Never Without Issues
Politics is never without issues. (That deserves a duh). If it were, it wouldn’t be very interesting. You may think issues are things like the environment, education, health care and the war. But alas, (I love old English speak-it’s so romantic), issues are much more than just making life better for billions of people. Take the issue of where Obama should give his acceptance speech at the Democratic Convention.
After the Obama campaign made the announcement about moving the speech to Mile High Stadium, rather than the Convention Center, my immediate reaction was, “What for? What a logistical nightmare! I get that they want to send a message of inclusive - that everyone in the universe is included, but I wouldn’t want to be the person who decides how the additional 40,000 tickets get dispersed. (Well, maybe I would but they didn’t ask me). I use 40,000 as a number because Madison Square Garden, the site of a number of political conventions holds about 35,000 people, and the stadium holds 75,000 - even I can do that math. Anyway, do they give the tickets to loyal democrats, much desired independents, or young people who like stadium events. Additionally, how do they move the 35,00 people, who are supposed to be at the convention, to the stadium. I know you think they can take a cab or the Democratic party can provide about 800 buses, (because delegates and all VIP’s expect to be cared for), but it’s not without exorbitant expense or good chance of screw-up. Maybe this is old think, after-all, John Kennedy did the same thing. He reached out to the great unwashed (I mean unbamaized), rather than in any kind of sanitary way - that wouldn’t be nice. Kennedy was ‘new think’ despite the fact that his campaign happened in the olden days. There’s also the question of security. As Susan Eisenhower said, Obama shows great courage just by walking out of his door in the morning. We all know there are lot’s of nuts out there who will try to make a statement about the possibility of the first Black President. It is just easier to secure a carefully credentialed smaller venue.
OK, so that’s what I thought-initially. But then I talked to my very wise friend Kerry and she reminded me that there are ‘political’ issues beyond logistics and security. There is the question of the Clinton’s. Since Bill and Hillary are going to speak at the Convention site, Obama needs to go elsewhere - or somewhere that takes him beyond small and select. A place that does not belong to the past. Somewhere that makes yet another statement about change.
Last night Obama did a fundraiser in New York to retire the Clinton debt. The only problem was that he forgot to do, as we say in politics-the ask. He gave his speech, the music started and then his aides reminded him that he needed to say a thing or two about fundraising for Hillary. He stopped the music and said something like, oops “I forgot to mention Hillary. I might have had a debt if I hadn’t won.” Do we think that was a problem? It might have made the Obama supporters who resent having to pay Mark Penn, feel great. But I don’t think the Hillary supporters who were there or listening, wanted to be treated like an after thought. I say, get over it! Put on your big girl panties and support the nominee. I don’t think it was an intentional slight, rather just another example of what happens when the event (which at some point has a life of its own), moves forward without following the script.
There is no way to deny that this campaign is clearly an illustration of generational differences. Take the other controversy of the day - Jesse Jackson. Isn’t Jesse Jackson always a controversy? Here’s what happened. Jesse Jackson said that he thought as a consequence of Obama’s faith based speeches, (where he said Black people had to take responsibility for themselves), he’d like to cut off Obama’s nuts-yes private parts. Wow, there are those of us who think Jesse was a little harsh. But what did we expect? It’s not, as anyone who is not a doctor says, brain surgery. Jesse wanted to be the President. Jesse wants to be the most important Black guy. Jesse Jackson has always tried to be the voice for his people. He must be incredibly angry about the popularity and success of this young upstart, (who never got arrested, talks about faith and fatherhood) being in exactly the place Jesse has always tried to be. And then, to make the awful even worse, Jesse’s son (a co-chair of the Obama campaign) admonished his father for the statements. He even called his dad “Reverend”. Talk about humiliating. It almost makes you feel sorry for the Reverend-almost is the operational word. Having been treated like trash by Jesse on more than one occasion-I can’t actually get to that ‘feeling really bad’ place.
Back to the question of political issues. Are they more than making life better. Are they simply decisions about tactics, logistics and rhetoric? Yes. Now, isn’t that a political answer.
