Race in the Race

Race in the Race

By Patricia Wilson-Smith

It’s been a roller coaster ride. For those of us who have been Obama supporters from Day One, it’s been like being on the world’s largest roller coaster after eating a chili dog from Atlanta’s famed Varsity Restaurant. It’s actually even worse.

First – we endured the looks of confusion on the faces of our friends and family, when we told them we were going to a meeting of Barack Obama volunteers. “Barack what?” was the most frequent response to such a pronouncement. A brief explanation of who Barack Obama was back then, almost always elicited the same response. “Girl, you crazy. This country not gon’ vote fa no black man.”

I can remember it like it was yesterday. Even my 77 year-old mother, turning up her nose at me in disgust over what she perceived as my colossal waste of time – the meetings, the phone calls, the organizing. She accused me of caring more about “that Borock O-bama” than I did her, my house, or my son. Or even my job. And yes, she was sure, with everything in her, that he had no chance of winning the nomination. No chance at all.

But the early supporters endured, all the way through Super Tuesday, when the people of Iowa, most of them white Americans sent a lightning bolt through the country by casting their ballots mostly for the junior Senator from Illinois. The news was a-buzz with the historic nature of what was perceived at the time as a Clinton upset, and everything began to change. Some of my brothers and sisters, my friends and family began to actually ask themselves, “could it really happen?”

But consequently, all manner of new ludicrousness began:

“The Clintons have always been there for black people – what do we know about this dude?”

“He’s not black enough – he don’t care about our issues!”

“A vote for him is a wasted vote!”

“He need to change his name if he wants to even have a chance!”

And my personal favorite…”I can’t vote for that man, they might assassinate him!”

Black people were running into each other emotionally – we didn’t know what to feel or what was coming next. And then the Obama campaign machine proved to us all that not only could he win the primary – he also had a chance – some chance, of winning the election.

How did they do it? In part, by almost completely playing down Senator Obama’s race, and instead opting to highlight his skills as a uniter and change agent. He wowed us all black, white and brown, with his ability to help us see what was possible, and gave us all a reason to feel a hope that was so strong, that by the time the Reverend Jeremiah Wright flap reached it’s climax, we had begun to believe that Senator Obama was uniquely qualified to help begin truly turning the battleship of racial bigotry in this country. It seemed that he might even have had what it took to help the white majority in this country better understand the black condition; why for some, an anger still boils just below the surface, as he did in his now historic speech from Philadelphia. And though it was a rough and rocky road, he made it through and we began to believe even more.

Then, of course, he fought hard and long to make it across the finish line to clinch the nomination. And before I knew it, all the nay-sayers were loudly celebrating, and proclaiming their disbelief over his accomplishment, and daring to believe that this country truly had crossed an important milestone. It was time to look ahead to the General Election, and so many of us had hope in our hearts, and a renewed belief in the progress we’d made as a nation.

More money raised than any campaign in history. A trip abroad that proved he is loved and admired by citizens of other nations in a way that is unprecedented in American politics. And an acceptance speech, given in Denver’s Invesco Field, to over 84,000 supporters, all crowning achievements for a campaign that has been almost flawlessly executed, and that also by the way, stopped one of the most prolific political machines of our time dead in it’s tracks.

And now that we are several weeks into the General Election, a daunting question is again beginning to take center stage amongst the pundits and nightly news media. A question that given the dire nature of our economy, the general distaste for the human and monetary costs of the war in Iraq, the record number of foreclosures, and the general and overriding belief that the nation is heading in the wrong direction, begs for an answer – is race the reason why Senator Obama is not at least 20 points ahead of John McCain in the polls?

I was at Invesco field when Senator Obama gave what was by all accounts an incredible speech. On the way out, as I followed the throng of people exiting the arena, I over heard a conversation between two white gentleman, who, after being suitably impressed by his speech and the flawless execution of the whole night, wondered aloud about the same thing:

“Man, that speech was amazing. That crowd was amazing. I don’t understand why we’re not up by 20 or 30 points in the polls”, said the first gentleman.

“It’s his race, pure and simple”, said the second. “It’s hard to believe, but there are still a lot of people out there that just won’t vote for a black man.”

I could feel tears well up in my eyes. Because it dawned on me at that moment that despite the crowds, despite the miraculous fund-raising, the inspirational and sometimes brilliantly instructional speeches – it might still in the end, come down to how many people in this country can set aside their irrational prejudices in order to do what’s best for the nation. There are no two ways about it – the shockingly low difference in the candidates’ poll numbers in my opinion, bears this out.

