LEADERSHIP CULTIVATION

The Best Thing About Mondale and Gore Losing

The best thing about Walter Mondale and Joe Lieberman losing their races to the White House is that we didn't get Geraldine Ferraro and Joe Lieberman as Vice Presidents. I believe that Mondale and Gore would have been good U.S. Presidents if they had gotten the chance to serve. On the other hand, I get a level of satisfaction in knowing that Ferraro and Lieberman did not get close to the seat of power. Unlike the beer commercial that declares "they were who we thought they were", those two certainly were not who we thought they were. 

I didn't recognize the Geraldine Ferraro that showed up during the 2008 Presidential Campaign that pitted Barack Obama against Hillary Clinton. That was a case of former Democratic Vice-Presidential nominees gone wild. And Joe Lieberman?  I have to admit that I never had any passion for that guy, but I did like Al Gore. But with Gore, you would have gotten Lieberman and that quite frankly was worth Gore losing. Lieberman is turning out to be quite the "career politician." He seems to be willing to do or say anything to hold on to his Senate seat. His interference to achieving worthwhile health care reform is unacceptable. Too bad he isn't putting the amount of required effort into passing legitimate health care reform as he is in the global warming initial. I hope that Connecticut can field a credible candidate to run against this wolf sheep's clothing. Nuff said.

Reason for Celebration: Lou Dobbs Leaves CNN

The first question that comes to mind with the news that Lou Dobbs is out at CNN, is CNN what took you so long? Dobbs really had become a drag on the station and its trademark slogan of being unbiased in its reporting. It seems that Dobbs was forever talking through clenched teeth at the mere mention of President Obama.  I guess he never could get over the President taking him to task during the 2008 Presidential Campaign about his negative views about immigration. Dobbs wouldn't let his Obama chastisement go and now it's time for him to go. And it's not a second too soon!

WaPost Wrong, No Presidential Divide for Black Americans

Throughout the 2008 Presidential Campaign, the public was subjected to a regular dose of fabrications about Barack Obama. Add to that regiment a Washington Post article that implies that there exists a widespread split in the Black community over the President, supposedly because some Black commentators like Tavis Smiley and Jeff Johnson have been outspoken critics.  The Post erroneously thinks that Black people rely upon these commentators for forming their opinion about how to feel about Mr. Obama.  That is simply not true. 

Believe it when I tell you that Tavis Smiley and Jeff Johnson do not speak for the masses.  Smiley lost favor with a lot of Black people when he rejected Michelle Obama as a suitable stand-in for candidate Obama at his New Orleans Covenant on Black America Summit. It doesn't help Johnson's case that Smiley was a consultant to Tom Joyner about who his replacement should be on his Morning Show. It doesn't take an Einstein to figure out that it is these guys who need the lesson.  Black America is not asleep at the wheel or stuck in some naivete zone. We simply do not expect the President to be held to a higher standard or pass some litmus test not required of his predecessors.  

For those who can't see the forest for the trees or somehow missed the real implication of the election of Mr. Obama, maybe this will help.  The significance for Black America or other non-whites is that now they can unequivocally tell their children that they could grow up to one day be President of the United States because there is empirical data to back up their assertions.  And Mr. Obama's election was a victory for Whites as well.  A false promise of equality had been draped across America from it's inception.  With the merit vote cast by Americans on November 4, 2009 that elected Mr. Obama, that burden was removed. 

When I posted in my blog that "Black people now look at White people differently and there is nothing that they can do about it", a White woman responded and thanked me for my statement that had presented her with a degree of relief.  My followup response to her was I hadn't harbored any ill feeling, but that a burden I didn't realize existed was now lifted from my shoulders. I understood why Americans cried on Election Day. Mr. Obama's election helped to heal some deep wounds.  So listen up pundits.  It wasn't some fleeting feel good moment and we don't need a play by play accountability tab kept on the President. We get it!  Mr. Obama needs to be judged by his performance and he will be as all the Presidents before him.  Isn't that the real point?

Steele is New Chair of Same Old GOP Politics

New RNC Chair Michael Steele states he wants to expand the appeal of the GOP to attract more Blacks, Latinos and younger voters.  In his effort to reach Black voters, Steele was a guest this morning on the Tom Joyner Morning Show where he talked about the virtues of conservatism.  There was also reference made to how some Black folks view Steele as an Uncle Tom. 

I can see where Steele might have a problem dispelling this perception if he insists on defending a political party that chooses to appeal to the worst in individuals rather than their best ala President Obama.  As recently as Steele's own campaign to head the RNC, one of his fellow contestants distributed an appalling video that referred to President Obama as the "Magic Negro." Steele failed to rebuff the perpetrator.  Steele's lack of response won't sit well with those that share Dr. King's discernment that "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere".

And if Steele's inaction wasn't problematic enough, he will have to deal with the little gorilla in the room in the person of one Rush Limbaugh whom Republicans fear they must placate at the expense of change, hope, and civility.  While President is successfully moving America in a new direction, Limbaugh accurately detects positive change as a threat to his gravy train of divisive politics and seeks to defend his turf.  And Steele says he wants to return the GOP to its roots.  Before it's too late, a friend should call Steele and tell him that to avoid hitching a ride on the Limbaugh gravy train if he is really serious about lifting the GOP to a higher place.

