Why Obama Must Become President

The fact that Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee, has come this far in American presidential politics is quite astounding. There are monumental obstacles that, by all logic, should've sunk his candidacy midstream, or kept it from getting off the ground in the first place. He's a 46-year young black man from a broken, racially-mixed family. He's got little experience on the national stage. He's a Senator. He's got some questionable, controversial relationships (Rev. Wright). He took on the the mighty Clintons. Despite being attacked on all sides, he fought in the primaries with dignity, grace and, for the most part, ran an unusually clean campaign that demonstrated character and integrity. He won his party's nomination and now faces an historic battle against the GOP's presumptive nominee, Sen. John McCain. And in 2008 America, Barack Obama must win.

To be sure, when it comes to race and race relations, the United States has an ugly past. This includes slavery, lynchings, murder/hate crimes, segregation, voter disenfranchisement, job discrimination, etc. But the truth is, 2008 America is a much better place. While racial prejudice still exists, and it's still quite ugly at times, blacks have made tremendous progress in becoming part of the national fabric in sports, entertainment, business, politics and more. Blacks have become leaders of industry, pop culture icons and powerful politicians... many of whom, like Obama, have quite successfully transcended color.

On the political landscape, people such as Colin Powell, Condoleeza Rice and Obama have risen to enormous positions of power. Blacks are winning city, state and national elections more than ever, and that includes the deep South. The U.S. House of Representatives is 10% black. Two states, including New York, have black governors. This year, the Obama camp believes that it could see the South return to the Democrats for the first time in 40 years. Yes, there is change indeed. Which is why Obama must win.

The U.S. presidency is the grand prize. Again, it is nothing short of remarkable that Obama has overcome so many obstacles and is within very short reach of the White House. But the simple truth is, this year's election is the Perfect Storm of politics. The country is mired in an unpopular war, the economy's teetering on recession, and the existing administration -- racked by cronyism, scandal and corruption -- has historically low approval ratings. Gas is inching towards $5.00/gallon, housing prices are down 15% year-over-year, and consumer confidence is at a 15-year low. It's the perfect opportunity for Americans to shatter racial divides and elect a black president, someone who, after eight miserable years of George W. Bush, speaks to their bread-and-butter issues. But that opportunity may not come around again for a long time. The table could not be better set than it is right now. Which is why Obama must win.

America needs to get over itself and finally break down these walls of racism. It's time that its citizens stop viewing each other through the prism of color, and focus instead on the person beneath the skin. If we as a nation are to ever get beyond centuries of ignorance and racial bigotry, Obama must win. Whites would finally be presented with a black president and be forced to confront their inherent fears, while hopefully accepting the cultural reality that success or failure in the Oval Office has nothing to do with race. And for some blacks, they would no longer be able to hide behind the contention that the "system" is keeping them down, and instead assume a greater responsibility for their own successes and/or failures....a point that both Obama and the comedian Bill Cosby have spoken out on recently. In short, Obama's presidency would effectively disarm those with bias and those with excuses. More than ever in our 232 year history, people might finally be just, well, people.

But if Obama loses to McCain in November, that will be an even greater statement of where America is with regard to race. That a candidate from a severely weakened party, who votes in virtual lockstep with Bush, could beat Obama while voters voice that they so desperately want and need change, would signal that having a black president is, in 2008, perhaps too much change. In that case, the nation, not just Obama, loses.

Comments

[wwsword]

It is finally becoming clear to people around me that Obama is the white capitalist establishment's black candidate. The capitalist class believes it has benefited greatly from expanded imperialism and the destruction of the labor movement. However, it's concerned that the project is running into resistance from the left. The Republican brand has taken a hit and McCain makes it difficult to continue the policies of Bush because he's a conservative white male. Progressives have no qualms about raising hell over the anti-democratic actions of conservative white male. Obama, on the other hand, has manufactured a left-liberal cult of personality which finds liberals jettisoning their core principles in exchange for the symbolic accomplishment of a black president. Sacrificing principle for symbolism, Obama is in a better position to continue the capitalist project of dismantling the New Deal. Obama has been auditioning hard for the job over the past several weeks. We will get our answer after the convention whether he gets the job. If the corporate media continues its pro-Obama form, Obama has the job. If the media trucks out all the associations in Chicago and harps on Obama's character problems (e.g. his unparalleled penchant for pandering), we will know they've decided to continue with the Republicans in the executive. In light of Obama's dramatic shift to the right, and given the cooptative function of his candidacy, an Obama presidency is likely to be worse than a McCain presidency.

[renaissance]

This is Orwellian. Up is down. Right is left. Etc.
We must vote based on race, in order to not decide based on race?????
WOW! This is such a racist viewpoint.
This is why I cannot support Obama. I am a lifelong Dem, never voted Republican, but this is a charade.
We need a "black" man (half-black, half-white actually) as President to make a symbolic point??
What about a good President who leads us in the right direction?
If you need to feel better about your own relations with black folks, go hang out with some, don't push your racism as some greater ideal.
GROSS.

[SGSeattle]

You're kidding me, right? He has to win BECAUSE he's bi-racial? OMG, you guys are so crazy. I'd like a president please, not a thin-resumed phenomemon that the MSM and the Huffington Post and Nation Magazine and the Daily Kos, etc. have slobbered over. He HAS to win to make us look better? Did Carter make us look better? Oops, sorry, he's white and you only want a man who is a little darker - to make us all look less like racist, mean Americans, is that it?

So, we wouldn't look good enough to the world if we had nominated a woman? Only race relations matter - not gender isues? Yeah, right, reminds me of all those "diversity" programs where the only diversity that matters is the African-American agenda.

Whatever.

[Ravoon]

I can only hope that Obama is sincere in wanting his constituents to communicate with him as to our stands on the issues.
If anyone can convince me that McCain will be a better choice in restoring the Constitution, I am perfectly willing to listen to them. However, given his cozy relationships with lobbyists, I doubt that this is the case.

[Michale32086]

"His capitulation on FISA is NOT a step in the right direction."

What you call a capitulation, many MANY more call it a principled stand..

The mark of a great leader is NOT making decisions that are simply popular.

The mark of a great leader is making the RIGHT decisions for the RIGHT reasons.

This is what Obama did when you was against the candy-cane Gas Credit of the Primary Campagin.

And this is what Obama is doing with his stand for these new FISA measures that have ZERO Constitutional conflict and are needed, in Obama's words, "for the safety and security of this country".

I know, I know.. The Left was SOOOO excited that they were going to have a nice shiny new baseball bat to beat Bush over the head with. Well, considering that the "Immunity" the Left is whining about is only for CIVIL liability, the Hysterical Left can still have their bat. They just have to PROVE that something criminal occurred...

Obama's principled stance on FISA has THIS independent even MORE enthusiastic about an Obama Presidency..

Michale.....

[BADEN]

It's his to lose.

His statement about building up governmental funding to religious groups is NOT a step in the right direction.

It's his to lose.

His capitulation on FISA is NOT a step in the right direction.

It's his to lose.

If he breaks it, he owns it, and it won't be pretty or easy to fix.

His reputation.

It's his to lose.

[calluna]

Amen, Baden!

[USAdaughter]

That story has been corrected every where but here, the AP article is inaccurate!