Translate

Thursday, October 29, 2026

Former President Barack Obama Includes The African American Saying "Don't Fall For The Okey-Doke" In His October 2026 Midterm Political Speeches

 Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series on the saying "Don't fall for the okey-doke" with a focus on Barack Obama's inclusion of that saying before he became a United States President as well as during and after his presidency.

This post showcases a YouTube video of former President Barack Obama's inclusion of that saying in his October 24, 2026 midterm election speech in Detroit Michigan. An excerpt of the transcript of that video is included in this post. 

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2026/10/barack-obamas-inclusion-of-saying-dont.html for Part I of this pancocojams series. That post 
focuses on Barack Obama's inclusion of inclusion of the African American saying "Don't fall for the okey-doke" before he became a United States President, during, and after his presidency.

The content of this post is presented for historical, political, etymological, and socio-cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to President Barack Obama for his political and cultural legacy. Thanks to the videographer and publisher of this video on YouTube.
 

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO - 
Barack Obama reacts to Republican attacks on Abdul El-Sayed's name: 'This stuff didn't work on me'


USA TODAY,  Oct 24, 2026

Former President Barak Obama responded to attacks by republicans on Abdul El-Sayed name, referencing a controvery started by then New York real estate mogul Donald Trump over Obama's birth certificate. Trump's claims that Obama's birth certificate was fake were untrue, and ultimately didn't prevent Obama from winning re-election.

"We've seen this movie before," Obama said. "This stuff didn't work on me. Not in Michigan. It's not gonna work on Abdul."

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMYN_lnk1uc
-snip-
The saying "We are not gonna fall for the okey-doke" is given at 1:31 in this video.

****
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE ABOUT THIS TRANSCRIPTION
This transcription is given from 0.00 t0 5:29 of this YouTube video's automated transcript video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMYN_lnk1uc

This transcript is mostly given "as is" without any time stamps.

Two exceptions to that statement are my corrections of the spelling for the term "okey-doke" that was given as "okie-do" [around 1:31 in that transcript]  and my replacement of the name "Abdul" for the words "I do" that is given before the words "didn't like some of the things you did as president.." [around 2:28 of that transcript.]

This transcription also includes two instances of changing the punctuation for the sentence that is given  around 3:17 of that transcript.

In that video's automated transcript that sentence is given as "You think I'm I'm speaking facts now?"

My transcription gives that sentence as "You think I'm - I'm speaking facts now."

My addition of a hyphen indicates that former President Obama was going to say something else, but switched to the words "I'm speaking facts". Those words are often shortened online and offline to the word "Facts" and means that the person wants to emphasize that words that are being said are really the truth.

Former President Obama wasn't asking the rally attendees if they thought he was speaking facts (telling the truth). With that remark (given as an aside) , he was emphasizing that he was speaking facts (telling the truth) that his wife, Michelle Obama, doesn't agree with everything he says and lets him know that.

As it is given in that transcript, that sentence doesn't make any sense as a question in either African American Vernacular English or in standard English.

I believe that this particular transcript correction is an example of why it's important to factor in cultural nuances into transcriptions.  

****
EXCERPT OF THE AUTOMATED TRANSCRIPT FOR THIS VIDEO 

"Now, I almost and I I emphasize almost feel bad for their Republican opponents.

Almost because after spending the last couple years, just singing this president's praises, doing anything he asked.

They've now come to realize, oops, folks are kind of upset with all these broken promises. So, so what are they doing? Well, there are a number of strategies.

Number one, they're pretending they've never heard of the guy.

Donald who? What? No, you know, don't know the guy. They avoid the subject ey're doing, which is part for the course, is running all kinds of scary ads to make you think Democrats or radicals or communists or jihadists or the woke police that will come arrest you and force feed you tofu instead of hamburgers.

We are not going to fall for that okey-doke.

We are not going to be bamboozled like that.

We're clear about the choice in this election.

Abdul is fighting for change. Real change. [cheering] Change that will bring an end to this war.

[cheering]

Change that will get money out of politics and put money in your pocket.

[cheering]

Change that will finish the job we started with the Affordable Care Act and guarantee quality affordable healthcare to every single American.

