The 2008 Presidential Election Rainbow


For all of the talk about color in the 2008 Presidential Election, the proper perspective on the race is that of the Jesse Jackson dream of a rainbow coalition. That rainbow is offering quite a spread of shades this Presidential election cycle. Everything from the darkest black to the most lily-white is represented in the surviving crop of candidates.

When looking at the Presidential candidates, one must look past color however; look past the fact that Barack Obama is black, that Hilary Clinton is a woman and that John McCain is a crotchety white version of Napoleon. The true test of any one of these is not in color, but in their governance. Since words in politics are worthless except to those in politics, we prefer to view actions rather than colors or words when choosing a candidate for which to vote. That initially hurts Obama. He is the silver tongued black Teflon candidate of the 2008 presidential race. However, there are records consisting of action that must be considered above the rhetoric and gloss presented to America to date.

In the drive to bring everyone together, it is simple to judge who will win both blue liberal states, and staunchly red conservative states. Obama talks a good game, but again words mean nothing. In a country of red and blue states, Obama is so far to the left that he is purple! Far removed from the mainstream of America, Obama makes Hilary Clinton appear more conservative.

Senator Obama has the most liberal voting record, actions, and opinions than any one else in the United States Senate. His oratory on the campaign trail is contradictory to his track record of action. He speaks in tones conciliatory and inclusive, but his agenda and record are stealthily uncompromising. When given repeated opportunities to vote with a more centrist point of view he declines to even participate. Given all of the flowery rhetoric he espouses, you might think there was some meat to stand behind it. Not so.

Mrs. Clinton who has spent much of her life as a flaming liberal of the left, and values progressive socialism is, despite her past, a bit farther to the right than Obama. She remains far left of mainstream in America, however. She has done little aside from wittingly moving to New York, a bastion of liberal support, in order to parlay her position as First Lady into a bid for the Presidency. Shrewd is the shrew! Nevertheless the major insight into her governance is her failed health care policy of the early 1990’s. She will demand that everyone be covered by a government plan. Under her resurrected plan, the government will not only force you to join, but they will steal you money via the tax system to make you pay for it. It sounds almost communistic, let alone a social program. It is the same, Social Security, payroll tax, income tax, triple-play mentality that exemplifies her leanings when it comes to action.

Finally, John McCain is as close to the middle as we might get this election year. Here is a guy who has many conservative beliefs, but has proven with his actions that he is willing to work with Democrats. He has pissed-off his own party for his radical stances on major issues like immigration, free speech, and taxes. If we go strictly on action, McCain is the most like what American’s say that they are seeking. McCain is someone who is committed to his beliefs, but retro enough to remember that compromise is part of how government that works, operates. That is why he is viewed as a conservative centrist. Neither side can fully trust him. Overall Senator McCain is right of center, but on balance not too far right. This year that might be enough to take the White House.

If there is a candidate who embodies traits of both red and blues states in this race, it is Senator McCain. The Democrats certainly personify blue state concerns, and would run the country likely from a far left perspective of action. They are not so much blue as they are a shade of deep indigo. McCain is much more of a maroon, leaning right into the red, but dipping just enough into the blue to make him viable and perhaps the right color for the 2008 presidential race.

The New Wild Party

For the longest time it seems that the party of the people (the Democrats) has had the high road. They have been given a pass mostly by minority groups. They tout helping their fellow man, and they garner 90% of the black vote for instance in election years. In reality many stalwart Democrats are the very people that continue to enslave minorities by perpetuating the myth of victimization upon them. The latest successful charting of such politics came from the Clinton Administration.

This election cycle has a new added dimension, Barrack Obama. What does that mean? Well not only does it mean this year’s general election will be largely racially charged (c’mon an old wrinkled white dude up against a young handsome black man?), but that the primary season has a head start on the process.

In South Carolina’s Democratic Primary President Clinton injected race into the scene and successfully polarized the state. Its ramifications have been felt nation wide. It started a debate and a flight to Obama among African Americans. Clinton once touted as the first black President for his image toward them has now lost his footing, and standing among them. Candidate Mrs. Clinton is paying the price. Mrs. Clinton has become the Republican of the Democrat primary. She is now being lambasted as racist for any mention of Senator Obama’s record. That discussion will come, but the segregation among voters is fairly wide spread.

Obama has made inroads with whites, but when this close primary contest comes down to Obama leading in delegates, and Clinton leading in the popular vote what is the likely outcome. The bloodletting would likely rival anything that the republican’s have been accused of in political past. Mrs. Clinton and the fight that is possibly going to ensue will be one for the books and might be the only hope McCain has of being elected. Once the democrats bloody themselves by embracing their racism (which is a label hard to stick to a black man) then McCain will be the outsider who can rise above it. The Democrats need to play nice, but history has shown that the Clintons and Obama in some instances will go to the wall for what they want, honor be damned. Look out for this election year to be a wild one!