(Liberal) Fear of a Black President

Jesse Jackson's ridiculous comments about Barack Obama "talking down" to black people -- as opposed to Jackson's totally reprehensible comments insinuating violence being committed against Obama (click here to see the video) -- are only the latest in a litany of derisive remarks directed at Obama from stalwarts of the left. Ralph Nader and Geraldine Ferraro and Al Sharpton and Bob Johnson and South Carolina State Senator Robert Ford have all maligned Obama as being everything from a "lucky" black man to not being black enough.

While it's never a shock when operatives of the far, far right have trouble with a person of color achieving stature (though I do believe they play ball better with those in the fold), what a long strange trip this campaign season has been watching so-called liberals fumble the hot potato that is Barack Obama.

Why? Why is Obama of such consternation to the Old Schoolers?

For one, Obama and his candidacy challenge the liberal establishment; by not miring himself in the politics of hand outs Obama elevates blacks above and beyond a herd that was fed the grain of entitlements in exchange for votes. In addition to extolling blacks to take more personal responsibility (a position a Pew research study finds the majority of black Americans hold), Obama has also questioned race-based affirmative action and understands -- again, as the majority of black Americans do -- that what's good for the country is good for all of us. To Jackson that's "talking down" to blacks. To Nader that's "talking white." But to the tens of millions of Americans who helped Obama win the primary (as opposed to Jackson and Nader who have yet to win an election) Obama is simply talking to America.

Moreover, what scares the Old Schoolers is that Obama's potential election removes from them the victim stick with which they flog their diminishing relevance. Obama as president would be empirical evidence that, while there are and probably always will be racists in America, America is no longer a racist nation. There are a lot of liberals who've made good bank stretching out the "you done me wrong, now gimme something" politics of the sixties well into the new millennium.

Obama wants change.

And change for the Old Schoolers ain't a good thing.

Comments

[Uselessboy]

Oh come on. Obama is NEW. Everyone he was and is up against has been around national politics many times longer, has more tentacles reaching into them and has more of their own tentacles reaching out into other people and forces.

Obama could be Graham Wellington XXII and he'd be facing exactly all the same opposition.

--It just wouldn't use the scary racial and ethnic memes. Instead, it'd be something like "screamer" and "internet elitist" as we saw with whiter-than-white Howard Dean last time.

The power structure hates Democrats and it REALLY hates newbie Democrats, and it attacks them full bore because both are usually so incredibly easy to beat.

[billw8017]

You know that the SCOTUS appointments are important, don't you? You try to harden your heart for another political disappointment but you must conceed an Obama presidency will alter the course of the nation. Somehow, the United States has become a very "conservative" even reactionary place but it continues to elect people like Waxman, Dingle, Franks and Feingold. I think its conservatism has been exaggerated and a certain boldness is always admired.

Sure, the current Congressional Democrats seem in sum just too pusillanimous, but that's just a matter of too few Democrats there to enforce a "liberal" agenda. Democrats have to be nice to Joe Lieberman since he means to keep his chairmanship even if he has to turn Republican. Other Democrats come from districts and states that gave Bush comfortable majorities and they feel they have to hold on to Bush independents. We call that "representative government­."

If you despise the Democrats for being too like the Republicans, the solution is to elect more Democrats and set the party free. Move the center and representative government will follow.

[OsamaBushLadin]

I don't care that he's half black or half white. I care that he's all yellow, as in a coward and phony. FISA and a half dozen flip-flops proved it. I don'rt seriously think there will be any different between him and McCain over all. Maybe less conservative appointments to SCOTUS, that's about it. He's probably going overseas to reassure Europe that he's a true believer in globalization and not worry if they hear different during the runup to the election. He really deserves the name Backtrack 0bama.

[Clevelanded]

"I don'rt seriously think there will be any different between him and McCain over all."

"Maybe less conservative appointments to SCOTUS, that's about it."

SCOTUS is no big deal, and neither is universal health care.

[rzan]

He is very popular around the globe. He is talked about everywhere in very positive terms. The man is not a coward. He is the first African-American running for the office of President, and that in itself takes a lot of courage given the nut cases out there. The difference between him and McCain, among many other things, is about 50 IQ points. It want someone really smart in the White House for a change.