[cheering]

He's taking on He's taking on crony capitalism and corrupt politics that only benefits people with enough money and power to game a broken system in Washington at your expense.

And and and I'm you hear people say this is somehow radical. What What is radical about that? Wanting everybody to have healthcare, how's that radical?

Wanting everybody to have a place to live that they can afford. How is that radical?

Now, it doesn't, by the way, I you know, I want I want to talk about this. Some some of these folks say, "Well, you know, Abdul didn't like some of the things you did as president." Let me tell you something.

We are not going to agree on every detail of every issue,

[cheering]

you know. Yeah. So, Abdul didn't agree with some some things we wanted to do that we our administration was doing when I was president. You know who else doesn't agree with everything I I do?

Michelle Obama.

[cheering]

Michelle Obama. I'd say about five times a day, says, "You you knucklehead." What? Why you do that?"

You think I'm - I'm speaking facts now.

Disagreeing on means is different from disagreeing on ends on on our goals.

We when people who share your fundamental values are are are arguing for I think we can go this way and do it that way. That's the kind of disagreement we want in a democracy.

And Abdul shares my values of wanting everybody to get healthcare. who shares my values. That if you work hard every day, you should

[cheering]

have a living wage.

And you should be able, if you're a young person starting a family, to be able to buy a house that you can afford.

And that you shouldn't have to pay six bucks every time you fill up a tank of gas to get to work.

We share those values of making sure everybody gets a fair shot in this society and that the system's not just run for those at the top for the high and mighty, those who can afford a lobbyist.

And I can also tell you this from experience. Whenever a movement builds to challenge that broken system, the people who benefit from the status quo will say and do anything to stop that train from coming.

They will use lies and they will use fear and they will use division and they may even use your name or your faith to somehow suggest that you are dangerous and and less than trustworthy and less patriotic and less American than they are. We have seen this movie before. I starred in it.

I was I'm I'm I'm I'm the I I was I was I I I've got a a long form birth certificate." ....

****
This concludes Part II of this two part pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Barack Obama's Inclusion Of The African American Saying "Don't Fall For The Okey-Doke" In His Political Speeches From 2008-2026

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series on the African American saying "Don't fall for the okey-doke"/

This post focuses on Barack Obama's inclusion of inclusion of the African American saying "Don't fall for the okey-doke" before he became a United States President, during, and after his presidency.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2026/10/former-president-barack-obama-includes.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. That post showcases a YouTube video of former President Barack Obama's inclusion of the African American saying "Don't fall for the okey-doke" in his October 24, 2026 midterm election speech in Detroit Michigan. An excerpt of the transcript of that video is included in that post. 

The content of this post is presented for historical, political, etymological, and socio-cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to President Barack Obama for his political and cultural legacy. Thanks to AI Overview and 
Chris Sunami for researching and sharing this information that is presented in this post. 

****
INFORMATION ABOUT BARACK OBAMA'S USE OF THE SAYING "DON'T FALL FOR THE OKEY-DOKE"
These quotes are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.

Additions and corrections are welcome.

SOURCE #1
From AI Overview  [This write-up is the result of my October 29, 2026 query about the meaning of this saying and whether it was from African American Vernacular English]. 

" "The okey-doke" evolved to mean "a con" or a deceptive trick through ironic semantic shifting from the cheerful agreement of "okey-dokey," and it has a rich history deeply tied to African American Vernacular English (AAVE).

Origin and Meaning as a Con

• From Assent to Deception: "Okey-dokey" arose in the early 1930s as a playful, rhyming reduplication of the word "OK".

• The Irony of Agreement: The shift from a harmless sign of agreement ("sure thing, everything is fine") to a noun meaning a setup or swindle relies on irony. "The okey-doke" describes a situation where smooth talk, false friendliness, and faux-assurances are used to lower a person's guard right before they are exploited or betrayed. To "fall for the okey-doke" means letting yourself be fooled by a polished presentation.

Is it from AAVE?

• Early African American Usage: While the base term "okey-dokey" began as general American slang, the specific noun usage meaning a trick, scheme, or con ("that's just a bunch of okey-doke") was heavily shaped and popularized within African American speech during the 1930s.

