Remember just a short time ago, before the Iowa democratic caucus, when the word race was used only as a sports metaphor to describe the competition between candidates. Well, that's all changed. What had given a sense of reprieve from those insidious calculations we as humans often near mindlessly make has been replaced with a feeling of naivety. The thought that a predominantly white State like Iowa would largely ignore race in selecting a candidate was indeed inspiring. And while obviously beneficial to people who have been treated unfairly, through no fault of their own, this also represented a distinct advancement or transformation that bodes well in real ways for all Americans. In other words it was a sign that we are wising up as a civilization.
So why did it all end so quickly? I don't think there is any real question that the fire was stoked by statements made by Clinton surrogates like Former Senator Bob Kerrey, (I included his complete statement in an earlier entry on 12/18/07) William Shaheen, ( Obama's drug use and mocked up drug sales) Rep. Charles Rangel, (Martin Luther Kings role in civil rights legislation) and Robert Johnson. (reference to what Obama was "doing in the neighborhood") Why do we know that their statements were out of line? The fact that each of them apologized directly to Senator Obama is a good indication. The one that was on the payroll resigned.
Former President Clinton attributed his wife's loss to an implied inevitability in black voter preference. Astoundingly he casually asserted Jesse Jacksons success in South Carolina in 1984 and 1988 to make his case.
Why was all this necessary? The absence of race from this contest was not to be because the Clinton political machinery is missing one critical piece. That being a candidate who has equal or better skills than Senator Obama and can win head to head with him. Without this their only hope is to abandon ethics in the pursuit of their goal.
Now that the Hispanic vote has become critical, what will happen next? Well, to some degree there already exists an assumption that Hispanic voters are not inclined to vote for a black candidate. How do I know this? Because the people I acquaint with have told me so. Since these are not Hispanics I was curious where this opinion comes from so I asked the question. In my small sampling of white males the most substantive opinions seemed to be based on such dubious sources as a friend of a friend or prison life television shows or news accounts usually involving criminality. In reports about Prison riots and gang activity they do seem to depict ethnic groups as mortal enemies but isn't that really about protection and safety in numbers and the vilifying of the other side for power and group viability and all that stuff. And anyway, are these the Hispanics who are voting? So I'm left without a source of accurate information but the matter-of-fact imput I did receive makes me believe that the seeds are sown on this issue.
There also seems to be a logic that by including minority groups as racists you defuses charges seen as unfairly levied against the majority. Maybe a different form of safety in numbers.
So for these and other reasons you have people who are predisposed to notions about Hispanic voter preferences. Now all you need is a catalyst. The news media will happily oblige their services if you can give them something to run with. Guess what, it turns out a few weeks ago a Clinton pollster and so-called Latino expert carried out his orders and launched the assault by saying, "the Hispanic voter-and I want to say this very carefully-has not shown a lot of willingness or affinity to support black candidates." Now you know why he wanted to say it so carefully.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Business as Usual For Some
Imagine this, former President Clinton is walking through a hotel in Las Vegas with daughter Chelsea and he overhears someone telling someone else that if they vote for Sen. Clinton they will be given a job assignment that will keep them from going to the caucus. He then tells his story to a reporter and adds that he hasn't seen tactics like these in decades. Now remember that the former President doesn't do anything inconspicuously in public. He has secret service, staff, reporters and onlookers surrounding him at all times. And if this tactic was rampant as he accuses, wouldn't one person come and tell him that it happened to them which he could then pass on to the press for confirmation. I believe that the likelihood of this happening as he said is minimal.
So why does anybody believe him? When we know a man that lies and the circumstances don't support what he has told us why do we extend the benefit of the doubt most of the time? I do admire benevolence but at another place and time please.
The former President was cut loose after New Hampshire where I suspect he convinced his wife that he had a lot to do with her victory there. Now unbridled, he is bringing to bear the full-strength version of Clinton style politics. Their absolute belief that they are what the country needs and the Presidency is their calling creates the greater good that ordinary truth telling is subordinated to. How can you know when to expect truth or lies under these circumstances?