[NTO08]

We all know that America doesn't give a s--t about brains in the White House...ne­ver has been a deciding factor in an election.

[Gma11]

Typical leftie.

[clevelandchick]

Believe me, McCain would be a thousand times worse on women's issues, the economy, healthcare, the environment etc. Listen to Phil Gramm, his words about the American people and the economy he envisions is EXACTLY what McCain's will be.

I'm pissed about FISA too but make no mistake, electing John McCain would mean the end of this country. His economic plan is like Bush's on steroids - HUGE tax cuts for the rich and nothing for the middle-class. The dude is so bought and paid for by big business it isn't even funny. McCain has 64 lobbyists on his campaign staff meaning 64 corporations want him to be president.

[NotMcCain]

Old, angry and bitter.

Egotistical and jealous.

That explains Jesse Jackson, Bill Clinton and Geraldine Ferraro (and assorted others) well enough for me.

[NTO08]

None of the above are true...the angry and bitter are the Obamatrolls who imagine that an empty suit will ever be anywhere except missing Senate votes and skipping out on important sessions to fund raise...wh­ich seems to have been slowing down for the Genius these days. Seems the Repubs, as usual, are raising megacash..­.the fact is the Repubs have so many dirty tricks up their sleeve that even a large win, which won't be happening, would not save Obama. Presidential elections have been usually close...th­is won't be any different, despite Bush's horrible reign.

None of the people you cite said a word about Obama that is not true...the PC police and a compliant, braindead media try to turn it into something it is not...Jess­e didn't need to cut off Obama's nuts...the­y have been gone long before now.

[JimR]

LOL

You sound very angry and bitter.

[LutherVig]

Say what you want about race, Obama votes like a white Republican. FISA FISA FISA!

[Clevelanded]

I think most of the senate actually voted the same way, democrat or republican.

[greejambri]

That's no excuse. If Russ Feingold can show some spine, so should Obama.

[LutherVig]

Every Republican who voted, voted in favor. Obama voted with the Republicans and the Bush Administration. This was a critical moment for Obama to show his true nature. He chose to stand with the Bush Administration and against the 4th amendment. If you would like to read a great piece on what this vote means check out Chris Hedges editorial in Friday's Los Angeles Times.

[rzan]

HuffPost's Pick

And a commenter on another blog called him a socialist. You have cancelled each other out.

[LutherVig]

No that's not how this works. An incorrect fact does not cancel out a truth. The votes speak for themselves. Perhaps in your mind we might cancel each other out. Not in the real world. But the tone of your reply rzan has the distinct ring of defensiveness. I'm a life long Democrat, and I'm still voting for Obama, so don't worry. But that defensiveness seems to say that you might deep down be a little worried like I am about where my candidates true loyalties reside.

[Gma11]

Excellent point, rzan.

Obama has told us over and over again that he wants to be president of ALL the United States, not just the blue states. Repeatedly he has spoken of post-partisanship. I'm enjoying that he's being excoriated by both the left wing and the right wing of U.S. politics!! Says a lot about the man. . .

[qdog112]

"white Republican"

Redundant?

[Clevelanded]

I think Jackson is aware that Obama's relevancy and credibility at this point in time exceed his own at any point. I think there is a probably some jealousy and resentment. I am also glad to see people like Jackson who are not in love with Obama but understand the importance of supporting him, even if their own ego occasionally gets in the way.

[Clevelanded]

I think the point of the entire article is that America is not racist (meaning to me not controlled by racists) and that Obama's election would force old guard liberals to change their model.

[NTO08]

You are sadly mistaken..­.you just have to read some of the incredibly racist stuff out there, the incidents that go on in many places, the bias police have to minorities­...to imagine America is not racist is incredibly naive.

[StillIRise]

America is NOT racist? Have you read some of these posts lately? Have you been listening to the media? Do you not recall the "blue-collar" voters who said they will not vote for a black candidate for president? Racism is still alive and well in America, and this election has merely brought it to the surface. Yes, Senator Obama's election would force old guard liberals to examine themselves and perhaps "change their model," but his election will also force all Americans to examine themselves in respect to race, and to face the challenges of racism in America, which have not gone away. Corporate America - the ones in control - are the deepest entrenched in the racism that permeates this country.

