Red/Blue colorblind
Tue May 27, 2008 at 02:02:45 PM PDT
As a white American, occasionally hard-working, I am ready to move past the "hard-working Americans, white Americans" theme to which we have been subjected over the past few months. As HRC grew more desperate, this talking point became a studdering point for Hill/Billy that they hoped would resonate with Superdelegates.
They tried this path because it was politically astute to do so.
Sadly once these 2 dying fish stop flopping around, this topic will hardly fade from view. You can already see the Karl Roves on Team John McCain planning their slogans-
McCain 2008- "I ain't black"
McCain 2008- African-Americans will punish you if they win
McCain 2008- White men in charge, 230+ years and counting
It will be tough to endure another 6 months of race-baiting, but it seems more than just likely. It feels inevitable. The MSM loves avoiding real issues. Substantive policy discussions? Where are the ratings in that?
It's up to folks like us to counteract this expected scenario. Those of us who don't want a 3rd Bush term, no matter how damn heroic & mavericky its torchbearer may be, need to rise above the fray. This HuffPo post decries our attack mentality. Although it is indeed important to be vigilant, let us also display the tolerance so seldom afforded by the reactionary branch of the right-wing.
Have you also noticed that Obama and his surrogates have stopped short of shouting down some of the most obscene and ridiculous claims by HRC and her surrogates (at least to the effect that our indignation would prefer)?
This election clearly will not a a repeat of 2004 which boiled down to a handful of "battleground states". I, for one, will be happy to hear about states beyond Florida, Ohio, & Pennsylvania and, OK, New Mexico and Missouri, for a change.
As the SF Chronicle foretold today, this will be a new election map. We can engender areas that were considered "off-limits" for a Democratic presidential nominee for decades. How cool is that?
I post this diary to merely suggest that we Kossacks assume a leadership role in moving beyond the knee-jerk, inflammatory rhetorical BS that has enabled fear-mongers to win 5 of the last 7 presidential elections. If we are more welcoming and subdue our discontent, we will attract those voters we desperately needed in the past 2 elections, black candidate notwithstanding.
This plea comes not from a moderate. I am as prone to demonstrative hyperbole as anyone here. So if I can tone it down a few decibels, anyone can.
Let's all take a page from the candidate that transcends politics.
Let's all take a page from the candidate with the post-racism demeanor.
Let's all take a page from the candidate who believes in the Constitution.
Let's follow the high road example set by Barack Obama.
And if anyone asks you if Obama is Muslim, give them this website.
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