Obama Does Not Have The Political Courage Needed at This Time

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Ready for Obama ...

Submitted by Arvind, Mar 23, 2008 22:15

Does Obama have the political guts to stand up to tough black American leaders when their demands try to hog the nation's agenda? Obama apologists avoid this question. The answer, after the Obama's speech is clearly NO. First, an example from our recent past to clarify why this question is so important.

In 1989 New York City elected David Dinkins, the city's first black mayor. Like other New Yorkers, I voted for him because he was intelligent, a conciliator, and his proposed policies promised to address the complicated economic and social issues affecting NYC at the time. Like Obama he eloquently spoke about healing racial divides. I am not afflicted with white guilt but thought Dinkins' blackness would be a plus for getting the job done.

As we all found out, the Dinkins administration was the most racially divisive and inept period in New York City government within memory. Why? Dinkins did not have the courage to confront and control black demagogues who flexed their muscles over the black community. There were many examples but the most memorable, of course, were the instigation of the Crown-Heights riots (perhaps the only pogrom against Jews in US history) and the Flatbush anti-Korean protests against a grocer who had the temerity to work hard to make a decent living within a black neighborhood.

Unless Obama exhibits the courage to confront his black American political base, similar risks await us all in an Obama presidency only their magnitude, on the national scale, would be much greater. He has not demonstrated such courage.

Obama's speech on race was a lost opportunity since he effectively has the Democratic nomination and could have risked a much truer, more complex and more relevant discussion of race. The America of today, with regards to race, is vastly better that the America of the 1960's. That point, targeted especially to his black audience, should have been the focal point of his essay.

A self-destructive theme of victimology seems to permeate some black Americans' thinking (aided and abetted, as anyone who owns a TV set now knows, by some black churches). McWhorter alludes to it ("There is a sense that while initiative is important, blacks still have to display more of it than whites, and that this isn't fair.") but, in less thoughtful people, this cult-like thinking blinds people to truths, is the source of bigotry, and, yes, also leads to true anti-Americanism. Obama main challenge - as Dinkins learned - will come from his black base not from white America. He should have constructively addressed this, but chose instead to play to his base which consists of (1) black Americans who indulge in the immature "sticking a finger in whitey's eye" syndrome (to use McWhorter's description), and (2) Obama's "typical" white person who is ridden, or who he believes should be ridden, with white guilt.

Obama's race speech revealed only that he is an eloquent political wimp.

For most Obama supporters race is the silver-bullet issue: address it successfully and everything else magically falls into place. However, the nation is currently beset with existential challenges far graver than these and there are no silver-bullet issues.

There is no question that white America is ready for a black president, but that one, at this time, is not Barack Obama. It seems that the black president that white America is ready for will not, currently, be black enough for black America.

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Other reader comments on this article

Comment	By	Date
Does Obama have the political guts to stand up to tough black American leaders when their demands try to hog...	Arvind	Mar 23, 2008 22:15
John McWhorter is brilliant and insightful. In a recent column, "Ready for Obama," his assertion that "race trumps class" enlightened... [MORE]	Chip Drury	Mar 22, 2008 16:30
Those of you saying McWhorter is wrong should just come out and admit it. You looked at the images of... [MORE]	Carl Stronzo	Mar 21, 2008 23:49
I'm ready for a president who listens to us, who is getting his money in small doses directly from individual... [MORE]	Stillman	Mar 21, 2008 19:39
I am sure Senator Clinton and the former President have been in company where the "n" word was used. Provoked... [MORE]	Pamela Rios	Mar 21, 2008 03:05
Thanks in part to writers like McWhorter, I've understood for a while that black churches engage in a certain amount... [MORE]	John Hadjisky	Mar 21, 2008 01:19
I am really disappointed with Mr. McWorther's column. I would think he would be more objective on this issue. I... [MORE]	Mabel	Mar 20, 2008 10:23
I don't think it follows that America must accept demagoguery to have a black President. Clarence Thomas shows us another... [MORE]	Tom	Mar 19, 2008 22:47
Actually, Rev. Wright was quoting a white man when he said that... http://youtube.com/watch?v=QOdlnzkeoyQ Watch the clip in the beginning of the video... [MORE]	Matt D	Mar 22, 2008 01:06
The Clintons subjected the public to scandalous sex, not to mention the intern in the White House while Hillary was... [MORE]	broadcast	Mar 19, 2008 22:47
John McWhorter wrote, "I, for one, am still ready for a black president. I wonder if the rest of America... [MORE]	John Rich	Mar 19, 2008 21:54
How can we make progress if such negativity comes from the pulpit? If American Black churches are in this state,... [MORE]	Murielle	Mar 19, 2008 21:07
As I understand it the Rev.'s sermons were on DVD's on sale at the church. Wouldn't you as a long... [MORE]	josephine	Mar 19, 2008 18:09
I usually find Mr. McWhorter quite sound on the issue of race realtions, but I found this column defending the... [MORE]	Donald haverstrom	Mar 19, 2008 15:42
Despite the excuses Mr. McWhorter makes for Mr. Obama, the responsibility of a leader is to lead not to follow,... [MORE]	mhr	Mar 19, 2008 14:49
Obama made a very good speech yesterday in Philadelphia. But I don't believe he has put the issue to rest.... [MORE]	Robert	Mar 19, 2008 14:42
American is righfully not ready for this black president. The horrific underbelly of black racism has been exposed. Obama makes... [MORE]	V Racer	Mar 19, 2008 13:56
None of the present candidates offers everything that I want to see. But I think all of them could do... [MORE]	Arthur Dieli	Mar 19, 2008 13:34
I don't appreciate Mr. McWhorter's coddling of the racists who blame others for their own failures to achieve! Women (... [MORE]	h brando	Mar 19, 2008 12:23
It is not enough to say that Obama and his wife are really patriots and this sentiment is felt all... [MORE]	ethel scher	Mar 19, 2008 11:30
I understand that Obama stated that he was not present on July 22, 2007 when 'reverend' Wright gave yet another... [MORE]	Kate	Mar 19, 2008 18:17
*Obama is an opportunist. He landed in Chicago and took up with the most powerful man in the Black community.... [MORE]*	Dorothy Wachsstock	Mar 19, 2008 11:11
John McWhorter actually wants readers to take him seriously when he says that Obama's solidarity with Wright and the Trinity... [MORE]	Amy De Rosa	Mar 19, 2008 11:07
I like what you say. I take it that Pastor Wright was working hard, perspiring at performing for an audience... [MORE]	Leon Hyman	Mar 19, 2008 09:49
Senator Obama has not been my choice for President since his entry into the field. Not because of his color,... [MORE]	Al Quartararo	Mar 19, 2008 09:11
Dear Mr. Mcwhorter, Did Senator Obama lie when he first denied being present at the "controversial" speeches he now admits hearing?... [MORE]	samuel	Mar 19, 2008 08:17
The battle against racism has to be fought with the proper tools. In order to fulfill the "dream," every racist,... [MORE]	Lesley	Mar 19, 2008 02:00