Obama Rising

By Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr
1/8/2008 C Tribune Media Services

Barack Obama's stunning victory in Iowa lifts our hearts, no matter who we
support. You can't help but be touched by a brilliant, passionate African
American with a message of hope winning the vote of Iowa's presidential
caucuses. But a first step in a long race for Obama, it is surely a giant
step for America.
Forty-four years ago, Fanny Lou Hamer led the Mississippi Freedom Democratic
Party to the Democratic convention in Atlantic City, challenging a
Mississippi Democratic delegation that had systematically excluded all
blacks. Hamer had to kick open locked doors simply to gain a hearing. She
was dismissed by President Johnson as an "illiterate." Hubert Humphrey and
others were sent to negotiate a compromise. In the end, two delegates from
the Freedom Democratic Party were let in, on condition that Hamer not be
among them. Four years later, Democrats required equal representation. And
now four decades later, an African American leader can compete on a more
level playing field. .
On the stage of the Democratic debate on Saturday night in New Hampshire
were the leading candidates for the nomination: a white woman, an African
American, a white man and a Latino - strong leaders all - contesting for the
presidency. (Dennis Kucinich was unfairly excluded from the debate). The
Rainbow was arrayed on the field. We have come a long way.
George Bush the First talked in New Hampshire's primary about having the
"Big Mo," as in momentum. Barack Obama enjoys far more than that. He's got
the "Big Ms" - magnetic personality, magic moment, message, money and
momentum. And the preposterously short primary season - it's all over
essentially by February 5 - dramatically favors anyone who can win the early
contests - in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada. If Obama wins
today in New Hampshire, he will be well on his way.
The media will now begin to "scrutinize" Obama. The right has already begun
to slime him. Tired from the brutal campaign, his temper and his grace will
be sorely tested. No one would choose the preposterous ways we elect a
president in this country. But if nothing else, it does test the nerves, the
judgment and the capacity of the candidates that seek the office.
Now the media is into the horse race: Who is up? Who is down?; What heads
will roll? Daily polls, focus groups, on the street interviews. Lost in all
this are the issues that Americans care most about.
Never was this more apparent than in the New Hampshire debate on Saturday
night. Moderator Charles Gibson came armed with videos on various issues to
set up discussions. The first, on nuclear weapons and terrorism, stimulated
a serious discussion. The second was on the budget deficits, priorities and
entitlements, but Gibson clearly was tired of substance. He turned instead
to Hillary and asked her what positions of Obama she thought ought to be
"vetted." Rather than substantive differences on Social Security and
spending - of which there are many - he teed up the tit-for-tat discussion
that got the headlines the next day.
This is a disservice to voters. The debates are the best opportunity for
probing policy differences and for hearing what the candidates would do
about the major challenges facing our country. Instead, the moderators reach
for controversy because that drives ratings and coverage. The candidates
revert to sound bites. The only question is who stung whom and will it hurt?

It is time to get real. This economy is probably already in recession. Last
month, the private sector lost jobs. Millions are facing the loss of their
homes. More and more students are getting priced out of college. Oil is at
$100 a barrel. The dollar continues sinking. Catastrophic climate change is
a real and present danger. Our soldiers are dying in Iraq, where we've
wasted nearly $1 trillion on the war already, even as Al Qaeda is
consolidating and nuclear-armed Pakistan is in turmoil. Kenya - where the US
embassy was already bombed - is now disintegrating into violence.
We need commentators to probe these issues with candidates. Not with
"gotcha" questions - "do you know the name of the interim Uzbekistan prime
minister?" - but in ways that are as sober as the moment.
Obama and Clinton are now the Democratic front-runners; Huckabee and McCain
on the Republican side. They will and should be scrutinized. Put aside the
opposition research and partisan jibes that magnify the petty. Let's focus
on their answers to real challenges. If done fairly, that just might add a
final "m" - mastery - to the charge of Senator Barack Obama.



Return