• Cultural Preservation: Over the decades, it remained a prominent fixture in AAVE and Black radio culture before entering broader mainstream American political and cultural lexicon."...

****
SOURCE #2
From https://popculturephilosopher.com/dont-fall-for-the-okey-doke/ "Don't Fall For the Okey-Doke - The Pop Culture Philosopher" by August 25, 2016 Chris Sunami

…."If, as some have speculated, Trump doesn’t care about his perception among actual black Americans, and is merely trying to rehabilitate his racial reputation among queasy white Republicans, perhaps this is enough to turn the trick.  But if his aim is to actually improve his standing in the black community, then I contend –in opposition to Adams’ belief that persuasion is everything –that Trump could deliver a speech penned by Dr. Cornel West himself, and barely move the needle.  The reason is the okey-doke.

Many people were first introduced to this term when then-candidate Obama used it during the 2008 primaries, or when he used it again recently in reference to the Republican agenda.  As many have speculated, it’s coded speech aimed directly at a black audience, but I’ll be glad to here explain it openly and directly:

The term is a parodic reference to the characteristic Midwestern phrase “okey-dokey,” itself a jocular varient of the word “okay,” meaning everything is great.  “The okey-doke” is when people smile at you, and make overtures of friendship, and assure you all things are fine, and that they have all your best interests in mind; when the real truth is the exact opposite.  To fall for the “okey-doke” is to believe that someone wants to be your friend when he is really just biding his time waiting to betray or exploit you –or is in fact already doing so.

The truth is that the black community has fallen for –or at the least been exposed to –the okey-doke so many times, that the community as a whole has built up a certain level of resistence to persuasion, even as delivered by a master.  Even if the media has already forgotten, we still remember Trump started his career discriminating against black people in his housing, and throwing us out of his casino. We still remember his race-baiting vigilantism in the case of the Central Park Jogger. We certainly haven’t forgot his weakly disavowed endorsement from Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke.  Above all, we know that when someone begins his political career with a promise to deport all Mexicans, and follows up with a call for banning all Muslims, it’s only a matter of time before he works his way around to some sort of final solution for the “black problem” as well.  For all those reasons, and despite “friends” like Dennis Rodman and Omarosa, or endorsements from Dr. Ben Carson and a host of prosperity-preaching pastors, Trump isn’t going to get much beyond his current 1% black support, no matter how many persuasive speeches he makes.

[…]

America, don’t fall for the okey-doke."

****
SOURCE #3
From AI Overview [This write-up is the result of my October 29, 2026 request for a chronology of Barack Obama's use of the saying "Don't fall for the okey-doke" along with those comments.] 

"Former President Barack Obama has frequently used the African-American slang phrase "Don't fall for the okey-doke" (meaning a trick, scam, or deception) as a signature campaign trail idiom. Throughout his political career from 2008 to 2026, he deployed the phrase to warn voters against getting hoodwinked by political opponents or falling into voter apathy.

The primary dates, contexts, and comments of his most notable uses include:

1. The 2008 Presidential Campaign

 • Late 2007 / Early 2008 (Democratic Primaries): Obama heavily popularized the phrase on the trail in South Carolina (such as a notable speech in Sumter) and Mississippi.

            • The Context: Hillary Clinton’s campaign suggested that Obama could serve as her vice-presidential running mate.

            • His Comments: Obama explicitly told a crowd in Columbus, Mississippi, that the VP suggestion was an example of "the old okey-doke," adding that the Clinton camp was trying to "bamboozle" or "hoodwink" voters into thinking they could vote for her and still get both of them on the ticket.

November 2, 2008 (General Election Eve): Speaking to crowds in Columbus, Ohio, just before winning the presidency.• The Context: Countering economic promises and policy pivots made by Republican nominee John McCain.

• His Comments: "Don't be hoodwinked... don't be bamboozled, don't fall for the okey-doke." 

2. The Presidency & Midterms (2016) 

• June 1, 2016: A major economic speech delivered in Elkhart, Indiana.

            • The Context: Criticking the Republican party's economic platform and anti-regulatory rhetoric during the emerging general election cycle.

            • His Comments: He urged working-class voters not to fall for the conservative talking points regarding deregulation, framing their economic promises as a deceptive trick.

