH1

I feel like Brian Williams when he talked about Donald Trump’s revolution foolishness last night: I really don’t want to report on this but since it’s out there I figure you should know.

I thought it would have been enough that virtually all of black Twitter went in on Stacey Dash last night when President Obama’s re-election was announced. But as these things usually among the unemployed D-list celebrity ilk who have too much time on their hands, the former “Single Ladies” actress is back asking for more  shade/attention with a 1,344-word essay about why she voted for Mitt Romney and shouldn’t be judged for it.

Stacey sent the letter to TMZ. See the thirst already? The majority of the essay was written before the election was determined and then she added a little aside afterward acknowledging President Obama’s win. Since we don’t have space for all her nonsense, how about we just look at the highlights from the essay:

At the end of the day we are in this together. This is Our American Family. I do not want to be a part of the hateful voices insulting each other. I want to be a part of the voices that helps shape the future. Don’t you? Perhaps I publically [sic] endorsed Romney from a slightly naive place, thinking that I could speak my voice without being criticized in such racially charged and hateful tones.

People get it wrong. My vote for Romney isn’t a vote against Obama. That’s not how full participants in the democratic process operate. We vote for candidates and we vote for issues.

I’ve been fortunate enough in my career to have earned a considerable income. I am a fiscal conservative. I like the simplicity of the plan to lower taxes. I feel I’ve paid out a substantial amount over the 20 plus years I’ve been working. I’m also a woman. And as a single Mother who happens to be half-Bajan and half-Mexican, I have concerns, which cover many topics and issues…

I also don’t understand why more people aren’t acknowledging the good that has come about thanks to Romney’s Massachusetts medical coverage for all citizens. In addition, Romney’s
business acumen is sterling. Our country needs a savvy business manager with the ability to work on both sides of the aisle. Paul Ryan is another brilliant mind with a viable plan for the economy of this country. They’ve injected so much energy into the race. We need that ambition  and focus to get our country back on its feet…

In the event that Obama is re-elected I expect them to work a whole lot harder to bridge the divide between political parties, end the gridlock and get America back to work! Welfare reform
is also in order. An elderly woman stands in the same grocery line pinching pennies to buy a can of soup while a woman is buying marshmallow fluff with food stamps. As times have changed, welfare policy needs to keep stride, just like every other issue.

Just as I was about to ask why she felt the need to write this letter in the first place, as if anyone is really checking for a Stacey Dash election day free-write, I came to the best line in her 1300-word prose:

Ultimately I know that what Stacey Dash thinks about who will be the next president of the United States isn’t that important in the scheme of things-but I feel a desperation for the country.

I think that’s desperation over how she’ll manage to pay taxes with no income since her attitude keeps costing her jobs. Does she not realize no one will ever take her political stance seriously in a Baywatch swimsuit?In 2016, just keep your thoughts to yourself Stacey. Not because you’re a republican, but because you are clueless.

Twitter’s #Election2012 page.

President Obama may have won re-election last night, but Twitter was the winning social network of #Election2012. Users turned to Twitter throughout the night to voice their opinions and also follow news as a complement to television coverage or other online updates.

More than 20 million tweets were sent about the election on November 6, making this the most-tweeted political event since the first presidential debate in October, which generated 10 million tweets.

At 11:51pm on Tuesday night, the Twitter Government account, @gov, tweeted, “Networks’ call of @BarackObama reelection spiked #Election2012-related Tweets to 327,453 per minute at 11:19p EST.”

However, Business Insider reported that this high volume of political-related tweets didn’t even crack the top ten most tweeted-about moments overall, noting that the 2012 Oscars hit a high point with 18,000 tweets per second.

President Obama’s “Four more years” tweet, which he sent right before his acceptance speech, also made history, with more than 500,000 re-tweets and counting. Some outlets are reporting this makes it the most popular tweet of all time, though Twitter has not yet confirmed.

Twitter had an election page, which tracked mentions of the President Obama and Governor Romney, user sentiment of the candidates, and the issues and trends related to the election that were being discussed on Twitter.

But Twitter wasn’t the only social site seeing action last night. Obama leveraged Twitter and Reddit to encourage last minute voting. And while voters were warned not to give away too much on Instagram, Beyonce took to the photo-sharing site to show her support for President Obama. Tumblr users celebrated Obama’s victory, and Facebook and foursquare allowed users to broadcast, and also follow, when and where people voted.