Sometimes A Burden Goes Undetected...Until It's Removed

The Wizard of Oz is one of my favorite movies.  It is filled with many transformations.  One of the most memorable ones is the scene where the house falls on the wicked witch of the west.  The black and white movie transformed into color and instantly everything became brighter.  That's the feeling I got when Barack Obama was declared President-Elect.  Instantly everything became brighter.  And when Barack spoke to the people, tears flowed like the Nile River.

They were tears of joy and tears of disbelief.  Like most Black people in America and apparently a lot of White people too, I never thought that in my lifetime, I would see a Black man elected President of the United States. I know that the country talks a good game when it comes to equal rights, but on this night, actions spoke louder than words. I felt a burden lifted from my shoulders that quite frankly I didn't know existed.  Something magical had happened. It was a transformational moment. 

It was as if for the first time in the history of the America, Black people had been granted full citizenship.  The reality was overwhelming. Jesse Jackson cried. Colin Powell cried. Condoleezza Rice cried. Even Barack Obama's Fox News nemesis, Juan Williams, cried.  All accomplished Americans, they too were overcome by emotions that refused to wait for a private moment.  And it wasn't just Black people that experienced that Twilight Zone feeling. I saw that same look of disbelief in the faces of White Americans as well. And they also were not immune to emotional release. Stephen Colbert on Comedy Central cried and White commentators interviewing crying Black people, cried as well. 

Barack Obama had said that now was our time for change. He had inspired us with his words and now been chosen to lead us.  And John McCain was so gracious in defeat.  Even though Obama was not the unanimous choice of White Americans, it doesn't matter.  No longer can it be said that America will not elect a Black person as president. Black Americans now look at White Americans differently and there is absolutely nothing that they can do about it. There is a feeling of greater trust. And the so-called great divide between Black and Hispanic Americans is now formally declared a myth.  A transformational event has taken place and a burden that many of us didn't realize existed, has been lifted.

Mavericks Need Not Apply...We Need Change Agents

Joe Biden was right.  John McCain really doesn't get it.  At a time when the American people have loudly spoken and asked for real change, McCain is still running around the country foolishly touting his maverick characteristics.  Well let me tell you what a maverick does.  A maverick defines the United States in terms of Red States and Blue States.  A maverick preserves a doctrine of Conservatives against Liberals, Republicans versus Democrats.  A maverick doesn't seek change, but more of the same.  A maverick guarantees the continuation of political gridlock.

Just like the lead characters Bret and Bart who were drifting gamblers in the old TV western Maverick, McCain has no real plan but runs from place to place in search of a good poker hand or campaign slogan that will stick.  And like Bret and Bart who regularly threw their chips up to see where they would land, the maverick McCain abruptly threw his hands up in the midst of a crisis as in "I am suspending my campaign and returning to Washington" because he felt overwhelmed.

So I don't think the country needs a maverick or a reformer who is someone who wants to put a bandaid on a gaping wound, but it needs a change agent like Barack Obama who knows that if we keep doing things the same old way we're going to get the same old results.  Well Joe, while John McCain doesn't get it, the early voting results tells me that the American people do get it.  That's especially true here in the great state of North Carolina, where this time around, North Carolina refuses to stay a maverick Red State, but proudly rejoins the United States.

A NC Wish for a Palin-Only Ticket and Signs of an Obama Victory

The North Carolina GOP is a disillusioned mess.  NC Republicans and some faux Democrats are surely depressed about the waning prospect that North Carolina will remain in the GOP column in 2008.  And disregard that Rasmussen Poll nonsense showing John McCain with a two-point lead.  North Carolina voters prefer Barack Obama and the telltale signs are still in place.  And the signs are growing.  In rush hour traffic on Friday, I was shocked to see that the McCain/Palin bumper sticker on the truck in front of me...was minus the McCain.  The driver showed outright contempt for McCain by displaying only "Palin".  A sign of the times?  Maybe. McCain may be wise to spend less time running negative Obama ads and spend more time reining in fellow Republicans who are starting to abandon his sinking ship.

Jesse Helms wouldn't recognize this North Carolina.  While McCain slept, Obama quietly surrounded the fort.  It's been a long time since any Democratic presidential candidate has enjoyed the kind of widespread support that Obama now has in North Carolina. But don't expect any Obama premature victory lap, the Obama Campaign is not taking North Carolina for granted.  With the Obama Campaign "fight until the last vote is counted strategy", I predict that Obama will win North Carolina in a manner reminiscent of the way that Usain Bolt won his Olympic medals.  And the Obama victory will have coattails. 

Kay Hagan is almost certain to unseat the North Carolina Senator from Kansas, Libby Dole, and Bev Perdue will win a closely contested governor's race and defeat Pat McCrory who is giving her a run for her money. Give McCrory, the Charlotte mayor, credit for being smart enough not to alienate Obama supporters with whom he hopes to garner some measure of favor.  All in all, it's been a great year to follow North Carolina politics.  And the person most responsible is Barack Obama.  It is satisfying to witness that most Americans including North Carolinians see the value in having a leader that possesses the ability to inspire its people to transform a nation.