It reminds me of one of the most amazing, and yet most chilling movies I’ve ever seen – “A Time To Kill”. In it, Samuel L. Jackson, the father of a young girl, has to stand trial for murdering two white men who had brutally beat and raped his daughter, and left her for dead at the bottom of a lake. By some miracle, the girl was found and saved, but her womb had been destoryed, and she bore outward physical scars, and internal scars that would never go away.

Despite the brutal nature of the crime, Jackson’s character was treated like a vigilante, an angry black man bent on exacting justice against the perpetrators of the horrible crime against his daughter; the white inhabitants of the small town gave hardly a thought to what the little girl had gone through, and wanted Samuel L. to fry for murdering the men who were clearly guilty, and clearly unrepetent. The anguish he must have felt at the thought of what was done to his daughter, the insanity it must have induced never entered most of the town’s minds. Enter Matthew McConaughey.

Matthew McConaughey was Samuel L’s defense attorney. Faced with a jury of all whites, from a southern town where racial disharmony was the norm, and working for a defendant who had in fact murdered the two men in question, the odds were against he and Samuel L. And it looked like it was all but over until he did something extraordinary.

If you saw the movie, you know what he did. He stepped up before the jury, and asked them to use their imaginations to invision the little black girl, as he told the anguished story of what she had endured at the hands of the perpetrators. He described every blow, every atrocity in graphic enough detail to paint a vivid, disturbing picture. And at the end of it all, he asked the jury to picture it, really picture it all – and then imagine that the girl was white.

I’m overcome by the need to do the same thing to the American people. I want to get a bull horn that will reach the rural areas of Pennsylvania, and Ohio, and the farms of Missouri. I want to implore them to imagine a man, who was a genius student, a graduate of Columbia University, who would go on to Harvard, graduate at the top of his class, become the president of the Harvard Law Review. Imagine that that man went on to become a constitutional scholar, and lecturer, and that rather than take the lucrative road to wealth and financial comfort for his family, chose instead to give himself over to a life of service as first an Illinois State Senator, and then a United States Senator. Imagine that this man, through his unique vision for the country, had inspired so many people, that he was literally called to service, and drafted to run for President of the United States. I want ALL of white America to picture it, really picture it all.

And then imagine that he’s black.

The Scripted ABC Interview

On last night, we finally got to see Sarah Palin on the hot seat with ABC’s Charlie Gibson. Forget about your political affiliation – watch THIS video, and tell me that this woman hasn’t been seriously coached on how to answer Charlie’s questions:

I think Matt Damon said it best – this whole thing is like a bad Disney movie, except if it WERE a bad Disney movie, it would at least end with the mother realizing that her place is with her children, and that she loves her country too much to be used as a political pawn, whose very presence on the ticket might endanger all our futures. What say you, Sarah?

The most disparaging thing about all this is how easily right-wingers can be swayed by someone who, though personally appealing and politically in alignment with their views, has absolutely NO business being considered for the office of Vice President, especially on a ticket where the Presidential candidate is, sorry, old and feeble.  It’s absolutely terrifying. I happen to believe that there is a great deal that goes on at the highest levels of government that protects us, keeps us safe, keeps our way of life on an even keel that we never even know about – and that it takes experienced legislators, operatives, and executives to keep it all working as it should. And look-it, we’ve already taken a chance on a ‘cowboy’ governor who promised to be compassionate, had a shaky, questionable past, but that was tough, and conservative, and who would take such good care of us, and look where that got us.

We cannot be distracted. The bottom line is that there are more Democrats in this country than Republicans, so the real fight is on the ground, getting to un-registered voters and making sure that they get registered and come out to the polls on November 4th.  From the zeal Ms. Palin exhibited in trying to sound knowledgeable and worthy of position she is in, I think we can assume that she won’t be pulling out of the race anytime soon, so it is our job as Obama supporters to continue to fly under the radar and keep the ground game moving as we have been. It’s critical – anything else would mean handing the presidency over to a hot-tempered, war-mongering, ex-playboy and a moose-shooting, book-burning, hockey-mom who can’t tell a foreign policy from a oil rig.

Against All Odds – Denver, Here I Come!

DNC Convention '08

By Patricia Wilson-Smith

Amazing. About this time a little over a year and a half ago I was seated at this very computer, typing away at maybe my third or fourth blog post for Black Women for Obama. Since then of course, I’ve written dozens.

