What if Obama Loses?

Randall Kennedy has a piece in the opinion section of today, September 14, 2008, Washington Post (link posted below). In the piece, he speaks about what it will mean to him if Obama loses. His piece starts off by talking about how he was moved to tears on the night of Obama's acceptance speech.

He then questions, "Yet the possibility is very real: Barack Obama could lose. If that happens, then what? How will I feel? How will other black Americans feel? How should people like me feel?"

He opines that if Obama loses, then the African American community will have to decide if the presidency was won on the issues, or if it was decided due to prejudice.

"Whether black onlookers believe that this election was decided "on the real issues" and that Obama was "judged fairly" will be shaped in part by future developments, including the nature of the campaign in its closing weeks (will race-baiting intensify?) and the demographics of the final voting tally (will people who have traditionally voted Democrat vote differently this time around?)."

"I anticipate that most black Americans will believe that an Obama defeat will have stemmed in substantial part from a prejudice that robbed 40 million Americans of the chance to become president on the day they were born black."
"... deep in their bones, they will believe -- and probably rightly -- that race was a key element, that had the racial shoe been on the other foot -- had John McCain been black and Obama white -- the result would have been different."

He went on to say: "My mother will be sorry if Obama loses, but she won't feel disillusioned, because she hasn't allowed herself to get her hopes up. She has insisted throughout that "the white folks are going to refuse one way or another to permit Obama to become president.'" and he further continued, "...the climate of this election year so clearly favors the Democrats, because this was supposed to be an election the Republicans couldn't win, and because in my view, the Obama ticket is obviously superior to McCain's."

In other words....

So basically, it has nothing to do about the debates, the issues or the experience levels that both candidates bring to the table. If this is true, perhaps we should just save the time, energy, and money and cancel the debates now. Seems like the decision is already made.

Of course, this is an interesting twist - because this now frames the election in a racial light. I, for one, am not quite ready to concede the point that the Obama-Biden ticket is the superior ticket. I will reserve my judgment until after we learn more about the policies of the candidates.

One of the most disappointing things for me is that we have essentially known for 18 months who the potential candidates would be. Yet, we are still yet to hear about the ISSUES, the real problems facing America. However, we have heard all about which candidate goes to what church, and which candidates have crazy pastors and who is pregnant and who wears lip stick - come on. America is looking for better than just a reality show about the candidates - Americans are looking for real debate and real solutions to challenging issues. The debates are great, but how much can we really learn about a candidates policy preferences in a 30 second sound-byte?

What Mr Kennedy has provided us with here is an excuse. An excuse in case Obama is defeated. Obama's defeat, of course, would have nothing to do with his light resume or his questionable decision making skills or people's disagreement with his proposed policies - it was merely because he was black. So the excuse is set. Now, what should the response be? Mr. Kennedy has framed the response to an Obama defeat for us as well:

"This conclusion will be accompanied by bitter disappointment, and in some quarters, stark rage." ""Obama is a once-in-a-lifetime black candidate," wrote a black student in a memo for my course, "our one shot, probably the only real contender that my parents and grandparents will ever see, and maybe the only contender my generation will see. All my hopes ride with him." Imagine the pain of such hopes dashed."

He continued: "If Obama loses, I personally will feel disappointed, frustrated, hurt. I'll conclude that a fabulous opportunity has been lost. I'll believe that American voters have made a huge mistake. And I'll think that an important ingredient of their error is racial prejudice" "If Obama is defeated, I will, for a brief time, be stunned by feelings of dejection, anger and resentment."

If Obama is defeated, then people will feel frustration, anger, maybe even RAGE? Oh my, does this scenario have the makings of another L.A. Riot? It sure sounds like it to me. The table is set, we now have an excuse for if Obama loses - he was black, and now have a proper response - hate, rage, anger, frustration. Emergency Managers take note - Police overtime may be needed on election night!


Washington Post Article