Commander in Chief

Now that the fog of the Presidential electon has cleared, and the President Elect, Mr. Obama from Illinois, is in transition mode, my thought process has found a singular stream that has yet escaped the mainstream media.



Certianly, Mr Obama 's historic win has sent a shock wave through so many aspects of our society- international relations, domestic policy, race relations, electoral politics- that this has clearly been a dream for political pundits, writers, and the deux a machina that make up the political and social mandarins of our time. How to encapsulate the enormity of this event? It cannot be done in one writing.



So focusing in on one aspect of this will be my effort: Commander-in-Chief.



As Mr. Obama assumes the US Presidency, he will assume the aforementioned title along with the other grand titles that have been ascribed to the office: Leader of the Free World, Mr. President, The Great American Father, etc. But none are more telling or more significant than the title of Commander-in-Chief.



The history of the Blacks in the US military is a long and oft forgotten story filled with great aspects of heroism and triumph over tragedies. In the civil disobediance that became the start of the American Revolution, Crispus Attucks, a Black Salior from Massechusetts, was the first person to die for the cause of freedom. The Boston Massacre became the rallying event for the organization of the American revolutionary movement.



As the fighting broke out between the Amrican Minutemen and the British Red Coats, Blacks were among the soldiers who responded to the call, either as Freedmen, or as slaves, serving in place for their owners.

We, the People

Today marks the first day that Sarah Palin, the surprise pick of Republican nominee John McCain, has been on an interview with a member of the press to answer questions. This comes nearly 2 weeks after the historic announcement and falls on the 7th anniversary of 9/11 terrorist attacks. And, as Ms. Palin sees her son off to an overseas deployment on this very day, she opened herself to an interview with ABC news, giving herself an opportunity to display her human side.

The mainstream media is now chomping at the bit to ask questions, to have the kind of access that the presidential candidates have allowed on the campaign trail. The McCain camp has yet to turn her loose to the 4th estate in our democracy, and is guarding her earliest moments on the world stage with tender care.

For the Democrats, a window of opportunity exists to draw another comparison to the Bush administration that has rung true to most Americans.

American was formed as a response to despotic tyrants, who, through birthright or inheritance, limited the outcomes for people by denying freedoms that allow the individual to make choices. These choices and freedoms should not be constrained by our government, but venerated and enshrined in its administration. To preserve our democracy, we must hold our leadership accountable for upholding these freedoms.

McCain and Palin have packaged themselves as reformers and mavericks, outsiders who understand the values of God, Country, and Family as the cornerstone of the American Way. These things, while truly apart of the historic lexicon of our nation, are actually byproducts of the principles that have defined America- Freedom of Speech, Freedom of the Press, the Right to bear Arms, and the Freedom of Religion.

Part of the change that the public has demonstrated it so desperately wants, is around the issue of accountability to the people. The Bush administration has been wroth with examples of hiding the truth from Americans, and creating a feeling that the preamble states "We, the ones in power" as opposed to "We, the people". The lack of accountability by the Bush administration is the central issue in this election, for all people.

Sarah Palin's sequestration from the media , furthers this albatross of the Republicans as they seek to limit her access to the questions of Americans. She must be put before the media and let her answer questions. Otherwise, she is no better than Dick Cheney, hiding from the media behind the mountain ranges of the West.

In their refusal for Palin to be vetted by the public daily press, the basic tenets of American society are abrogated, smacking of the tendencies that have led to a distrust of the American leadership in the free world, by the hiding or distorting of the truth.

Reform from a Bush policy is not what America wants; Change from it is what is needed.

Palin in Comparison

Welcome to the big leagues, Sarah Palin.

As the Republican Vice-presidential nominee begins her trials as a debutante on the national stage, we are set to invoke new phraseology into the political lexicon: Hockey-moms, moose burgers, and special needs families. New places to be discovered: Wasilla, Juneau, and Anchorage.

Alaska.

A mythical land that encroaches on the American mindset as icebergs, king crab, and oil pipelines has now been catapulted into electoral politics. Seward's Folly is now the hope of the Party of Lincoln, ushering forth a rugged individualist from the home of dog sleds and snow shoes.

Let the vetting begin.

