Back Up Off Michelle Obama

Cindy McCain, the GOP nominee himself and a host of folk on the right have attempted to skewer Michelle Obama for comments she made during the primaries about being proud of her country. But looky here at McCain's repeated comments and lo the double standard is revealed.



My esteemed fellow republicans I'm sure would say "that's different" when McCain does it. I think not.

Obama Unbowed

Words for Warfare

After the Pennsylvania loss, some people feel sick and fatigue at Hillary's win. Everyone hoped that the race would be closer to being over. Now it looks like a very long haul to Denver. So as not to underestimate the enemy, we must be prepared to win by ONE VOTE.

Some people feel down. Some feel angry, especially after watching the media do a butcher job on Obama and Hillary's nasty smear campaign. Some feel that this is not fair.

If everything were fair, we would have an unfair advantage. I relish the thought of a ONE VOTE win. Maybe if people looked at it this way, they will not underestimate the enemy and the battle ahead.

You got to love the taste of your own blood in your mouth.

Eddie Griffin - Former Black Panther

If Obama Were White......Our PA, IN, NC Prediction and the Clinton Convention Endgame

Another media hit job, I mean, debate has come and gone, another event in the slow motion destruction of the Obama campaign. On the eve of the South Carolina primary, with Obama poised to win by a wide margin, I predicted that we had seen the beginning of the defeat of the Obama campaign. I said then "the Clinton campaign has succeeded in two things. 1. making Obama a "black" candidate in the minds of white voters and 2. diminishing Obama's stature, bringing him down, in the eyes of voters, to the level of typical politicians, to frankly, their level."

I have watched the continuing battle with great hope that Obama would be able to shatter the trick box of race he has been put into, but I remain doubtful that he can do so. Clinton is pressing coded "themes" that all play upon Obama's black identity for their potency and her campaign is merely a preview of the republicans. His comments framing small town Pennsylvanians as bitter towards the government used to assert he is an elitist, code for "uppity negro". The fierce criticisms of America made by his pastor ascribed to him, framing him as an "angry black man", a natural predicate characteristic which when coupled with the non issue of not wearing a lapel flag pin, damns him as unpatriotic as well.

Following the Philadelphia debate, Clinton is again actively baiting him, using his criticism of the poor performance of the moderators of the ABC debate to paint him as weak, untested and unprepared for the fight, trying to goad him into an overreaction or ill advised attacks and with some success. Once again, as she did in the runup to Texas, she seeks to lure him onto her ground, the close combat of the politics of personal destruction, a black art of which she is a dark aficionado, employing the lessons she learned at the hands of her republican tormentors so well.

Obama did not want this to be about race. Now, race is the dominant subtext and its influence and presence in this nomination battle can't be ignored. So lets go there for a moment. Ferraro said Obama would not be where he was if he was white. I think I may agree with Ferraro. Because I'm starting to wonder "if Obama were white, would he already be the nominee by now?". Leading in delegates....leading in popular vote...leading in number of states won....leading in the money race....but he is still questionable as the nominee?

If he where white, would the party sit by while Clinton is permitted to bloody him up for the general election, even though she cannot achieve the needed numbers of delegates even if you assume the most favorable outcome for her in all the remaining contests? It is a fact that the only way she can achieve the nomination is to politically destroy Obama, either directly or by pouncing on a misstep he makes. The democratic party could end this , but they have chosen not to do so, leaving Obama to twist. Despite protestations that we will have a nominee by June, I think not. Clinton has made it clear she does not intend to withdraw, and frankly, its the only route she can go if she is determined to win. She intends to fight in every remaining contest and take the battle all the way to Denver, where it will become a knife fight on the convention floor. The Clintons know how to play this game, and so far they have managed to intimidate the rest of the democratic party into going along with this mad scheme.

And truly, this way lays madness for the democrats. Because if Clinton is permitted to carry out her tactics of attacking Obama all the way to the convention, damaging him enough to beguile the supers to give her their support for the nomination, blacks will walk away from the party in large numbers in November. Some will stay and vote with Clinton, but most will stay home. It does not require all of us to stay home in order for the dems election hopes to be sunk. Democrats don't win without the black vote. Period, full stop.

