Its 8:16 pm and I just want to add to the zeitgeist that is presently running rampant now all over the country.
Barack Obama will be the president of The United States by Midnight!
I cannot wait to experience that moment as it will signal the complete and final repudiation of the politics of fear and intolerance perpetrated by the Republicans under the helm of Rove. It will also mark the beginning of hope, enthusiasm and fellowship as the dominant aspects of American society after their long absence under the Bush administration.
This day will go down in history as the moment America was reborn in the spirit of its true ideals.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Sarah Palin: The Real American Hero
The term " Real America" has been a hallmark of the McCain/Palin campaign for the past month but I am still unsure about what this phrase really means. According to Hannity, Limbaugh and Beck, Gov. Palin embodies the real America. Now while I'm doubtful about the term, I know exactly what Sarah Palin embodies.
Gov. Palin's candidacy has been comprised of willful ignorance and somehow it is described as a positive in her being "Folksy". The xenophobia displayed by Palin; which is probably a testament to her not owning a passport until recently and only leaving the U.S. once, is in some bizarre twist indicative of patriotism and her being unconcerned with " Those Europeans".
Another in the list of great Palin attributes is her ability to lie and race-bait simultaneously. A casual look at any of the Palin rallies in the last month involving her accusing Obama of " Associating with terrorists" and the response of applause mixed with cheers of " Kill him" and " Traitor" are a testament to this great SKILL.
Using the logic applied by Hannity and Limbaugh, Sarah Palin is what the real America is all about. So that means the America that Palin, McCain and their supporters speak about is characterized by hate, ignorance, lies and xenophobia if their stump speeches are to be believed.
By virtue of living in New York city, I am not a part of the real America as defined by Sarah Palin. I am very happy to be outside of those borders.
Gov. Palin's candidacy has been comprised of willful ignorance and somehow it is described as a positive in her being "Folksy". The xenophobia displayed by Palin; which is probably a testament to her not owning a passport until recently and only leaving the U.S. once, is in some bizarre twist indicative of patriotism and her being unconcerned with " Those Europeans".
Another in the list of great Palin attributes is her ability to lie and race-bait simultaneously. A casual look at any of the Palin rallies in the last month involving her accusing Obama of " Associating with terrorists" and the response of applause mixed with cheers of " Kill him" and " Traitor" are a testament to this great SKILL.
Using the logic applied by Hannity and Limbaugh, Sarah Palin is what the real America is all about. So that means the America that Palin, McCain and their supporters speak about is characterized by hate, ignorance, lies and xenophobia if their stump speeches are to be believed.
By virtue of living in New York city, I am not a part of the real America as defined by Sarah Palin. I am very happy to be outside of those borders.
The Maverick Myth
With only a few days left til the election; I thought it would be appropriate to look back on the McCain campaign and how much of it lived up to the " Maverick" ideal.
John McCain by winning the Republican nomination had the opportunity to transform that party to represent the ideals that he championed during the 2000 election. Instead of taking the risk of being a visionary he simply sank into the mire of fear, anger, xenophobia and racism that has become a hallmark of the Republicans for the past 20 years.
A real Maverick would've selected a TRUE candidate for the Vice- Presidency instead of a gimmick in an attractive package named Sarah Palin. The Pseudo-Maverick which is John McCain failed to lead and gave into the "religious right' of the GOP and chose someone that is truly unfit for leadership and certaintly incapable of being POTUS.
The "mythical" John McCain we have heard so much about would've never took on the same team of handlers who smeared him in South Carolina along racial lines alleging he had an illegitimate Black child. The real McCain though didn't hesitate to take them on as a means to win at any cost.
The great statesman that FOX and other conservative outlets have described McCain as should never be in the presence of those calling for the " Killing" of a political rival at one of his rallies without speaking out in protest. But as the pattern has been made clear, the REAL McCain lives down to expectations and embraced the attack on Obama as an uppity, unpatriotic, muslim until the wheels fell off and his poll numbers dropped.
In closing, I think it is pretty clear that John McCain isn't and never truly was a Maverick. What we have in McCain is a man who somehow has been mythologized as a great leader and hero when the reality of his life suggests anything but.
