"We Do Big Things?"

We Do Big Things. In this 4-word phrase so much resonated with me and the entire nation. First, what was the President of the U.S. thinking when he propagated the quote that's now flown around the world and back. Did he or his staff really write this or was this off the top free-styling? I don't know for certain what was going through President Barack Obama's mind when he said this, but there are two things I most certainly do know about politics. 1. You don't write or speak without a purpose, especially at this high level. I remember writing for a State elected official and her having to proofread it and then someone else had to read it too. But, I have to imagine with a group of speechwriters for one person, there had to be several pairs of eyes on a State of the Union drafted speech. 2. The purpose is political, not merely social commentary or about assurances and plans. The last speech I remember writing for the official was for a forum and it was actually in response to some dumb mistakes she made in the past and they were not at all subject-related, therefore, it was political. It is always political.

Many of my fellow Hip-Hop enthusiasts were grinning and cheering the President for his cool antics. They're actually more defined as political semantics.

Yet, I would like to interview the President on his choice of words.

Omowale: President Obama, do you know that the phrase you chose to use matches word for word, a song entitled "Biggie" by Junior Mafia? The lyric or rhyme actually goes "We big boys, We do big things, Born in this county of Kings I ain't got shit, I spread wings, I take things..." Yep, it's not just an innocuous cool statement to say to millions...or a billion.

Prez Obama: You don't say. How did you find this out?

Omowale: I Googled it, Prez.

Prez Obama: You know what...it didn't occur to us to do that. Google is easy to use.

Omowale: Don't worry, no one will say anything. You've been doing this kind of thing for awhile. Why would you say you have Jay-Z and especially, Lil' Wayne is in your Ipod?

Prez Obama: I do. I assure you I do.

Omowale: I believe you. I mean, if I was a rich republican or hated you beyond having a distaste for your disregard of the Black community on the issues, except when you're using our silliest of Black euphemisms I would destroy you in the media. Those artists speak about some harsh realities, that you ironically don't intend on addressing through policy. I guess republicans don't use Google much either or care for Hip-Hop. So you're okay.

Prez Obama: Hey, Omowale.

Omowale: Yes?

Prez Obama: Between me and you, I knew about the quote.

Omowale: So why?

Prez Obama: It resonates with everyone.

It's like the movie "The Game" with Michael Douglas in which the actor finally in a bit of rage and sorrow attempts suicide by jumping through the glass ceiling only to fall through breakaway glass and onto the X-mark of a gigantic balloon unharmed. It was an elaborate prank on him in which the authors mathematically calculated he would jump exactly where he landed.

The President and his staff knows almost exactly how the public will react to his speeches. It's political and it's the easiest thing they can pinpoint. They plan for a civic reaction beyond applause. Presidents don't recruit best-selling novelists or accomplished screenwriters as speechwriters. They hire political scientists, lawyers or those with a media studies background, those most-experienced in influencing the reactions of the common person.

Even if no one in his entire administration knew early-on that in 1999 Lil Mafia created an ode to Notorious B.I.G using the phrase and realized the song is littered with profanity and the n-word, the Prez had to know after he sent a copy of the State of the Union speech to the press prior to his actual address or right before his staff chose to email his supporters a message with the subject title: "We Do Big Things".

Sure they contemplated the nature of the song, but, I'm sure some one yelled out the word, "Deniability".
"What?"
"If questioned, we can say the Prez didn't know the song existed."

Just look at how powerful the phrase was to many. Before my fingers began reacting to the speech dozens of other Black bloggers began writing about how sincere the President is and several Hip-Hop blogs were completed that evening convincing others that "We Do Big Things" means the President understands and supports young Black culture.

The reality- the speech was written by one of the youngest presidential speechwriters in history and since he's looking into my brain to stir an applause, allow me. Jon Favreau doesn't know Hip-Hop, he's familiar with its contributions to pop culture and that's about it. In trying to reach so many of Obama's constituents he can only go pop. The sheer attempt to use such a ploy is diabolical but predictable, tactful but not ingenious. Favreau and the Prez wanted to cover most groups around the country and since there was nothing meaningful for the Black population actually in his speech, they chose to compensate by making it the title of his speech, while continuing the tradition of other speechwriting teams, Ted Sorensen & JFK, Napoleon Hill & FDR, they linked it all together seamlessly.

The President has never discussed the economy in the context of the Black community, although he has discussed it as it relates to the predominantly white mid-western region. He has dismissed the brutality inflicted on poor Black communities by police officers and doesn't even offer a tiny sigh of sympathy when it causes death, hopelessness, and immense grief around the country. The wholesale incarceration of humans which overshadows the large general populations of India and China is never discussed among the litany of nonsensical phrases uttered out of the President's mouth because its industry is anchored by a young and poor Black nation filling its jails. From disparities in health to communities saturated with crime, President Obama loses his voice when he sees Black. The Prez can sacrifice his political cache in using some Black phrases associated with the n-word because they have managed to generate millions for his cronies but, he's button-lipped about crucial issues aiming at the continued destruction of a race that has faithfully supported him, albeit, blindly.

Though, I get it. It's simple enough. Republicans, mid-westerners and white southerners all need courting and assurances from the first Black President. You can't go rocking the boat too early. NO! That's preposterous. You have an expiration date on the possibility of change ... or hope. Whatever. Remind me, what he's selling to us again. Nevertheless, the Black community can use some of that patronage too. Intangible phrases and useless speeches as they may be, it might cause some policymakers in the localities to change their approach toward Black neighborhoods if it came from the President of the United States. It might help teach a class or empower a student if the President spoke about youth incarceration in the Black inner cities. Because, then you're talking to them. The phrase We do big things speaks to Black youth too but from a place of obscurity and for an unreliable and worthless hype.