• November 1, 2016: Campaigning for Hillary Clinton in Columbus, Ohio.

            • The Context: Attacking Donald Trump's populist appeal to working-class Americans.

            • His Comments: "This guy? Don't be bamboozled. Don't run for that okey-doke."

November 7, 2016: General Election Eve rally in Ann Arbor/Flint, Michigan.• The Context: One final push to mobilize the Democratic base against Donald Trump.

• His Comments: "Manufacturing jobs have grown at the fastest rate since the '90s... So when I tell you that Donald Trump is not the guy who's going to look out for you, you need to listen. Do not be bamboozled. Don't fall for the okey-doke." 

3. Post-Presidency Midterm Rallies (2018–2022) 

• November 2, 2018: Campaigning for Florida Democrats (Andrew Gillum and Bill Nelson) in Miami.

            • The Context: Warning voters about being distracted by late-campaign GOP talking points and fear tactics.

            • His Comments: Using a pop-culture analogy, he said: "Remember Peanuts right?... Charlie Brown and Lucy with the football... She pull the ball away and he'd fall on his back... Don't be Charlie Brown—don't fall for the okey-doke. Don't be bamboozled."

• October 2022: Midterm campaign blitz stops in Wisconsin (October 29) and Las Vegas, Nevada (November 1).

• The Context: Combating voter apathy, disillusionment, and the urge for young voters to "tune out" the toxic political climate.

• His Comments: "If you're scared, if you're anxious, if you're frustrated, don't complain... Don't get distracted. Don't get bamboozled. Don't fall for the okey-doke that says nothing you say or do matters... Get off your couch and do what? Vote!" 

4. Midterm Campaigning (2026)

• October 24, 2026: Midterm mobilization rally in Detroit, Michigan.

            • The Context: Pushing back against aggressive Republican attack ads labeling progressive and mainstream Democrats as dangerous extremists.

            • His Comments: Chuckling at claims that his party was composed of "radicals or communists or jihadis or the woke police," Obama told the crowd: "We are not going to fall for that okey-doke." He went on to defend standard platforms like affordable housing and universal healthcare as fundamentally common-sense rather than radical."
-snip-
I recall watching a YouTube video of former President Barack Obama including the saying "Don't fall for the okey-doke" during his similar speech at the midterm political rally on October 24, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. That Cleveland, Ohio rally was held prior to his speech on the same day in Detroit, Michigan. 

**** 
This concludes Part I of this pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Wednesday, October 28, 2026

The Popularity of The Name Muhammad (And Some Similarly Spelled Names) In The United States

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents some information about the name "Muhammad" with a focus on the popularity of that name and some similarly spelled names in the United States.

The Addendum of this post showcases a YouTube video of a portion of an October 2026  midterm political rally speech by Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee in the United States Senate election in the state of Michigan. In that video Dr. El-Sayed shares his opinion about United States President Trump's habit of referring to him by his middle name "Muhammad".

The content of this post is for onomastic * and socio-cultural purposes.

*Onomastic is the study of name origins and meanings.

All copyrights remain with their owners.  

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publisher of this video on YouTube.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE NAME "MUHAMMAD" (And Similarly Spelled Names)
These sources are presented in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.

SOURCE #1
From AI Overview
"Muhammad is widely considered the most common given name in the world, with an estimated 150 million to over 26 million bearers depending on how spellings and first-name versus honorific data are tallied.

Global and Regional Popularity

• Global Standing: Including all spelling variations (such as Mohammed, Mohammad, and Mohamed), Muhammad is frequently cited as the most popular male given name on Earth.

• Muslim-Majority Nations: It is extremely common across the Middle East, North Africa, and South/Southeast Asia (including countries like Pakistan, Egypt, Bangladesh, and Indonesia). In some areas, it is so frequent that families use it as an honorific prefix or rely primarily on distinct family names to tell individuals apart.

• Western Nations & Europe: The name has climbed dramatically in Western demographics. According to the Office for National Statistics, Muhammad has repeatedly ranked as a top or leading boy's baby name in England and Wales. It has also placed high on baby name trackers in countries like Austria, France, Ireland, and the Netherlands.