McCain is someone who personifies the term, "Failing upward". A mediocre and reckless pilot who somehow got to keep his wings while endangering others. A poor student who by family connections got accepted to and graduated from some of the most prestigious military institutions in the world. Lastly, a man who has shown no true desire to learn, inspire or lead beyond his own personal ambitions has had a political career marked by success for almost 3 decades.
Failing upward has been a given in the life of John McCain, that is until now!
When McCain fails to win the election on November 4, it will be the first time in his life where he won't be able to gain success from failure. It will be a first that I will thoroughly enjoy experiencing with the Maverick this Tuesday.
John McCain by winning the Republican nomination had the opportunity to transform that party to represent the ideals that he championed during the 2000 election. Instead of taking the risk of being a visionary he simply sank into the mire of fear, anger, xenophobia and racism that has become a hallmark of the Republicans for the past 20 years.
A real Maverick would've selected a TRUE candidate for the Vice- Presidency instead of a gimmick in an attractive package named Sarah Palin. The Pseudo-Maverick which is John McCain failed to lead and gave into the "religious right' of the GOP and chose someone that is truly unfit for leadership and certaintly incapable of being POTUS.
The "mythical" John McCain we have heard so much about would've never took on the same team of handlers who smeared him in South Carolina along racial lines alleging he had an illegitimate Black child. The real McCain though didn't hesitate to take them on as a means to win at any cost.
The great statesman that FOX and other conservative outlets have described McCain as should never be in the presence of those calling for the " Killing" of a political rival at one of his rallies without speaking out in protest. But as the pattern has been made clear, the REAL McCain lives down to expectations and embraced the attack on Obama as an uppity, unpatriotic, muslim until the wheels fell off and his poll numbers dropped.
In closing, I think it is pretty clear that John McCain isn't and never truly was a Maverick. What we have in McCain is a man who somehow has been mythologized as a great leader and hero when the reality of his life suggests anything but.
McCain is someone who personifies the term, "Failing upward". A mediocre and reckless pilot who somehow got to keep his wings while endangering others. A poor student who by family connections got accepted to and graduated from some of the most prestigious military institutions in the world. Lastly, a man who has shown no true desire to learn, inspire or lead beyond his own personal ambitions has had a political career marked by success for almost 3 decades.
Failing upward has been a given in the life of John McCain, that is until now!
When McCain fails to win the election on November 4, it will be the first time in his life where he won't be able to gain success from failure. It will be a first that I will thoroughly enjoy experiencing with the Maverick this Tuesday.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Point Of No Return
Its rare to see a modern myth disappear before your eyes; but it happened today. The straight talking maverick of the 2000 GOP campaign died today and in his stead rose a new John McCain with race card in hand. While I am under no delusions about the high stakes nature of politics and the place that pragmatism plays in it, I never thought MCcain would stoop this low this fast. From a purely political perspective it makes sense to use " The race card" because any mentioning of race automatically puts Obama on the defensive. Barack Obama is supposed to be the candidate that transcends race and you can't effectively hold that position if your comments are always in reference to the issue.
While this was an all or nothing gambit on the part of MCcain in the tradition of Bush The Elder's " Willie Horton" ad, the sad difference for MCcain will be the change in the outcome. Simply put, it won't work this time.
Unlike 1988 or even 2004 with the swiftboat affair there are certain realities that are present now that diminish the most desperate attacks of the worst kind of demagogue.
People are more susceptible to acting out of fear and doubt when they can conveniently hide themselves from the reality of their lives. You can buy into the rampaging Black convict ( or covert Muslim) terrorizing your home when the prices of gas and food aren't at an all time high. When you aren't being foreclosed upon or having your property values diminished because of the foreclosures; those attack ads seem a lot more potent and pressing.
The failure of the Bush administration is too explicit and abject for any degree of race-baiting and xenophobia to prove effective. Even more the impotence of MCcain as a candidate has now been exposed with this new stunt.
The corruption, arrogance and incompotence of the Bush administration has effectively created the perfect storm for an Obama presidency.