Back then, BWFO was just…a concept. An idea that I had that America needed to understand that there was a segment of the black community, in particular black women, who were squarely in Senator Obama’s corner. At the time, I wasn’t aware of any specific black women who were Obama supporters other than myself, but I was certain they were out there.

See, I had just finished reading ‘The Audacity of Hope’, and I was a changed person. After reading Senator Obama’s brilliant narrative on America, our politics, and our place in the world, I knew that as an intelligent, engaged writer, mother, and educator, I had to get involved in helping to bring about the vision that Senator Obama outlined in his book. I believed it then, and I still believe it now.

A lot has happened since then. Since then, my mother has been diagnosed with breast cancer, and undergone a radical double mastectomy. Since then, I’ve been laid off from a job that I loved, and found another one that I am blessed to have and equally fond of. Since then, I’ve been married, the economy has taken a violent down-turn, my son has started middle school, I’ve been elected a delegate from my district here in Georgia, and on and on and on. So many changes, some good and some bad. And through it all, my belief in Senator Obama, and my committment to his eventual Presidency has never waivered, not once.

Not that my involvement has been non-stop. Like many of you (I’m sure), there have been times when I simply could not find the time to do my Obama duty. At times, I simply couldn’t find the energy, and at times I even had trouble mustering the will. But it was never because my faith in Senator Obama and his vision for our nation’s future faltered; oh no. It was always because life, as it so often does, had thrown me some curve ball that caused me to have to temporarily take my eye off of the prize. But like a soldier wounded in combat, I am anxious to once again don my battle fatigues and re-join my battalion, and Denver is my opportunity to do so in grand fashion.

Ironically, my effort to raise the funds necessary to get to Denver turned out to be one of the most challenging obstacles of all. For weeks and weeks now, I have been singularly focused on finding a way to make it to Denver so that I can proudly cast my vote as an Obama delegate. And though nothing but death would have kept me from it, it was an uphill battle that I am not that anxious to repeat, even though I know it will be well worth it.

And so I’m poised now to board a plane to join the other delegates from Georgia’s 7th Congressional District and the rest of the Georgia delegation in Denver to do my part to formalize Senator Obama’s nomination, and the feeling is phenomenal. Against every obstacle that could possibly have been thrown at me, including a myriad of personal issues, several large boulder-sized financial road blocks, and what could only be described as a deep mental fatigue, I am preparing to head to Denver to do my part. Cast my vote. Wave my signs and wear any funny hats that come my way. And as I think about the experiences I have to look forward to next week, I realize that for the first time in my life, I know what a real privilege it is to be a part of the political process. To go beyond just showing up to vote in the general election to getting really and truly engaged from the start, and seeing it through to the end.

Bottom line is, we did it. Months and months of writing, and discussing, and meeting, and strategizing, and debating, and traveling, and phone calling, and bumper stickering, and walking door-to-door have finally paid off, and we are just a few short days away from watching what so many thought was an impossibility. For me, it has been so completely gratifying that it defies description. Knowing from where Senator Obama came at the beginning of this process, knowing that he is about to take his permanent place in history is exciting, and truly amazing. Please know that as I take my place with my delegation, and cast my official vote to nominate Senator Obama for President, I will be thinking of and representing all of you, the strong and faithful Obama supporters from all over the country who could not be dissuaded and would not be denied. Congratulations goes out to all of you – I think it’s safe to speak for Senator Obama to say that he could not have done it without you. Without us.

So Denver, here I come. Ready to help put the cherry on top of what has been an illuminating election season. And once the convention’s over, it will be time for me and all of you to find that last rush of adrenaline, that final burst of energy that we’re going to need to drive it home for Senator Obama in November. Nothing else but complete victory will do. Let’s get this thing done in Denver, then close the chapter on the Bush policy years for once and for all.

Denver or Bust!

The Obama – Moses Ad: Or, PTTMCHLICMAM

By Patricia Wilson-Smith

PTTMCHLICMAM? We’ll get to that in a moment.

First an acknowledgment:

It’s getting increasingly harder to write these blog entries, primarily because there’s so much to write about, it’s difficult to settle on something and just, well, write it. But this morning, the McCain campaign has bestowed upon me an incredible gift – the gift of a lifted writer’s block. Thank you, John McCain!

Okay (clear throat). So, if you’re like me, you spent some part of yesterday scratching your head, trying to understand why the McCain campaign thinks that an ad depicting Moses (played by a recently deceased and beloved actor), and showing Senator Obama in various stages of his campaign (sometimes joking, sometimes lifting audiences with one of his soaring speeches) is anything but – dumb. And offensive if you REALLY loved “The Ten Commandments”.

