Kevin Merida has a piece in the Washington Post today which gives first hand accounts from some of Obama's 50 State Soldiers trumpeting the revelry of his Vote for Change effort and how they are being treated "on the battlefield". It's pretty disgusting to read some of the things that are being said about the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee and some of the things that are being said to and done to his supporters in the field.
Obama has not spoken much about racism during this campaign. He has sought to emphasize connections among Americans rather than divisions.
Sen. Obama has addressed race when needed to defend himself, his church, his religion, his ethnically diverse background. After reading this article, I do believe it's time for him to address it again, but not in a press release and not at a news conference.
Racist Incidents Give Some Obama Campaigners Pause
It's time for the Obama campaign and it's volunteers to turn the heat up a notch on racism in America. It worked for Jim Webb in "purple" Virginia (almost accidentally, since George Allen's now infamous "macaca" moment was spontaneously caught on video at a rally). Perhaps there is something we can learn from George Allen and his rapid fall from grace in the Republican political world.
George Allen's Macaca moment
Welcome to America, and the real world of people-powered politics.
There are millions of "macaca" moments out there just waiting to happen and people need to see this side of America, this side of America that pretty much only votes for Republican candidates. Sure, it was actually Allen who uttered the incriminating word himself, but the way guilt-by-association has plagued the campaign season thus far, I don't think it will be much of a stretch to paint McCain as the Grand Poobah of the Macaca Party. There will be bumper stickers (McCain McCaca McSame). I'll leave that to the marketing folks.
Racism is disgusting in print...it's even worse in person, when you just can't look away. The Obama campaign and its supporters are out in full force, inspiring cities across American, preaching a positive message of hope that will change the way politics is done in Washington. This movement (it certainly is nothing less than a very well-coordinated movement) should approach every voter as a potential supporter, as a potential volunteer, as a, well, potential voter. And it should approach every one of them with a camera. Maybe not directly in that voter's face, but somewhere nearby and maybe with a boom mic overhead to pick up the treasure trove of trash that's only bound to be bandied about with increasing frequency this fall.
Coming to a YouTube Video near you:
Karen Seifert, a volunteer from New York, was outside of the largest polling location in Lackawanna County, Pa., on primary day when she was pressed by a Clinton volunteer to explain her backing of Obama. "I trust him," Seifert replied. According to Seifert, the woman pointed to Obama's face on Seifert's T-shirt and said: "He's a half-breed and he's a Muslim. How can you trust that?"
Half-breed Muslim.
Macaca.
Susan Dzimian, a Clinton supporter who owns residential properties, said outside a polling location in Kokomo that race was a factor in how she viewed Obama. "I think if it was somebody other than him, I'd accept it," she said of a black candidate. "If Colin Powell had run, I would be willing to accept him."
Maybe if he were black in name only (but really acted very white). Kokomo.
Macaca.
Aaron Roe, 23, was mowing lawns at a local cemetery recently, lamenting his $8-an-hour job with no benefits. He had earned a community college degree as an industrial electrician, but learned there was no electrical work to be found for someone with his experience, which is to say none. Politics wasn't on his mind; frustration was. If he were to vote, it would not be for Obama, he said. "I just got a funny feeling about him," Roe said, a feeling he couldn't specify, except to say race wasn't a part of it. "Race ain't nothing," said Roe, who is white. "It's how they're going to help the country."
I got a "funny feeling" there's a few more "macacas" out there waiting in the knee-deep brush. I'd love to find out how "they are going to help the country".
Another "gentleman" offered this old racist classic as,
He opened the grill and peeked at the kebabs. "It's not his race, because I got real good friends and all that. If anything would keep him from getting elected, it would be his name. It might turn off some older people."
He got "real good friends". Ain't that just Macaca.
Let's get it on Obamabots! We'll win this battle of technology and message dissemination.
Encourage Senator Obama to take some of that money that Hillary wants to use to pay off her debt to Mark Penn and get some cameras in the hands of his volunteers out in the field. There's a "macaca" moment waiting for all of us.
Contact Obama's Media/Communications Team