Between Barack & A Hard Place
So Barack Obama has made it official; he's entered the running for president in the 2008 elections.
If successful, he would complete one of the most meteoric rises in recent political history & rivaling the all time ascension of another Illinois politician; Abraham Lincoln. And we all know, or rather we should all know the success he had in becoming one of the most highly regarded presidents in history.
However, what happens if Obama is unsuccessful in his campaign? Some have suggested that this attempt, if proven futile, could set back black candidates decades like the failed campaigns of Jesse Jackson in 1984 & 1988. And in reality, there could be some credence to that theory considering there hasn't been a serious black candidate in 20 years. And then comes Obama.
Could Obama transcend racial lines & become the candidate for the democratic nomination for '08 & subsequently the president or will he be viewed as the "token" black candidate?
There has even been some debate on how black Obama really is given that his father was born in Kenya & he was born in Hawaii. A recent Time magazine http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1584736,00.html
suggested that perhaps Obama couldn't capture the "black" vote, because of a variety of issues such as he isn't a descendent of West African slaves & that he is in fact bi-racial.
Could the fact that he is bi-racial help him break racial barriers and capture large chunks of the black and white vote or will it ensure that black voters will see him as not being one of their own and ignore him?
Remember when Bill Clinton was making his big push for the White House and he was incredibly popular within the black community? A lot of pundits are expecting Hilary Clinton to tap into that resource and beat Obama to the black vote. An obvious slap in the face if the major black candidate lost out on the black vote to a white woman viewed as being cold, calculating and very political. Not exactly a great repertoire of qualities to rely on as you head into an election.
Perhaps we finally have someone who can weave seamlessly between party, racial and stereotypical political lines. Or will Obama be another flash in the pan type like Gary Hart?
In the very least it seems like we finally have someone who will give the public exactly what they've been yearning for in a politician…the truth.
If successful, he would complete one of the most meteoric rises in recent political history & rivaling the all time ascension of another Illinois politician; Abraham Lincoln. And we all know, or rather we should all know the success he had in becoming one of the most highly regarded presidents in history.
However, what happens if Obama is unsuccessful in his campaign? Some have suggested that this attempt, if proven futile, could set back black candidates decades like the failed campaigns of Jesse Jackson in 1984 & 1988. And in reality, there could be some credence to that theory considering there hasn't been a serious black candidate in 20 years. And then comes Obama.
Could Obama transcend racial lines & become the candidate for the democratic nomination for '08 & subsequently the president or will he be viewed as the "token" black candidate?
There has even been some debate on how black Obama really is given that his father was born in Kenya & he was born in Hawaii. A recent Time magazine http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1584736,00.html
suggested that perhaps Obama couldn't capture the "black" vote, because of a variety of issues such as he isn't a descendent of West African slaves & that he is in fact bi-racial.
Could the fact that he is bi-racial help him break racial barriers and capture large chunks of the black and white vote or will it ensure that black voters will see him as not being one of their own and ignore him?
Remember when Bill Clinton was making his big push for the White House and he was incredibly popular within the black community? A lot of pundits are expecting Hilary Clinton to tap into that resource and beat Obama to the black vote. An obvious slap in the face if the major black candidate lost out on the black vote to a white woman viewed as being cold, calculating and very political. Not exactly a great repertoire of qualities to rely on as you head into an election.
Perhaps we finally have someone who can weave seamlessly between party, racial and stereotypical political lines. Or will Obama be another flash in the pan type like Gary Hart?
In the very least it seems like we finally have someone who will give the public exactly what they've been yearning for in a politician…the truth.
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