Revolution

Twenty months ago, when the campaign really started heating up, I didn’t think I’d be able to put up with the insanity and inanity of the typical U.S. presidential campaign for all those months. Twenty months of attack ads — twenty months of avoiding the issues — twenty months of insanity and inanity.

But I was wrong. This has been a fascinating presidential campaign. The primary elections were full of unexpected plots twists:– Mitt Romney going down so quickly, John McCain campaigning so well and wrapping it up so early, the epic battle bewteen Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. In the summer, between the effective end of the primaries and their official nominations, the two presumptive candidates began sparring with each other, and we kept waiting for the attack ads — who would be the first to be vicious?

Finally, I have been absolutely riveted by the last two months or so of this presidential campaign:– McCain’s choice of Sarah Palin as running mate was an utter surprise; I was sure Obama’s race would play a bigger role but it really didn’t; and the financial meltdown changed absolutely everything. As Justin Webb of the BBC put it, “In spite of all the loose talk of the decline of American influence, this is, once again, the greatest political show on earth.”

And Webb captured the real importance of this campaign in a little anecdote. He was in Denver, at the Democratic national convention, when he saw a motorcade begin to form…

Suddenly, in front of me there is activity. Men in grey suits are talking into their sleeves. Huge, sleek cars are being revved. Motorbikes are getting into formation.

It is not [Obama], it is his family.

As the SUVs pass — including several with the doors and back windows open, men with large automatic weapons looking out with keen hard glares — I catch just a glimpse of the children, of 10-year-old Malia and seven-year-old Sasha peering out. I think their mother was sitting in the middle.

This is the true revolution.

There have been, after all, prominent black politicians for decades now, men and women afforded the full protection and respect that the nation can muster.

But seeing little black children gathered up into the arms of the secret service, surrounded by people who would die rather than let them die, is to see something that must truly make the racists of Americas past revolve in their graves.

I do not think Barack Obama will win or lose because of his race, but if he does win, the real moment you will know that America has changed is not when he takes the oath, but when we see pictures of tiny people padding along the White House corridors — a black First Family — representing America and American-ness. [“The Greatest Political Show on Earth”.]

Even the real possibility of a black First Family is a revolution. What a presidential campaign this has been — and it’s not done being boring yet. I’ll doubtless be blogging frequently tomorrow — hope you drop by and leave a comment about your election day experiences.

2 thoughts on “Revolution

  1. Jean

    A first black family — that’s just amazing, isn’t it? Just a few years ago we had a filmmaker here on campus who made a documentary about the murder of Emmitt Till. He had interviewed people who knew the killers, the family, the little boy himself, and that film re-opened the case with new evidence which led to new trials, perhaps a final justice for one brutally murdered black child. May his spirit roam the halls of the White House — and have good company!

  2. PeaceBang

    The youth, joy and adoration in the Obama family are such a delight to see. Obama is in love with Michele, she’s in love with him, and excuse me for saying so but the idea of a first couple getting sexy in the White House makes me very happy.

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