Decision 2008: Obama/Biden to DC, McCain/Palin to Hollywood

It's becoming more and more apparent that the majority of Americans have decided to go to the polls and send Barack Obama and Joe Biden to the White House.  However, John McCain and Sarah Palin can take solace in knowing that they both have bright futures in Hollywood.  As I listened to McCain's stand-up routine at the Alfred E. Smith Dinner in New York, I found him to be extremely funny.  And McCain's Michael Jordan-like tongue wagging episode after the last Presidential Debate with Obama, surely will one day rank with the now infamous Howard Dean scream.  Fred Thompson be on notice. You have competition. 

Not to be outdone, Sarah Palin's performance during the lone Vice-Presidential Debate showed that she has actress-like skills in memorizing a script. She could make millions in Hollywood if she chose to go that route full-time and eventually she could win an Oscar.  You betcha. Palin does Palin much better than Tina Fey and Palin's upcoming appearance on SNL should be a total hoot.

So it's a win-win situation for all.  Obama and Biden can tackle the serious issues facing the country while McCain and Palin fans can follow their act on the big-screen. It's refreshing to see that most Americans finally realize that it's more important to the sustainability of America to have a President and Vice President with the intellect to tackle major issues than average Joes we feel comfortable having a beer with at the local pub. It's worth noting that Obama/Biden supporters however must validate their revelation by actually casting their votes.

Unprepared McCain Ducks and Runs From Competition

We have heard all too often that John McCain is a great war hero. Granted. But when our war hero was presented with his latest opportunity to show his bravery, he ducked and ran from of all things a debate against Barack Obama that may require him to answer some tough questions about the economy. When America badly wants to hear from McCain and Obama, one of whom will be the next President, to say that McCain is running scare would be an understatement.

Maybe someone will tell McCain that it's hard to lead from the rear.  The debate is tomorrow night and the State of Mississippi has invested a lot of time and money in the preparation of the debate site.  Obama to his credit, recognizes that the President must multi-task even when the going gets tough and still plans to show up for the debate with or without McCain.  Someone should tell McCain that if he fails to reverse his dumb political stunt and is M.I.A. for the debate, the beating that he is receiving now in the polls will be child's play compared to the whipping he will endure after tomorrow night.

At no time in recent history has America needed leadership as much as it needs it right now with the country being threatened with a financial collapse and with war still raging in Iraq.  McCain had a golden opportunity to show Americans that he was ready to lead, but instead disengaged from a hotly contested presidential race against Obama who he obviously feels unprepared to debate.  Most Americans are left scratching their heads like they were when McCain showed another lapse in judgment by his selection of a dangerously unprepared Sarah Palin as his running mate.  Presidential decision making capacity?  Debatable.

Obama Makes Blue Gains, McCain Seeks To Redshirt His Campaign

John McCain and his advisers know that he is in trouble when the polls show the presidential contest even.  Now when the latest Washington Post national poll show Barack Obama turning the country  Democratic blue with his nine-point lead over McCain, it's panic time for the GOP.  McCain and his advisers are in disarray and desperately seek to stem the tide by any means necessary. Their initial response was to refute the polling data as bogus, but that is tame compared to what McCain and his advisers are now trying to accomplish.  Fully realizing the necessity to stop the Obama surge before it's too late, McCain has announced the suspension of his presidential campaign.  He has taken this unprecedented action supposedly to focus full attention on the current economic crisis.  In addition, McCain wants to postpone his Friday debate with Obama.

To use a sports analogy, athletes often seek a postponement or red-shirt from competition when they lack adequate preparation. Therefore, I suspect the unspoken reason that McCain is seeking a postponement is because he feels inadequately prepared to face Obama in a debate on Friday. In essence, McCain wants red-shirt status in the homestretch of a presidential contest to avoid falling further behind Obama in the polls.

It wouldn't surprise me if McCain also tried to delay the presidential election...until he is ready.  For someone who brags about being ready to assume the presidency on Day One, McCain is not even ready to debate his opponent on Day One. As more Americans turn their attention to the serious business of electing the next president, when they objectively assess the qualifications of McCain and Obama, McCain will be rejected as an unacceptable candidate.  No longer a straight talker, McCain seems to have lost his way. He is running a typical slash and burn GOP campaign strategy overflowing with personal attacks, innuendos and flat out lies about Obama. Dishonesty reigns.

Even today when Obama reached out to McCain with an offer to tackle the economic crisis in a nonpartisan manner, McCain shamelessly tried to take advantage of Obama's gesture by claiming to be its originator.  What a peculiar way to build trust and lay a foundation for reaching across the aisle.  That kind of behavior will only assure a continuation of Washington gridlock. Nevertheless, the game continues.  No one knows when McCain will unveil his next brilliant idea.  However, if his un-presidential attempt to red-shirt is any indication, no one but McCain's most ardent supporters expect his idea to be anything remotely compelling.