Bloggers (like me) will be screaming from the rooftops in that scenario that if blacks give their vote to Hillary after winning the nomination dirty, you are suckers and unworthy of respect. Lets also be clear. The VP spot on the ticket for Obama in that scenario won't do, even if she were to sincerely offer it. I and most of the black community would lose all respect for Obama were he to take it and consider it to be a very foolish thing for him to do. So here is the other racial subtext; is the democratic party risking losing the black vote, its most dependable, reliable voting bloc without which it does not win, because they just don't think we'll walk away, even after a slap in the face like Hillary stealing the nomination? Because they perhaps think blacks will get over any indignity? I suppose Hillary assumes that she'll lure blacks back into the fold with the promise of electoral bribes in the form of government programs and positions in her government for those blacks who stood with her. Its worked in the past, why not now?

I believe all such thinking to be quite erroneous. With blacks supporting Obama at 80% and above, the idea that they will simply turn off their allegiance to his run after the Clinton's finish their Tonya Harding routine is simply silly. Apparently the dems are willing to risk it and too intimidated by the Clinton machine to shut it down. The Clintons are betting the farm on winning this game of political chicken with the party. They figure, "hey, it will be a little ugly, but we will get all the Negroes back on the plantation by November, or at least enough of them, so don't worry". Thats the game they are playing. Its a scorched earth, bare knuckles, anything we can get away with fight.

So all of that being said, here's our prediction for NC, IN and PA. Hillary will win PA tomorrow and she will do so by a margin of 9%-15%. Energized by that win, she will have enough momentum and fund raising to continue to draw Obama missteps with her attacks and his off message reaction. She will lose in NC, but she will manage to squeak out a narrow win in Indiana. She will continue to eke out small spurts of momentum in the primary contests to follow and thereby sow fear, uncertainty and doubt among the supers, making them stay their hand before the convention. The Democratic leadership will not prevent this battle from going to the convention because they are both too intimidated by the Clinton machine and too timid to risk the potential alienation of blue collar white voters. If Hillary is not forced to concede the nomination battle by either campaign losses or orchestrated pressure from the democratic party to withdraw before the last primary contests in June, its over.

The nomination fight will go to the convention. Obama has already lost.

The Audacity of Hope Indeed

Barack has won Iowa and he poses a challenge to black americans as surely as he does to Hillary Clinton. His win last night challenges us to embrace a potential reality that while intellectually plausible, has I suspect for most of us, been purposely kept at an emotional distance. The potential reality that we might perhaps see the first African American president of the United States in... our.... lifetime.

Do we dare imagine it? Hope for it? Wish it? Obama is daring us to do so. His commanding defeat of his rivals in a state that is 94% white and largely rural is like Obama screaming at us "Come on! I can do this!".

Eminently qualified, credible and bonus, he's black. A black president in our lifetime. I've always believed that one day there would be a black president. But if you had asked me if it would occur in my lifetime, I think my answer would have been no. I would have been more likely to say that it would be in my children's lifetime. In fact, I would often say to and about my middle son, Noah (age5, feature video of the day), that he would be the first black president. After Obama's win in Iowa, a small, quiet voice in my spirit is whispering "maybe, just maybe". First Lady Michelle Obama. What about that? An accomplished, classy, intelligent and attractive black woman as First Lady. A woman who's grace, intellect and character is imminently respectable. I so want the opportunity to say to my 8 year old daughter, "thats Michelle Obama, the First Lady".

I want to believe. This blog issued its caucus prediction 5 days in advance and we said that Clinton would edge Obama out to win Iowa. That prediction was 40% analysis and 60% self defense against disappointment. Because as much as I was rooting for him, I couldn't quite bring myself to BELIEVE he could defeat the Clinton machine in Iowa.