• United States: In the U.S., the name has grown steadily since the late 1970s—influenced by cultural figures like boxer Muhammad Ali and immigration patterns—ranking around the top 300–400 names for boys.

Meaning and Variations

• Meaning: The name is of Arabic origin meaning "praiseworthy" or "the most praised one".

• Cultural Significance: It is chosen by millions of Muslim parents to honor the Prophet Muhammad.

• Spelling Variants: Due to transliteration from Arabic into Latin alphabets, it features dozens of spellings, including Muhammad, Mohammed, Mohammad, Mohamed, Muhammed, and Mahmud."

****
SOURCE #2

From AI Overview
"The name Muhammad ranks around No. 272 nationally for newborn boys in the United States, though it is significantly more popular in certain urban areas like New York City, where it entered the top 10 for boys' names.

National Rank: Muhammad reached the top 1,000 U.S. boy names in 1976 and climbed to No. 272 by 2023.

Regional Highlights: It has gained enough traction to rank in the top 10 boy names in cities with large and diverse populations, such as New York City.

Historical Growth: The name's rise in the U.S. accelerated in the late 1970s, influenced by cultural figures like Muhammad Ali and growing immigration from Muslim-majority countries.

(Note: In contrast to the U.S., Muhammad ranks much higher internationally, holding the No. 1 spot for baby boys in countries like the United Kingdom.)

****
SOURCE #3
From https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/06/us/muhammad-top-10-baby-names-trnd "Muhammad makes list of top 10 baby names in the US for the first time" written by Harmeet Kaur, Dec 6, 2019
"For the first time, Muhammad is one of the top 10 most popular baby names for boys in the United States, according to data from the parenting website BabyCenter.

Muhammad ranks at No. 10, up four spots from last year. The name has been climbing steadily on BabyCenter’s rankings over the years and first entered the top 100 in 2013.

“Muslim families often choose Muhammad for firstborn sons to honor the prophet and bring blessings to the child,” Linda Murray, BabyCenter’s global editor in chief, said in a news release. “The name also has multiple spellings, and that helps a name get into the top 10.”

Liam was the most popular name for boys, pushing out Jackson, which had spent six consecutive years at the top of the list. Sophia remained No. 1 for girls, marking a decade as the top choice.

BabyCenter says its data comes from almost 600,000 parents who shared their baby’s name with the organization in 2019. Its rankings also combine names that sound the same but have multiple spellings (like Mohammad and Muhammad).

The Social Security Administration also ranks the popularity of baby names using records of all babies born in the US, but the agency treats each unique spelling as a separate name.

The agency has not released its own list, but Social Security data shows Muhammad rose from No. 620 in 2000 to No. 345 in 2018. The agency does not include varied spellings in that ranking.

Names of Arabic origin are on the rise, according to BabyCenter. As Muhammad broke into the top 10 for boys, Aaliyah made the top 10 for girls."...

****
SOURCE #4

https://www.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/babyname.cgi *

Social Security [Official United States website search feature for name popularity rankings]

Popularity of name Muhammad

For each year, we show the rank for Muhammad and a bar representing the popularity of that name. The longer the bar, the more popular the name. The more popular the name in a given year, the numerically lower the rank, with rank 1 being the most popular.

2025    239                

2024    246                

2023    272                

2022    298                

2021    307                

2020    310

More information for male name Muhammad

For 2025, the number of births with name Muhammad is 1473, which represents 0.080 percent of total male births in 2025.

The year when the name Muhammad was most popular is also 2025.

Similar male names for births in 2025

Name  Rank

Mohammad    562

Mohammed    595

Muhammad    239"
-snip-
* This link leads to the official United States Social Security Administration's name search feature.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) ranks the top 1,000 baby names for a given year by counting the number of Social Security card applications for each unique first name by sex, and then ordering them from highest to lowest frequency.

(Every newborn United States citizen must have their own unique  Social Security card (i.e. a Social Security number that no one else has.)

