Props to Barack from an Ardent Hillary Supporter

kennetha

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Tue Mar-18-08 12:47 PM
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Props to Barack from an Ardent Hillary Supporter

Edited on Tue Mar-18-08 12:53 PM by kennetha

It was an amazing speech. And I give props to the man who had the courage to give it. It struck me as completely honest, delivered from the depths of his soul. Only a person like him -- who is simultaneously both of America and not of America, simultaneously authentically black and authentically non-black -- could possibly have given it. Only a person who has seen close up, as part of their own self-formation, both black anger and resentment and white reaction to black anger and resentment, could possibly be positioned to give that speech.

Barack is a remarkable man and he is remarkably well-positioned to address and perhaps help us bridge one of the still great divides of our time. If he wins the nomination, I'll not only vote for him, but give him money and work for him, the way I have been doing and will continue to do for Hillary until this thing is settled.

I still strongly prefer Hillary, partly because I believe much more in the power of concrete proposals and actions than in the power of rhetoric, dialogue and discourse. I think the real thing that is going to bridge racial gaps and form new coalitions are concrete, specific political actions and proposals around which people from diverse segments of our body politic can rally.

I don't actually think we need politicians to lead a debate about the sources of our anger and resentment or about whose anger and resentment is more legitimate. Mostly what we need from politicians is an end to the manipulative exploitation of our divisions for temporary political gain. On the positive side, what we need from them are concrete and specific proposals, legislation, executive orders, etc, that address issues of economic dislocation and decline, failing schools that are entirely inadequate to a globalizing age, inequities in healthcare, etc. in ways that many can endorse, independently of our divisions and distrust. Of course, they have to help us construct a shared narrative in the process. But they cannot really dictate or greatly influence that narrative, I don't think, since the formation of our collective self-identity, if you will, is influence by so much more than mere politics.

I guess I'm too old and a little too cynical to believe that divisions of race and class and gender will dissipate in a top-down way, because of the speechifying and rhetoric of a single politician. In terms of what I really look for from a politician at my advancing age -- concrete action and the courage to wage political fights that need to be waged -- I simply find Hillary more courageous and determined than Barack has so-far presented himself as being. And that's why I still endorse her, even though my respect for him got a serious boost today. If I were looking for a would be opinion leader and shaper -- a professor, a columnist, a preacher or teacher, a grass roots organizer, a motivational speaker, etc -- I would vastly prefer Obama to HIllary. And maybe that's part of what we want from our president, but it's not most of what I want from one.

Any way, I thought it was great, very courageous speech and it increased my admiration for the man qua man.

I really would love to see them form a ticket. I really, truly would. But I'd still want Hillary to be the president and Barack to be the Vice President -- though I don't doubt that if he does become president, he will grow considerably and probably pretty rapidly.