Since the McCain camp has yet to let Sarah loose to the media for questions, I'd like to ask a few just in case someone gets to ask in the near future; so here we go:

• What is your perspective on substance abuse for the rest of the nation and how does it compare to your policies from Alaska?
• Since Alaska leads the nation in binge drinking, alcohol hall abuse by teens and adults, and alcohol abuse among Native American populations, what do you propose to do at the federal level to keep this from spreading like this in the 49 other states?
• Since Alaska ranks at the top of the nation in high school drop outs, what changes in the education policy would you make?
• How often have you traveled to the lower 48 states? What are your plans to improve the urban centers of the US?
• Mahala Ashley Dickerson, the states first Black attorney, died passed away in 2007 in your home town. To honor her legacy, what will be the role of African Americans in a McCain-Palin administration?

We have more questions, but as the campaign goes on, we will ask more, for sure. Stay tuned...

The Devil went down to Georgia

The Russian Military was once seen as a vaunted force, the lethal arm of the communist movement, and the counterweight to spread of the Western world and its ideas of freedom. The Red Army imposed the will of the Soviet party leadership at home and abroad, and ensured the Soviet state with its stability.

This military would meet its match in a place called Afghanistan, against a band of freedom fighters called the Mujaheddin. This stalemate would be a definitive point in the challenging of Soviet aggression as it sought to encroach upon the contemporary age, showing its fallibility in a world where asymmetric events would challenge the old order of power.

It would be this same military that would, in the August of 1991, begin a coup of that would signal the imminent demise of the Soviet regime, and the Soviet bloc of nations that they controlled. These actions would change the geopolitical landscape for the next 15 years, as Russia proper began to embrace capitalism.

15 years later, a shooting war erupts between the Russian Military and the Republic of Georgia, a former Soviet satellite, over a small province called Ossetia, a place seeking its own independence.

As the Georgian forces sought to stop the secession of Ossetia, Russian forces pounced on them and drove quickly into the Georgian interior, disabling the Georgian forces in 4 days worth of fighting, in spite of the heavy American advisory presence.

Whoa.

The stretched US military forces were not in a position to be a deterrent, nor were the NATO forces who could not reach that area with enough forces to be effective.

Has the West just ceded the flexing of Russian military muscle, with little noise?

Part of the irony is that President Bush is in Bejing at the Olympic Games as this is unfolding, and is chatting with Vladimir Putin of Russia in the spectator stands as if nothing is happening, while the Russian military is catching its second wind. Wow.

It is almost inconceivable that with the various sources of intelligence, the US Military and indeed, the national security apparatus had no clue as to what the Russians would do. I mean really, the devil goes down to Georgia and we didn't know he was coming to play his fiddle? Did we just watch our regional ally step into the proverbial hornets nest and didn't warn them?

This seems to be another case of the failure of the Bush administration to properly assess data, and provide real time advice with respect to defense matters.

The next president needs to deal with the gaps in intelligence better, or be prepared to deal with the devil when he shows up around the world and decides to play his fiddle. The Russian military isnt what it once was, but is still among the top 5 militaries in the world, by the experts opinion. We need not let Russian spread her influence, especially where US allies are impacted.

Thanks for stopping by, John

Thank you. I appreciate you stopping by.

John McCain stopped by my area today and spend some time campaigning near my hometown. He promised something related to allowing the state to set emissions standards for auto vehicles standards.

Of course it made headlines and the six o'clock news. Our presidential hopeful brought some straight talk to the home of the Big 3 automakers, boosting his image to the blue collar corners of the Great Lakes State.

Reaching out to the auto industry is vital for presidential candidates, as our region produces some major jobs the world over through the international corporations head quartered here. As the results of globalization continue to come in, the Great Lakes region must compete for every job. No doubt.

But an inlaid fallacy about the visit is that he spoke not to the average worker, promising them better job opportunities as result of his new policy. No instead he spoke to a group of execs and management level folks, discussing the emissions standards that need to be set and who should set them.

I am just not sure that tactically this was the best move for McCain to win Michigan.

See, Michigan is a state in a free fall from the impact of global competition. Its a place that everyone is leaving, or at least thinking about it. A manufacturing state that has seen its middle class sustaining jobs exported to lands abroad, and the new horizon seems misty. There is talk of health care, or biomedical, or green jobs, but that means little as gas prices rise, the housing market is in disarray, and infrastructure is crumbling in the Rust Belt.

Now its not likely that McCain will win Michigan, as the state has had a propensity to lean Democratic in presidential politics. Yet there is a chance for him, as he has one the state in a past primary, or if he can motivate the Republican base in the state by picking native son Mitt Romney.

But the truth of the matter is that McCain is not strait talking with the truly displaced worker, the one who needs job retraining or is forced into these flash-in-the-pan buyouts. In the homes of the home of the automobile, people are worried about starting their engines. I think that tactically speaking, McCain's message of "set your own emission standards", becomes a further quandary for states- pitting industry against the environmental movement. Should we bring more manufacturing jobs by luring automotive plants? Or should we preserve our green areas and reduce the possibility of certain jobs in our area?

