"If I invoked the Insurrection Act against her wishes, the world would see a male Republican president usurping the authority of a female Democratic governor by declaring an insurrection in a largely African American city."

"That left me in a tough position. That would arouse controversy anywhere. To do so in the Deep South, where there had been centuries of states' rights tensions, could unleash holy hell."

I was struck by that passage in Bush's memoir, "Decision Points." Bush, of course, ended up getting criticized for seemingly not "car[ing] about black people," so it's interesting to think that his delays — at least as he presents them now — had to do with the history of the South. But look closely as the 2 concerns that slowed Bush's imposition of federal authority in New Orleans:

1. Gender. Bush didn't like the image of the male pushing the female aside. He thought he'd be criticized for that.

2. "States' rights tensions." That's a strange way to evoke the history of racism in the south if you want to convey that you cared about the suffering of black people. "States' rights" was the cry of those who resisted federal efforts to advance integration. Bush was, in fact, being deferential to the Southern governor.

Bush, sensitive to potential criticism about sexism and states' rights, exercised restraint, which exposed him to criticism about race.

There was rapper Kanye West who told TV viewers: "George Bush doesn't care about black people." Jesse Jackson compared the plight of some survivors with being trapped in the "hull of a slave ship".

"Five years later, I can barely write these words without feeling disgusted. I am deeply insulted by the suggestion that we allowed American citizens to suffer because they were black... The more I thought about it, the angrier I felt. I was raised to believe that racism was one of the greatest evils in society," Bush writes. "I faced a lot of criticism as president. I didn't like hearing people claim I had lied about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction or cut taxes to benefit the rich. But the suggestion that I was a racist, because of the response to Katrina, represented an all-time low. I told Laura at the time that it was the worst moment of my presidency. I feel the same way today."

He feels bad about this criticism and is contemptuous of those who expressed it, but: 1. His own words indicate that he put racism third on a list of 3 things he was worried he'd be criticized for, and 2. Jackson and West were speaking emotionally at the time when the suffering was going on.

Meanwhile, Kanye West cracked under pussycat questioning from Matt Lauer.

"Kanye West 'connects' with George Bush."

"I definitely can understand the way he feels to be accused of being a racist in any way because the same thing happened to me. I got accused of being a racist. With both situations, it was basically a lack of compassion that America saw."

Kanye West gets rewarded for his oafishness with an appearance on the new Jay Leno show.

Let's watch his effort at winning back our affection:



I "live-blog" the clip:

0:35: The numbskull audience cheer like hell as if he hadn't just done something offensive... either because hey, he's a celebrity and they came to see celebrities and bask in their shining light or because some damned cheer like hell sign lit up.

0:53: Leno butters him up disgustingly, telling him how brave he is to come on the show in his time of tribulation.

1:15: West feels so bad because "I only wanted to help people, you know. My entire life, I've only wanted to give and do something that I felt was right."

1:47: Although West just said "I immediately knew in this situation that it was wrong," Leno gets all jazzed up by what he thinks is the probing question "So when did you know it was wrong?" I assume the conversation was planned, and West put one of his lines too early in the dialogue, and Robot Leno didn't even notice. Lameness.

2:01: West now says — with dull, flat affect — that he knew it was wrong when he gave the microphone back to "her" — say her name, idiot — and she didn't keep going. The audience laughs at this "joke," and Leno awkwardly progresses to the next (planned) question, which is, paraphrasing: What would your dead mother say?

2:42: West tries to show his hurt, giving us the cue remember that his mother died and to realize that it is terribly sad when one's mother dies. He asserts the theory that his hurt led to another person's hurt, as if his macho seizing of the mike from a teenager and outraged touting of his preferred pop star (Beyoncé) came from a place of grief over his mother's death. Feel sorry for meeeeeeee. Bleh.

3:05: West vows to improve so he can "make it through this life." Okay, he has groveled enough. Leno calls an end to what I assume is a planned, mapped-out PR routine. And the audience cheers inanely, on cue, once again.

Should the President be insulting pop stars?

Obama called Kanye West a "jackass." Which he is, but what business is it of the President's?

