Obama’s Black Problem: Part 1
There is little doubt that Illinois Sen. Barack Obama is going to aggressively pursue the Democratic nomination for president in 2008. The forming of his exploratory committee is simply the foundation to what will be a campaign that many are saying will be a formidable challenge to Democratic rivals such as Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y.
While Democrats across the country fall over themselves just to touch the man, he is being eyed suspiciously by the nation’s black leadership.
For the first time in history, America will have an African American seeking the world’s most powerful position — one who actually has a shot at winning, and you would think that black politicians, civil rights and religious leaders would be the loudest voices calling for him to run. But, no! We have folks playing coy, whispering behind the scenes, questioning his blackness, and in some cases, complete silence. This is nothing more than black-on-black hate at its best.
The Rev. Al Sharpton, who offered nothing more than a few great quotes in his 2004 presidential bid, told the Chicago Defender: “I think that Obama brings to the race a fresh face with an impressive background. I think that all of us around the country will be assessing all of the candidates and seeing what they have to offer. It is then that we will be able to make more solid comments about Obama and other possible candidates and what they will bring to the table.”
He added: “My own thing is that I don’t know him that well, but I seek to get to know him,” Sharpton said. “Then I can give you better impressions about him and I will be able to grasp what it is he is seeking and trying to do.”
Grasp what he is trying to do? Rev. Al, he’s trying to become the president of the United States!
On my talk show on WVON-AM/1690 in Chicago, the Rev. Jesse Jackson said he supports Obama, but added that many black leaders nationwide don’t know the junior senator from Illinois.
“He will have to take time to build relationships,” he said.
The Rev. James Meeks, who served in the Illinois Senate with Obama, told the Defender that ego and envy has a lot to do with the lukewarm response from black leadership.
“I only hope that African American elected officials and other African American leaders do not become jealous and force Barack Obama to kiss their rings before getting their support,” he said. “Black people are going to have to be fair enough to let him campaign in the United States, and not just in the African American communities and on African American issues. This is the United States, and not the United States of African Americans.”
Yet Dr. Ron Walters, one of the nation’s pre-eminent political science professors from the University of Maryland, College Park, said the feelings about Obama have nothing to do with jealousy.
“It’s clear that Barack Obama is ascending to the pantheon of black leadership, and the problem that we always have had historically is whites sort of picking African American leaders and then importing the paradigm that they represent in our community,” he said on WVON-AM. “That was the old Booker T. Washington problem. There is a reticence on the part of some of our leaders to accept Barack Obama until he comes full force in terms of his program. I think that’s fair. I want to see ?where he stands on the critical issues that black people face before I give him carte blanche.”
Here is the rub for me: Obama is entering his third year as a U.S. senator. Prior to that he served seven years in the Illinois Senate. By the time the first primary rolls around, he will have double the legislative experience that George W. Bush had when he was elected. The man has been speaking on black issues for years. So why force a litmus test on him that is not being established for Sen. Clinton and other candidates?
Frankly, the real problem black leadership has is that Obama didn’t come through “the civil rights system.” And like it or not, there is tremendous jealousy that he has been able to do what so many others have not done: First, he actually got elected to something. Second, he launched a campaign that people actually believe can win.
Lastly, Obama’s rise as the top black political voice in America supplants others who have served as the arbiters of black thought.
This is nothing but the old lion flexing his muscle in order to try to scare off the fearless young lion. But as with life in the jungle, the only way a species keeps surviving is if the young take the place of the old.
People like Obama and Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick represent 21st century black leadership, and it’s time for the men and women who have been on the scene for years to stop fighting change, and rest on the fact that they are seeing their labor come to fruition. If not, they will look like old fighters embarrassing themselves in search of glory days.