This new ad was just as strange and confusing as the now infamous “Britney-Paris’ ad. The truth is, it was only because I had been forewarned that the BP ad was out there that I even knew it was a McCain ad. The references to Britney Spears and Paris Hilton were strange to be sure, but the ad, like this new one, shows our favorite Senator in front of adoring crowds, and has a constant ‘Obama! Obama!’ chant in the background. If you’re watching these ads and you’re a supporter of Senator Obama’s, you won’t know whether to cheer or collapse on the floor in a fit of confusion. But I can tell you that what I was at NO time tempted to do, was doubt the importance of Senator Obama’s ability to inspire, because (and please listen closely Mr. McCain) that is what real leaders do.

I think the McCaininites have stepped in it this time. If I were writing ads for the Obama Campaign, I would be all over this like a cheap suit, because in attempting to question whether or not Senator Obama can lead, what they’ve really done is shined a light on the fact that as one who has an almost endless ability to inspire, he possesses what is considered to be one of the most important traits of a truly great leader.

That’s Management 101 people. Any random Google search of ‘What makes a great leader?’ will return a list similar to the one below:

1. Visionary
2. Inspirational
3. Strategic
4. Tactical
5. Focused
6. Persuasive
7. Likable
8. Decisive
9. Ethical
10. Open to criticism

Let’s examine, shall we? Let’s see – John McCain is no visionary, and I think that by producing these ads his campaign has all but admitted that he’s about as inspirational as a bag of dirt. His ability to act strategically and tactically? Hmmm – he’s been in the Senate for like, a billion years, so I guess one has to assume that he has some measure of these skills. Let’s keep it movin’.

Watching him on the campaign trail, I haven’t seen much focus, and let’s face it, he is neither persuasive or likable. I’m sure he’s plenty decisive, but he’s proven in the past that ethics could be a problem for him. And finally, if you’ve seen him growl at one of his press corp reporters from time to time, you know he’s not the best at taking criticism. The evidence is overwhelming – the McCain campaign really needs to stop asking whether or not Senator Obama can lead, before someone turns the question back around on them.

This is a slippery slope for a number of reasons. The McCain campaign has to know that any line of attack that assumes that Senator Obama is all glorious speeches and no substance is a direct insult to me and people like me – and Senator Obama has said as much in his responses to these strange ads. And I feel it personally, because by throwing up the whole ‘Obama thinks he’s Moses’ thing, the McCain campaign is accusing me, and all of you, of being Pied-Piper like lemmings, with no real discernible ability to choose a candidate based on the issues, especially if he happens to be charismatic, drop dead gorgeous, and an impassioned and eloquent speaker.

Following that line of thought, there are a lot of great leaders who should have had ad campaigns levied at them chocked full of mocking references to biblical figures. Try to imagine what it would have been like if in 1980, Jimmy Carter’s campaign, desperate to stem the tide of admiration for Ronald Reagan and his good looks, articulate speeches, and Washington outsider status, had resorted to such tactics, perhaps by producing ads comparing him to Jonah, complete with a big whale that spewed peanuts, or hair gel.

The hair gel thing was a reference to Ronald Reagan’s always perfectly coiffed hair. I’ll move on.

Or if in 1960, Richard Nixon, upset by a clear upstaging from a young and attractive John F. Kennedy Jr., had somehow been able to foist ads upon us that compared him to John The Baptist – can’t you just see it? John The Baptist baptizing Uncle Sam in some lame attempt at belittling JFK?

Sounds ridiculous, I know, but no more so than the crap the McCain campaign put out this past week. Sadly, though their methods are goofy, I actually would have been disappointed if they hadn’t come back with something after having to sit through footage of Senator Obama in front of 200,000 chanting Europeans last week, all of whom seemed to be screaming, “We want you to lead the Free World, and not the old guy! We want you to lead the Free World and not the old guuuuuyyyyyy!” That would send any candidate over the edge. But it simply points out McCain’s clear disadvantage to produce these kinds of ads, and does nothing to change the inescapable fact that inspiration is what we want in our leaders. And those of us who know, know that Senator Obama is the near perfect combination of inspiration, brilliance and charisma. And more importantly than that, he knows how to inspire people to action, and then lead them when they move to act. John McCain couldn’t inspire me to even turn up the volume on one of his speeches, let alone do anything else he asked of me.

