The following comes from poet Patricia Spears Jones:
Senator Obama appears to be on his way to the nomination of the Democratic Party and he gave what is usually called a “red meat” speech with a great deal of eloquence. Loved Michelle Obama’s purple dress. Loved the brothers in the crowd. He has done something extraordinary, remarkable, utterly unexpected. Plus, he still looks totally cool. Whether you like him or not, you got to give it up for his dedication and his organization–they went the distance in ways that nobody thought they could.
Mrs. Clinton gave a stump speech since she stlll appears to be campaigning. It’s over and she ought to get over it. She lost fair and square as they say–this was one of those situations where she had name recognition; money; and party stalwarts in her corner and she found herself outflanked by an upstart from Chicago. Is there sexism in this country? Of course. Did she face it, I am sure she did. Was that her greatest obstacle–hell no. Her greatest obstacle was doing what the men who ran her campaign told her to do until one day she realized it wasn’t working. But she figured that out half way through the campaign. I did notice tonight that she didn’t say hard working white people–I guess she realized just how insulting that was to hardworking everybody else. And while she went on and on about the women who support her because she’s a woman and why not; she insulted every Black person who supported Obama because he’s Black. The fun house mirror of American identity politics can get really really absurd.
What Mrs. Clinton needs to do if she wants to be on the right side of history is get on the phone tomorrow, congratulate Obama profusely and then get her address together about conceding the nomination. And let the campaign go. Will she do that? Or is she drinking the acid laced kool aid?
Oh and I did watch John McCain for about 5 minutes so I will not have to watch him again. He’s a man who’s worked hard to get to this point, but every idea he has w/ the exception of the energy stuff is OLD NEWS. We’re in the mess we are in now precisely because of the policies he espouses. He is not the same as George Bush, for one thing he is not a physical coward which I suspect our current President is, but he seems to have accepted the worst ideas of the current administration. Maverick. Only in the context of the Republican Party.
It’s going to be a very interesting Fall. But in the meantime, we need to keep watch on the Democrats in office–they need to get some spine. They passed yet another Bush tax cut in the guise of something else and Charles Schumer was the ringleader. This we don’t need. NOT AT ALL.
What a different kind of political season we have seen. Theater, cinema, the plastic arts all in service to the possibility of universal health care or at least a better tax policy. The revolution is not coming, but hey some real reform–that would make me smile a little.
Comment(s)
Thanks Patricia for your incisive, even handed and as always eloquent reaction to this amazing, historic, challenging moment. Yes, its going to be a very interesting Fall.