Obama throws down the gauntlet

In Saudi Arabia, where
burkas reign, there are
beauty contests for camels.

Obama gave a fine speech, lacking some of his best oratorical flourishes, and getting to the point: are we going to try to deal honestly with the issue of race this time or are we going to just keep the crippling divisiveness going. It was a rare honest speech, pulling no punches, making no apologies, speaking to us as adults rather than naïve bumpkins that will believe anyting we’re told. He didn’t throw his friend and mentor, the Reverend Wright “under the bus,” but, rather, explained their respective histories and why they felt the way they did. It was dignified, thoughtful, and to the point. I doubt it will make any difference whatsoever to the racists who are out to torpedo his campaign, but they wouldn’t support him in any case. In lieu of just playing the Wright sermons over and over again I suggest the media also play the Falwell, Robertson and Magee speeches over and over again, along with some of the other evangelical nutcases that make Wright look like a thoughtful gentleman.

Of course what is playing out in democratic politics transcends race and gender and has to do with the battle between the forces of the DLC and the DNC. Or, put differently, the battle between the Brafia wing of the democratic party and the more progressive, grass-roots wing. The DLC, as you probably know, is the Clinton big money wing, while the DNC is the Dean wing with his 50 state strategy and more citizen financed wing. With over a million contributors to Obama it seems to be working pretty well. He is, after all, ahead in delegates, the popular vote, and the number of states won. Hillary can only bring him down by trying to destroy both him and the democratic party. She seems increasingly willing to do just that. If she should succeed in this she will have the Presidency but lose her soul, along with the support of more than half of the country. Unfortunately, she will have demonstrated, once again, that blacks belong in the back of the bus. I would be all for a woman as President, but Hillary has proven to be the wrong woman.

Both McCain and Cheney are in Iraq. McCain seems to have only a dim understanding of what is happening and has to have his buddy, Lieberman, whisper what’s what into his ear. Lindsey Graham is tagging along at his heels as usual. Graham for VP, heaven forbid! Cheney continues to speak about Iraq as if he might be on the moon. He claims the invasion has been a resounding success, the surge has worked, and things are just fine. Then, as an afterthought(?)he suggested they should pass an oil bill that would allow the international oil giants to come in and develop the oil fields (let the foxes into the henhouse). I don’t think Cheney is even aware of anything that is going on in the world unless it has to do with oil. I guess greed is unbounded.

I don’t know what Obama might do if he becomes President. But I’m pretty certain he will do something to change the direction of the country, unify us, and put our train back on track. I believe his coattails will help elect democrats to Congress. I do not believe anything much would change should Hillary become Pesident, except whatever changes the corporate power structure will allow her, probably mostly some form of universal health care that will reduce costs for businesses and continue to help the insurance and pharmaceutical companies maintain their ongoing scams.

LKBIQ:
“Never hold discussions with the monkey when the organ grinder is in the room.”
Sir Winston Churchill