I understand this is all just politics. I do. But what I don’t get is how the McCain campaign could possibly get away with a line of attack that is first of all offensive, secondly – more than a little ridiculous, and thirdly, borderline blasphemy. Attacking Senator Obama because he’s inspirational? That’s like blasting Kobe Bryant because he’s good at popping 3-pointers.

If the McCain campaign wants to go all ‘can he lead?’ on us, then let us examine the facts, lest we forget:

Senator Obama has lead a campaign that on its own, and without special interest PAC money, has raised over $340,000,000 dollars.

Senator Obama has single-handedly awakened the American people from a long, tortuous slumber, brought on by decade after decade of exclusionary politics, and moved millions of them to get and stay involved in the political process.

Senator Obama has run an organization that at every step of the way has been professional, productive, organized, and meticulous in its dealings with his opponents, the media, and each other.

Senator Obama has consistently stayed on the defensive when it comes to negative campaigning, and has at no time resorted to the childish and misleading tactics that the McCain campaign has this week, and has been adamant about keeping his message about the issues and the needs of the American people.

Yikes – I could go on and on. But the bottom line is, I was not fooled by the McCain campaign’s attempt to lessen the importance of the man who is destined to become the next President of the United States, and I don’t think very many other people will be either. Just check out the blogs, they’re telling the story this morning. I think even McCain supporters are wincing over this one, and it’s hard to blame them. By now, they too are convinced as I am that this is ‘PTTMCHLICMAM’ – Proof-That-The-McCain-Campaign-Has-Lost-It’s-Collective-Monkey-Ass-Mind.

With A Supporter Like Jesse….

By Patricia Wilson-Smith

Oh boy.

Are you like me? When you saw the video today of Jesse Jackson whispering to an unknown guest about cutting off Senator Obama’s family jewels on FOX NEWS no less, did you cringe? Did you pray for a meteor or asteroid (I’ve never known the difference) to fall from the sky and incinerate Reverend Rude in an instant and in such a way that it would leave everything and everyone who might be around him intact and unharmed?

A better question – when you heard that self-serving, foul-mouthed, political call-boy say what could only be described as “the dumbest crap I’ve ever heard, bar none” with a look on his face like he’d just stolen the last Pop-Tart and left the empty box in the pantry right before dinner, did YOU read more into it than the media did?

I did. But first things first.

By now, unless you’ve been sleeping off a Twinkie binge, you know that Jesse Jackson, my favorite foot-in-mouther and yours, was caught yet a-(damned)-gain on tape, casting aspersions on our favorite Senator. I wish I could tell you that he accused Senator Obama os bad breath. I wish I could tell you that he had questioned, oh, Senator Obama’s taste in neck ties. Heck, I even wish I could report to you that in a moment of mysogeny, he lewdly declared Michelle Obama, “hot like lava”. I wish I could tell you that he had said ANYTHING but what came out of his mouth when he thought he wasn’t being heard. But hey – we ARE talking about Jesse Jackson here.

At some point during his interview with Fox Fake-News channel, Reverend (I REPEAT) REVEREND Jesse Jackson let the following words slip from his lips: (Viewer Discretion Is Advised):

“See, Barack been, um, talking down to black people. I wanna cut his nuts off.”

My boy definitely gets the “WTF” award for this week. Listen, what he said was shocking, true. But WHAT he said, was not nearly as shocking as HOW he said it. If you haven’t seen the video, please take five and locate it on CNN and have a look. I’ll wait.

Did you see what I saw?!?! There was an insidiousness to his remarks, and the devious way he let them slither out of his mouth just oozed, “Yeah – this dude thinks he’s taken the love of my black people away from ME?!?! He thinks he can roll through and usurp my ‘I-almost-became-president-even-though-I-never-really-got-close’ legacy?!?!? Aw, naw, naw, he’s actually been talkin’ down to my people, so I’m ’bout to expose him for what he really is, thus restoring the faith and love of da black race to its rightful place – with me, with me, WITH MEEEEEEEE!!!”

Stop – don’t close the browser! I’m being harsh, you say? I’m reading too much into Jesse’s latest round of jaw jappin’ you say? Uhhhhh, I don’t think so. And here’s why.

As you may recall, in a previous article, I wrote about my suspicions that Jesse Jackson’s hesitance to back Barack Obama at the time was probably attributable to a pretty bad Hatorade habit. My supposition was that Reverend Jackson, himself once a Presidential candidate of course, simply could not fathom the success of the young, popular upstart from Illinois, and similarly, could not resist (again, at the time) publicly dissing his efforts to win the Democratic nomination. Further, I hypothesized that Mr. Jackson would rather have done whatever he could to derail Senator Obama so that he could stand over his political carcass and cry, “See, he’s JUST as black and unelectable as I am!!! See! Seeeeeeeeee!”, than stand by the historic sidelines as someone who came outta nowhere, put together a stellar campaign organization, and by all accounts just did it all better, faster, and stronger than Jesse was able to.

