Barack Obama’s Undoing

(humble opinion)

Over the past several days, Barack Obama’s spiritual advisor, The Reverend Jeremiah Wright, has been pleading his case before an undeniably welcoming press. Political pundits, both left, right and center, are defining Barack Obama’s campaign woes by his association with Wright. The Reverend, defending himself against his own words, stated that White America is not familiar with the Black Church, and, as a consequence, an attack on him is an attack on the Black Church. Is it really that black and white? The press would have one believe this to be true. The reverends comments during his sermons can be seen as over-the-top and laced with biblical expletives, which one might note that this is not typical of most church sermons – black, white or otherwise.

Obama and Wright

It is not, however, his association with Barack Obama that has this campaign derailed, it is the comments made by Obama at a closed San Francisco fundraiser, comments that were not meant to be heard outside of the venue, describing middle America’s angst with the current administration as some sort of mental illness; noting that such people were clutching their bibles and their guns out of frustration. Insulting one’s base of supporters, working-class individuals, is not an issue of race when those voters go elsewhere.

This presidential campaign isn’t strictly about “ism”: racism or ageism (definitely gender bias, but that’s another story) as defined by the press, it will be decided by political ideology, right, left or center. Barack Obama simply cannot identify with the rank and file once he is behind closed doors, and his remarks have done more damage than admitted. White Reverend Wright appears to be basking in the glory of his own self, as well as his self-importance due to his association with the candidate, not vice-versa, the press points to racism. It is indeed time for a realty check. Wright points to oppression as the reason for his anger with U.S. policy, and granted oppression existed and may yet exist in some corners of this country as regards race. However, as regards gender, bias continues to exist, yet there is no media outcry over that little fact.

McCain and Clinton

Why did traditional, union households in the state of Pennsylvania vote for Clinton? It is suggested that they voted for her because she was “White”, (as if to say, well, why else would they vote for a woman?), however, one might understand that Hillary Clinton absolutely can identify with the rank and file (see poll), as she was brought up with the rank and file, granted, in a Republican working class household. Her background lends to her being a moderate candidate. Moderate candidates are those that appeal to the pesky independent voters. John McCain is another example of the moderate candidate, voting with and against his party on key issues (the same can be said of Hillary Clinton). A contest between two moderates would make for a very close race indeed. A race between a moderate McCain and a left leaning, inexperienced, elitist Obama, would be the answer to the RNC’s prayers. It is now a question of which entity holds more sway over the public; the traditional media, or common sense.