Sent to you by Tee via Google Reader: Opinion: Post Obama, What Black Politician is Presidential Material? via Black Politics on the Web by The Admin on 3/23/09 Sadiq Green, Digital Journal
- His election in November 2008 was a seminal moment in American politics and the nation’s history. Now, just two months in office, Barack Obama’s election raises interesting questions concerning the future of American politics in the post-Obama era. As the first Black American to make it to the White House, Barack Obama ran the last leg of a race that had its roots in the Reconstruction era when Black politicians first won election to state and federal office. The journey included several memorable efforts by Blacks to influence the country’s consciousness to accept the eventuality that an African American could be president. Starting with Rev. Channing Phillips’s “favorite son” candidacy in 1968 at the Democratic National Convention and the historic candidacies of Rep. Shirley Chisholm and Rev. Jesse Jackson, it was never really a question of if a Black citizen would be elected President, given the many trailblazing accomplishments of African Americans, but a question of whom. Now, that Barack Obama has broken the presidential barrier, the reality is that the magic of the “first” Black president will give way to the political reality of the inherent difficulties in electing the second. Fair or not, the tenure of Barack Obama will have a lot to do with the opportunity to elect another Black citizen to the presidency. If successful, President Obama will likely wipe away the negative perceptions, voiced or silent, of Black’s leadership potential and smooth the path of the next African American to seek the White House. Even if the individual does not have the same pedigree of Mr. Obama, she or he will gain some of the residual benefit and good will of a successful Obama administration. On the other hand, if Mr. Obama stumbles along the way or his administration falters, there is a strong possibility that the next Black to run for President will face an uphill climb. Click here for more… ShareThis Things you can do from here: - Subscribe to Black Politics on the Web using Google Reader - Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Black Focus Inc." group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Black-Focus-Inc?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