The Joe Wilson spirit infuses Kanye West.

So Joe Wilson suddenly felt it was okay to yell out "You lie" while Obama was taking his glamorous turn upon the stage of a joint session of Congress. There was something that needed to be said and it couldn't wait until after. It just had to be said during and traditional etiquette be damned.

And then last night at the MTV Video Music Awards, the lovely, wispy Taylor Swift had just glided up to the stage in a bejeweled gown to accept the award in the Best Female Video category for "You Belong With Me"...

“Thank you so much!” Swift began. “I always dreamed about what it would be like to maybe win one of these some day, but I never actually thought it would have happened. I sing country music so thank you so much for giving me a chance to win a VMA award.”

Before she could continue, West broke in. “Yo Taylor, I’m really happy for you, I’ll let you finish, but Beyoncé has one of the best videos of all time. One of the best videos of all time!” Kanye shouted to a mortified Swift and the speechless audience. And as quickly as he ran onstage — MTV cut away to show Pink applauding Taylor, and when they flashed back to Swift, West already had the mic in his hand — he was off, leaving a shocked Swift in his wake....

[A]fter Kanye handed the microphone back to Swift, her time was up, and MTV cut to a video featuring Tracy Morgan and Eminem....

Later in the show, Beyoncé did win for her video, in a better category, Video of the Year, so it's not as though MTV didn't agree with West's opinion. It just didn't agree with principles of logic — if Beyoncé's video was the Video of the Year, how was not the best in the lesser category of Best Female Video? — and it failed to realize that everyone watching wouldn't understand how the divvying up of awards worked in MTV world and keep their pants on until all the Moonmen were doled out.

Kanye West, like Joe Wilson, had to say what he knew to be true right when he saw the bright, shining truth of it. Lies must be denounced as lies at the moment of their utterance. Joe Wilson could not wait until Obama had gone through to the end of his extended remarks, and Kanye West could not allow Taylor Swift to speak uninterrupted for — what was the allotted time? — one minute.

Afterwards, like Joe Wilson, Kanye West apologized:

"I’m sooooo sorry to taylor swift and her fans and her mom. I spoke to her mother right after and she said the same thing my mother would’ve said. She is very talented! I like the lyrics about being a cheerleader and she’s in the bleachers! …………………… i’m in the wrong for going on stage and taking away from her moment!……………. beyonce’s video was the best of this decade! I’m sorry to my fans if I let you guys down! I’m sorry to my friends at mtv. I will apologize to taylor 2mrw. welcome to the real world! everybody wanna booooo me but i’m a fan of real pop culture! No disrespect but we watchin’ the show at the crib right now cause … well you know! i’m still happy for taylor! Boooyaaawwww! you are very very talented! I gave my awards to outkast when they deserved it over me… that’s what it is!! i’m not crazy yall, i’m just real. Sorry for that! I really feel bad for taylor and i’m sincerely sorry! Much respect!!”

Oh, yeah. Much respect. In post-You Lie times, your respect will come in the form of apologies the next day.

And did you notice "I’m sorry to my fans if I let you guys down!"? If... a nonapology. Because his fans might have loved it. Lots of folks loved Joe Wilson's "You lie" too.

Here's a 2010 campaign slogan suggstion: Joe Wilson: He's not crazy. He's just real.

AND: Here's Kanye's moment.

MTV EMA 2008 Winners List

Pink celebrates her win

Most Addictive Track
Pink - So What
Headliner (live performance)
Tokio Hotel
Rock Out
30 Seconds to Mars
Best Album
Britney Spears - Blackout
Leona Lewis presents Ultimate Urban to Kanye
Ultimate Urban
Kanye West
Artists' Choice
Lil' Wayne
Act of 2008
Britney Spears
Ultimate Legend
Sir Paul McCartney
Best New Act
Katy Perry
Best Video
Star30 - Seconds To Mars
Best Act Ever
Rick Astley
Europe's Favourite Act
Emre Aydin (Turkey)
Beyonce was among the performers at the event in Liverpool.Take That also took to the stage.

MOBOs 2007: The Winners

Winners at the Music of Black Origin Awars (MOBOs) included Amy Winehouse who was named Best UK Female.