I can't wait to see what version of MCcain emerges next.
While this was an all or nothing gambit on the part of MCcain in the tradition of Bush The Elder's " Willie Horton" ad, the sad difference for MCcain will be the change in the outcome. Simply put, it won't work this time.
Unlike 1988 or even 2004 with the swiftboat affair there are certain realities that are present now that diminish the most desperate attacks of the worst kind of demagogue.
People are more susceptible to acting out of fear and doubt when they can conveniently hide themselves from the reality of their lives. You can buy into the rampaging Black convict ( or covert Muslim) terrorizing your home when the prices of gas and food aren't at an all time high. When you aren't being foreclosed upon or having your property values diminished because of the foreclosures; those attack ads seem a lot more potent and pressing.
The failure of the Bush administration is too explicit and abject for any degree of race-baiting and xenophobia to prove effective. Even more the impotence of MCcain as a candidate has now been exposed with this new stunt.
The corruption, arrogance and incompotence of the Bush administration has effectively created the perfect storm for an Obama presidency.
I can't wait to see what version of MCcain emerges next.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Turn The Page
I never truly understood the meaning of unmitigated gall until I saw Hillary Clinton tonight. The woman didn't have the decency to congratulate Obama on his VICTORY but only his "running" during the primary. That doesn't even begin to express her silence during the chants of Denver in the background while she touted her having the most popular votes while missing the fact that those votes won't count.
In many ways I was guilty of being naive enough to believe that Clinton would pull back from the scorched earth policy in the face of defeat. Clinton, should reamain what she is and go off into the sunset with her delusions of victory to comfort her.
I will say it now, If Obama selects Hillary Clinton he will truly be exhibiting the lack of judgement that both Clinton and Mccain have accused him of having.
In many ways I was guilty of being naive enough to believe that Clinton would pull back from the scorched earth policy in the face of defeat. Clinton, should reamain what she is and go off into the sunset with her delusions of victory to comfort her.
I will say it now, If Obama selects Hillary Clinton he will truly be exhibiting the lack of judgement that both Clinton and Mccain have accused him of having.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Poetic Justice
The results of tonight's primary in Pennsylvania really bring home why Obama can't win in November and even more that many people in life get just what they deserve. When I see a complete absence of labor representatives in America providing true context to the disenfranchisement, exploitation and hardship that millions of working class Americans are experiencing in the face of "bittergate", I know things will only get worse.
When multi-millionaire pundits on corporate owned newschannels define what it is to be working class and millions who can barely make ends meet agree with them you know something is desperately wrong. Now, I am under no illusions that the majority of those who voted for Clinton today would have done so regardless of the "bitter" controversy; but to think that many of them would actually think that those comments were more damaging than the marginalized reality of their lives speaks volumes. At this point if someone believes that throwing back a beer and taking a shot equates to defending the working class, you deserve to be downsized and robbed of a pension while corporate CEO's cash out their platinum parachutes.
I expect gas prices to be at about 5 dollars come November with all of the related price increases that come with it. When this happens, I have no doubt that these same salt of the earth, working class people will find another "slight" that justifies voting against their own viability and the future of those just like them.
P.T. Barnum said it best, " A sucker is born every minute" and for some in America that birthrate is at an all-time high.
When multi-millionaire pundits on corporate owned newschannels define what it is to be working class and millions who can barely make ends meet agree with them you know something is desperately wrong. Now, I am under no illusions that the majority of those who voted for Clinton today would have done so regardless of the "bitter" controversy; but to think that many of them would actually think that those comments were more damaging than the marginalized reality of their lives speaks volumes. At this point if someone believes that throwing back a beer and taking a shot equates to defending the working class, you deserve to be downsized and robbed of a pension while corporate CEO's cash out their platinum parachutes.
I expect gas prices to be at about 5 dollars come November with all of the related price increases that come with it. When this happens, I have no doubt that these same salt of the earth, working class people will find another "slight" that justifies voting against their own viability and the future of those just like them.
P.T. Barnum said it best, " A sucker is born every minute" and for some in America that birthrate is at an all-time high.
