LEADERSHIP CULTIVATION

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.

Rothschild McCain Endorsement Marks Return of Silly Season

Say it ain't so!  Another sore loser gone wild?  Barack Obama warned us that this was the silly season of politics.  He also pointed out that Republicans must think that the American people are really stupid.  Add to that list of people who think that we are really stupid, Republicans who masquerade as Democrats as in the person of one Lynn Forester de Rothschild.  After reading that Rothschild doesn't like Obama because she thinks that he is elitist, I had a compulsion to hear what other gobbly goop would emerge from between her privileged lips. So this afternoon I listened to Rothschild's press conference and wasn't surprised when she showered us with a generous portion of more nonsense.

Allow me to comment on some of Rothschild's more outrageous reasons for endorsing the McCain-Palin ticket. Maybe we should begin by telling Lynn that with a name like Forester de Rothschild with residences in both the U.S. and England and being married into one of the world's wealthiest families, just maybe her assessment that Obama is elitist is not creditable.  Maybe she misspoke.  Maybe the descriptive word she was really searching for was uppity. Uppity.  Hmmmm, now that is interesting.

When Rothschild tried to discount Obama's contributions to ethics reform in the Senate, she blurted out that "Facts matter, Mr. Obama!" Hmmmm, facts matter, Mr. Obama.  I guess Rothschild deliberately added "Mr. Obama" to the end of her statement because she didn't want anyone to be confused with her seemingly contradictory feelings that "facts don't matter, Mr. McCain" or "facts don't matter, Mrs. Palin."  Interesting.  The old double standard lives. 

Something else I found amusing was Rothschild's assertion that Sen. Obama would be unduly influenced by Nancy Pelosi and Howard Dean and the centrist viewpoint would be non-existent.  In fact she finds that prospect, "terrifying!" That's beyond interesting, that's perplexing. Terrified that the country would move too far to the left, but not terrified with the prospect of another Bush-like president in John McCain who showed questionable judgment with his selection of a running mate enormously unqualified to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency.  Now as the saying goes, if that's not terrifying, then I don't know what terrifying is.  And apparently neither does Lynn.

Lastly, Rothschild "hopes her decision to publicly endorse McCain will give like-minded Democrats the confidence [or cover] to follow suit."  First of all Lynn, you are not a Democrat and there probably aren't a lot of similarly filthy-rich Democrats walking around in a like-mind that unlike yourself are immuned to the negative effects of a failing economy run into the ground under the leadership of Republicans. Yep, there probably aren't a lot of like-minded Democrats who are oblivious to high gas prices, inadequate health care for their families, no money to send their kids to college, not enough disposable income to help an aging parent, or indifferent to the plight of the American military fighting a war in a distant land who can't count on their families being taken care of back home. Good luck with your quest.

Yes Barack, it really is the silly season of politics, but because of the serious state of affairs, it is not a laughing matter.  We do not need more Rothschild clones still smarting from the defeat of their favorite candidate.  We need more like-minded Americans commited to turning away from more of the same and possessing the wisdom to embrace your idea of change that we can believe in.  By faith, I remain hopeful.

Black conservatives conflicted on Obama campaign from Associated Press

Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton Together...Maybe

When Tim Kaine, Bill Richardson, Bob Casey and now John Edwards all endorsed Barack Obama for president, and stood together shoulder to shoulder with Barack smiling and waving to the crowds, each pairing looked good!  And they all gave enthusiastic endorsement speeches.  If Richardson had been as energetic during his own campaign as he was for Barack, his candidacy may have lasted longer. Now the spotlight turns to Hillary Clinton.

As a former Hillary Clinton supporter. I moved away from her when she began to accentuate her negative qualifies instead of her positive attributes. As someone who tries to look for the positive traits that people possess regardless of race, color, creed, religion, gender, I was deeply defended.  In a nutshell, I felt like a jilted voter.  Some of you know the feeling.  When someone you love does you wrong, in spite of your hurt feelings, you still try to hold on to the relationship. But as much as you try, the person you once loved, slowly but surely becomes an object of contempt.  That's especially true when that person continues to engage in the conduct that created the disappointment. If you still don't understand what I'm trying to say, listen to one of my favorite songs, "By the Time I Get to Phoenix." Both and Glen Campbell and Isaac Hayes sing excellent versions.

To continue the saga, usually after getting out of a bad relationship, you often fall in love again.  That's what happened when I listened to Barack Obama with an opened mind clear of thoughts of Hillary.  It was an amazing moment.  When I listened to Obama after one of his primary victories, I really bought into his vision for America. Who wouldn't fall in love with the idea of no more Washington gridlock, no more red state/blue state nonsense, no more antagonistic divisiveness, but a United States of America. That was the relationship that Obama offered. Some people called them just words, but say what you want, great leaders inspire with their words. I am inspired with hope by the words of Obama and there is no turning back.