And I’m sorry folks, I believe it to this day. Jesse just can’t stop hating on my boy. So let’s just revisit once again, PRECISELY what Reverend “Needs-To-Focus-On-Hatin-The-Game” had to say to the co-guest on Fox News who shall remain nameless:

“See, Barack been, um, talking down to black people. I wanna cut his nuts off.”

Okay. Here’s the real problem with this, people – I watched the video half a dozen times. Mr. Jackson has already started to call in his explanations to the media, saying that he was taken ‘out of context’, so I’ve been sitting here, squinting at the screen as I watch the video for the last half hour, turning my head from side to side, trying to do something, anything that would make me hear or see what he said in any other context than what he, well, meant to say it in. No luck.

The look on his face, the tone in his voice, the very way he delivered that last line – “I wanna cut his nuts off”, did not say, “Man, I’m so MAD at Barack, I could just CUT HIS NUTS OFF!” No. It said, “I GOT this sucka now!”

Let that marinate. Feel free to go watch the video again and tell me what YOU see.

But here’s the best part – I’ve also heard his apology, and while his contrition might seem convincing, his explanation of what he meant to convey is laughable. Reverend Jackson actually presumes to lecture Senator Obama on the need to deliver a ‘broader, moral’ message to black people, one that doesn’t look down on them, but stresses urban justice, and pushes for policies that I guess will somehow magically make so many black men stop leaving their kids in single parent homes. This from a man who had to briefly withdraw from public life after it was discovered that he had not only, a) fathered a love child with a young hottie on his staff during an extra-marital affair, but b), used Rainbow Push Coalition money to fund a move for her, and to pay her for “consulting services”. THIS man let the word ‘moral’ spring from his lips today.

Now, I realize that Jesse is no stranger to controversy, or to sticking his foot in his mouth, and that you might be thinking that I’m over-reacting somewhat. By I have to disagree – in an age where black women are heading up more households than ever before, and when 70% of OUR children are born out of wedlock, and when it seems more of our men go to prison than earn college degrees, some things needed to be said, and I support Senator Obama 100% in having the courage to say them.

But – I also acknowledge that some of Jesse’s points have merit. A broader conversation DOES need to take place about the fact that in this country, a college-educated black man will still tend to be overlooked in favor of a white man with none of his credentials by most corporate recruiters. And a broader conversation DOES need to occur about the fact that the residual effects of slavery are still being felt in our communities, even if just financially. And a broader conversation DOES need to take place about the self-loathing and doubt that often times derail our efforts to snatch our rightful chunk of the American Dream.

We need to have LOTS fo conversations. But the FIRST one we need to have is about why one of our prolific black leaders would ever feel the need to cut anything off of Senator Obama or anyone else, literally or figuratively. There needs to be a discussion about the public faces, and the not-so public faces of the people that we trust to represent our interests, even informally. And there needs to be a discussion about how if we can’t come together as a people to support one of our own, someone who is clearly so ready, so capable, so destined to lead this country, we cannot possibly hope to come together and have a meaningful dialog aobut how to begin to make a dent in the socio-economic condition of so many of our masses who have been left behind – that “broader, moral” discussion Reverend Jackson so passionately seeks.

That’s IT, son. You just lost your civil rights leader card. You do NOT get to proclaim yourself a leader of black men, and then connive and scheme to derail the efforts of one of our beloved. The Obama train is headed to the future, Jesse – for some reason, you’ve chosen to hold onto the end of it, your heels digging into the dirt, sparks flying, trying to slow it down. What’s worse? Today, Reverend Jackson, you proved that you’d even go so far as to pull the emergency brake on the train that so many of us are riding on, if given half a chance. And that sucks.

So, what us gon’ do for a leader now, Black America? Hey! I know! I say we go with the man that has shown that he can lead ALL Americans, and conduct himself always in a way that we can respect and be proud of as Black Americans. It’s been pretty sad to watch the shenanigans of some of the men who claim to have our best interests at heart during this process – Andrew Young, John Lewis (before he converted), Jesse. It’s disheartening, but I guess we can take solace in the fact that even the dirtiest of dirt done in the dark always comes to light. Man, you think Jesse would have learned THAT lesson by now.