The Return Of The Race Card
I am switching between news channels watching the usual suspects spew the same spin and revisionist history to characterize Sen. Clinton's victory in Pennsylvania as another great triumph. I must admit I'm impressed by some of the gymnastics involved in characterizing a 20% lead which evaporated into a probable 8% win as a great victory. This would be a rather routine night of sophistry if it weren't for the "first" Black president re-emerging with the good old reliable race-card.
In every adverse situation we see that the Clinton's are willing to stoop to any level to achieve their goals while simultaneously claiming victim status. This phenomenon couldn't be better illustrated than having Bill Clinton claim that the Obama camp "played the race-card" in South Carolina in order to win that primary. Now after a good bit of laughter I realized that by claiming victim status once again the Clintons are clearly planning to racebait voters in North Carolina in an attempt to win that race. What is a real point of interest for me now is how Bill and Hillary will claim that Whites are being disenfranchised in North Carolina without removing the last vestiges of Black support they have.
Watching the Clinton legacy transform and diminish by the minute is truly a spectacle to behold. The "First Black President" and by Clinton logic the first Black female co-President are headed toward becoming pariahs in a community which embraced them as their own. When this race is over and the Clintons having played every race card in the deck return to NY as losers, I can't wait to see how the Black community embraces them then.
In every adverse situation we see that the Clinton's are willing to stoop to any level to achieve their goals while simultaneously claiming victim status. This phenomenon couldn't be better illustrated than having Bill Clinton claim that the Obama camp "played the race-card" in South Carolina in order to win that primary. Now after a good bit of laughter I realized that by claiming victim status once again the Clintons are clearly planning to racebait voters in North Carolina in an attempt to win that race. What is a real point of interest for me now is how Bill and Hillary will claim that Whites are being disenfranchised in North Carolina without removing the last vestiges of Black support they have.
Watching the Clinton legacy transform and diminish by the minute is truly a spectacle to behold. The "First Black President" and by Clinton logic the first Black female co-President are headed toward becoming pariahs in a community which embraced them as their own. When this race is over and the Clintons having played every race card in the deck return to NY as losers, I can't wait to see how the Black community embraces them then.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
BloodSport
For those keeping count we have now seen crying, racebaiting and now what looks like the beginning of a smear campaign along the lines of anti-Islamic sentiment from She-Clinton. To put it short; I love it! For all the years that I had to hear the first "Black President" nonsense, to watching Hillary prop herself up here in NYC as an audition for the Presidency; the whole truth is being revealed.
For a moment I thought that the debacle that was the South Carolina campaign would be all that I would get in terms of a bloodfeud; but with Clinton taking Texas the crimson should flow very freely now. If it goes according to plan and it will, Clinton will lead this fight not only to Colorado but also to court and will ultimately make her and Bill pariahs among Democrats. This will be enough to actually break the almost slavish devotion Blacks have to the Democratic party and she will effectively do what had seemed impossible, she will give McCain the means to take the White House.
Now the prior statement may seem like hyperbole but there are enough elements out there to make it a reality. The first element comes in the form of Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. For the vast majority of the campaign both Jackson and Sharpton have been marginalized in a manner that hasn't been seen in nearly 2 decades. The mere appearance of Clinton attempting to "steal" the Democratic nomination through litigation and smear campaigns would be the perfect opportunity for both Civil rights leaders to insert themselves back into the national spotlight. Just picture Al and Jesse leading protesters to Colorado to demonstrate against the will of the people being subverted and robbing Obama of his rightful nomination. Second, we have the aspect of race that has been simmering under the surface since South Carolina. As mentioned, the appearance of the first viable Black candidate for President being robbed of his opportunity with the blessing of the Democratic establishment may be enough for millions of Black democratic supporters to stay home in November. Lastly, there is the influx of new young voters. This is the area that may actually be the most volatile. The diminishment in cynicism that has come as a result of the way Obama has campaigned could easily re-emerge as pragmatism may dictate that he go after Clinton in the area of WhiteWater and Bill Clinton's income among other scandals.
The weeks leading to the Democratic convention should be very interesting to say the least.