****
SOURCE #5-From https://www.babycenter.com/baby-names/details/muhammad-463135 "Muhammad"
Written by Tahirah Blanding, Fact-checked by Rebekah Wahlberg
Updated on Oct. 1, 2026
" "Muhammad" /moo-HAH-muhd/

At a glance

Origin: Arabic

US Popularity: #36

Meaning: "Praiseworthy"

[…]

Source: BabyCenter user data"

****
ADDENDUM -“I'll be Senator Muhammad To You Bro”: Abdul El-Sayed Fires Back at Trump

@HookGlobal, October 26, 2026

Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed has responded to President Donald Trump’s repeated mockery of his name with a pointed message: after the November election, Trump may have to address him as “Senator Muhammad.”

Speaking at a campaign event in Grand Rapids, El-Sayed argued that Trump appears comfortable dealing with people from Muslim-majority countries when financial interests are involved, referencing Saudi investment in Jared Kushner’s private equity firm, Affinity Partners, and Qatar’s gift of a Boeing 747 aircraft to Trump.

https://youtube.com/shorts/IULH7A37LbU?si=eJN1OpLoEBfvoCq5
-snip-
Dr. El-Sayed's full name is Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed.

Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdul_El-Sayed for information about Dr. El-Sayed.

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojaams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Tuesday, October 27, 2026

Trump's Remarks About Black Rapper Nicki Minaj's "Beautiful Ass" & Revisiting My Post About The Words "African Booty" In Children's Rhymes

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents information and comments about the term "African booty".  This post also presents information about and reactions to President Donald Trump's remarks at a 2026 midterm political rally that rapper Nicki Minaj has a "beautiful ass."

The content of this post is presented for historical and socio- cultural purposes.

All copyrights remains with their owners.

Thanks to some of those who are quoted in this post.

****
Part I: My pancocojams posts about African American children's rhymes that include the words "African booty"

On September 29, 2026 I reprinted a 2011 pancocojams post about African American children's recreational rhymes that include the words "African booty". Here's the link for that 2026 post: https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2026/09/the-yerm-african-booty-in-childrens.html  "The Term "African Booty" In The Children's Recreational Rhymes "Mailman Mailman Do Your Duty" & "Policeman Policeman Do Your Duty".

That post about those children's rhymes was prompted by my interest in documenting YouTube videos of the "Booty call" soul line dances. Here's a link to Part I of a two part pancocojams series about those line dances that were performed to Blackstreet's 1994 record "Booti Call [Remix]". The title of that record is also given as "Booty Call [Remix]'. Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2026/09/some-examples-of-booti-call-booty-call.html for the pancocojsms post entitl4d "Six YouTube Examples Of "Booti Call", "Booty Call" Line Dances (2007-2025)." The link to Part II of that pancocojams series is given in that post.

Here's a portion of that 2011 (and 2026) pancocojams post about the words "African booty" in children's rhymes: 

"The term "African booty"
In African American Vernacular English term "African booty" means "a really big butt". While  males can be said to have an "African booty", that term is usually reserved as a descriptor for teenage girls and women. 

The term "African booty" isn't a commonly used African American Vernacular English term. Those words are only found in these children's rhymes as a replacement for the words "American beauty" or in the highly negative term "African booty scratcher". ("African booty scratcher" was used in the mid to late 20th century much more than it is currently used by some African Americans who were directly insulting emigrants from continental Africa.)

The origin of that African American Vernacular English term came from the seemingly widely held belief in the United States (and elsewhere?) that all or most Black women from the continent of Africa and their descendants (such as Black American women) have large butts.

The reason that many Americans (and probably many people in some other nations outside of Africa) have been informally socialized to believe that all African women naturally have big butts is because of White racism. The story of Sarah Baartman is one example of the consequences of that racism. Sarah Baartman c. 1789 – 29 December 1815), was a South African woman who had a big, protruding butt. She was taken from her country and exhibited as a freak show attraction in 19th-century Europe under the name Hottentot Venus, a name that was later attributed to at least one other Black woman who was similarly exhibited. [re-worded from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Baartman."

 [The references to Sarah Baartman were added on October 27, 2026 to those pancocojams posts about children rhymes that include the words "African booty" rhymes. I also added the link to this "Revisitng my post about the words "African Booty"... publication.