[rampart231]

I don't see how Jacksons "surgical" plans for Obama reflect any support or understanding of his campaign.P­robably "some" jealousy? Content of character is what has eluded Jackson,and the prospect of a young black man with that character rising to power infuriates him.

[Clevelanded]

Support as in who is Jackson going to vote for in November? Who will he campaign for? McCain?

However else he may feel, trash talk, gutter talk aside, this is about winning the presidency at this point.

[crease]

The old schoolers, MSM and the re-pukes hate change and will discredit Obama every chance they get.I thinks it`s about time for a change and Obama is that change because he is more than just a Black African American he is about all Americans and he is listening to what we have to say on the issues that are plaguing this country today and for the years to come.

[SharedHumanity]

This should surprise no one who is paying attention. Let's face it, we are still not ready for an honest conversation about race. This is still a deeply conflicted nation regarding our past.. Fortunately, having Barack run for President is forcing us into an area that we would normally not choose to go. As such, if we can allow ourselves to go there we will be a better nation for it..

We are like lab rats in a grand experiment. It should be entertaining.

[MsLiz]

Hey, this is an honest conversation about race for some of us.

[NTO08]

If Obama is about change, then we need to find a new definition of change...

If CHANGE means supporting coal and ethanol, he isn't it.
If CHANGE means voting for every war appropiation bill, he isn't it.
If CHANGE is supporting several of the Sup Ct's recent awful decisions, he isn't it.
If CHANGE is voting for FISA, he isn't it.
If CHANGE is agreeing with denying late term abortions to women under emotional distress, he isn't it.

It is time to stop this lie that Obama is about change...h­e is about what is good for only one person: HIMSELF...­Jesse, Geraldine and Bill see right through his BS and call him on it...I hope they continue to.

[eden4barack08]

Maybe it's YOUR OWN definition of CHANGE that scares you.

[djelimon]

What I get from this is that Obama's mainstream black. By which I mean, when he talks about parenting, he's talking black. Blacks have become more conservative in some senses.

[flyfysher]

It's not about race Mr. Ridley. Should I be lauding Obama because he's African American of because if he's elected then it will symbolize how America has truly advanced as a society? I don't think so.

Just because someone's African American or any other race does not endow them with the requisite qualifications or principles to be president. Powell, Rice and Jackson are African Americans who did lousy jobs. I've no doubt you'd argue they should be regarded as individuals, not African Americans, who did a lousy job. As it so happens, I agree race is irrelevant. Likewise, being African American doesn't automatically mean one can or will do a great job or that they can effect change.

I don't fear Obama becoming president because he's African American. It's Obama's inexperience, deficient health care plan and lack of fortitude to abide his commitment to back a Senate bipartisan group on immigration reform that led me to support Clinton. I've doubts about Obama's principles given his reversals. At first, Obama was definitively not running for the presidency. That changed. So did Obama's position on campaign financing and FISA.

Obama's race is a canard. I'm sure many old school liberals who don't support Obama or who are tepid supporters also happen NOT to be racists. I may yet vote for Obama. Ultimately, I just want the best person, regardless of their race, to lead this country in the future. I'm just not sure that person is Obama.

[StillIRise]

Mr. Ridley never suggested that anyone he made reference to is racist. He simply suggests that they are struggling with the idea of a black president, and those who are struggling are both black and white.

[flyfysher]

I suggest you reread the part of Mr. Ridley's column that states Obama's election would provide empirical evidence that America is no longer a racist nation. So, if Obama is not elected president then would that mean we, as Americans, could still claim America is not a racist nation? Mind you that we then wouldn't t have any empirical evidence of this so you'd just have to take it on faith.

So yes, when Mr. Ridley is referring to America in that sense he is indeed referring to you and me.

[PioneerKing]

flyfisher

Sounds like you are happy with the way that the very experienced, very white, Bush/Chene­y/Rumsfeld­, and other experienced white republicans, who held the majority in government for 6 of the last 8 years have run America to the ground
Got to love that republican experience - short on good judgment - but lots of years on dumb experience
One has to admire the idiotic postings of the experienced republican trolls.

LMAO what a fairy tale the republicans and their experience bull crap.

[flyfysher]

PK,

You are utterly in error. I'm Asian and I've been a Democrat for over thirty years. I've never voted Republican, not even once, and I've had nothing but the utmost disrespect and disdain for anything which Nixon, Reagan, Bush41 and especially GWB did. I think Ford was well intentioned but in a tough spot and I didn't support his policies or vote for him either.

