Among the outspoken African-American political and social figures that have criticized President Obama for not doing more for black Americans in these tough economic times, Al Sharpton has emerged as the voice of support for Obama’s presidential initiatives designed to help all Americans.

According to an article written for The Wall Street Journal, “President Barack Obama has turned to Mr. Sharpton in recent weeks to answer increasingly public criticism in the black community over his economic policy. Some black leaders are charging that the nation’s first African-American president has failed to help black communities hit hard by the downturn, leaving party strategists worried that black Democrats will become dispirited and skip November’s congressional elections.”

Sharpton used the platform of his national radio show to fire back stating that “The president does not need to get out there and do what we should be doing,” adding that if the President did just that, it would create just the right climate for conservatives and other Obama critics to defeat legislation that would actually assist blacks, rather than hurt them.

On one particular show, Al Sharpton and Tavis Smiley, prominent black talk show host, butted heads over this issue where Mr. Sharpton stated that “…it was a ‘double standard’ for Mr. Smiley and other critics to expect more from a black president than they would demand of a white Democratic president.”

Although during most of his campaign, President Obama steered clear of historically radical black civil rights leaders, Al Sharpton is now an unlikely ally in addressing the concerns of some black leaders and establishing solidarity for the president.

To read the entire article “Obama’s New Partner: Al Sharpton,” visit The Wall Street Journal online.

Listen to the big debate between Tavis Smiley and Al Sharpton:

After the media frenzy that surrounded Tiger Woods’ car accident and alleged affairs, he finally speaks publicly to a select group of friends, colleagues and associates at PGA headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.

According to CNN.com, a statement on Woods’ Web site elaborated: “While Tiger feels that what happened is fundamentally a matter between him and his wife, he also recognizes that he has hurt and let down a lot of other people who were close to him. He also let down his fans. He wants to begin the process of making amends, and that’s what he’s going to discuss.”

Just days after the National Enquirer reported that he was having an affair with New York hostess, Rachel Uchitel, Woods crashed his truck into a fire hydrant just steps away from his home in Florida. Within the weeks that followed, at least eleven additional women surfaced alleging they had affairs with Tiger.

What is unknown still is will Elin, his wife, stay or will she go?

It’s been a tough time for Tiger, but it didn’t stop the jokes from coming.

Former President Bill Clinton was taken to a New York hospital on Thursday with chest pains, a White House official said.

Mr. Clinton has had a history of heart trouble but it was uncertain how serious his condition was as doctors evaluated him.

Douglas Band, counselor to Mr. Clinton, issued this statement: “Today President Bill Clinton was admitted to the Columbia Campus of New York Presbyterian Hospital after feeling discomfort in his chest. Following a visit to his cardiologist, he underwent a procedure to place two stents in one of his coronary arteries. President Clinton is in good spirits, and will continue to focus on the work of his Foundation and Haiti’s relief and long-term recovery efforts. In 2004, President Clinton underwent a successful quadruple bypass operation to free four blocked arteries.”

Click here to read more.

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[4:50 p.m. - 2/11/2010] – BREAKING: Bill Clinton Hospitalized In NYC, Complained Of Chest Pains

From MSNBC:

Former President Bill Clinton has been hospitalized in New York City, NBC News has confirmed.

Early reports indicated that the former president experienced chest pains and has received a stent. A stent is small mesh tube that is used to treat narrowed or weakened arteries.

Click here to read more.

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Bill Clinton Will Be Inducted Into Black Fraternity

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Former President Bill Clinton has been hospitalized in New York City, NBC News has confirmed.

Early reports indicated that the former president experienced chest pains and has received a stent. A stent is small mesh tube that is used to treat narrowed or weakened arteries.

Click here to read more.

Stay tuned for additional updates from NewsOne.com as this story develops…

RELATED STORIES

Bill Clinton Will Be Inducted Into Black Fraternity

Bill Clinton Will Be U.N. Envoy To Haiti

VIA: THEWASHINGTONPOST.COM

According to the Wizards Insider in the Washington Post, Gilbert Arenas brought guns to the Verizon Center because of a dispute with his team mate Jarvaris Crittenton.  The New York Post reports that the incident was over an unpaid gambling debt and that Crittenton also had a weapon. Yahoo! Sports is reporting that the dispute was before practice at Verizon Center on Dec. 21 in Washington. On Christmas Eve, the NBA and Wizards announced that Arenas was being investigated for possibly violating league rules regarding firearms.

Arenas said on Tuesday that the D.C. police department was investigating the circumstances under which he brought the guns to the arena. “They just wanted to know where I got them from and make sure they’re not dirty guns,” Arenas said.

Click here for the full story….

These days when many singers, even in gospel music, are manufactured, there are still a few platinum voices that never disappoint. Here’s a nod particularly, to the leading ladies of gospel.

These soulful divas can bring the church house down and lead us into uninhibited praise.

Whether they belt out traditional ballads like Pastor Shirley Caesar, or rock contemporary jams like Mary Mary, these gospel queens lead us straight to the throne.

GALLERY: GOSPEL’S GRAND DAMES

Did we miss anybody? Tell us who leads you to the throne.