Michelle Obama and the Slumbering Black Masses

There could be any number of reasons why Barack Obama trails Hillary Clinton among black voters. It could be Senator Clinton's name recognition, her political experience... It could also be as simple as the fact that Blacks are not automatons that will unthinkingly vote for a person of color.

To Michelle Obama, the wife of Senator Barack Obama, the reason for her husband's lag is the "fear of possibility" owned by those hold-out blacks; scared flesh in their racial memory from being told too often that we are "not ready" to achieve. Mrs. Obama holds, however, no fear. In an interview with MSNBC's Mika Brzezinski, Mrs. Obama believes that soon the straggling blacks will "wake up and get it."

I talked about Mrs. Obama's statement today on "Morning Joe," also on MSNBC. I don't disagree with the notion that for some people of color there is a "fear of possibility." When she ran the Underground Railroad Harriet Tubman used to carry with her a gun. Not so much to use against bounty hunters. She used it to occasionally throw on blacks so frightened by the journey to freedom they wanted to run back to the plantation thereby endangering all. But I would not say that fear of possibility or change or the future is either limited to blacks, or the prevailing attitude among us. Were that true, we would all still be, at best, sharecropping and at worst having our teeth checked prior to sale to the highest bidder.

For Michelle Obama to claim that in terms of voting for her husband black America will one day "wake up and get it" is to imply that any person of color who does not vote for Obama is somehow slumbering or stupid. That Obama need not earn the black vote, but rather our votes must be given out of racial fidelity.

I would add that earning the black vote does not mean pandering to the idea of "black issues," as any issues that affect blacks -- hate crimes and discrimination and lack of housing -- are not restricted to a particular race. And to suggest that those are "black issues" is to intimate that the credit crisis and the war on terrorism and rise in oil prices are of no interest to or do not affect people of color.

Instead, I would say that Obama needs to earn his votes through consistency of message. He can't pass himself off as an agent of change, then pander to the homophobic crowd. He can't claim to stand against the war, then continually vote for its funding. He can't send mixed messages as to whether or not America would actually use its nuclear arsenal to protect itself.

The same as with most black people; emotionally I want Barack Obama to be president yesterday. However, also like most blacks, I'm "awake" enough to know that Obama deserves to be evaluated on his merits, and not just on the color of his skin.

Comments

[carefulcautious]

Agreed. Any African-American who does not vote for Obama has that right. But I still say any African-American who votes for conservatives is not really black at all, can't be.

Edwards/Obama 08!

[wilso127]

Great writing and you make a great point, John. I see you occasionally on "Morning Joe" and wish you'd be on more often. That broadcast is so much better than Imus ever was.
I'm glad that whatever happened all came about.
Imus is just some old Bad History. Some day, if we're lucky enough, so will be Tucker, Rush, Hannity and O'Really.

[meadowlark345]

Dear Mr. Ridley:

Hillary's higher (than Obama's and Edwards's) poll ratings puzzle me. She won't bring the troops home which means Bush's War continues. Her health care plan is insurance industry-driven and doesn't amount to much, if anything, for the average American. She voted to permit Bush to wage War on Iran. Her stances are too much like Bush's. There's just no way I can bring myself to vote for her as much as I'd love to have the right woman as president. I am so distressed over her positions, her votes. She votes as Republicans do. Back to Mrs. Obama: It's just possible the same factors that bother me may also bother her and leave her as bewildered as I as to why anyone, Black or White, would vote for her. (I am White.)I am tired of being lumped in with so-called left wingers just because I am not on her bandwagon. Her bandwagon left me far behind. By the way, I am a moderate.
P.S. Mr. Ridley, I always enjoyed seeing you every morning on MSNBC. I like your manner of discussing issues.

[chamberslee]

I do not care about Obama's race; I am concerned about his politics, however. I attended a Cornel West lecture at Brown University in which Dr. West said he had a conversation with Obama who said his mentor is Joseph Lieberman. That is a concern. As Dr. Wes stated, "Lieberman has never had heart on issues that concerns Democrats." In fact, he has voted with republicans the majority of his career. If Obama models his politics after his mentor...I would not vote for him.

