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Tuesday, 30 January 2007 14:31 |
 | | Roland Martin |
CHICAGO ÇƒÓ There is little doubt that Illinois Sen. Barack Obama is going to aggressively pursue the Democratic nomination for president in 2008.
The forming of his exploratory committee is simply the foundation to what will be a campaign that many are saying will be a formidable challenge to Democratic rivals such as Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y.
While Democrats across the country fall over themselves just to touch the man, he is being eyed suspiciously by the nationës black leadership.
For
the first time in history, America will have an African-American
seeking the worldës most powerful position ÇƒÓ one who actually has a
shot at winning, and you would think that black politicians, civil
rights and religious leaders would be the loudest voices calling for
him to run. But, no! We have folks playing coy, whispering behind the
scenes, questioning his blackness, and in some cases, complete silence.
This is nothing more than black-on-black hate at its best.
The Rev. Al
Sharpton, who offered nothing more than a few great quotes in his 2004
presidential bid, told the Chicago Defender: "I think that Obama brings
to the race a fresh face with an impressive background. I think that
all of us around the country will be assessing all of the candidates
and seeing what they have to offer. It is then that we will be able to
make more solid comments about Obama and other possible candidates and
what they will bring to the table."
He added: "My
own thing is that I donët know him that well, but I seek to get to know
him," Sharpton said. "Then I can give you better impressions about him
and I will be able to grasp what it is he is seeking and trying to do."
Grasp what he is trying to do? Rev. Al, heës trying to become the president of the United States!
On my talk show
on WVON-AM/1690 in Chicago, the Rev. Jesse Jackson said he supports
Obama, but added that many black leaders nationwide donët know the
junior senator from Illinois.
"He will have to take time to build relationships," he said.
The Rev. James
Meeks, who served in the Illinois Senate with Obama, told the Defender
that ego and envy has a lot to do with the lukewarm response from black
leadership.
"I only hope
that African-American elected officials and other African-American
leaders do not become jealous and force Barack Obama to kiss their
rings before getting their support," he said. "Black people are going
to have to be fair enough to let him campaign in the United States, and
not just in the African-American communities and on African-American
issues. This is the United States, and not the United States of
African-Americans."
Yet Dr. Ron
Walters, one of the nationës pre-eminent political science professors
from the University of Maryland, College Park, said the feelings about
Obama have nothing to do with jealousy.
"Itës clear that
Barack Obama is ascending to the pantheon of black leadership and the
problem that we always have had historically is whites sort of picking
African-American leaders and then importing the paradigm that they
represent in our community," he said on WVON-AM. "That was the old
Booker T. Washington problem. There is a reticence on the part of some
of our leaders to accept Barack Obama until he comes full force in
terms of his program. I think thatës fair. I want to see where he
stands on the critical issues that black people face before I give him
carte blanche."
Here is the rub
for me: Obama is entering his third year as a U.S. senator. Prior to
that he served seven years in the Illinois Senate. By the time the
first primary rolls around, he will have double the legislative
experience that George W. Bush had when he was elected. The man has
been speaking on black issues for years. So why force a litmus test on
him that is not being established for Sen. Clinton and other candidates?
Frankly, the
real problem black leadership has is that Obama didnët come through
"the civil rights system." And like it or not, there is tremendous
jealousy that he has been able to do what so many others have not done:
First, he actually got elected to something. Second, he launched a
campaign that people actually believe can win.
Lastly, Obamaës
rise as the top black political voice in America supplants others who
have served as the arbiters of black thought.
This is nothing
but the old lion flexing his muscle in order to try to scare off the
fearless young lion. But as with life in the jungle, the only way a
species keeps surviving is if the young take the place of the old.
People like
Obama and Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick represent 21st century black
leadership and itës time for the men and women who have been on the
scene for years to stop fighting change, and rest on the fact that they
are seeing their labor come to fruition. If not, they will look like
old fighters embarrassing themselves in search of glory days.
ï
Roland S. Martin, editor of The Chicago Defender newspaper, is author of "Speak, Brother! A Black Manës View of America."
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