Clearly, this was a social media election. Allowing voters to get more involved, share their opinions, and follow their favorite candidates via various platforms gave this election more color and interactivity—and will be something we see a lot in future elections.

Source: Twitter

Mimi’s back ya’ll. I know she was technically “back” when she dropped that “Triumphant” single a few months ago with Meek Mill and Rick Ross, but I’m talking about the real Mariah Carey.

To commemorate President Obama’s re-election victory last night, Mariah had a new song on deck as a tribute to the leader of our nation and I must say I love it. “Bring It On Home” is sort of like the staple uplifting ballad Mimi likes to put on each of her album’s but instead of reverting to the whisper, baby voice she’s being overusing as of late, Mariah went soulful with this one and definitely showed she still has the vocals to belt out notes like back in the ’90s.

I think Obama would approve.

Check out the new song here and tell us what you think. Pass or play?

Source: WENN

I hope you all already know the big news, but if not, our President is still black!

Most of you were probably still up when CNN and MSNBC called the election last night around 11pm, announcing that President Barack Obama once again won out with his message of hope, change, and progression. But by the time Romney got the hint that it was time to concede and President Obama actually got a chance to actually accept the presidency you might have been passed out. If that’s the case, check out Obama’s full acceptance speech below as he speaks on the goals he has for the next four years and assures the crowd “the best is yet to come.” The president also gives a beautiful shot out to Michelle Obama that will make any girl’s heart melt.

Check out the video and tell us what you did when you heard the news last night.

Source: Shutterstock.com

These stories are supposed to be heartwarming, and on some level they are. You know the stories. They pop up around Election Day amidst the angry political ads, overconfident political predictions, and rumors of voter fraud. They’re the stories of 100-year-olds who are voting for the very first time and suddenly everyone is amazed.

In 2008, it was Dilla Freeman Burt. This year, it’s 99-year-old Rosie Lewis and 108-year-old Joanna Jenkins. Whenever I hear these stories, my first thought is “Awesome!” and my second is: Where have you been for the last 82 years?

Here’s a short history lesson for those of you who think Black people were granted the right to vote in 2008. Right after the Emancipation, Blacks began voting. In 1870, the 15th Amendment protected the right of every male citizen to vote without regard to race, color, or previous condition of servitude. The 19th Amendment passed in 1920, gave women (without regard to race) the right to vote, as well. The Voting Rights Act passed 1965, banned the local laws and traditions (such as poll taxes and literacy tests) which had been used to prevent Blacks from voting. In 1971, the voting age was lowered from 21 to 18.

So, from 1971 until 2012 these women (and other men and women just like them who didn’t make headlines) couldn’t find a single occasion to vote? Not even for a local election?  I simply cannot fathom that.

Granted, I didn’t grow up in the Jim Crow era and therefore cannot even begin to understand the irreversible damage that would do to a person’s mind. I don’t know what it’s like to be actively and legally discriminated against and prevented from even drinking out of a water fountain much less voting for a president of the United States. Still, I would think that after experiencing the implementation then eradication of Jim Crow, I would be first in line to cast my vote if someone even pretended to let me. I’d be at the polls not just in a presidential year, but every single year for every single election thereafter. Even if I didn’t participate in sit-ins and boycotts going on around me, I would hope to at least be appreciative of those people (who I likely would know personally) that fought so hard for Black people’s freedom. In that situation, I’d like to think that I’d show my appreciation by doing something as simple as showing up at the polls on a regular basis.

We tend to highlight those people who have shunned elections until President Obama came on the scene. We want to demonstrate how inspiring the President is by showcasing how he’s motivated old people to vote for the very first time. However, the people who are truly remarkable are those who grew up during the Jim Crow era yet have been exercising their right to vote since the moment they were allowed. In fact, President Obama’s election was made possible by the many people who have participated in the elections both by casting votes and by running for office. If we all waited until we were near corpse to suddenly care about the election, there would be no Obama to vote for.

I’m certainly not coming down on Dilla, Rosie and Joanna. I’m glad they’ve finally decided to participate. What’s alarming about these women who have stayed alive long past an expected expiration date and only just now deciding to vote is the fact that they represent plenty of other people who have not and will not ever vote. A full 35 percent of Black people didn’t vote in 2008 — and that was considered overwhelming turnout.

