is the same thing as “WHAT’S the Matter with KANSAS”
When Senator Obama was speaking in San Francisco about folks in small town Pennsylvania, he wasn't saying anything new nor anything unheard of. He was talking about some of the same issues raised in the best selling Book, “What’s the Matter with Kansas”, by Thomas Frank. http://www.tcfrank.com/wmk.html
In fact, Barack Obama discussed that very book with Charlie Rose back in 2004.
Here’s the portion when he specifically addresses the topic at hand and the book; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a88wMPAWc90
For quite some time, Democratic politicians have attempted to understand why voters who don’t have health coverage and might wish to have it, would not vote for the candidate offering it as part of his campaign pledge, but would vote a the congressional candidate promoting tax cuts for the rich simply because he/she was pro-life. Or why they might vote for a Free Trade candidate because the candidate was pro second amendment or supported an amendment prohibiting the burning of the American flag.
Sen. Obama was simply explaining why the financially hard pressed often time vote on their wedge issues (and yes, that would be God, Guns, and Gays....doh!), instead of their best own economic interest. Barack, a candidate for President, may not have stated his thoughts in the most artful way possible, which he conceded, but it does appear that a wave of epic proportion involving those who would want to be offended have quickly made their voices heard. Obvious to any political observer, The Clinton and McCain Campaigns and the so ever willing media started fanning the flames of objection of Barack Obama’s utterances sooner than immediate, in quick accord.
The serious concern that I have with this intensely focused over-the-top “outrage” on this subject, is that, in essence, Obama is being judged as not worthy enough to speak on the state of our politics as it specifically relates to that group of voters, even though, he just happens to be running for President. Perhaps he should have gotten permission first--But more disturbing still, is that perhaps Barack’s real problem in reference to talking honestly about this often time discussed political subject is that some do not see him as being of the “ilk” of those he is talking about. It is possible that some do not consider him to have enough in common with that part of America, although his mother hailed from rural Kansas, and hence, half of his gene pool is of that “ilk”? Possibly. Could it be that because Sen. Obama is ½ Black, he is not afforded the ability to comment on those he might lead under an Obama administration according to those who set the rules; the true elitists.
Ironically, White politicians, pollsters, pundits and anyone and his/her mother have been seen commenting on the Black vote, the Hispanic vote, the Gay vote, the educated vote, the youth vote, the male and female vote for the last 3 months, in a manner that has not always been preapproved. At such times, the voters are efficiently segmented, dissected and analyzed, and long and short hypothesis are clinically formulated as to why those folks might have voted as they did. In some rare instance, campaign pollsters are given microphones in order to announce to the entire world ahead of time who will be voting for whom.
It is sad to say, that it appears that when it comes to a Black man, no matter that he could claim some of the same roots as those of whom he speaks of, he is simply not allowed that luxury, in particular if his chosen words appear unartful on their face.
But the fact that some would go as far as to say that this “endangers” his candidacy, and attempt to call this (another media produced) “challenge” for Candidate Obama, I must call them on that notion.
These people making such claims are in fact, the elitist playing Molehill politics with our nation. In their eagerness to shape our public opinion on these elections, they are the most obnoctious as they bring us their pile-on high drama manufactured political episodes. They are the reason that Wedge politics is alive and well and striving in America today. They are the reasons that we, the people, have become the cynics that result in only 55% of Americans participating in our political process. Are the “Rural Small town Voters” really “code” for White moderate swing voters that no-one except for White people can discuss? Emoting political correctness does serve a noble purpose at times, but after all that has been said about race, sex and creed in this election, I find this to be happening now most ridiculous!