How does a Republican stand and deliver a message of relief to the auto worker? By talking to the boss, who by the way, may lose their job too? Its seems a disjointed effort at best. We are left feeling confused; much like when that neighbor stops by to say something useless to you, and leaves in you in wonder as to why they came by in the first place.

Until John gets a better message, one that connects with people and their economic reality, I'm afraid that he will begin to lose traction with the American voter.

Thanks for stopping by John, we'll see you soon.

Letting Go of the Things You Love Most

We have feelings-deep feelings of things unresolved. Unaccomplished things from our past that were never quite taken care of in days gone by. Through all the successes that we may have achieved, the few lingering things that never made it across the finish line become items that gnaw at us. They wake us up at night, and are the subjects of drifting moments when sitting at long dinner engagements. We are haunted by the unfinished business of our lives.

Many of these incomplete matters get converted into dreams for others. What we didnt accomplish becomes food for others, a hope for those who are dear to us, a wish to project a sense of accomplishment to those around us.



Jesse Jackson, Sr. was the first candidate of African American descent to win a presidential primary. His victories in Virginia, South Carolina, Mississippi, and Louisiana in 1984 set up victories in the same states in 1988, while adding Michigan, Alaska, Georgia, and Alabama. These historic campaigns reflected a maturing Black electorate, a growing discussion on poverty, and became the foundations of a winning coalition that would project Bill Clinton to the presidency in 1992. Jackson's trailblazing efforts registered millions of new progressive voters, and engaged the Democratic ideal in a nation growing more conservative. Indeed, had the Jackson candidacy not occurred, it is conceiveable that the US may have have had uninterrupted Republican Presidents from 1980 to the present.



The unfinished business of Jackson as an African American aspirant for the presidency, has now fallen to Barack Obama. The Senator from Illinois has been buoyed by the Black vote as well as a disaffected electorate who is ready for change. While the direct influence of Jackson has not been a factor in Obama's run, his indirect influence is notwithstanding.



So the recent comments by Jackson, caught unawares on a Fox newsreel as he was preparing for an interview, that Obama has been talking down to Black people and that Jackson wanted to castrate Obama, have become as straight line winds, knocking over the common reasoning of the day. Why did Jackson have such a vitrolic reaction to Obama's comments on Black fathers?

Sure, Obama didn't ask Jackson for the mantle of his previous candidacy, but Jackson has endorsed him nonetheless. The "talking down" to Black people that Obama did- telling Black fathers to be more involved- was more of an accepted discussion that commonly is agreed upon than a cutting edge political issue of the day. While the rhetoric around absent Black fathers has had its day in the sun; the rub is in why absenteeism occurs- personal responsibility or pared opportunities- and nothing more.

This whispered tirade seemed out of place forthe topic, a sotto voce expression of deeper tensions. What created Jackson's reaction? Why the embitterment? Why the empassioned disrespect to the younger man who might accomplish what you set out to do in 1984 and 1988? Obama's ascent to the head of the Democratic party was a deferred dream fulfilled. Jesse aught to be as a proud uncle watching a nephew take a sport that they both love to new heights.

After pondering this, I believe that part of this answer can be found in the other Jackson, Jessie Jr., and his purview in today's political spectrum.

Jessie Jr. is a political figure that has found his own place outside of his father's legacy. Preferring diplomacy and tact to the 90's style publicity policy-making of his father, Jesse Jr. has become a very popular congressman among his peers, easily reelected to office for successive terms, and has toyed with moving to the Senate. He has publicly disagreed with his father's positions, and has done so with an independent streak that has provided askance looks from other Black legislators. He maintains his passion for civil and human rights inherited from Dad, but he talks about economic outcomes and the need to deal with these policy issues of jobs and poverty from the economic model. A departure from Jesse Sr., yes- but more of a generational sequencing of thoughts that drives to new theories than an abdication of the Jackson family mantra.

Perhaps a possibility that Jessie Sr. wanted might have been for Jesse Jr. to build on his legacy and run for president. How poetic would it be if the first president of African decent to have been the son of the trailblazer? Jesse Jr. fits the mold of an Obama, a Harold Ford, Jr., a Deval Patrick- new Black Democrats for a new progressive era. It would not be a great leap to believe that Jesse Jr. would have the prayers of his father, and the hopes of his presidential legacy with hem specifically. To build a dynasty, power must be passed to the next generation. What a gift to a son- 6.8 million voters nationally who voted for the dad in 1988- a substantial base to build on for a presidenial run.