I don't think there was anything in what I wrote from which one could or should infer that I am 'happy with the way that the very experienced, very [w[hite, Bush/Chene­y/Rumsfeld­, and other [w]hite [r]epublicans, who held the majority in government for 6 of the last 8 years have run America to the ground.' Suffice it to state that I'm looking forward to DeLay reaping what he has sown.

My very few misguided Republican friends and my very good friend who is a leader in the Boulder County Democratic Party would be astonished by your mistaken assessment of me. But I suppose it's easier for you to label me as a Republican troll to make everything right in your world.

[flyfysher]

By the way PK, the thought of McCain being president is utterly repugnant to me too. And yes, Ms. Kreck's assessment was spot on. McCain=Bush!

[NTO08]

PK said nothing of the kind...see­ms you completely ignored his salient and relevant argument.

[unitedstates]

sounds like bush during the war. if your not with us your not american. and in this case if your not with obama and a liberal your a racist.

even worse.. this argument is an attempt to bully people to vote for obama otherwise we'll see you as a racist. how did this become the platform of hope.

[hoodrat]

I don't think it's racist to vote for a candidate that shares your core values - but it is if the candidates color is the basis of your vote - vote your conscience. But whether you like the complexion of the person or not, I think we can agree that where the country is headed NOW cannot make anyone happy with the choice other than Obama. I think I'm about as centrist as one could get, and I think most of America hoodwinked themselves if they thought Obama would be any different - if they read his book. I just never thought I'd see in my lifetime a person of color actually being considered as POTUS - or a Female, for that matter. If he wasn't the gifted pol he is - his color wouldn't necessarily assure my vote. Time for the "Old Guard" to start getting progressive and stop looking at others for the reason of our inequities - and start living MLKs dream of MAKING the world judge you by your content of character. P.S. Jacksons son is also one of the "gifted" progressives - he raised his son well. The Old Guard would do well to follow suit.

[jeanrenoir]

Great column! As epitomized by Jackson, for a long time Civil Rights has been a cash cow in this country which the old guard, black and white are reluctant to give up. Black preachers, from Jackson and Sharpton (and WRIGHT!) on down got literally rich off of the pandering to the black masses as "victims" game. The Democratic Party literally paid these guys for decades, and paid voters with walking around money to boot. Now Obama doesn't need to pay blacks to vote for him, nor does he need to pay black preachers to praise him, since he's much more popular than ANY of them are with blacks. Obama's The Great Black Hope, for America as a whole, but especially for black America, since only the Gospel According to Cosby, Oprah, Obama, Juan Williams, and other highly successful middle-class blacks--the gospel of studying hard, avoiding teen pregnancy, going to college, staying away from drugs and guns and jail, and being responsible bread winners as well as parents; above all, taking personal responsibility for your destiny, just like white people do as a matter of course--Obama can actually preach to poor lost ghetto young people, especially boys, both by example and by using the bully pulpit of the Presidency to convince them that they can make it if they study hard, work hard, and stay clean.

[Higherground]

Yes!

What you describe goes on on a smaller scale on the state and county level. Some Jesse Jackson-wannabe claims to represent "black people." He pimps out his "constituency" for "Get out the vote money." He can point to a cadre of retired school teachers who actually have credibility but no concept of technology or a changing world. They are willing to volunteer their time because they remember "the struggle" for "the vote." The crumbs of the GOTV money go to some crackheads that show up "to work" on election day and "political rallys." These clowns fit the stereotypical image because they ARE actually present for a handout.

These "leaders" are trolls who pimped illusions of prominence for decades. They keep a philosophically inclusive party segregated without REALLY addressing the issues they use to justify their position. Still, the party establishment likes to look at these people as kingmakers because it seems expedient. What is more, this system perpetuates notions of incompent people who need saving; thus, eliminating the prospect of addtional competion by AA candidates.

I've seen many a "black leader" tell people that they have good ideas, but they "aren't ready." Translation: "I'm the King of the mountain and you must kiss my ring so that I can tell TPTB that I am still in control, lest my funding be cut off, in which case I shall cut off your...

The Obama's of this world have had to go around this system.