P.S. As a reminder for those that don't think this doomsday scenario can take place just look at the NYC mayoral campaign involving Mike Bloomberg and Mark Green.
For a moment I thought that the debacle that was the South Carolina campaign would be all that I would get in terms of a bloodfeud; but with Clinton taking Texas the crimson should flow very freely now. If it goes according to plan and it will, Clinton will lead this fight not only to Colorado but also to court and will ultimately make her and Bill pariahs among Democrats. This will be enough to actually break the almost slavish devotion Blacks have to the Democratic party and she will effectively do what had seemed impossible, she will give McCain the means to take the White House.
Now the prior statement may seem like hyperbole but there are enough elements out there to make it a reality. The first element comes in the form of Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. For the vast majority of the campaign both Jackson and Sharpton have been marginalized in a manner that hasn't been seen in nearly 2 decades. The mere appearance of Clinton attempting to "steal" the Democratic nomination through litigation and smear campaigns would be the perfect opportunity for both Civil rights leaders to insert themselves back into the national spotlight. Just picture Al and Jesse leading protesters to Colorado to demonstrate against the will of the people being subverted and robbing Obama of his rightful nomination. Second, we have the aspect of race that has been simmering under the surface since South Carolina. As mentioned, the appearance of the first viable Black candidate for President being robbed of his opportunity with the blessing of the Democratic establishment may be enough for millions of Black democratic supporters to stay home in November. Lastly, there is the influx of new young voters. This is the area that may actually be the most volatile. The diminishment in cynicism that has come as a result of the way Obama has campaigned could easily re-emerge as pragmatism may dictate that he go after Clinton in the area of WhiteWater and Bill Clinton's income among other scandals.
The weeks leading to the Democratic convention should be very interesting to say the least.
P.S. As a reminder for those that don't think this doomsday scenario can take place just look at the NYC mayoral campaign involving Mike Bloomberg and Mark Green.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
True Colors
The euphoria that I and many others felt after Obama's victory in Iowa was soon tempered by the reality of the bloodfeud that had to come as She-Clinton and Obama compete for the Democratic nomination. While it was great to re-examine the reality of racism in America and the possibility of a Black man becoming president from a perspective of optimisim and hope; it is oftentimes best to allow cynicism to enter our minds just to keep things honest.
With the spectre of political correctness permeating nearly every aspect of our society; it is oftentimes difficult to get a straight answer out of anyone when the question pertains to a cntroversial topic. In New Hampshire, Obama had a 10% lead and was about to put another nail in the Clinton coffin until something strange happened, he lost. The only explanation for this outcome is that some of the White voters polled would rather lie about their intentions to vote for a Black candidate than possibly be branded a racist by telling the true feelings. This is where cynicism has its place and in tandem with something negative it NEVER fails to reveal the truth.
If we look at recent history in regard to race relations it is never moments like the March On Washington, Thurgood Marshall's appointment to the Supreme Court etc. that reveals where we stand as a nation, Rather it is events such as the L.A. riots and the O.J. Simpson trial that bring out our true colors. The riots and more significantly the Simpson trial had elements that wouldn't allow for fence riding and political correctness: crime, sex, interracial marriage and the Criminal justice system just to name a few forced people to truly speak their minds. In much the same way the Primary being located in South Carolina allowed for the same perfect storm.
The legacy of slavery, the confederate flag and an electorate that was nearly 50/50 Black and White in terms of population gave us the opportunity to have a better glimpse at where we truly stand. Watching some White voters openly stating that " Obama, Osama is too close of a connection" and the first "Black President" and his wife becoming suddenly paler by the minute as a means to win at any cost really demonstrates just how far we have actually come in terms of race relations. While Obama did win and captured 22% of the White vote, what happened in South Carolina was meant to set the stage for the major showdown on Super tuesday.
South Carolina was the only place that the Clintons felt comfortable in making their implicit overtures for the White vote to counter the supposed mandate that Black voters have now given Obama. Taking this into consideration with the crying game, I can't wait to see how things play out on Super Tuesday.