****
In the context of children's recreational rhymes, people (usually girls ages 6-12 years) who are chanting "Policeman Policeman Do Your Duty" and similar rhymes while playing long jump rope are complimenting the person who is jumping in the middle of the rope.  I don't believe that African Americans have ever given any negative connotations to the term "African booty" in these children's rhymes or elsewhere.

That said,
I believe that most children who say the words "African booty" as part of the rhyme that they are chanting do so from rote memory i.e. they don't give any thought to the meaning of the words that they are chanting. However, children who know the African American Vernacular English meaning of the words "African booty" would consider that descriptor to be a compliment because in the United States and in other Western nations it's considered preferable for a teenage girl or a woman to have a big butt rather than a small butt or a flat butt. 

To emphasize this point, the term "African booty" doesn't appear to be commonly used in American English. It's much more likely for contemporary African Americans (and other Americans regardless of their race/ethnicity) to say that someone (particularly a woman) has "a big butt" or "a big booty" (with the word "butt" used more often than the word "booty")."
-end of that portion of that 2026 "African booty" pancocojams post [revised from the 2011 pancocojams post.]  

****
Part II
- Trump's Remarks About Nicki Minaj's "Beautiful Ass" And Some Reactions To Those Remarks
Little did I know on September 29, 2026 when I published that post on the words "African booty" in African American children's rhymes less than a month later United States President Donald Trump would devote a portion of his speech at a political rally to declare that Nicki Minaj has a "beautiful ass" that "is hard to miss". (Prior to this "shout out", Nicki Minaj was featured on that rally's stage leading the attendees in the chant "AWe love Trump". That rapper-who is from Trinidad and can't vote in any United States elections because she entered this country illegally- led the rally attendees in the chant "We love Trump". After Nicki Minaj returned to her seat off stage in the front row, Trump returned to his lately frequently mentioned riff about how he likes looking at some men's asses. Trump then introduces a new element to those comments by saying he likes looking at women's asses and shares that Nicki Minaj has a "beautiful ass" that "is hard to miss."  Trump 
then said "Stand up!" to Nicki Minaj presumably so that the other people at that rally could see her "beautiful ass".

The words "beautiful ass" are very close in meaning to the words "African booty". However, who vocalizes those words and the context for that vocalization are quite different.

Here are three online examples of reactions to Trump's "beautiful ass" remark:
These examples are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.

SOURCE #1
From https://ew.com/donald-trump-praises-nicki-minaj-beautiful-ass-during-rally-speech-12193459 "Donald Trump praises Nicki Minaj’s ‘beautiful ass’ during rally speech: ‘It’s hard to miss’"

Minaj has publicly supported Trump since 2025, but spoke positively about the businessman turned reality star turned politician as far back as 2010.

 By Ryan Coleman  October 25, 2026 7:01 p.m. ET

Photo caption:

"Donald Trump and Nicki Minaj at a rally in Port Huron, Mich. on Oct. 25.[2026]

KEY POINTS

President Donald Trump made a lewd comment about Nicki Minaj’s anatomy during a Michigan rally appearance.

“By the way, I looked at one hell of a beautiful ass before — Nicki Minaj,” Trump said behind the lectern at Port Huron’s McMorran Place Arena. “That’s hard to miss.”

Trump was referencing another derriere-related compliment he gave to Jon Husted, a Republican Senator from Ohio, which recently went viral.

[…]

[text] "Headquarters

@HQNewsNow

Trump: I looked at one hell of a beautiful ass before, Nicki Minaj. That's hard to miss. Stand up."
-end of text-

The comment appeared to come from nowhere, but was likely a reference to another derriere-related compliment Trump recently rained on one of his political allies.

“I looked at his ass. I’ve never done that with a man before. Off the record — women, yes. Men, no,” Trump said on Tuesday at a rally in Greenville, N.C. He was speaking about Ohio Republican Sen. Jon Husted, who was elected in 2025 to the seat vacated by Vice President JD Vance and is currently up for re-election. “I’m studying his body. I’ve never studied the body of a man before. It’s not my thing. Nothing wrong with it, of course.”…

****
SOURCE #2  
From
AI Overview
"
President Donald Trump's public remark about rapper Nicki Minaj’s body during an October 25, 2026, rally in Port Huron, Michigan, drew comparisons on social media and from cultural commentators to the historical exploitation of South African Sarah Baartman.