Now that brings us back to Hillary.  Would Hillary be good on the ticket with Barack Obama?  Well some of her supporters and her surrogates sure seem to think so.  As a matter of fact, I think she realized quite some time ago that she can't win the nomination and really started with much vigor, jocking for the VP slot. Well, in a way Hillary is the Obama opposite.  Like it or not, Hillary represents  much of what we despise about the politics of old that we need to move away from in order to collectively elevate this country. Obama represents the future.

Before Obama puts Clinton on the ticket he would certainly argue with the notion of whether he could trust her. Alex Castellanos, a GOP pundit on CNN, joked that ["Obama would have to have a food taster"] if he did put Hillary on the ticket. I would like to think that he is wrong.  So I will withhold my final judgment until the eventful moment comes when Hillary endorses Obama for the presidency and they stand together on the podium together, embraced and waving to the crowd with the promise of wholeheartedly working together to restore America to its greatness.

Obama said it wouldn't be easy to bring about real change.  No kidding.  But there would be this caveat to picking Hillary for Veep.  Without compromise, I would insist that there be no reference to "this is the way we used to do things" and Hillary must come without her chief political strategists and talking heads, specifically Howard Wolfson and Lanny Davis. The jury is still out on Terry McAuliffe and Paul Begala and of course on the biggest wild card of all, former President Bill Clinton.   

West Virginia Voters and the Politics of Gold-Toed Roachkillers

Some of us were taken aback by the implications of Hillary Clinton's comments during a recent USA TODAY interview where she cited evidence that ["Sen. Obama's support among working, hard-working Americans, white Americans, is weakening again, and how whites in both states (Indiana and North Carolina) who had not completed college were supporting her."]. Some of us weren't.  The scenario that was painted and its application to West Virginia voters serves as fertile ground for the exploitation of a gold-toed roachkiller mentality that historically has been a part of southern politics, but also has root in American society.

The gold-toed roachkiller gets extraordinary pleasure from sticking it to their nemesis. In this instance, the gold-toed roachkillers are the State of West Virginia blue collar and working class white voters and the nemesis is Barack Obama who happens to be their non-white foil.  Keeping with the script, Obama doesn't get credit for having a white mother.

Gold-toed roachkiller politics defy logic or common sense. The gold-toed roachkiller doesn't care about sound economic policy, universal health care or social justice.  Sound priniciples get trumped by misguided racial motivations.  These priniciples are trumped by a mentality which says I should do better than you simply because I'm white and you're not.  It's a mentality that says I'm not doing quite as well as I should because you're taken that job from me.  It's a mentality that says that because of the color of my skin, I'm better than you are.  It's a mentality that says that there is no way in hell that I'm going to vote for a black person.

The gold-toed roachkiller is an exploitation of racial prejudices.  It's a mentality that has given us red state/blue state politics.  It's a strategy that helped Jesse Helms defeat a challenge from Harvey Gantt in the NC Senate Race with his "black hands" ad and also helped Bob Corker defeat Harold Ford in the Tennessee Senate Race by associating Ford with partying with a white woman.  And we all know the role that the Willie Horton ads played in helping George W. Bush defeat Michael Dukakis.

The gold-toed roachkiller has prevented the U.S. from fully actualizing the U.S. Constitution's pronouncement "that all men are created equal."  So many of us are not really surprised by the "revelation" that some white people will not vote for a black person regardless of that person's qualifications.  We just wonder why this historical truth is being injected into the political equation yet again by the Clinton Campaign at this time and place. Is it the pleasure that can be obtained from getting caught up in the moment and sticking it to your nemesis no matter what the consequences may be?

The gold-toed roachkiller is a strategy that can be defeated.  Call it good prevailing over evil.  The gold-toed roachkiller appeals to our worst attributes and it's not just racial in nature.  It exploits our differences in general.  As good as it might feel to do harm to a nemesis, the real pleasure or satisfaction is derived from doing good.  It's when enemies break the ice and become friends and discover that their similarities are greater than their differences.  Politically speaking, it's when Democrats and Republicans resolve to work together for the common good.

So although some white people have not voted for a black person or say they will not vote for a black person, that is not a universal truth.  Just ask Barack Obama.  Obama is the front runner because white people have voted for a black person.  So this argument that Hillary should be the Democratic nominee because she has greater appeal to white voters, should be put to rest. Just because Obama will have trouble getting some white people to vote for him is not a good enough excuse for not attempting to overcome this obstacle.  As Bill Cosby told graduating students last Saturday during his commencement address at NC A&T State University, ["they can succeed if they try"], it gives me a good feeling to know that my country is trying. 

