Monday, February 25, 2008

Samuel L. Jackson stumps for Obama in Tyler

By Brett Ryder of McKinneyNews.net

Vote for Obama! Why? 'Cause he's a bad mother------.

TYLER — Samuel L. Jackson could have spent Sunday evening schmoozing with other big-shot celebrities on the red carpet at the much-hyped 80th Academy Awards gala in Hollywood, California. Instead, he chose to stump for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, in a 6,000 square foot former furniture store turned Obama campaign headquarters in Tyler, Texas.

“I’m a product of the 60s and in those days when things didn’t go exactly they way we wanted them to, or how we thought they should, we got in the streets and raised our voices, we did something about it,” the 59-year-old academy award-nominated Jackson said. “Over the past, I don’t know, 10-12 years, I’ve become sort of apathetic about what was going on. I figured now was the time to do something about it.”

Jackson’s seven-minute message to a predominantly black crowd of more than 500 enthusiastic Obama supporters was simple: The current Republican administration has forgotten the average American; Barack Obama represents the opportunity for the black man (and woman) to do better – if the black community takes part in the political process.

“Eight years ago, I went to bed and my candidate had won,” Jackson said. “When I got up the next morning, my candidate had lost. I didn’t do anything. I kind of said, ‘Well, okay, next time.’ Consequently, the U.S. kind of went to hell in a hand basket. So this time I’m out here asking you and your friends to get out there and vote so that whatever happens they can’t tell me that my candidate did not win.”

Obama, Jackson said, hasn’t forgotten the kind of family Jackson grew up in – “a lower middle-class home which kind of happens to be something that’s kind of non-existent now because there are only two classes of people now: the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots.’

“When I was a kid going to school, Jackson continued, “people gave me that speech about, you know, do this, do that, you can grow up in America and be anything you want to be, you can be president, I knew that was a lie -- I could not be president.

“But now, and if these young people will watch what’s going on around them, in my lifetime we have the opportunity to have a black man or a woman to be president of the United States and, uh, hopefully it will be a black man, that’s why we’re here.”

Jackson, casually dressed in a black beret, red-rimmed glasses and red pants, paused as the crowed cheered raucously.

“We do need change, we do need to make sure the world is not just an affordable place for me because, hey, I don’t need health insurance, you do. And I want to make sure there’s somebody out there that’s taking care of all my cousins and my relatives that aren’t as successful as I am and I talk to every day and listen to their struggles. I’m on your side, and I’m on my parents' side, and I’m on my cousins' side, we’re all in this together.

After the speech, Jackson spoke to the press for a few minutes while shaking hands and signing autographs.

“What’s wrong with George Bush?” one reporter asked.

“What’s right about him?” Jackson asked. “His interests aren’t ours.”

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Comments

John McClelland Verified

I would like to know what Obama's stance is regarding snakes on planes.

4 months, 3 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

xdavidwattsx Anonymous

If Obama's good enough for Jules Winnfield then he's good enough for me.

4 months, 3 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

ch0 Anonymous

The Force is with Obama.

4 months, 3 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Scott Doyle Verified

John, that made me laugh for at least 15 seconds...and I can't explain why. Regardless, thank you sir.

4 months, 3 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )