I truly hate all the recent exchanges between the campaigns of Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama concerning who “played the race card.”
See, Obama mentioned that the Republicans would be trying to scare people by noting he is not patriotic, or that he doesn’t look like the presidents on our paper money.
McCain’s advisers pounced on those comments almost as though they were waiting for such an opportunity, saying Obama was trying to characterize McCain as racist.
If this is how the presidential campaigning is going to be for the next three months, I’ll pass. Wake me up in October.
For one thing, racism and race in America is no game to be played. It is not a card to be dealt or played. Race is serious business with past, future and current tragic consequences that should never be reduced to anything but the pain it creates.
Secondly, race was introduced into this campaign when Obama first sought the Democratic nomination. His saying he’s black and that he doesn’t resemble past presidents is a statement of fact, not a portrayal of his opponent’s beliefs.
The campaigns need to calm down and get a grip.
This will be the first time America has a black man competing for the highest office in the land. That’s historic.
I’d like to make the election even more historic by having both candidates stick with the issues and not wallow in the no-win cesspool of name-calling.
Obama is young and black. McCain is old and white. Let’s move on.
There are far more pressing issues we need debated than those that are so obvious.
I am a native Kentuckian, and I have worked at the Lexington Herald-Leader for nearly a quarter of a century. I've been a columnist for almost 20 of those years, dispensing my opinions about anything and everything. Born in Owensboro, Ky., I'm old enough to have lived through racial segregation, the Civil Rights Movement, protests against the Vietnam War, and the break-up of the Beatles. That means I am "old school," and my thoughts emanate from that perspective.
2 Comments
August 1, 2008 at 11:42 pm
I was in agreement with you (Which is very rare) until you got to this comment: “His saying he’s black and that he doesn’t resemble past presidents is a statement of fact, not a portrayal of his opponent’s beliefs.”
That’s NOT what happened. B.O. said that the McCain campaign will be “saying” that “he’s black and that he doesn’t resemble past presidents.” It’s as if he’s been “warning” people of the awful things the McCain campaign (White people) will say. He is trying to pull the race card in this campaign just like he did in the primary. “That” Merlene is a statement of fact.
August 7, 2008 at 3:19 am
I agree, up to a point. I think issues should be the main focus of this election (Lord knows they should be, with Iraq, the economy, and the health care crisis, etc., etc.).
But, as you said, Obama being the first black major-party candidate is historic. So let’s talk about it, and what it means for race and racism in America. Let’s talk about it in an open and honest dialogue.
but let’s not elect a president based on age or race.