The Event and the Comment 

• The Rally: While speaking at McMorran Place Arena, Trump remarked, “By the way, I looked at one hell of a beautiful ass before — Nicki Minaj. That's hard to miss,” and asked her to stand up for the crowd.

• The Reaction: Minaj appeared unbothered, joined him on stage, and expressed continued support.
 

The Comparison to Sarah Baartman

• The Historical Parallel: Critics and commentators—such as writer Charles M. Blow—drew a line to Sarah Baartman, a Khoikhoi woman from South Africa who was taken to Europe in 1810 and exhibited as a public spectacle because of her physical features.

• The Arguments Made:

            • Critics argue that a powerful figure publicly singling out and inviting an audience to ogle a Black woman's body echoes a centuries-long history of objectifying and hypersexualizing Black women's bodies for predominantly white audiences, drawing comparisons to historical freak shows and slave inspections. Some also expressed discomfort that Minaj willingly participated in the moment on stage.

            • Defenders and other observers note the vast difference in context: Baartman was a victim of severe, forced human exploitation and colonial abuse in the 19th century, whereas Minaj is a consenting, highly successful independent celebrity and willing political surrogate with a long-standing public persona.”

****
SOURCE #3
From https://www.facebook.com/CharlesMBlow/videos/the-degradation-and-perversion-of-a-sitting-president-or-any-person-inviting-an-/1348387953911556/

Charles M. Blow, October 26, 2026

“The degradation and perversion of a sitting President — or any person — inviting an arena of people to publicly ogle a Black woman’s body has too many echos to slave inspections and #sarahbaartman to ignore. And, #NickiMinaj obliging her own objectification adds stinging insult to horrific injury. #ThereIsNoBottom"
-snip-
This facebook comment is one of the sources for the AI Overview results given for the AI Overview results quoted as Source #2

The tag " in African American reporter Charles M. Blow's text refers to Sarah Baartman. Here's an excerpt from a Wikipedia page about that South African woman:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Baartman
"
Sarah Baartman c. 1789 – 29 December 1815) ... was a Khoekhoe woman who was exhibited as a freak show attraction in 19th-century Europe under the name Hottentot Venus, a name that was later attributed to at least one other woman similarly exhibited.

[...]

"Venus" is sometimes used to designate representations of the female body in arts and cultural anthropology, referring to the Roman goddess of love and fertility. "Hottentot" was a Dutch-colonial era term for the indigenous Khoikhoi people of southwestern Africa, which then became commonly used in English, and was shortened to "hotnot" as an offensive term; the term "Hottentot" refers to the tribe, like the Zulu or Xhosa. The Sarah Baartman story has been called the epitome of racist colonial exploitation, and of the commodification and dehumanization of Southern African people.[3]"...
-snip-
A number of African Americans have compared Trump's objectifying Nicki Minaj to what happened to Sarah Baartman. For example, in an October 26, 2026 YouTube video entitled "Please Stop With This Nonsense | Nicki Minaj Is NOT The Modern Day Sara Baartman!! 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grrIuVXMBRc TabithaSpeaksPolitics strongly criticizes this comparison in large part because Sarah Baartman was a victim and Nicki Minaj is a willing participant.

With regard to my 2011/2026 post about the words "African booty" in children's rhymes, I regret that I didn't note that the reason that many Americans (and probably many people in some other nations outside of Africa) have been informally socialized to believe that all African women naturally have big butts is because of White racism. Examples of that racism was the horrendous treatment of South African Sarah Baartman and other women who had big, protruding butts and were objectified because of that in "freak shows" in England and elsewhere.

I believe that few Americans (especially American children) know the name "Sarah Baartman" and don't know the negative connotations that her body was/is associated with. I recognize that the children who are chanting recreational rhymes that include the words "African booty" are doing so as part of their fun, leisure activities. Nevertheless, because I believe that it's important for me to do so, I've added a reference to Sarah Baartman in those 2011 and 2026 posts along with the link to this post.   

Rest in Peace and Power Sarah Baartman.

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.