Barack Obama Refuels His Mojo

After his huge and game changing victory in North Carolina, Barack Obama has refueled his mojo.  On Tuesday night, Obama made the most inspiring and energetic speech that he had made in weeks.  It personally made me flashback to the moment that this former Hillary Clinton supporter, first leaped aboard the Obama Express.  And didn't Obama look and sound presidential?

Despite what pundits and detractors want us to believe, the primary trait needed in a great leader is the ability to inspire their followers.  Obama has that very special gift.  He has the it. People also want a leader that they can believe in.  They want a leader that tells them the truth.  When Clinton and John McCain pushed a gasoline tax holiday that offered a superficial remedy to high gasoline prices, Obama never wavered in his opposition to this political ploy that was only meant to win votes.  In the end it appeared that most voters in North Carolina and Indiana agreed with the stance that Obama took.  Closely behind the ability to inspire, people want their leaders to possess integrity.

Among the many points that Obama included in his victory speech, he again reminded us that change will not come easy. As mutually beneficial it would be to rid the United States of divisiveness, racial tensions, and political gridlock, too many people continue to work overtime to hold onto the status quo. Just today, Clinton who has fallen even farther behind in the race for the Democratic nomination, erroneously stated that White people will not vote for Obama in big enough numbers. To paraphrase the late Senator Lloyd Bentsen, "I know White people and that is simply not the truth."

You have to wonder about Hillary's real motivation.  Surely she must know that the superdelegates will not give her the nomination after proving that she can't beat Obama in a fair fight. So what's her angle?  Is it to weaken Obama so that he will lose in the general election against McCain and put her in a position to run again in 2012?  Or is it a selfish gold-toed roachkiller tactic to make sure that Obama, who refused to "wait his turn", loses the race for the presidency at any cost in order to give the Clintons some measure of personal satisfaction?

With all things considered, I am so glad to see Obama get back to doing the things that made him a phenomenon. He inspires us to believe that positive change really can take place.  And even when the masses fail to sufficiently support him, Obama is proving to us that he is not afraid to keep trying. To me that is a noble quality.  So as some continue to selfishly promote racial and class divisions and as the mainstream media sometimes fail to exhibit a high standard of journalism, I still believe that Obama has been chosen at this time to lead our country to greater heights.

Barack Obama Gets His Mojo Back

I had hoped that Wolf Blitzer of CNN would beat me to the punch and had written about how Barack Obama had gotten his mojo back in a manner similarly to what he once wrote about Hillary Clinton.  I decided not to wait for Wolf.

Barack Obama has his mojo back!  Tonight, I listened in awe as Barack Obama gave his victory speech after a huge win in North Carolina.  Is it appropriate to say, "Go Tarheels"?   You could feel the energy and see the confidence return to Barack's face after he had been beaten down unmercifully by the mainstream media for the previous two months.  In the audience, I saw Black and White, young and old, blue collar and white collar, and some moved to tears as Obama spoke.  They once again seemed to embrace the notion that America is ready for real change and that they can be a part of it.  Once again they seemed ready to be part of a movement to elevate this country to greater heights. It's time to change write history in a way that few thought could be possible.

Barack was back doing what Barack does best.  He inspires people to do great things.  As Obama spoke, I saw a crowd that appeared to move mentally and spiritually inside the picture of possibilities that Obama so eloquently painted for them.  It was truly amazing and gratifying to think that America could move to a higher plain.  It's a higher plain where there is less political strife and more collaboration for the common good.  A higher plain where people actually want to live together in peace and harmony.  A higher plain where we as Americans care more about each other and come together to solve problems regardless of race, religion, political party affiliation, or economic status.

With Obama, we see that plateau as a possibility that we can experience and we want that experience also as a reality for our children.  For too long, we have been running in place, but Obama represents real change.  Obama has all the candidates talking about change because they see it as good politics given the connection Obama has made with the American people.  But some of them seem to embrace the concept in name only.  Witness Hillary Clinton, a person whom I admire and think could be a wonderful president.  When Hillary's campaign appeared to falter, she turned to a ridiculous and divisive strategy that alienated Black voters in order to appeal to White and Latino voters.  That's not change.

So as much as I personally admire Hillary and Bill Clinton, I think that the prospect of real hope and positive change is personified by Barack Obama. And as Obama said tonight, he realizes that change will not come easy.  And if Obama indeed becomes the nominee, forces and principalities in high places will work day and night to try and prevent him from being successful in his goal to unify the country. However, Obama reminds us that we the people can force the issue and be a firewall against naysayers and against those who prey upon and profit from the misfortunes of others.  Tonight, I saw Barack Obama leading a movement.

Sidebar:  Tonight, I saw it in their faces and I can't see the people of Ohio, Pennsylvania or Texas being any less affected or hopeful of the change that Barack Obama represents. Tonight, I saw it in their faces.

