NEW YORK (AP)—Taraji P. Henson agrees that minorities were not represented enough at the Emmys—and there are too few working in Hollywood.

Henson says “there were several times when I didn’t even want to watch the Emmys because I mean, who am I looking at?”

LEADING LADY—Actress Taraji P. Henson poses for a photograph on the red carpet for the screening of “Peep World” during the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival Sept. 15.

Henson made the comments when asked on her thoughts about fellow actress Regina King’s Sept. 3 blog post for the Huffington Post.

WASHINGTON (AP)—Retired Gen. Colin Powell, a moderate Republican who endorsed Barack Obama in 2008, says the president’s critics should be going after him on policy, not “nonsense.”

“Fringe” elements on the right are taking a low road when they label Obama a foreign-born Muslim and peddle other theories about non-American influences on the president’s character, Powell said Sunday. Obama was born in the U.S. and is Christian.

MEET THE PRESS—In this photo released by NBC, former Secretary of State Gen. Colin Powell speaks on NBC’s “Meet the Press” in Washington, Sept. 19.

The former secretary of state said he still sees Obama as a transformational figure, if one who has lost some of his ability to connect with people.

by Mark Smith

WASHINGTON (AP)—President Barack Obama implored Black voters on Saturday to rekindle the passion they felt for his groundbreaking campaign and turn out in force this fall to repel Republicans who are ready to “turn back the clock.”

In a fiery speech to the Congressional Black Caucus, Obama warned that Republicans hoping to seize control of Congress want “to do what’s right politically, instead of what’s right—period.”

ARRIVING AT DINNER—President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama arrive at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Inc.’s Annual Legislative Conference Phoenix Awards Dinner at the Washington Convention Center, Sept. 18.

“I need everybody here to go back to your neighborhoods, to go back to your workplaces, to go to the churches, and go to the barbershops and go to the beauty shops. And tell them we’ve got more work to do,” Obama said to cheers from a black-tie audience at the Washington Convention Center. “Tell them we can’t wait to organize. Tell them that the time for action is now.”

by Kathy Chaney

CHICAGO (REAL TIMES NEWS SERVICE)—Carol Moseley Braun may put her hat in the ring to succeed outgoing Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, sources said.

The former U.S. senator was flooded with calls on Sept. 7––the day Daley made the surprise announcement that he would not seek a seventh term in office––encouraging her to mull a run for the mayoral post.

CAROL MOSELEY BRAUN

Braun, who made history in 1993 as the first African-American female U.S. senator, told the Chicago Defender on Friday she is “seriously considering it.”