CBC member accuses Obama of dismissing female voters

I damn near coughed up a lung when I was forwarded an ABC News Story from a friend about sparks flying at a Thursday afternoon Congressional Black Caucus meeting.

Just to recap, even though Senator Barack Obama is a member of the CBC, an overwhelming number of his own brothas and sistas supported Sen. Hillary Clinton's bid for the presidency. Among them were California reps Maxine Waters, Laura Richardson, and our favorite, Diane Watson.

Now what made me almost cough up a lung are the following lines:

Sources at the meeting said that Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, a Clinton supporter, expressed the desire that Obama and his campaign would reach out the millions of women still aggrieved about what happened in the campaign and still disappointed that Clinton lost.

Obama agreed that a lot of work needs to be done to heal the Democratic Party, and that he hoped the Clinton supporters in the room would help as much as possible.

According to Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., Obama then said, "However, I need to make a decision in the next few months as to how I manage that since I'm running against John McCain, which takes a lot of time. If women take a moment to realize that on every issue important to women, John McCain is not in their corner, that would help them get over it."

Rep. Diane Watson, D-Calif., a longtime Clinton supporter, did not like those last three words -- "Get over it." She found them dismissive, off-putting.

"Don't use that terminology," Watson told Obama.

WTF! Dismissive! Off-Putting?

Allow me to refresh your memory.

Picture it. Leimert Park, Los Angeles. The year is 2008, the date, Big Tuesday. I had put together a live broadcast with local KTLA Channel 5 featuring voters who were to discuss the election for the morning show. We started broadcasting live around 5 a.m. Among those that came by to participant included The Roots' Qwest Love and actress Journey Smollett.

Towards the end of the broadcast and out of nowhere, in comes Rep. Diane Watson doing her own personal PSA for the Hillary for President campaign, on live television! Interrupting our whole flow.

Okay no problem, I'm thinking. She was definitely the minority in the room and that was illustrated by the many grunts and groans heard around the room.

Enter Davey D and myself, who decided to use this opportunity to have an in-depth conversation with our representative on why she's breaking away from her constituents to support Hillary Clinton.

You want to talk about dismissive.

"Hillary is the now...the future is Obama," Watson said. "He's going to lead all the youth and by that time when we're gone, you know, he and others in his same age bracket, those much younger, they will take over, and they then will be part of the ingredients, so this country can live up to its promises."

Off-putting?

In response to above comment, I asked Watson if she could see how her comments were no different from what whites told Blacks before the Civil Rights Movement.

Her response, "It's a process...it's a process. I'm just telling you it's a process."

My answer, "Well, today he gets my vote in that process."

I think Ms. Watson needs a reality check. If dismissive and off-putting is good enough for her constituents, then it's certainly good enough for her.

Furthermore, maybe Watson can explain why she's so dismissive and off-putting every time  one of her constituents asks about her Lincoln Town car and gas prices.

Maybe she can explain her quote in the L.A. Times regarding said town car.  I'm sure the reporter found it very dismissive and off-putting.

In the article, Watson grew testy when asked recently about her taxpayer-funded vehicle.

"You guys ask me such idiotic questions," Watson snapped. Her spokeswoman, Dorinda White, explained that Watson chose the Lincoln because she is "over 6 feet tall in shoes" and spends a lot of time driving around her district.