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This Is What Democracy Looks Like
Today's Note From a Madman
April 21, 2008
Racism and Votes
I hope that Senator Barack Obama, if he ends up as the Democratic Nominee come
the end of this primary season, can get those young and "change" voters to the
polls this November. Apparently, he's going to need them. If the reaction of
many who consider themselves to be non-racists and tolerant (a word which I
personally detest - but that's a conversation for another day) mean anything to
anyone, he certainly will need each and every one of these new and "change"
voters.
If Hillary Clinton doesn't win Pennsylvania by at least ten percentage points in
a primary with a very large turnout, then she will have no choice but to concede
the Democratic nomination to Senator Obama. That's the way it is no matter what
the Clinton camp says prior to the latest Super-Tuesday. However, if Senator
Clinton gets a big win after a big turnout (both conditions need to be met, in
my estimation). then we have a two-horse horserace once again.
But my concern are those voters who would bite the sides of their cheeks as they
pull the handle form a Candidate Clinton in November. Many of those voters
aren't going to pull the handle for a Candidate Obama, no matter what the
pollsters say. Therein lies my concern.
Those "tolerant moderates", as we're going to call them (others may call then
Reagan Democrats) are looking at Senator Obama and seeing a black man with a
Muslim name. And that's all they're seeing. In private, these self-proclaimed
non-racist racists are saying they won't vote for "that one", and I've heard it
from way too many of "them" to ignore it.
These "them-people" are college educated Suburban dwellers, many of who were
brought up in urban areas and should know better. They're also the ones who,
when asked by a pollster if they would vote for Barack Obama, say "of course",
no matter what they really think.
They practice the worst form of racism - the "not in my neighborhood" form, and
it's troubling. You know the type: They're the ones who say that they're not
racist, yet check the race statistics before deciding which neighborhood to move
into; and they're the ones who worry about who is moving into their neighborhood
- those who might look "different".
There are many who say the same thing to the pollsters when it comes to voting
for a woman. Many say they will vote for a woman, but when push comes to shove,
what they say and what their final action will be are two very different things.
Similarly, I thought the very same thing when Al Gore chose Joe Lieberman as his
Vice Presidential running mate: I thought that there were some who just weren't
going to vote for a Jew, no matter what they told the pollsters. Maybe I was
right - maybe it was just coincidence.
But the time is now to make that strong presence of race and/ or gender felt in
a presidential season. If not Senator Barack Obama or Senator Hillary Clinton,
then who? Surely one of these candidates is the right candidate to break through
either the walls of racism or gender-bias. They have to be because, if nothing
else, this primary season has shown them to be the two strongest candidates on
either side of the aisle. All one has to do is to take a look at who the
Republicans were first going to choose - Former New York City Mayor Rudy
Giuliani - to see that. He was the GOP heir-apparent to the throne of George W.
Bush, but his candidacy turned out to be only strong on paper. John McCain
became the choice of a party that had no one else to choose.
Come November, I believe that there may be votes lost from the "tolerant
moderates", with some deciding to pull the handle for John McCain while others
simply stay at home. But those votes that will be made up by a strong showing
from other groups. We will see more Black voters; we will see more young voters;
and we will see more single women voters. And great majorities of these groups
will vote for either Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton this November, not Senator
McCain.
The Vice Presidential running mate choice will be big this year as well. I
believe that if Barack Obama should win the nomination, there are many to choose
from, both male and female, who can solidify the ticket. I've spoken about a
short list which should include General Wesley Clark, former Virginia Governor
Mark Warner and even a Republican such as Chuck Hagel, the Senator from Nebraska
who isn't seeking re-election (and I am aware of his voting machine
involvement).
The thought of a John McCain presidency, especially in the wake of his promises
to stay the Bush course, makes me more than nervous. But the thought that so
many who might not vote for Barack Obama because he is Black; or Hillary Clinton
because she is a woman, makes me just plain mad...
...and a lot more than just a little bit disappointed in all who have said
things to me such as "You're not going to vote for him, are you?"
-Noah Greenberg
Clinton Was For It Before She Was
Against It
Interesting that the Clinton supporters don't mention she has voted to fund the
war all along. I learned last night at a talk with Jeremy Scahill who writes for
The Nation that Clinton was never against Blackwater though it was within her
power to do something about them. She now says that as President she would not
hire Blackwater. That's real convenient given that they are now controversial.
By the way, Clinton has missed many votes. Here's a list compiled in the
Washington Post:
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/c001041/votes/missed/
In addition, I also found out from listening to Jeremy Scahill and Dahr Jamail
that Clinton has taken more defense contractor money than any Democrat! The
Clintons have always taken lots of bucks from defense contractors. Obama may not
be perfect but he is far less of a corporatist than Hillary Clinton.
-Robert Scardapane
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-Noah Greenberg