How difficult must it have been to see, Jesse Jr. , with little hesitation, supporting Barak Obama, and to become his national co-chair, no less? The princely heir to a presidential legacy supporting a newcomer, a person not of the lineage, the neophyte in politics. Jesse Sr. may be feeling as though his hard work over the years is being profiteered, and by a seeming ingrate at that.

In bibilical times, King Saul had a similar relationship with his son Jonathan, and Jonathan's best friend, David.

David was anointed to be the next king of Israel, but Saul wanted his son to succeed to the throne. It drove Saul crazy to see Jonathan aquiesce to David, but Jonathan saw something special in David, and could not hold him from his destiny as King of Israel. He supported David, despite his father's machinations, and expressed his undying loyalty to him. Eventually Saul's sins led to his undoing, and Jonathan's, while David went on to become a legend.

Jesse Sr. has apologized to Barack for his poor comments, and has quickly been seen posturing to atone for the words. While the punditry takes Jackson to task, it maybe that Jesse Sr. greatest mistake lies not in the errant comments wantonly whispered- but in not letting go. The thing you love most- your life's work and the effort to give your children every advantage from it- is in the heart of good men. The challenge comes when the children choose a different path, an individual idenity that follows a corollary or a tangent. To let go of the dreams for a son, while embracing the goals of another man's dreams is a grand step, filled with the pitfalls of loss. The ghosts of campaign's past haunt the elder Jackson, causing the mercurial flashpoints seen on the Fox network.

It is time for Jackson to pass on his past efforts, and provide new avenues for the persumpive nominee of the Democratic Party. Although it is not his own son, Barack Obama also has dreams from his father- one that was never there for him as in the Jesse Jackson clan. Perhaps Jessie Sr. could be a great role model for absent Black fathers- by making more room for another man's son - and honoring the desires of his own.

Lets Have a Drink

One of the remaining images in my mind from the historic Democratic primary of 2008 is the one of Hilary Clinton tossing back beers and shots in various places in the country. It was unprecedented, as I have never seen a presidential candidate sip champagne, drink a brew, or slam a cold one. Maybe it was the byproduct of the open access of this campaign, with more Internet reporting, 24 hour news cycles, and cell phones with video recording capability.

While I did see Hillary's competitor also having a draft, it was seeing her in Pennsylvania in the pub and her in Puerto Rico at the party that I remember the most.

And I am not alone, as many people commented about these images, particularly women who were non-Hilary supporters. Some felt that she portrayed a desperate image, looking somewhat uncomfortable and out of place, trying to fit in.

One interesting image that I didn't see was Hillary drinking in African American communities. I mean, how cool would it have been to see her "up in the club" with some cognac or some Bacardi? How about her in an local joint in the ATL, or a dive in Detroit, getting her groove on in Gary, or washing a few back in Watts? For the older African American voters, maybe a staged photo-op in the jazz clubs in the Big Easy, or the blues clubs in Kansas City, Mo. And since African Americans are diverse, maybe seeing her at a dancehall club somewhere in a West Indian haven in New York, or a Haitian Club in South Florida, or partying with the Cape Verdians in Roxbury.

Maybe her lack luster poll results would have been stemmed if she would have just had a drink with black folk, to hear our stories again and to commiserate with us in the midst of this mortgage crisis, failing urban schools, and the outsourcing of jobs. We could have debated the negative images of BET (she could have brought Bob Johnson on that one) and talked about dwindling attendance at churches. And don't forget, the state of Black Colleges and Universities, the placement of their graduates, and the issue of health care.

And if she had started early in early 2007, when the Jena 6 issue was dominating the news or the memory of hurricane Katrina was upfront and center in everyone's mind, we might have been more partial, and would have been less likely to abdicate wholesale to another candidate.

There are embittered conversations that Black people are having that didn't always make it to Tavis Smiley- the kind that we have at bars or in the backyard. It would have been nice to see her in one of these settings, with a Sean John scarf or some Roca Wear capri outfit, listing to what's going in Watts, how things were in Houston, and the daily buzz in Durham.

Personally, I don't drink, but she could have had communion with me on the First Sunday at my church. There are stories there too, some that don't get spoken, even at the club. It would have been nice to see her thirst for my story. To see it washed away in cup of my realities .

While that drink cannot help her to set policy as the next POTUS, it can still help her to set policy as a Senator. So come on by and sit down, Hillary, we have some catching up to do.