Will Race Affect the Race?

No one who’s achieved puberty remains naïve enough to believe that race won’t be a factor in the upcoming presidential race. In spite of the fact Democrats have made a Black man their presumptive nominee, this still is America, where race has been a factor in every aspect of culture and politics for centuries. Quite simply, we don’t know how to instantly cease and desist from viewing matters through the lens of racial construct just because a Black man has risen so far so fast; no society would be able to instantly wash away its past.

So now — with Barack Obama vying for the White House — we are about to enter uncharted racial waters... this is quite new for all of us... and there will be gaffes. Will race become the centerpiece of the now-engaged contest, or just a convenient fallback story to be trotted out on slow news days?

Obama lobbed one of his first racial grenades of the battle in Jacksonville last week by stating at a fundraiser that he expects Republicans to make race as issue in the election. No shit, they would do that? He stated, "We know what kind of campaign they're going to run. They're going to try to make you afraid. They're going to try to make you afraid of me. ‘He's young and inexperienced and he's got a funny name. And did I mention he's black?’”

To my mind — and I say this as one who has fired off his fair share of artillery rounds in racial conflicts (albeit sometimes a tad too swiftly) — it was a preemptive stink bomb he should not have thrown. While Obama was correct in his statement that his opposition (perhaps not McCain himself, but certainly the surrogates he’ll hide behind) will make race an issue, he should leave direct comments on race (and how his opposition is misusing it) for others in his camp to give voice to at this juncture. As the candidate, he should only address the race issue personally when (and if) Republicans go so far out on a limb they can’t possibly retreat. Then he can cut it off.

Accusing someone of being a racist — or playing the race card — is serious business... especially in high-stakes politics, and the tactic could backfire. As old Charlie Carr (the legendary Black political figure and Cleveland City Councilman of the 40s and 50s who mentored generations of young Blacks, including the Stokes brothers and George Forbes) would say, “A smart dog don’t piss on every fireplug he walks past, he leaves some of them alone.” In other words, carefully pick which fights you engage in. Obama might be in need of some of Carr’s wisdom. He shouldn’t react to every racial comment the opposition makes, lest he comes off as overly sensitive on the subject. And he needs to keep in mind that even some of his ardent White supporters would rather he not dwell in the subject of race... it makes them too uncomfortable.

Still, Obama is 100 percent accurate in regards to the race game some Republican operatives are going to play. They’ve certainly played worse ... who can forget Willie Horton? However, the simple fact is, very few people will be swayed by such rhetoric; racist comments only play to a racist base... and those are votes Obama wasn’t going to get anyway.

In the same speech Obama predicted that Republicans will go after his wife Michelle. Again he’s right, but he should be relishing that move. He can then have his surrogates “dry snitch” on Cindy McCain.

“Dry snitching” goes like this: A dude and his lady friend are having a heated argument in a vehicle, which she is driving. So she pulls up in front of the police station and yells at the top of her lungs: I’m not going to run in there and tell the police you’re the biggest drug dealer in the county just because I’m mad at you for acting like such an asshole.”

So, when Republicans begin attacking Michelle Obama, Democratic operatives will start saying, “There is no way we would stoop to personal attacks by bringing up the fact that Cindy McCain was prosecuted for stealing high powered narcotics from a volunteer organization she founded because she was a dope fiend at the time. We just would not engage in that type of gutter politics.” Wink-wink, nod-nod.

Again, for as long as possible, Obama should not even mention the racial politics Republican operatives are going to engage in; let them get off first, there’ll be plenty of time for them to be hung by the tongue once they’re given enough rope. Patience, Barack, patience — and don’t piss on every fireplug.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Mansfield B. Frazier mansfieldfATgmail.com
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