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Article Archives (11-4-2004)
Barak Obama, the dark Bobby?
As I sit here absorbing the disaster that was November 2, 2004, I see only one bright star on the horizon for progressive politics in the United States--the star's name is Barak Obama. Hillary Clinton--too polarizing, no real power in her presence (Bill has it, she doesn't). Howard Dean--could he really be trusted not to have another screaming fit? Bill Richardson--too tainted by the meltdown in safeguarding nuclear classified information during his tenure at the Energy Department. Unless Ben Affleck is going to run against Arnold Schwarzenegger for California governor in 2006 (Daredevil against the Terminator .. I'd love it!), Obama is the only true star on the horizon of the left-leaning political sky. It's not just the handsome smile and pleasant manner of connecting with others. The man has vision. He speaks of oneness, of compassion, of basic rights, of hard work, of personal responsibility.fn1 Since Bobby Kennedy, only two national politicians in our country have effectively conveyed similar ideals--Bill Clinton and Colin Powell. Powell jumped in bed with the Bushies checking his balls at the door on the way in. Bill's gone to pasture. I have left Hubert Humphrey and George McGovern off my list due to the qualifier of "effectively conveyed" although a good argument can be made to the contrary for Humphrey (he gave Nixon a hard run for his money in '68).
Obama's record is thin so one must pause to wonder what sort of senator he shall be. There will be strong pressures from the old-guard African-American leadership that he join their coalition (as a junior partner). A digression at this point is in order. In 2000 Obama ran against incumbent Bobby Rush (a former Black Panther) for a congressional seat located on the south side of Chicago. Rush's basic campaign thrust was that Obama wasn't black enough. See New Republic article 5-24-04. Obama lost by a two-to-one margin to Rush. He had worked as a civil rights lawyer out of law school and been active as a state legislator in civil rights issues; however, he appears to have two strikes against him with the old guard: (a) his white mother and (b) his father was from Africa, not the descendant of US slaves. The story is significant for this reason: Obama didn't stand and wait his turn for higher political office behind the backs of the civil rights old guard. He challenged a black panther in South Chicago.
In January of 2005, as the highest elected African-American official in the United States, the national media will come knocking at his door seeking comments with every perceived "black issue" in the news. Shall Barak Obama become the de facto leader of the black caucus or shall he instead cast his net broadly, inclusively? There's pent up progressive energy in this country, a backlash against the Bush / neocon co-opting of the country's agenda at home and abroad. Obama, if he so chooses, could step in and lead this rudderless, unformed mass of true patriots. What will it be Barak? A thinner, better looking, more educated version of Al Sharpton or a dark complected Bobby Kennedy? Our country needs the dark Bobby.
JJR
11-4-2004