The phenomenon of the BOBs, a.k.a. Black Obama Bashers, began to appear as soon as then Senator Obama announced his candidacy in February of 2007. Unlike those who have serious policy or political differences with Barack Obama, the BOBs have always attacked him because of their own inner motivations – motivations which are so reflexive that they simply can’t help themselves. And we find that these Black Obama Bashers fall into three distinct categories.

Obligatory BOBs – These men and women attack President Obama as if their lives depend on them doing so. And in fact, their livelihoods do depend on it. We find these BOBs presenting themselves as black Republicans or even Teapublicans. These BOBs hold positions such as the in house expert on All Things Black or “urban policy” in right wing think tanks and foundations.

The job description for these BOBs is quite clear – engage in high profile attacks against President Obama thereby giving cover for the white organizations with which they are affiliated. After all, no one can reasonably accuse these institutions, foundations and political parties as racist when the ones throwing stones are black. Right?

Mercenary BOBs – These Black Obama Bashers are distinguished from the Obligatory BOBs because they are a bit more creative and are definitely more entrepreneurial. The Mercenary BOBs may or may not have deep philosophical differences with Barack Obama.

However, the Mercenary BOBs have ascertained the virtual gold mine of opportunity available to semi-articulate and passably educated black intellectual poseurs who mount attacks against the first black President of the United States. These BOBs are virtually agnostic on the question of President Obama’s accomplishments but they are passionate in their belief in the monetary value of their attacks.

And so they continue to launch their fact-challenged, historically deficient and logically impaired salvos at the White House, secure in the knowledge that they can write, rhyme, rap and cakewalk their way to fame and fortune, eternally grateful that there is a black man in the White House. For the Mercenary BOBs are nothing if not acutely aware of the fact that when Barack Obama leaves the White House in 2017 they are going to have to come up with a brand new routine. After all, playing the college level version of the dozens with Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump or Bernie Sanders or Rafael (just call me “Ted”) Cruz won’t be anywhere as entertaining for the black audiences that they play to.

Pathological BOBs – These BOBs are actually in need of some kind of intervention. They cannot really help themselves when they see black people achieve more than they are capable of achieving. For the Pathological BOBs, Barack Obama is just another target to be placed alongside Oprah and Ken Chenault and Michelle Obama and Martin Luther King.

These Black Obama Bashers are simply reflexive and would be deserving of pity and sympathy were it not for the corrosive damage that they inflict upon the national black community by trying to diminish the achievement of members of that community.

What we do know is that all of these BOBs are destined to fade from memory. What we do know is that a library of books will be written about the presidency of Barack Obama. And what we also know is that the sad gaggle of BOBs that has proliferated over the past eight years will only deserve a footnote, if that, in any of the books in that library.

In the final analysis their contribution to serious deliberation, debate and discussion can be summed up in one word – zero.