[cacki]

Spot On! Every general and mid-term election in wanders our local 'kingmaker' promising to deliver the black vote. It's the only time we see him. He gets some local candidate to hire him and does exactly as you describe. He doesn't win. He keeps trying though-- just showed up at headquarters, and has desperately tried to get a job with Obama. Not this time though, at least not locally. I hope the culture changes with this election. It's divisive and really tired.

[guajiro]

"They keep a philosophically inclusive party segregated without REALLY addressing the issues they use to justify their position. "

Yeah, you're right. What the heck, who needs the civil rights legislation. African Americans REALLY just need to go back to paying poll taxes, living in neighborhoods where city services are sparse or nonexistent. Blacks don't really need paved roads and sewer and other conveniences since they are used to living in squalor anyways. Besides, the drugs and STDs that are rampant in your black community hasn't been as a result of some government conspiracy­.......oh wait......­.check that..

"The most apposite example is the four decade-long Tuskegee Syphilis study. Starting in 1932, under U.S. Public Health Services auspices, about 400 Black men in rural Alabama were subjects in an experiment on the effects of untreated syphilis. They were never told the nature of their condition or that they could infect their wives and children. Although penicillin, which became available in the 1940s, was the standard of treatment for syphilis by 1951, researchers not only withheld treatment but forbade the men from seeking help elsewhere. This shameful "experiment" was stopped in 1972, only after a federal health worker blew the whistle ".

http://www.kersplebedeb.com/mystuff/profiles/gilbert/aidsconsp.html

Yeah, who needs leaders that protect their communities from the ravages of the power elite. Not addressing classism is the new way to solve problems.

[wmbear]

I THINK JESSE WAS JUST JEALOUS...

Because Obama did what he tried and failed to do, become the Democratic nominee for President. Given the remark he made, it sounds to me like it had very little to do with race and a lot to do with sheer personal animus (aka jealousy/e­nvy....)

[mypov123]

Mr. Ridley, thank you for your great and often spot-on commentary. It's nice to have commentary from people like you to balance the always "anti-Obama" rhetoric of someone like Earl Ofari Hutchinson (someone who in my opinion "fears a Black president" ;) ).

Thanks again :)

[rzan]

Forgive me for saying this, but the very fact of Obama's candidacy is for me an inspiration and about as radical an event as I have ever seen. For those of us who remember the days of segregation, this seems miraculous. I never did believe that I would ever see an African-American President in my lifetime.

[Zanti]

Some us had similar feelings about the female candidate.­...

[MsLiz]

But only one can receive the nomination this year.

[rzan]

I indeed feel the same way about a female candidate, but the better candidate this year was Barack Obama, in my opinion.

[fnygy]

Why? Why is Obama of such consternation to the Old Schoolers?

Uh, maybe because they're 'old schoolers?'

[Kishadawn]

What"s wrong with a President who represents ALL of America? I didn't vote for him because I thought he would represent African Americans or people of "mixed" heritage. I voted for him because he is for abortion. He believes, like I do, that my faith doesn't condone abortion, but that I as a citizen can not take that right from another citizen who does not share my faith. I believe,as he does, that I want to withdraw from Iraq, but not at the safety of thousands of people (Iraqi and America) I believe he represents America. All of us. Liberal, Conservative, and those of us who think somewhere closer to the middle then the left (but still left).

I voted for him, not because I agree with all of his positions, because he has kinda brown skin like me, but because he valued a path that could maneuver a system into a positive mechanism, and because his views most matched my own.

Obama '08

[wmbear]

I'M WITH YOU...

I'm white but but was always an MLK enthusiast and especially loved listening to his speeches. You know, when I hear Obama speak, I hear strong echoes of MLK and I always tear up, even if he's talking about foreign policy or some such. Honestly, I'm considerably to the left of Obama and not crazy about his positions on a lot of issues but still and all. I voted for him in my state's Democratic primary (my state went for Hillary by a considerable margin) and certainly plan to vote for him this fall. I also think people on the left who criticize him for various reasons are, in some ways, worse than those on the right who at least are criticizing someone who's not on their side....

[NTO08]

Obama doesn't represent all of America...­if that was the case, he would be supported by many more people, and the race, despite McCain's terrible campaign, would be not even close...su­ch has not been the case.