Contemporary Patriots

In Today’s Political World

Part of the Straight Up! No Chaser! Commentary Series By:​ Tonya Crew, JD

Before the ink could dry on my first comments regarding the Democratic National Convention, Mitt Romney forced me to change the dialogue. After the DNC, several things changed in this critical and quite major political race. Democrats found their enthusiasm.

Clinton was superb, in the way only he can be; clearly explaining the progress of President Obama, even clarifying the circumstances. Needless to say we saw the bump, and felt the tide turn for the Democrats. My message, in short, was “if you haven’t decided to go to the polls, because you were less than enthusiastic about what Obama has or has not done or said about African Americans, I advised , we move that emphasis to giving the President the benefit of the doubt and show up to the polls.

 

Presidents Clinton and Obama
President Barack Obama talks with former President Bill Clinton before an event in McLean, Va. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

However, after Romney showed his true colors- it becomes imperative that he never occupy the big chair in the Oval office. The dialogue changed from the President “won’t do anything for me” to “won’t do anything to me.” In large part, the wealthy in America got rich on the backs of the poor. But when a candidate for the “highest office” says he “doesn’t care about 47% of the country” – which includes many of his own party – it’s time to move.

Our feelings about our President are complicated; many Blacks blindly follow, just as they did when the momentum of history shoved us past what could have been the ideal solution. A Clinton/Obama ticket would have yielded a second candidate ready to continue the path to recovery another eight years- with Obama for 2016. But like the recent discovery that they could fight back, the Democrats seem to be finally learning how to play this game, and their failure to plan into the future, has continuously cost us big.

Barack and Michelle Obama with White House visitors
President Obama and The First Lady Greet Visitors in The White House Lawn. (Official White House Photo).

 I must say, I will go to the polls, if for no other reason than to show my support for a Democratic party that stands its ground (a proud moment for any Democrat), but I only recently came to that position. I have lawyer colleagues and friends who would defend Obama’s inability to be the President of Black Americans, and completely freak out at the idea that many Black Americans are not as enthusiastic about the President as they were the first go round. I also understand the opposite perspective. If I hear one more, “pull yourself up by your boot straps” speech from Obama, I will be done with him. This is the patent message majority leaders have been feeding the underclass since “turn the other cheek” in the slavery era, and President Obama should know the roads to escape poverty in this country are heavily manned and densely mined. Few escape unfettered. And in all honesty – the convention only highlighted just how “taken for granted” the Black base really is. He must be the President for all Americans – that’s what he stated repeatedly.

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