(NO) WELCOME MAT

I met a gypsy and she hip to some life game
To stimulate then activate the left and right brain
Said baby boy you only funky as your last cut
You focus on the past your ass will be a has what
~Andre 3000

The President is coming to town and nooooobody wants to hang out. Seriously. Roy Barnes, former Georgia governor and Democratic gubernatorial front-runner for this year’s election has plans to campaign in middle and south Georgia. It’s the part of the state un-affectionately known as the “other Georgia;” it gets little attention and needs help with a capital h. John Barrow, another Democrat, and running for Congress is in DC undergoing minor surgery (shazam! He’s got healthcare? Wonder if he’s single…?).

Congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis’ staff has simple stated he “has other plans.” Jim Marshall, also running for Congress, is helping his daughter move (on a weekday?). And Hank Johnson, who has the President’s endorsement prominently featured in his dry-a radio spots (can we get some hip-hop music in the background, please!) is also in DC, preparing for his spot on an impeachment board prosecuting a judge.

It doesn’t matter if we feel these gentlemen’s reasons are valid or not. We live in a democracy. Hence, if the man who is not exactly your boss, but sort of in charge of the company you work for, comes to town, you do not have to bend over backwards to see him. But this does show how the tide can turn. One day you can be hot stuff, and the next… Furthermore, it isn’t really surprising since President Obama did not get Georgia's electoral vote in 2008.

Still, the last time President O. visited Georgia (February 2010), he spent most of his time in Savannah. It is said that a good time was had by all. He even went by Mrs. Wilkes and got down on some fried chicken—the First Lady wasn’t with him, so he got to do whatever he damn well pleased (pretty sure, though, he caught hell when he got back to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.).

But that was then.

The honeymoon America had with its first African-American President, who still “speaks so well and is articulate” but just not saying what we need to hear, is over. Matter of fact, the memo came out with the last unemployment figures.

Yet another way to look at it is that Barnes is about the business of getting re-elected. Given the rampant, crushing, joblessness, poverty, etc. occurring statewide, surely, getting an up close and personal look at his constituents’ needs is more important than the President’s trip. In 2012, regardless as to whether or not President Obama is still at the helm, he won’t be hurting for much. But the people that Barnes is going to visit may not be as fortunate.

And perhaps Congressman Lewis’ very short yet crystal clear message is that he does not want to be bothered with the dude he did not support initially. See, it wasn’t until after Obama clinched the Iowa Caucus in January that Lewis switched his support from Hillary Clinton. It’s sorta like, “I only did what my people told me to do. I wasn’t feeling you then and now…well, you ain’t all of that.”

I watched part of the President’s appearance on “The View” last week. Everyone was all abuzz and shit. Shoot, even Barbara Walters, who is recuperating from heart surgery, came by to see him (Barb really loves the brothers, doesn’t she…?). But it’s apparent, especially with Hasselbeck digging and damn near calling the man a liar, that the President ain’t getting much love when he travels these days.

It’s like that cousin dropping by your crib with his bad ass step-kids—not his fault they are bad; they were like that when he married his wife. He’s doing his best, but they’re simply off the chain. You cannot tell him to go away because he’s your favorite cousin. So you let he and his family in, but make up some shit you “gotta do” so they know they “can’t stay long.”

Indeed I feel sorry for the President. No worse feeling than to go “whisitting” (my late Dad’s southern way of saying, “visiting”) and folks put the “gone fishing” sign out before you even arrive in town. Damn.

I’m just a low level reservist, but if the President asked, I would have lunch with him (and since he’s technically my boss, he’d treat, right?) We would not even have to talk shop; just about music, movies and parenting in this day and age.

But that’ll never happen.

Hey, maybe he should see if Jermaine Dupri, Tyler Perry or Outkast are at home…