have never in my whole wide world been moved by a single action to the point of taking immediate action without thorough analysis of the pros and cons of such decision. It's like having a gun pointed to someone's head and simultaneously asking the person to denounce his religious belief, with the threat of harm, an affirmed response was delivered and things supposedly went back to normal. In the case at hand, there was an invisible gun in the form of words said in the heat of political campaign that confounded the fear of political fall.
At the beginning of this political primary thriller, everything seemed normal, particularly in the Democratic Party side where every participant treated each other with civility except occasional snipping at Senator Hillary Clinton who was considered the front runner. As political tradition demands, Senator Clinton hardly responded and frequently directs her Vernon on President Bush, their common enemy whose governing style and programs are either divisive or perceived to have failed. It is this perceived failed policies that inflated passion among the electorate that made them to demand for a change. The presumed beneficiary of this change was assumed to be the Democratic Party. From available poll reports, it has been shown that any of the top three Democratic Party candidates will beat anyone in the Republican field.
Then come the time to test the campaign and programs of each of the candidates as Iowa held the nation's first Caucus and the result was devastating. The outcome was epitomized by the game theory characterization - one person's gain is another's loss. Obama slammed the rest of the Democratic field including Clinton the avowed front runner for months and the presumption candidate for the Democratic Party in the general election. It is at this point that all hell turned loose as some of the principle participants removed themselves from contention leaving four candidates to continue on the bandwagon to nomination struggle.
Soon afterwards, as the focus shifted to New Hampshire, events started to change from collegiality to name calling. It started with a comment attributed to Clinton's backer, an ex governor of New Hampshire calling Obama a pot head. The press did not take this attempt to go back to the past acrimonious political style lightly and the result was the removal of the instigator from Clinton's top echelon of advisers. So, we the laypeople and spectators thought that we have seen the last of this negativity where instead of talking about programs, policies and how the politicians can impact on the life of the people; the politicians reverted to mud slinging, as if none of us have a skeleton in our cupboards.
The attempt was to slow down Obama's fast moving train of change. For the first time in the US history, we have two people classified as minorities poised to break the barrier that kept minorities from occupying the White House and the mood of the nation seemed to welcome such move. From the Clinton camp, the Obama fast moving train was seen as a threat to Clinton's presidential ambition that was said to have been planned and put together long before Obama's Democratic Party convention speech, the catalyst that catapulted him into the national political spotlight and made him instant millionaire from book publication, and now a serious Blackman aspiring for the office of the presidency of the United states. Then from nowhere come Obama who stole the show and in their minds, must be destroyed the old fashion way of divide and conquer politics.
If we recall, Bill Clinton was regarded in the African American community as the first black president. The way he carried himself during his presidency solidified that supposition, particularly the highly visible relationship he had with Mr. Jordan, who helped in selecting his cabinet members plus, it did not hurt to see him and President Clinton playing gulf together, a departure from the past USA presidential behavior. But, it must be remembered or argued that Clinton moved closer to black people during his presidency for two reasons:
First, when the primary campaign was going tough for him, some of the problems being part of the personal garbage he brought along from Arkansas where he was a governor for decades and incur lots of enmity. The other issue being the philandering with women and the attempt to be blackmailed by those who hated him or fear his powers, therefore wanting to destroy him before he moves further to a higher office. It should be remembered that through out Clinton's ordeal, both during the impeachment and thereafter, the black people stood by him. He was seen visiting African American churches where he found comfort and support while majority of white Americans tried to destroy him.
Second, Clinton's campaign and profile were elevated by his appearance on the Arsenio Hall Show where he was allowed to show his human side by blowing the trumpet. That human side is currently copied by another son of Hope; Governor Huckabee, an obscure governor from Arkansas, unknown on the national scene, who runs around playing his guitar and stole the show at the Republican Iowa caucus, now regarded as a serious contender in the Republican primary. So, had Arsenio not allowed Clinton to blow his trumpet which was seen by a lot of people and published in all the major news media, it can be argued that Clinton would not be where he is today, as ex president of the United States.
This goes to the argument that the Clintons did so much for the black people, because the black people made the Clintons and they deserve the fruit of their labor just like the rewards that is given to big money contributors to political campaign with promise of positions in the government and overseas jobs.
Then the general apprehension of another Obama sweep of New Hampshire which the pundits concluded would be a death nail on Hillary Clinton's presidential ambition. So the Clintons have to do what they do best, destroy him. Destroy him like they did to Mario Cuomo, then Governor of New York, who was supposed to be the sure in for the Democratic Party nomination following his great Democratic Party convention speech that moved the nation. The Clintons started by calling Obama's campaign a "fairy tail." They went around telling people that Obama is "unelectable." Even Hillary Clinton lamented that Obama's optimism speech and rise in the polls gives a sense of "false hope." All these terms implies that even though Obama won in a state that is 95 percent white, that he is a back man who would be trounced by the Republicans because white people will not vote for him. It was called a "fairy tail" because he dreamt big; it will be only a dream and will never be realized.
To make matters worse, the Clinton campaign employed the services of one of the most successful African American entrepreneurs, the founder of Black Entertainment (BET) and owner of an NBA basket ball team - Bobcat to speak on behalf of Clinton in South Carolina. To the amazement of all, he indirectly called Obama a pot head, a comment that was seen as another concerted effort to reduce his movement. Prior to that, Senator Clinton attempted to minimize the value of Dr. Martin Luther Kings' civil right work that led to the signing of 1965 civil rights law that granted minorities that encompass African Americans, women, Latinos, Indians, etc equal right in the American society.
For the first time in my life, I talked to those who will listen to sign up with Obama and contribute money to his campaign. The Clintons attack on Obama was disruptive, not just to the Obama campaign, but to those who supported Obama aged fifty and below that could be asked to vote for her in the event that she becomes the Democratic Party touch bearer into the general election. Most of these young people have never ventured into politics and see Obama campaign as refreshing and full of hope, thereby an avenue to get involved. If Clinton wins, the Democratic Party that was supposed to be a sure in to the office of the presidency might suffer the worst defeat as the wavering Republicans and Independents would sit home and not vote for Clinton or move to the Senator McCain if he becomes the Republican Party nominee.
The American people seem to be sick and tired of divisive politics as they have witnessed first hand what it can do in the last eight years and some part of Clinton's administration. The new American president will have his or her hands full. He or she will make every attempt to stabilize international relationship which is at the bottom of the scale. He or she must move an American race relation forward which has been stagnant in the past eight years. He or she must rescue the American economy by keeping jobs in America and stabilizing the dollar. He or she must be good orators who will make the American people feel good while doing the job being elected for.
Finally, the Clintons onslaughts were wrong; politics should not be a do or die issue, reminiscent of Obasanjo era in Nigeria. The American politicians and news media should be aware that America is not only exporting democracy to those who look up to them for guidance, their actions also influence them too. It will be hard for those who espouse political meanness to lecture other states or political practitioners abroad on the need to practice political virtue of accommodation, as is being preached to Kenya, Iraq, Pakistan and other developing democracies, while the same virtue is devoid in the US.
advertisement