In an effort to find some truth I thought it would be informative to look backwards and check the stories from the States they've left behind. There is usually a somber tone when the storm passes and people stop to assess their decisions. Well it didn't take long to find people angry with Senator Clinton. Many felt mislead by the Clinton campaigns 11th hour flyer's which distorted Senator Obama's position on abortion. Especially some public officials who put signature to it.
We're also learning from victims of push poling in Iowa who said they actually voted for Senator Obama because they did not get deceptive calls from his campaign like they did from what they believed could only have come from the Clinton side.
Moving forward we have the latest and most sophisticated attack on Senator Obama by Senator Clinton yet. In this case she takes something Senator Obama said and twists it into something quite different. I'm replicating it here because it's so informative in a kind of look inside their heads sort of way. Senator Obama said to a Reno Nevada newspaper, "I think Ronald Reagan changed the trajectory of America in a way that Richard Nixon did not and in a way Bill Clinton did not. He put us on a fundamentally different path because the country was ready for it. I think they felt like with all the excesses of the 60's and the 70's and Government had grown and grown, but there wasn't much sense of accountability in terms of how it was operating. I think he tapped into what people were already feeling. Which is, we want clarity, we want optimism, we want a return to the sense of dynamism and entrepreneurship that had been missing. I think we're in one of those times right now, where people feel like things as they are going aren't working. That were bogged down in the same arguments that we've been having and there not useful. And the Republican approach, has played itself out. I think it's fair to say that the Republicans were the party of ideas for a pretty long chunk of time there over the last 10 to 15 years in the sense that they were challenging conventional wisdom."
Now here is what Senator Clinton said Senator Obama said, in the South Carolina debate. "The facts are that he said in the last week that he really liked the ideas of the Republicans over the last 10 to 15 years... Now, I personally think they had ideas, but they were bad ideas. They were bad ideas for America. They were ideas like privatizing Social Security, like moving back from a balanced budget and a surplus to a deficit and debt."
So you have to ask the question, did she really not get his point? Given that she and her husband are on the record praising President Reagan in similar fashion in the past I think it's clear that this was a big fat calculated deception. It was ginned up partially in response to Senator Obama's less than glowing assessment of President Clinton's term but mostly because they will stop at nothing to win.
So why does anybody believe him? When we know a man that lies and the circumstances don't support what he has told us why do we extend the benefit of the doubt most of the time? I do admire benevolence but at another place and time please.
The former President was cut loose after New Hampshire where I suspect he convinced his wife that he had a lot to do with her victory there. Now unbridled, he is bringing to bear the full-strength version of Clinton style politics. Their absolute belief that they are what the country needs and the Presidency is their calling creates the greater good that ordinary truth telling is subordinated to. How can you know when to expect truth or lies under these circumstances?
In an effort to find some truth I thought it would be informative to look backwards and check the stories from the States they've left behind. There is usually a somber tone when the storm passes and people stop to assess their decisions. Well it didn't take long to find people angry with Senator Clinton. Many felt mislead by the Clinton campaigns 11th hour flyer's which distorted Senator Obama's position on abortion. Especially some public officials who put signature to it.
We're also learning from victims of push poling in Iowa who said they actually voted for Senator Obama because they did not get deceptive calls from his campaign like they did from what they believed could only have come from the Clinton side.