How many of our grandmas and grandpas, aunts and uncles, mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters are sitting at home today — well over the voting age — unregistered and not participating? These are the ones who we can only hope will be making headlines decades from now for finally casting a vote. In that time, their great-grandkids will be gushing, “Oh my great-grandmother cast her first ballot!” and I will be old, but not too senile to think, “Where was your great-grandmother in 2012?”

Choosing not to vote is inexcusable. In fact, as Philadelphia Inquirer, Annette Hall-Jones pointed out: Choosing not to exercise the right [to vote] is not a choice at all. In a year already rife with voter suppression, not voting amounts to self-suppression, the worst kind of disenfranchisement.

While I’m happy to hear that these women are voting, I’m not feeling the warmth and pride that the stories are trying to promote. Instead, I’m just saying it’s about time.

What do you think?

Follow Alissa on Twitter @AlissaInPink or check out her blog This Cannot Be My Life

*Photo Courtesy of Shutterstock

Source: iStock

I’ll spare you the whole “this is your civic duty” speech people tend to throw out when it comes to voting because that phrase always reminds me of those history of the judicial system videos that play at the courthouse when I’m called in for Jury Duty and no one wants to think about that daunting task right now. But what I would like people to think about today is that of all the lines you’ve ever waited on in life, from financial aid lines in college and lines outside the club to ones in the grocery store and possibly even some for food stamps ( if that’s you, you know you ought to be extra patient making sure your vote counts today), this would be the one that’s most important. So, if it takes a little time for you to get through the whole electoral process today I’m going to need you to simply smile, grin, and bear it for the cause. Mmmmkay?

This morning I woke up at my normal time to head out to my voting locale, conveniently located a block away from my house. I was pretty confident that at 7:15 am there might not be too many people in line and if there were, hey, what did I have to do that was more important this morning? Not everyone shared my mantra, and unfortunately the most vocal opposer to being silent and still was standing right behind me in line. Truth be told, I couldn’t make out much of what the woman next to me was saying between the hacking up of spit and the “ya’ll mother f***ers” and “sit yo a**es down” she would throw out every so often when she didn’t understand why the line wasn’t moving as fast as she would have liked, but it was clear from my point of view she was all turnt up with nowhere to go. Part of me wanted to ask, “mam, where else do you really have to be this morning in your brown velour sweatsuit and skully” because I was pretty confident once she fulfilled her civic duty she was headed right back to her apartment to smoke another pack. But by the time she had to bust out her inhaler because she’d worked herself up so much over a line that was actually moving pretty quickly, I realized it wasn’t even worth it.

Despite not being born with a patient bone in my body, voting is just one of those things that one, I expect will take some time to do, and two, I know is worth every minute. I don’t know what had hoodie ma so amped up this morning but coming from a person who didn’t have the best start, I needed her to chill out. See, I was literally pooped on by a pigeon as I walked to my polling location today, and I brushed it off — with the paper towel I just so happened to grab on my way out the door no less. Unfortunately, when I made it to my district line indoors, a different woman behind me pointed out that I had some white stuff in my hair and asked could she get it out for me. I then had to deny her generous offer and explain that it was bird poop in my hair and not Pink Luster’s moisturizer as she thought, and then proceeded to take her napkin and wipe the gunk out of my head shamelessly. See if I could be chill in line after that, I don’t really see what everybody else was bugging about.

I know it’s in New Yorkers’ nature to be impatient but I’m sure people across the globe are experiencing all sorts of “my time is more valuable than yours” characters at the polls who for some reason can’t fathom more than 20 people in their neighborhood wanting to exercise their democratic right just like them. Now if someone is trying to suppress your vote or give you the runaround about casting a ballot, then by all means crank up that 2 Chainz and start a riot, but if you find yourself asking why isn’t there a VIP line at the polls I’m going to need you to get yourself together and remember what this process is all about. Besides if you think like that, you’re probably not voting for the right guy anyway.  Just kidding *wink, wink*

Have you come across any angry, impatient voters this morning?

Brande Victorian is the news and operations editor for madamenoire.com. Follow her on twitter @Be_Vic.