Iowa is the end of the beginning. In 5 days comes New Hampshire, Clinton's next opportunity to blunt Obama's growing momentum. The compressed and lightning round nature of the primaries to come may very well favor Obama now. Having bloodied Clinton badly in Iowa, I have every expectation that the Clinton machine will unload everything they have against Obama now. But five days is not a lot of time to drive up Obama's negatives before New Hampshire votes. It remains to be seen what if any type of bump Obama receives in NH from his Iowa win. But if he manages another win there, his momentum going into SC will be massive. A win in NH will fire up black voters in SC who will respond to evidence of electability by Obama, which we now have tasted with this Iowa win. His challenge to Clinton is real, a clear and present danger to their dynastic dream of a convention coronation.

This battle is not over, not by a long shot. In fact, Iowa was the opening bell of this heavyweight fight. Obama scored a knockdown, but not a knockout. I and the rest of America, will be watching and hoping that Obama has the staying power, the resilience and the killer instinct necessary to survive and win the bloodsport of nomination politics and eventually to become the leader of the free world.

The audacity of hope indeed.

Obama Is Not the Great Democratic Hope

Clint Reilly, a columnist or writer of whom I've never heard (but so what?) opines the following:

In Washington, it is not just individual office holders or parties or programs that must be changed. Barack Obama’s magnetic message strikes a responsive chord with citizens who are repulsed by the growing gap between the high promise of democracy and the mediocre accomplishments of our democratic government. But Barack Obama, like Bob Matsui, faces a day of reckoning. If he becomes the Democratic nominee, Obama will have to embrace the very Washington establishment he campaigned against to mobilize the resources needed to win a general election.

He makes a point I ponder on occasion which is that while I like Obama, I always keep in mind that he has flaws and limitations. He's a liberal democrat, which means that his policy prescriptions on a variety of social and fiscal issues I'm not going to care for. He's done things I found disappointing, like his pandering to the gay community during the SC gospel tour controversy created by Donnie McClurkins participation. His campaign has never issued a substantive response regarding the Dunbar Village rape. I've not liked his debate performances on several occasions. So the guy has places where he does not do so well.

My point being that Obama is going to disappoint. He's going to disappoint black people who want him to champion a variety of grievances, and he's not going to do that. He's going to disappoint democrats who want him to end the war, because he will find it more difficult to do than he may think. And as Clint points out, he is likely not going to be this massive agent of change, because he's going to have deal with Washington establishment and he is a part of that for all of his outsider rhetoric. Now, he is less so, because he has spent less time there, but he is not running to dismantle the system, he wants to reform it. So the cynic in me says "don't get carried away with Obama fever". He's not a phenomenon, he isn't a historic leader like King (yet). In some respects, he is clearly untested and we don't really know how he will perform when the burden of being "the Decider" is upon his shoulders. He is not the Great Democratic Hope.

My Dream Ticket: The Candidates That Will Never Be

You know what? There is a truly dream ticket to be had out there in my book. Its called Powell Rice 2008. In this combo we have two black americans of unquestioned accomplishment, personal integrity,leadership quality and global stature, with conservative positions and compassionate viewpoints. That ticket in my view destroys Obama/Hillary, Hillary/Obama and any other ticket the democrats would hope to field. White America would vote for that ticket. Black America would vote for that ticket. America would vote for that ticket.

Its a ticket we'll never see. They won't run, separately or together. Why Won't They Run? Both of these individuals have been the peoples' choice for President in the recent past. Colin is still remembered fondly by the American people and his name mentioned often as the one person in the Bush administration who understood the stakes going into Iraq. This is the man who told the President "If you break this country, you own it". He was a good soldier and did his job. He's combat tested and knows the cost of war and why you avoid it when its possible, but knows that when you can't avoid it, you fight with overwhelming force and you fight to win it decisively. We call that kind of thinking the "Powell Doctrine". Why Won't They Run? Condi is an outstanding administrator. A brilliant woman in every respect. Again, her accomplishment and integrity are above reproach. I would be proud for my daughter to emulate her. Though Alaine would say different, the fact she has done her duty for the President that appointed her in the prosecution of an unpopular war is no disgrace in my book. She has played the hand she has been dealt and faithfully discharged her responsibilities as best she knows how. Why Won't They Run?