Moving forward we have the latest and most sophisticated attack on Senator Obama by Senator Clinton yet. In this case she takes something Senator Obama said and twists it into something quite different. I'm replicating it here because it's so informative in a kind of look inside their heads sort of way. Senator Obama said to a Reno Nevada newspaper, "I think Ronald Reagan changed the trajectory of America in a way that Richard Nixon did not and in a way Bill Clinton did not. He put us on a fundamentally different path because the country was ready for it. I think they felt like with all the excesses of the 60's and the 70's and Government had grown and grown, but there wasn't much sense of accountability in terms of how it was operating. I think he tapped into what people were already feeling. Which is, we want clarity, we want optimism, we want a return to the sense of dynamism and entrepreneurship that had been missing. I think we're in one of those times right now, where people feel like things as they are going aren't working. That were bogged down in the same arguments that we've been having and there not useful. And the Republican approach, has played itself out. I think it's fair to say that the Republicans were the party of ideas for a pretty long chunk of time there over the last 10 to 15 years in the sense that they were challenging conventional wisdom."
Now here is what Senator Clinton said Senator Obama said, in the South Carolina debate. "The facts are that he said in the last week that he really liked the ideas of the Republicans over the last 10 to 15 years... Now, I personally think they had ideas, but they were bad ideas. They were bad ideas for America. They were ideas like privatizing Social Security, like moving back from a balanced budget and a surplus to a deficit and debt."
So you have to ask the question, did she really not get his point? Given that she and her husband are on the record praising President Reagan in similar fashion in the past I think it's clear that this was a big fat calculated deception. It was ginned up partially in response to Senator Obama's less than glowing assessment of President Clinton's term but mostly because they will stop at nothing to win.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Just a Statement, Plain and Simple.
We are a selfish lot. Everyone knows that, at least after they think about it a bit. But what's great about this country is that it discovered a process whereby millions of selfish individuals can exist together, not just civilly but in a manner that revers the whole above the individual. This is not a minor thing.
Because you can't repeal selfishness, the balance must be right and when it is it nicely coexists and does little harm. For many it even manifests itself as, "for the good of all people." It's at the heart of what is often referred to as the American Experiment, which is aptly named because it shows the tentativeness of it's success.
For this experiment to keep working the vast majority of people in it have to continue to believe that it is a fundamentally fair system. The reason I can't stop thinking about the whole road to the White House thing we are currently enduring is that I believe our American experiment is in jeopardy.
The reasons are many but the evidence I find most disconcerting is that out of frustration, personal interest seems to be winning out over collective interest and this has been the case for some time. Fewer and fewer people find the system to be fair and an epidemic of cynicism has taken hold.
Of course the system can withstand a lot and even in the absolute best of times there are hordes of opportunists looking to exploit and prosper. So the balance must stay favorable or we risk everything.
It's my opinion that the stakes are as high as they have been in my lifetime.
This is why, in my own small way I attempt to decipher the truth in what I see and hear in all forms of the news and other reading and experience and put it here. Call it a kind of therapy if nothing else.
Finally, if you haven't noticed, I'm no longer in any way unclear as to what must happen to profoundly change our government. This is my most sincere hope. I find Senator Obama to offer the most promise for righting the ship among all the current Presidential candidates. Plain and simple
Because you can't repeal selfishness, the balance must be right and when it is it nicely coexists and does little harm. For many it even manifests itself as, "for the good of all people." It's at the heart of what is often referred to as the American Experiment, which is aptly named because it shows the tentativeness of it's success.
For this experiment to keep working the vast majority of people in it have to continue to believe that it is a fundamentally fair system. The reason I can't stop thinking about the whole road to the White House thing we are currently enduring is that I believe our American experiment is in jeopardy.
The reasons are many but the evidence I find most disconcerting is that out of frustration, personal interest seems to be winning out over collective interest and this has been the case for some time. Fewer and fewer people find the system to be fair and an epidemic of cynicism has taken hold.
Of course the system can withstand a lot and even in the absolute best of times there are hordes of opportunists looking to exploit and prosper. So the balance must stay favorable or we risk everything.
It's my opinion that the stakes are as high as they have been in my lifetime.
This is why, in my own small way I attempt to decipher the truth in what I see and hear in all forms of the news and other reading and experience and put it here. Call it a kind of therapy if nothing else.
