The Rise of Obama - Can He Win A General Election?

And Why I Supported John Edwards

None of the candidates were really a choice for me. However, out of the line-up that was presented, I would have preferred to see John Edwards get the nomination. But the corporate media decided over a year ago that John Edwards would not be President.

The Obama/Clinton Show represented the biggest ratings draw and the biggest money maker for the networks, and therefore the media set the agenda for voters and decided who the “favorite” candidates were going to be. The media clearly decided (for the people) who the favorites were, and have spent the last 18 months bombarding the American public with coverage….herding the public in the direction of the media’s choosing.

Americans vote how they are told to vote….always have. This year will be no different. Like obedient sheep, Americans will participate in the Obama/Clinton made for TV Movie. I will watch the movie, but i’m not participating in the production.
I have never participated in an American election ceremony, and never will. But I will remain an avid observer.

My cynicism has not gone anywhere. If anything, this election cycle is (so far) only making me more disgusted with the political system, and the electoral process in particular. This election is a sham to me…..as all recent elections have been. The media has more influence in choosing Presidents than voters do. THAT IS A PROBLEM.

In my case, John Edwards is (or “was” now…because he’ll be done here pretty soon) …but he was the only candidate with a message that resonated with me. He was the only candidate with poverty as a focus of his platform. He was the only candidate with Hurricane Katrina as a part of his platform…and he had a plan for Katrina… (how many of the other candidates went down to volunteer numerous times…when the cameras were not there?). He was the only candidate with a focus on the working poor… And in my view, he would have been more electable in a General Election. He’s a Southern Democrat…just what the Democratic Party needs for a nominee. It’s no coincidence that the last 2 Democratic Presidents were Southern Democrats… the last 3 if you count Gore. lol.

He’s not the perfect candidate… But he had “great” President potential… almost Kennedy-esqe (not that i’m a big fan of Kennedy).
But Black folks (as a whole)… are some of the most loyal Sheep in the electorate…. so it’s no surprise that folks would vote for someone who looks like them, but has not necessarily articulated a plan or platform that best represents their interests.

To me, Obama seems to be more along the lines of an elitist Wall Street corporate Democrat…. willing to negotiate with entrenched corporate interests….and “hope” that they come to their senses….rather than someone who will fight his ass off for my best interests (at least some of my interests) as a Black man struggling in the working class…and stuck in the working class. (See great commentary "I Don't Need A Candidate To Hope For Me, I Need One To Fight For Me"). His stump speeches and his message never really caught on for me. And being staunchly independent, I had no interest in jumping on his bandwagon just because he was Black. That whole idea is insulting to me…. I hate when people bring this up… assuming, in a roundabout way, that I should automatically back the man because of our shared skin pigment.

I recall Obama saying just last week at a rally that he helped put together legislation that prevented Senators from accepting meals from lobbyists… But who cares about a f—-ing meal when lobbyists are still buying members of Congress and literally writing the legislation. K Street is as strong as ever. In other words, he’s too superficial in his challenge of the Washington DC culture and corporate control of our government. He should be talking about closing K Street down… PERIOD. These lobbyists have all sorts of special access to elected officials…both in Congress and the White House. Yet the citizens have zero access. Ironically… the original meaning of “lobbyist” referred to a time when the average citizen would go to Congress to lobby their elected officials. Access was practically open at that time. Try reaching your elected official today. Good luck! Good luck even getting a response to a letter. If you are lucky…. IF you are lucky, you will get a form letter back, thanking you for your effort to contact Sen. or Congressman Joe Blow.

But the test now for Obama will be winning a General Election. That’s the true test… winning purple States. He will need more than “hope” and a smile to overcome the brutal beating that the Republican attack machine & Conservative corporate media is about to put on him. AND FOLKS… THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE PRETTY…. IT WILL NOT BE FOR THE FAINT OF HEART. I can’t stress that enough.

People say…well he won in 2 White States… well that was a Caucus and Primary, with mostly folks from his own Party participating. That will not necessarily translate into success in a General Election….even with some support from independents.

But if he wins the nomination… I will support him. Because the alternative is just unthinkable. Two of the Republi-CON candidates- Romney and Huckabee- want to turn the State into an Imperialist Theocracy, and the other two top candidates- Giuliani and McCain- are warmongering lunatics who will give us the Bush+ Plan… The same Bush administration policies on steroids. It will essentially be an extension of BushCo. Both McCain and Giuliani have the most prowar military and foreign policy teams and they have both expressed an interest in taking the nation into more wars. John McCain is the biggest warhawk in the U.S. Senate…has been for many years.

The problem with Obama is that I just don’t think he can beat a top Republican in a General Election. If McCain gets the nod… Obama will be in trouble.
And he could also struggle with any of the other top Republicans.

Obama as an ideal opponent for the Republicans, because they see him as one of the most beatable Democrats.

At any rate… this year will be interesting on many levels.