Sunday, February 10, 2008
Smoke and Mirrors
The battle between Obama and Clinton could wind up a draw going into the convention with the nomination to be decided by the superdelegates. This, of course, would be a horrendous development. I don't think any of us want to go back to the days when candidates won or lost in back-room deals filled with cigar smoke and the scent of scotch.Donna Brazile, the manager of Al Gore's campaign, had her own strong reaction about the situation:
"If 795 of my colleagues decide this election, I will quit the Democratic Party. I feel very strongly about this..."
According to CNN, Obama leads in pledged delegates 908 to 877 (thank you Louisiana, Nebraska, and Washington). But Clinton leads in super delegates 223 to 131, which gives her an overall edge of 41. The magic number is 2,025.
What is the price for the soul of the Democratic Party? If the party rolls over the give the finger to the Democratic process the results will not be pretty. Even more important is the affect on Black folk. If Obama ends up with more pledged delegates and gets the shaft I may have to follow Ms. Brazile's lead. It isn't just about Obama, it's about Carl McCall getting pushed aside in the New York State gubernatorial election, about Kweisi Mfume getting pushed aside in the Maryland senate race. It's about the Democratic Party thinking that civil rights legislation passed forty years ago obligates the support of Black folk in perpetuity. I have heard of more than one person saying they would vote for the Republican nominee if Clinton gets the nod, and I'm sure the number would balloon if it's done in a back-room deal. It might not be a bad idea to spread the notion of a "Plan B." There's no reason to support the Democratic Party if they're not supporting us. What have you done for me lately?
I'm not a big Cynthia McKinney fan, but she is running for president on the Green Party ticket.
....I'm just sayin'...
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