Finally, if you haven't noticed, I'm no longer in any way unclear as to what must happen to profoundly change our government. This is my most sincere hope. I find Senator Obama to offer the most promise for righting the ship among all the current Presidential candidates. Plain and simple
Friday, January 11, 2008
Abracadabra
How do you deal with what the Clintons pulled off in New Hampshire? Do you pick apart the "well that hurts my feelings," broken wing baby bird likability answer she gave during the ABC/Facebook debate or the "emotional moment" on the campaign trail? Or was it the lies about Sen. Obama's record on abortion? Could it have been her crediting President Johnson for Civil Rights and in the process discrediting Martin Luther King? Or maybe it was the 'biggest fairy tale ever distortion of Sen. Obama's stance on the Iraq war? The he's to liberal, he's too conservative jabberwocky maybe? The list goes on and on and we will never really know for sure. What we do know is that their backs were against the wall and once again they figured it out and with sucess came a double dose of exhilaration, in about the only way left for them to have it, back from the brink, the come-back kids. Phoenix style.
Sometimes you look across the table at the guy who just took all your money and want to wring his neck and sometimes you let it slide and even give him a little respect. So for now we'll focus on the good news. Remember, like when you catch a virus, we have now inoculated ourselves against these ploys in the future so consider them tools that are gone from the toolbox. If she cries again she's toast.
No doubt there will be others for which we must remain vigilant. It will take on a completely different form so get ready. I've said it before but I'll say it again, there is nothing they won't do to win.
First up there will be a image makeover. They just hired a new marketing whiz whose client list includes Wall Mart. In the waning hours in New Hampshire they must have gotten a hold of the Sears guy, you know, "the softer side of Sears." But seriously, remember that all states are not the same and she may have "found her own voice" in New Hampshire but that may not fly in the next state and the attention that was brought to her New Hampshire strategy may come back to haunt her when she needs to tailor her next own voice.
Sometimes you look across the table at the guy who just took all your money and want to wring his neck and sometimes you let it slide and even give him a little respect. So for now we'll focus on the good news. Remember, like when you catch a virus, we have now inoculated ourselves against these ploys in the future so consider them tools that are gone from the toolbox. If she cries again she's toast.
No doubt there will be others for which we must remain vigilant. It will take on a completely different form so get ready. I've said it before but I'll say it again, there is nothing they won't do to win.
First up there will be a image makeover. They just hired a new marketing whiz whose client list includes Wall Mart. In the waning hours in New Hampshire they must have gotten a hold of the Sears guy, you know, "the softer side of Sears." But seriously, remember that all states are not the same and she may have "found her own voice" in New Hampshire but that may not fly in the next state and the attention that was brought to her New Hampshire strategy may come back to haunt her when she needs to tailor her next own voice.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Thankyou President Bush
Lets make no mistake about it, without the Presidency of George W. Bush, all that is happening today would not be possible. The change buzz-word used by what seems like every candidate would be something different, maybe move over old timer or pass the reigns. But it turned out this way and the fact that it's happening is enough to keep me in the glass-half-full camp but more than that it reminds me of why this country is what it is and that it's something to be proud of.
What had felt bad, now only feels like a low ebb, with a coming tide of hope and lost luster to follow.
What can I say, I'm pitifully idealistic, but what for most people was hard to conceive of such a short time ago seems to be materializing and we are the beneficiaries. It doesn't get any better than that.
Now on to some thoughts about why Senator Obama has captured the imaginations of so many people. One thing that I don't believe I've heard mentioned but is obvious is that Senator Obama is one smart guy. Maybe this is more than we customarily extend to candidates or it's taken for granted but even so I'll sing it to the stars because it's true and we are lucky for it. Truly smart people are usually good and when they choose to go into Government it's good for all of us.
Take his speeches yesterday. What these candidates have done in the last two weeks would put most mortals in the hospital but in a speech I caught on C-Span Senator Obama though tired, once again had me unable to quit watching.
