As we move into the final leg of the presidential election, it seems that the stars are aligning to give Sen. Barack Obama the best chance to become the nation's first black president.
Obama has come a long way since the early days of his campaign where he was met with skepticism, even from the black community. Obama has also survived several speed bumps on the campaign trail such as the Muslim lie, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright media storm and the lack of experience jibe. He will also survive the latest incident in which a cartoon in the supposedly liberal New Yorker portrayed him as Osama Bin Laden-worshipping terrorist.
He seems to be the new Teflon president, because whatever scandal is thrown at him seems to be deflected by the some magical Star Wars-like force. (George Lucas has compared him to a Jedi!)
Jesse Jackson latest foot in the mouth stunt is just one more brickbat that may turn into a bouquet. Jackson was recently revealed to be muttering that he would like to cut off Obama testicles for “talking down to black people.” Jackson, who's credibility has been slipping ever since he fathered a child out of wedlock, has even attracted the ire of director Spike Lee, a staunch supporter of black causes.
Ironically Jackson's crude comments may actually end up helping Obama. By criticizing Obama, Jackson has shown how different he is from the senator.
Obama bills himself as being a leader of the country, Jackson has always seen himself as a leader of the black community. Obama is a leader for the 21st century while, Jackson is yesterday politician, who harkens back to the civil rights era, where the black political movement could be united being one charismatic, religious leader.
Also, even black people, who will defend their leaders to the death, have grown tired of Jesse's antics. He camera chasing has turned a lot of people off, and also stories have leaked out about his questionable financing and fundraising techniques. Let's just say that if you offer him the right amount of money, he will take his protest somewhere else.
Obama wisely built a strong coalition of progressives, youth voters and intellectuals. He has also surrounded himself with a cadre of experienced, white politicians, which also kills the idea that he is a “black” candidate.
Obama has also been aided by Sen. John McCain's sputtering campaign. McCain's run for president has been spotty at best. Less than six months ago, his campaign was almost broke and ready to lay off workers. McCain was able to dip into his wife's resources to get a much-needed injection of cash.
McCain's campaign has several flaws. Firstly, he is running as a Republican after eight disastrous years of George W. Bush's presidency. If asked if your life is better off now that it was eight years ago, I am sure most Americans would answer with a resounding no. McCain has also made several pro-Iraq comments, which are the wrong thing to do in this political environment. Iraq is political kryptonite for pro-war candidates.
He also isn't helped when dim-witted McCain loyalists like former senator Phil Gramm profess that the recession is all in our minds. I am sorry Mr. Gramm but when Americans see $5, foreclosed homes and rising food prices, they are not hallucinating.
McCain seems to be the default candidate who won because there was no one better to vote for. He is not even well-liked among his own party because of his pro-immigration stance, and his reputation for working with Democrats. Conservative pundit Ann Coulter threatened to vote for Sen. Hilary Clinton over McCain, if she had won the Democratic primary.
McCain seems to have too many factors working against him going into this election -- the economy, his age, his questionable second marriage, which was spawned from an adulterous relationship, and a team of advisors who operate like the Keystone Cops. Come November the White House should have a Democratic occupant.
However the GOP is not going to get give up the White House without a fight. A beast is most dangerous when it is cornered, so expect to see even nastier racial slurs, and more vicious rumors and outright lies directed at the Obamas in the next few months. (I predict that before the end of this race a politician or pundit will call Obama the n-word -- he had just about ever other insults leveled at him.)
Eight years of failed polices mean the GOP faces an uphill battle against public opinion. The only tactic they have left is to appeal to America's bigotry and racial fears in the hope that voters will vote with their prejudices in November.
After the 2004 election, in which the Republicans used a combination of Election Day chicanery and homophobia to swing the vote, U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. stated the Republican Party did not have the answer to America's problems. Let's hope that four years later American voters have learned their lesson.