With the spectre of political correctness permeating nearly every aspect of our society; it is oftentimes difficult to get a straight answer out of anyone when the question pertains to a cntroversial topic. In New Hampshire, Obama had a 10% lead and was about to put another nail in the Clinton coffin until something strange happened, he lost. The only explanation for this outcome is that some of the White voters polled would rather lie about their intentions to vote for a Black candidate than possibly be branded a racist by telling the true feelings. This is where cynicism has its place and in tandem with something negative it NEVER fails to reveal the truth.
If we look at recent history in regard to race relations it is never moments like the March On Washington, Thurgood Marshall's appointment to the Supreme Court etc. that reveals where we stand as a nation, Rather it is events such as the L.A. riots and the O.J. Simpson trial that bring out our true colors. The riots and more significantly the Simpson trial had elements that wouldn't allow for fence riding and political correctness: crime, sex, interracial marriage and the Criminal justice system just to name a few forced people to truly speak their minds. In much the same way the Primary being located in South Carolina allowed for the same perfect storm.
The legacy of slavery, the confederate flag and an electorate that was nearly 50/50 Black and White in terms of population gave us the opportunity to have a better glimpse at where we truly stand. Watching some White voters openly stating that " Obama, Osama is too close of a connection" and the first "Black President" and his wife becoming suddenly paler by the minute as a means to win at any cost really demonstrates just how far we have actually come in terms of race relations. While Obama did win and captured 22% of the White vote, what happened in South Carolina was meant to set the stage for the major showdown on Super tuesday.
South Carolina was the only place that the Clintons felt comfortable in making their implicit overtures for the White vote to counter the supposed mandate that Black voters have now given Obama. Taking this into consideration with the crying game, I can't wait to see how things play out on Super Tuesday.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
It's On
Barack Obama just won the Iowa Caucus.
Now when the Obama campaign began with the slogan of "The Audacity of Hope" my immediate response was a synical "Another Jackson run". Obama would run as a means of inspiration with no chance of winning despite the multi-million dollar war-chest and the blessings of Oprah. While I still feel the same way; his victory tonight has stripped me of the cynicism I once had.
To make it plain, I don't believe that America is ready for the paradigm shift that would have to occur in order to elect a Black man as the leader of the free world. With that said, I am very much excited and intrigued by how close Obama can get to that unthinkable goal. With Hillary coming in 3rd the coronation is officially over and the bloodfeud that I was expecting is about to begin.
The opportunity to see 'The First Black President" and she-Clinton battle with Obama over who is more authentically Black in places like South Carolina and elsewhere is pay-per view worthy. The possibility that the euphoria of tonight's victory turns into stoic pragmatism amongst White voters as we get closer to November is also a point of interest.
The closest we have been to anything like this was the possibility of Colin Powell running for President. While Powell would win in all of the hypothetical matchups, his viability as a real candidate was never put the test. With Obama, there is something tangible to put all of that prior speculation to the test.
The Audacity Of Hope, while I am not a believer; I am a lot more open to being converted.
Now when the Obama campaign began with the slogan of "The Audacity of Hope" my immediate response was a synical "Another Jackson run". Obama would run as a means of inspiration with no chance of winning despite the multi-million dollar war-chest and the blessings of Oprah. While I still feel the same way; his victory tonight has stripped me of the cynicism I once had.
To make it plain, I don't believe that America is ready for the paradigm shift that would have to occur in order to elect a Black man as the leader of the free world. With that said, I am very much excited and intrigued by how close Obama can get to that unthinkable goal. With Hillary coming in 3rd the coronation is officially over and the bloodfeud that I was expecting is about to begin.
The opportunity to see 'The First Black President" and she-Clinton battle with Obama over who is more authentically Black in places like South Carolina and elsewhere is pay-per view worthy. The possibility that the euphoria of tonight's victory turns into stoic pragmatism amongst White voters as we get closer to November is also a point of interest.
The closest we have been to anything like this was the possibility of Colin Powell running for President. While Powell would win in all of the hypothetical matchups, his viability as a real candidate was never put the test. With Obama, there is something tangible to put all of that prior speculation to the test.
The Audacity Of Hope, while I am not a believer; I am a lot more open to being converted.
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