CNN's Donna Brazile Tears GOP Strategist Alex Castellanos a New One

Just when all confidence in the mainstream media to be committed to reporting the news instead of spinning the news was about to dissipate, Donna Brazile once again stepped up and said stop the bull crap.  Tonight as GOP strategist Alex Castellanos, in an obvious attempt to cast aspersions upon Barack Obama, invoked the names of William Ayers and Jeremiah Wright completely out of context, Donna Brazile forcefully stepped in and tore Alex a new one.

Donna also took CNN host, Campbell Brown, Paul Begala and Lanny Davis to task. Campbell tried to imply that the only reason Brazile was being so forceful was because Brazile was supporting Obama, but Brazile held her ground. Brazile also neutralized attempts by Clinton supporters Begala and Davis to spin distortions. Begala and Davis were at a loss for words.

Finally with Wolf Blitzer nervously anticipating Obama overtaking Clinton in Indiana, the next sour grapes came from Mayor Tom McDermott of Hammond, Indiana, a Clinton supporter.  McDermott implied that Mayor Rudy Clay of Gary, Indiana, an Obama supporter, was engaged in hanky panky because the vote from Lake County was slow in being reported.  It appeared that McDermott's real motivation was to spin a story about Hillary Clinton winning Indiana, which McDermott did in an awkward manner once the votes came in.  I think Mayor McDermott owes Mayor Clay an apology. What a cad!

Once again, thank you Donna Brazile for telling your colleagues to stop the B.S. Now maybe we can get back to talking about the issues.  In supporting roles, special thanks also to David Gergen, Jeff Toobin and Roland Martin! And last, but certainly not least, thank you North Carolina for being a gamechanger!

How about it Wolf?  Can we get a story from you about Barack Obama getting his mojo back?

 

The Revenge-Seeking Wrath of Rev. Wright

The 2008 Presidential Campaign has dispelled more than its share of commonly held beliefs. Before this campaign, it was widely held that overly negative politics filled with innuendos, inaccuracies, distortions, racial overtones and flat out lies were exclusive to Karl Rove and the Republican Party.  That was before we witnessed the campaign tactics that the Hillary Clinton campaign used against Barack Obama. 

Then there was what I coined the "gold-toed roach killer syndrome" which I erroneously thought was largely unique to southern White voters.  It's where white voters are so motivated by their prejudices against Black people, that they support political strategies that equally harm their own race as along as they believe that they can stick it to some Black people.  It's the old roach caught in the corner scenario where the wearer of that gold-toed roach killer boot, with immense satisfaction, places the extremely-pointed toe of their boot squarely into the roach's body cavity.  You can also call that the highly successful red-state strategy.

I used to think that hell-bent on destruction tactics also were unique to Republicans and some southern state White voters, but that was before Hillary Clinton ran her selfishly-motivated strategy to win the Democratic Presidential nomination by any means necessary, even if it means destroying the Democratic Party. What an educational experience this has been!

Now that brings us to Rev. Jeremiah Wright.  With the insincerely stated motivation of defending the Black church, Rev. Wright is running a gold-toed roach killer campaign to destroy the presidential candidacy of Barack Obama.  Rev. Wright has become bitter and is displaying a lot of characteristics that run counter to Christian principles.  He wants revenge, but the Bible teaches us that "revenge is Mine says the Lord".  The Bible tells us that "we must decrease so that God can increase." 

So what does Rev. Wright do?  He participates in a Pharisees and Publican-like campaign of praying in the public square with his high profile appearances on PBS, at the Detroit NAACP Convention, and at the National Press Club.  Again, I think the Biblical response to this type of self-promotion, is that it's not to please God, but to instead find reward amongst men.  "Decrease so that I may increase".

Now for all the pundits who have asked the question about the influence of Rev. Wright on Barack Obama, I think you have your answer.  Barack Obama.  His actions more like Rev. Jeremiah Wright or more like Jesus.  Rev. Wright shows us why we should always follow God instead of putting our trust in mankind.  I think that Obama understands this basic Christian principle.  Give any human being enough time and they will eventual fail you.  Why?  It's because we aren't perfect.  Only Christ holds that unique status.

Well Rev. Wright has built some provocative speed bumps on the crossroads to change, but the destinations points remain unchanged.  Do we want real change or do we want to continue with the same old divisiveness of 51% to 49% politics?  Do we want the constant gridlock between people who refuse to find common ground that benefits the common good? Robert Frost asked the same type of question when he wrote these thought provoking words. "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference." Which road will America take? That's a decision that shouldn't be influenced by the actions of Rev. Wright.  I think that Rev. Wright is angry that Barack Obama was strong enough to choose the road less traveled.  Barack Obama shouldn't have to make the journey alone.