[poopdeck]

The fundamental question that still needs to be examined is this. Why were the "black masses" wide awake for M.L. King, Malcolm-X, the Chicago Seven, etc. during the civil rights struggle of the 60-s and 70-s and why are they sort of slumbering today for Senator Obama. Could it be that Obama is no King?

[DallasBlogWatcher]

How is Michelle Obama's comment worse than Catholic bishops telling people they have to vote the way the church dictates?

IMO, the Catholic church should lose its tax exempt status as should any church that becomes a default PAC by promoting their political views.

They could use the money to fund Bush's religious wars.

[MinneapolisBob]

Mr. Obama has to be careful not to fall into the trap of thinking that just because one happens to Black automatically means he will receive thier vote. Blacks do th

[ConcernAmerican]

John, I couldn't agree with you more, its the inconsistency of Obama that made me decide not to vote for him. He voted against the illegal war in Iraq, but he voted for the budget all the time. Some people listen to rhetorics, I don't. I dissect, dice, slice, chopped whatever politicians say all the time. Sometimes I have this nagging feeling, politicians has the notion people are dumb and stupid that we can't connect the dots. I don't want a feel good President, I want the candidates to tell me things as is and what they're going to do about it to get my vote.

[nihilon_x]

I'm glad to see that many posters here -- black, brown, white, and otherwise -- can see through this foolishness and acknowledge how Mrs. Obama's comments have been taken completely out of context.

One of the things I most appreciated about Obama was the fact that he made it very clear early on that he did not want any vote that was based solely on his race -- whether it was from a "black" voter or anyone else.

Trying to spin Mrs. Obama's comments into the implication that somehow Barack deserves the "black" vote just because he happens to be (half) black is both misleading and downright deceptive.

Moreover, anyone who takes the time to do the research will see that Obama has done plenty of civil rights work for the black community in the past and that his record in this regard is as strong as any other candidate currently in the running.

Obama neither expects the "black" vote nor will he get the "black" vote -- he will simply get the votes that he deserves based on his merits and his ability to reach out to ALL Americans, and that is exactly how it should be.

[TMAN]

John, spot on post, he needs to walk out from the political shadows and claim what Americans are pulling for him to claim. We'll vote for him but he's gotta start the walk.

[BlueBoomer]

P.S. The comment about America's voting turn-out being about the same as Bush's approval rating is a sadly astute one.
Let's not make the outcome as stupid as Bush too.

ELEVATE EXCELLENCE AND EXPERIENCE.
BIDEN/Richardson in '08
(alt: BIDEN/Webb or BIDEN/Hagel)

[NYCIC]

Ridley is again showing just how tedious he really is. Rather than talk about anything substantive, he resorts to attempting to deconstruct and interpret another's remarks, and narrowly so.

Isn't it possible, Ridley, that Michelle Obama was urging blacks to examine the price paid for Junior's eight terrible years in office? To "wake up and get" this fact, to hear it in her husband's message, rather than, as you suggest, to just shuffle on over to de voting booth and vote for Barack because he be black and will lead y'all to de promise land? C'mon, Ridley, don't you get tired of this?

[kalimuzo]

I think you are reading her completely wrong. We all know there is a tendendcy for people to go with the pack, and that among African Americans especially in politics this tendency is really strong, just look at our leadership especially in city politics. We tend to do what our church leaders and powers that be ie Sharpton and Jackson tell us what to do. Barrack is new and he is not establishment like we are used too, and people are not sure. That is the truth and you know that. Once people start to see momentum they will go with the pack like they always do

[Bocababs]

Good Post...John and I agree with you. They should all be looked at for their merits.

[LeeFromVA]

How fortunate black voters are that for the first time in history the best possible candidate happens to be black. Obama is going to win because Americans will be voting for him. It's not her fault, but Hillary is bad for this country. Too devicive.