This week Barack Obama ended his latest Harlem World tour with a $50 ticket fundraiser at the Apollo Theater. One of the openers for the night’s events was Chris Rock, who I guess was there to keep the crowd happy while Obama dined with Al Sharpton at Sylvia’s (cliche much?) before his big speech.

Keeping in mind the ongoing fascination with the national black leaderships alleged dislike of the latest Big O (hi Juan!), this moment couldn’t have been better timed: dinner with Sharpton, stumping by Chris Rock, and some fancy words from Cornel West.

And whatever any of the above’s motivation in falling in behind Obama might be, I can’t help but think that Rock himself best summarized the changing tide of sentiment. As Bonney Kapp reports:

Rock, never one to shy away from blunt language, told the crowd that he was glad to see the crowd “on the right side of history.” Because, he said, “You’d be real embarrassed if he won and you wasn’t down with it. ‘I can’t call him now! I had that white lady. What was I thinking? What was I thinking,” he joked, referring to Obama’s main rival for the Democratic nomination, Hillary Clinton.

Hee hee. You can watch a video of Rock’s delivery here.

Isn’t it interesting how, on the one hand the Obama and HClinton candidacies supposedly signal a new day for America, but at the same time all this ugliness can’t help but seep out around the edges?

Admittedly, I don’t have much faith in Romney, but I did expect better from John Edwards, before the Esquire thing (see below).

First, of course you’ve seen this: Mitt Romney posing with a sign that reads “No to Obama, Osama, and Chelsea’s Moma.”

Now, I’m all for poetry. I even harbor a genuine soft spot for prosody in general. And I must say, the sign is quite genius in its use of thematic regression, using “osama” to shine some radical Islam/terrorism on Barack Obama, and “moma” to shine some black on Hillary Clinton. Lead-footed American genius!

But really, Mitt. Show some class, not your ass.

Romney:

I don’t look at all the signs when I’m having pictures taken.

But, then, an unexpected touch of poetry:

There are a lot of jokes out there. I’m not responsible for all the signs I see.

Sigh. That’s one way of putting it.

Meanwhile, also at CNN, a second headline, “Elizabeth Edwards: Can’t make John ‘black’ or a ‘woman’”. Apparently:

Elizabeth Edwards, the wife of Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, is gaining attention for recent comments on why her husband may receive less attention from the media – and campaign cash — than the two leading Democratic candidates.

“We can’t make John black, we can’t make him a woman,” said Edwards…

Oh but if you could…

Wendi Muse, writing on the Edwards’ cover at Racialicious:

Sound dystopian, doesn’t it? I think some people have an unrealistic expectation that wealthy white male political, economic, and social dominance will come to an overnight halt now that the babymakers and the coloreds have been given rights, and, God forbid, a few also happen to be gaining considerable support as they campaign in hopes of becoming the next titleholders for presidency of the United States, but anyone with half a brain could look around and see that the equality apocalypse is a loooong way off.

Yes, it is all very subtle and more than a little bit sinister, hiding behind irony and a new self-conscious sense that, if you know what you should say about race or class, then of course it’s okay to say it…