Democrats Race To Out Race Race – 2008

TOTE THAT BARGE LIFT THAT BALE – African Americans have been doing that for the Democratic Party for a long time. There have been benefits for them such as President LB Johnson passing a civil rights bill. African American athletes, entertainers, media personalities judges and politicians garner top dollar for their services; there are those who have made fortunes in business catering mainly to an African American market; still others have broken through the glass ceiling in the board rooms. But all this success does not seem to trickle down to the blacks in the urban ghettos and rural slums. Blacks still sit in our jails way out of proportion to their number in the US; only about 60 per cent finish high school; and about 80 per cent come from one parent homes.

Republicans have Condoleezza, General Powell, and Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas. These figures may instill pride in the African American communities, but have had little traction promoting black political interests. Rumors are Powell is now flirting with supporting a Democratic presidential candidate in 2008. After the Bush Administration debacle at Katrina, serious black Republican support is long gone.

Reverends Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton have been the public relations face of the African American Community; mainly acting as civil rights proponents and anti-black defamation defenders – their records have been mixed, with sometimes misguided actions. Black Comedian Bill Cosby, a strong proponent of black bootstrap self help, has been condemned by most of the African American establishment as out of the mainstream.

Relationships between the Black Community and the Democratic leadership up until now have been paternalistic. Much to Bill Clinton's chagrin, this has changed with the advent of Obama. President Clinton foolishly inserted race into the campaign by comparing razor sharp Obama with mumbling, stumbling Jesse Jackson. Jackson now supports Obama, so the plot thickens. Much of the Black leadership in Congress is still caught between personal loyalty to the Clintons and rolling thunder that is Obama.

At this point in the primaries, it is obvious Obama is galvanizing the black vote as never before. These voters have been told over and over in voter registration drives by Democratic organizers that it is ONE MAN ONE VOTE. If Obama wins the pledged delegates in the primaries, the popular vote and a majority of states and the nomination is tossed to Bill's wife by super delegates, the Blacks will be outraged with such a brokered outcome, with fury turning into the streets. One thing for certain, Obama has changed the political consciousness of the African American Democratic voters. Their pride and expectations are high.

From a domestic policy point of view, there is not much difference between Obama and Bill's wife. From an international standpoint the gap is greater – Obama understands the stupidity of the Iraq War. Bill's wife still does not as she skips rope, keeping the war alive, trying to keep her pro Israeli NYC constituency loyally coughing up campaign funds. While Hillary has Bill's foreign policy flops, Holbrook, Berger and Albright, Obama has recruited Berzinski who at least put the Israeli/Egyptian peace treaty together under Jimmy Carter – something a Jewish American SecState or NSC chief just could not negotiate – as a matter of fact, the pro Israeli Lobby nervously is pressing Obama to swear unabashed fealty to the Jewish State.

Here is a MOUSE THAT ROARED scenario. Puerto Rico has a Democratic Caucus on 7 June 2008. It is the last contest for the Democrats and involves 63 pledged delegates and 7 super delegates. Puerto Ricans are American citizens, but since the island is a territory, those who live on the island cannot vote in the general presidential elections; so it is unclear why island Puerto Ricans have a hand in picking a US presidential candidate. Based on the local political circus and corruption, let the bribes begin... Colonel Robert E Bartos USA Ret

Photograph: Etching Unos a Otros by Francisco Goya