What cruel twist of political fate denies the American people candidates whose leadership they can truly respect? Neither of them appears to have any desire to serve in the White House and no doubt there are various political and personal reasons for this, all of which I'm sure are entirely legitimate. I generally tend to think that the Presidency is a post that an aspiring candidate should want to hold, but in the case of these two, their seeming lack of desire for the role makes me gravitate to them all the more. Colin, Condi, your country needs you. No doubt their reasons for not running are good, but at this time in the life of our country, we need leadership we can believe in again. Besieged by enemies from without, torn by division from within, we need leadership we trust. They'll make mistakes, but we'll believe they are honest mistakes. It doesn't matter why they don't want to run. The country requires their service. It requires that they try. Its a heavy burden but the American people will help them to carry it because they believe in both of them. Why Won't They Run?

You want an unstoppable ticket? Powell Rice 2008 is it; and we'll never see it.

Where is the Love?

Obama declares he's running for president - CNN.com

Obama declares his run is on and an already crowded presidential contender field gets a little bigger. I'm waiting with bated breath to see what kind of contortions the black establishment goes into to justify what I suspect will be their effectively no support for Obama's run. Because from where I'm sitting right now, Barack is not getting the love. He is a democrat. He is politically liberal, he is anti Iraq war, he is pro choice, he is married and super smart. He has every positive personal aspect Jesse had for his run and lacks many of Jesse's negatives. But I'm not feeling the love coming from the Black Caucus, from the NAACP, from Tavis Smiley (who said at a recent fund raiser for public television in Indianapolis that he thought Barack was guilty of believing the hype and had not paid his dues with the black community) or any other part of the black political establishment.

It smells like a political sellout. Because if the black establishment is not backing Obama, where else are they going to go? The only other conceivable democratic beneficiary of their support is Hillary Clinton. Barack is certainly as qualified as Hillary to run. But I'm beginning to suspect that the black establishment political interests may be bound up with the Clinton political machine. The Clintons are a formidable money raising magnet. Bill, for all his negatives, is still popular and has been a formidable campaigner for black democrats. He's got a lot of IOU's I suspect. They are skilled political tacticians and I have no doubt they will be ruthless in fighting the battle to secure the democratic nod.

The early skin in this game on the part of the black establishment may be this whole discussion about Obama's "blackness" thats been taking place. The argument set forth is that Obama is not black enough because he is not a descendant of slaves, but rather of more recent immigrant stock. He doesn't really have a "black" sensibility. Its a stupid argument I wholly reject. Ripapma, a poster at Booker Rising, has phrased the counter to this argument very well; "Ain’t Black enough" is a term used by "race hustlers" to demean individual success, achievement and virtue in favor of an ideology that promotes victimhood, accepts the status quo, and elevates mediocrity. They provide no reliable or repeatable criteria for who is and who isn't Black enough. The "race hustlers" think for you, speak for you, and act for you, but only if you're Black enough, or the right kind of Black."

Now, I'm not hearing the black establishment say he is not really black, no no, they are speaking in code. The code phrase is "black americans don't know who Barack is" or "he has not paid his dues with black america". I even heard some commentators suggesting that he needs to have Jesse Jackson take him and introduce him to black america. Get real.

Maybe whats going on is not really some silliness about whether he is black enough. Maybe its just plain jealousy and avarice at play here. On the jealousy side, for a variety of reasons, Obama has captured America's attention, white and black. So much so, that he has been able to put himself in the running for the White House. No other black democrat of the last 20 years has been able to ascend to this point. Maybe they are mad. Maybe they feel like "he just got here, he should get in line and put in work just like the rest of us".

On the avarice side, for the black establishment.there is no percentage in backing Obama's run. He hasn't been on the national stage long enough to have a lot of chips to cash in or favors to call. Its still way early to know how things will shake out, but at this point you do have to regard him as a longshot to win. A credible longshot, but a longshot nonetheless. Hillary has it over the rest of the field in political capital and you can bet she will spend it. The black establishment will want to be in on that largess. They will have to make a strategic choice.

A credible black democratic candidate has materialized. I may be off the mark, but I think we are about to witness the selling out of Obama in favor of Hillary.