Change is coming to America

Change is coming to America

On the day Barack Obama won the Oregon Primary, he didn’t stick around for the traditional victory lap. He chose instead to be in Des Moines, Iowa, back in the first big, largely “White” state he won, early in the primary season. That was the win that converted him into a serious presidential candidate and contender for the Democratic Party nomination. So, it was fitting that Obama returned to Iowa to launch his presidential campaign with his presumptive nomination all but sewn up.

In Des Moines, on Tuesday 20th of May, Obama made the second of his trade-mark “vision” speeches during the long primary campaign; moving, lump in the throat inducing, like those of JFK’s from 48 years before, ringing with calls for change. The first was, of course, his exquisitely balanced “race” speech made at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia already being compared by academics to Abraham Lincoln’s, given at Cooper Union in New York on February 27, 1860.

May 20th was also the day, poignantly, that the world found out that the 76 years old Senator Ted Kennedy, was gravely ill with a malignant brain tumour. JFK’s last surviving brother, the venerable senator from Massachusetts for 46 years, a “liberal lion” and democratic party royalty, endorsed Obama, along with JFK’s daughter Caroline, just a few months ago. They too were inspired, they said, by his youth and idealism and call for change that reminded them of JFK.

Obama’s recent Iowa speech was cadenced, alliterative, soaring, concerning matters home and abroad; on the unfinished business in Afghanistan and the unnecessary goings on in Iraq; on health care, employment and bringing American jobs home; and elegantly, on opportunity for his daughters, thanks to the path opened up by rival Senator Hillary Clinton.

Obama’s new war cry had something of Reverend Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” intensity about it. It also had echoes of the Gettysburg Address, those stirring written words of Abraham Lincoln, resonating still, because the American Civil War was indeed the first blow struck for civil rights in America. It also incorporated a fleeting touch of his turbulent Pastor of twenty years, Jeremiah Wright, for its passion if not its tonality. And, in this one Ohio speech, Barack Obama used the word “change” no less than 17 times.

Of course, in the most visual of telegenic ways, the 46 years old Obama, both Black and White, a product of an American and Indonesian upbringing, and a Kenyan blood-line too; embodies change. But Obama embodies change in much more substantial ways too. His previous “race” speech, had made it clear that Obama was a new kind of 21st century Black, unwilling to be bitter about the burden of racial differences, determined not to exploit race for political gain and its polarising consequence.

The older Reverend Wright, like others of his generation, couldn’t make this crossing, despite his three-decade long Ministry as a man of God. Nor could the earlier era presidential pretender Reverend Jesse Jackson. But Obama, the pragmatic African-American of today, determined to play his part in the political mainstream, could, and can. Obama is neither Black “enough” for the bitter men of colour, nor White “enough” for the bigoted and fearful. His ancestry is however a sorely needed bridge, that can not only heal dangerous rifts in America’s soul but change the resentments many around the world feel towards the predominant power. And exasperating as this hinging on racial cheeseparing may seem, this talk of “enoughness” or its absence, may be the very key to Barack Obama’s inclusiveness.

Change is the metaphor Obama has brought to the public imagination, and he wants to sweep clean, changing Washington in the process. The time has come for Change to become the theme for this Democratic Party presidential race, the two rivals only debating what it means to each, and may well prove to be that of America’s going forward.

It is implicit change that has made possible the presidential candidacy of Barack Obama and his feisty Democratic Party rival Hillary Clinton. Despite a tantalisingly close race, Clinton’s delegate tally remains stubbornly short of the necessary. With just three states yet to be polled, Clinton knows she cannot catch up, not even if the delegations from two early-polling and curiously excluded primary states, Florida and Michigan, are seated. She is nevertheless determined to battle on, waiting for a miracle, a main chance, fate or the closing bell.

This bruising primary has so polarised the democratic voter, between the young, the highly educated and the Black – largely Obama supporters all; and the older, White, working class men and women who are staunch Clinton supporters; that the future script is under pressure. The traditional democratic party constituency has been cleaved in half because there are two winning candidates when there is place for just one winner.

It seems obvious therefore that Obama has little choice but to invite, and persuade, Hillary Clinton to become his Vice Presidential running mate. The Democratic Party on its part, and its remaining uncommitted super-delegates, may have to weigh in to force this outcome, unless they are prepared to watch the prize slip away to the Republicans by default.

We shall all soon see what we shall see, but if this “dream ticket” forged in the imperatives of voter logic, does emerge, it will, most probably, result in the pair going on to win the White House in November. It will be a revolutionary development for America, simultaneously creating a great leap forward in both race and gender equality after months of damaging pot shots at both conditions.

But, even if Clinton isn’t on the Obama ticket, either because he won’t ask her because of the considerable Clinton-era baggage she carries; or because of the primary season acrimony between the candidates; or because she refuses to play second fiddle, even if Obama offers to beef up the content in a largely ceremonial veep’s post; all may not be lost. Obama is, after all, a hugely inspirational figure, and there are many experienced and electorally attractive Democratic senators to choose his running mate from. The challenge then will pass on to reveal the maturity of the Democratic Party voter to put the primary behind them and vote Obama to office.

(1,050 words)
Gautam Mukherjee
Thursday 22nd May 2008