Others who won were Rihanna for Best International Act and Ne-Yo was named Best R&B Act. Kanye West won the prize for Best Hip-Hop act; beating 50 Cent who was due to perform at the ceremony but pulled out.
Click Here For Full List Of Winners>>>

Kanye Outsells 50 Cents

Kanye West beat 50 Cent in their battle to get the most sales during the first week of their new releases.

West’s 'Graduation' sold 957,000 copies while 'Curtis' by 50 Cent sold 691,000 copies, according to Nielesn Soudscan.

Kanye may have won but I'm sure this 'battle' has helped them both shift a few more copies than usual.

Both rappers released their albums on 9/11 in the US.

50 Cent Accuses Def Jam Of Rigging

50 Cent has accused record label Def Jam of 'rigging' sales for Kanye West's latest album after the pair battled it out for top spot.

West's album Graduation beat 50 Cent's album Curtis at the weekend, following the pair's ongoing feud.

Before the albums were released, 50 - real name Curtis Jackson - claimed that he would not release any more solo albums if he was beaten by his rival.

But now Kanye has topped the album charts ahead of him, Jackson has insisted that Def Jam must have doctored the sales figures.

He said, "He's never had a fraction of the sales 50 Cent has. They could have one scan and have it count four times."

"West's entire career hasn't sold half what I sold on my first album".
Source: DigitalSpy

Kanye Beating 50 Cent

Kanye West is currently outselling 50 Cent.

Kanye’s new album Graduation shifted 431,000 copies on its day of release in the US, compared to only 310,000 copies of 50 Cent's latest album, Curtis.

50 Cent said he will not release any more solo albums if Kanye sells more than him.

Kanye West Angry: Caught On Tape

Check out Kanye's reaction after he walked away without a single award at the VMAs.

Note To Kanye: Never Say Never

Kanye West was nominated for five awards at the MTV VMAs, but he left empty handed.
Okay, I know he should have won at least one award, but you don't complain about it like a sore loser.

Aparently after the show in Las Vegas, Kanye said "That's two years in a row, man...give a black man a chance. I'm trying hard, man, I have the...number one record, man."

According to AP, Kanye also claimed that he will "never return to MTV" because of the losses.
Source: MTV

50 Cent & Kanye West Do Rolling Stone

Source: Hollyscoop

50 Cent Threatens To Stop Solo Albums

50 Cent has revaled to stop releasing solo material if his next album fails to outsell a new album by Kanye West.

The rapper - real name Curtis jackson - wants to "raise the stakes" and told SOHH.com, "If Kanye West sells more records than 50 Cent on September 11, I'll no longer write music."

He added, "I'll write music and work with my other artists, but I won't put out any more solo albums."

Graduation by West and Curtis by 50 Cent will be released in the US on September 11.

Justin And Beyonce Lead MTV VMA Nominations

Justin Timberlake and Beyoncé lead the list of nominees for the 24th annual VMAs, each with a massive seven nods, followed closely by Kanye West and Rihanna with five. British singer Amy Winehouse picked up three nominations.

Timberlake, Kanye, Winehouse and Rihanna are expected to perform at the event, along with Timbaland, Fall Out Boy, Chris Brown, Lily Allen and the Foo Fighters.

Click Here For Full List Of Nominees>>>

Music Picks

Eve - Tambourine

Kanye West - Stronger

Fergie - Big Girls Don't Cry

Avril Lavigne - When You're Gone

Kanye's £2000 Takeaway

Kanye West has ordered a £2,000 takeaway from a restaurant in south Wales to be delivered to him in New York - along with the chef, reports BBC.

The British Raj restaurant said it is preparing a rare five foot long Ayre fish for the rapper and his entourage.

The food and head chef Kaysor Ahmed will be flown by helicopter to Heathrow [London] on Tuesday before flying to New York.

Mr Ahmed's trip will last two days before he flies back to the UK.

Mr Ahmed said they were charging £2,000 because of the special circumstances. The record company will be paying for the transport.

Restaurant manager Masud Ahmed said his staff were "very nervous".