In my opinion this guy has already surpassed President Clinton in his ability to deliver a speech and that is no small achievement. I know he has speech writers and all forms of help but there is far more to it than that and Senator Obama is good at it, plain and simple.
Back to President Bush's contribution. He has created a universe of people within this population that have felt and continue to feel their not in control of things that effect their lives and their children's lives and they are done feeling that way.
So, unless the disenchanted are limited to Iowa or another candidate suddenly gets a whole lot smarter than they appear right now, we may just know who the Democratic nominee is. If that is the case It's all right by me but there is still a long way to go.
What had felt bad, now only feels like a low ebb, with a coming tide of hope and lost luster to follow.
What can I say, I'm pitifully idealistic, but what for most people was hard to conceive of such a short time ago seems to be materializing and we are the beneficiaries. It doesn't get any better than that.
Now on to some thoughts about why Senator Obama has captured the imaginations of so many people. One thing that I don't believe I've heard mentioned but is obvious is that Senator Obama is one smart guy. Maybe this is more than we customarily extend to candidates or it's taken for granted but even so I'll sing it to the stars because it's true and we are lucky for it. Truly smart people are usually good and when they choose to go into Government it's good for all of us.
Take his speeches yesterday. What these candidates have done in the last two weeks would put most mortals in the hospital but in a speech I caught on C-Span Senator Obama though tired, once again had me unable to quit watching.
In my opinion this guy has already surpassed President Clinton in his ability to deliver a speech and that is no small achievement. I know he has speech writers and all forms of help but there is far more to it than that and Senator Obama is good at it, plain and simple.
Back to President Bush's contribution. He has created a universe of people within this population that have felt and continue to feel their not in control of things that effect their lives and their children's lives and they are done feeling that way.
So, unless the disenchanted are limited to Iowa or another candidate suddenly gets a whole lot smarter than they appear right now, we may just know who the Democratic nominee is. If that is the case It's all right by me but there is still a long way to go.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Out with the old...
It got real apparent that something was amiss when at the conclusion of Sen.Obama's victory speech in Iowa, the camera's returned to Chris Mathews, Kieth Oberman and the rest of the MSNBC guests and no one knew what to say. As the evening unfolded and they took comfort in knowing that maybe all of them did just see a UFO, or in this case perhaps the most impressive speech of the last 50 years, slowly they came to acknowledge it.
To start there wasn't the usual, "well guest so and so, what did you think about the speech?" Chris Mathews threw it like a hot potato to Pat Buchanan and the Air America lady for a few irrelevant thoughts then Gene Robinson tip-toed in with a "it gave me goosebumps" comment and finally Howard Fineman who clearly recognized what had just happened, said among other things, "the torch has been passed."
It would take forever and ultimately amount to speculation to track down and discuss the sources of their early inhibitions but it shows how long it's been since we've seen greatness. Unlike the Supreme court who admits they can't describe it but know what pornography looks like; we have forgotten what real leadership looks like. We don't know it when we see it.
Now mind you that it will be a long time before I'll put Sen. Obama squarely in this category. In fact he'll probably have to win the general election to get there but for now I'll keep hoping that he is the real deal and that gives me hope.
To start there wasn't the usual, "well guest so and so, what did you think about the speech?" Chris Mathews threw it like a hot potato to Pat Buchanan and the Air America lady for a few irrelevant thoughts then Gene Robinson tip-toed in with a "it gave me goosebumps" comment and finally Howard Fineman who clearly recognized what had just happened, said among other things, "the torch has been passed."
It would take forever and ultimately amount to speculation to track down and discuss the sources of their early inhibitions but it shows how long it's been since we've seen greatness. Unlike the Supreme court who admits they can't describe it but know what pornography looks like; we have forgotten what real leadership looks like. We don't know it when we see it.
Now mind you that it will be a long time before I'll put Sen. Obama squarely in this category. In fact he'll probably have to win the general election to get there but for now I'll keep hoping that he is the real deal and that gives me hope.
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