Deciphering the criticism of Obama
Per The State: South Carolinans are not so happy with the racial politics played by the Clintons recently. Yet even there, the divide shows a generational split.
A generational divide has opened among black S.C. political leaders that matches a key difference between Clinton and Obama.
Older, more experienced black elected officials, including Jackson and state Sen. Robert Ford, D-Charleston, back Clinton. Younger politicians — including Steve Benjamin and Rick Wade, who both made high-profile runs for statewide office, and state Reps. Bakari Sellers and Todd Rutherford — support Obama.
Rutherford bristles at the notion, offered up by some of Clinton’s supporters, that it is foolish to back a relatively young black man for an office that no black ever has held.
“If they are going to call themselves black leaders, and people are running by them to vote for Obama and they are standing there and pointing in the other direction, then maybe they need to be replaced,” Rutherford said.
I don’t get how the Clintons can tackle Obama on his age while keeping a straight face. Teddy Roosevelt, JFK, and Ulysses S Grant were younger than Obama would be on Election Day. Not a bad bunch to be in as only Grant had a weak presidency. And there was one other, more than a year younger than Obama at his swearing in. Maybe you heard of him: William Jefferson Clinton.
Or is ‘relatively young’ only a valid critique for a Black man, but a positive thing for a white?
It looks like Hillary’s willing to lose South Carolina with the racial stuff, if it will add to her delegate total in other states with older and whiter primary voters.
January 12th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
I can’t figure out this age thing, either. Obama’s four years younger than I am, and I’m squarely in the Boomer Generation. Yet Obama is constantly described as being a “Gen X” guy. WFT,O? Not to mention that Edwards is only a few years older. I don’t get this.
And yes, I don’t think Obama’s too young to be President. Someone his age can have a career, and then spend some time in politics. My problem with Obama is what he’s done in politics, but that’s another matter. The Constitution mandates that you have to be at least thirty-five. They’re all old enough.
As for how racial politics is being played, I personally think it’s being played badly. Don’t we as a country want to talk about what the problems are that minorities and the rest of us have to deal with, rather than who is exploiting which ethnic group the most?