Kerwick's Corner: The Death of Racism & the Return of the True Conservatives
Wednesday November 12, 2008
What's to like about a Barack Obama presidency? More than you think if you're a conservative.
In the wake of Obama's historic victory over Republican nominee John McCain, About.com guest commentator Jack Kerwick examines the upside about the Democrat's win and what conservatives can hope it will mean for America and the future of the movement.
From the column:
An Obama presidency could, and no doubt does, signify to some the passing of “the old order,” or what has more cynically been described as “white dispossession.” To others, it is a symbol that blacks have, at long last, “overcome.” Yet to me, and no doubt to everyone else who has thrills over the reality of an Obama presidency that would eclipse even those that overtake Chris Mathews’ whenever he catches a glimpse of Obama, Obama’s election is a resounding repudiation of the poisonous, but profitable, fiction that America is a “racist” country.Photo © Gabriel Bouys/Getty Images
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Comments
This article is disturbingly naïve and wrongheaded. First of all, it’s more than a little condescending to assert that the world was overjoyed at the election of Barack Obama simply because he was a black man. The world more than likely cheered for the election of Barack Obama because they saw him as an end to the last eight years of reckless unilateralism and ruthless pursuit of global hegemony. John Kerry was a white man, but was heavily favored over George Bush by the rest of the world in 2004. How does Kerwick explain that?
Also, the idea that somehow the election of a black president being the “death” of racism is as absurd as the idea that electing John Kennedy somehow signaled the death of anti-Catholic bigotry. Doesn’t he remember the hateful outbursts from supporters at McCain campaign rallies? Doesn’t he remember the FBI busting up a conspiracy to assassinate Barack Obama a week before the election? Obama’s election is a great step forward to destroy racism in America, he’s absolutely right about that, but to just declare it over now is nonsense.
To me, there was a much bigger and more powerful breakthrough in the election of Obama that Kerwick doesn’t mention, probably because he doesn’t want to admit it: the rise of the new generation. I maintain that Obama could not have been elected were it not for young first-time voters, and as far as I’m concerned, George W. Bush will be the last president from the baby-boomer generation that we’ll ever see. If nothing else, the immediate “change” that we’ll see from an Obama administration is one that reflects the attitudes of a new wave of voters; ones that are more technologically adept, globally aware, ethnically diverse, religiously tolerant, and better educated.
Also, why does Kerwick feel the need to demonize the Clintons once again? I’m shocked that he’s not lamenting Hillary’s loss at the primaries, considering how moderate her policies were compared to Obama’s. I agree that the defeat of John McCain does send a lesson to conservatives, but it doesn’t look they’re getting it; otherwise GOP leaders wouldn’t be looking to the McCain campaign’s fatal flaw and the biggest farce in modern election history as the “future” of their party. It’s odd that despite her symbolizing everything that is wrong with the present Republican party, and despite her selection totally discrediting John McCain as a viable presidential candidate, not once did Kerwick mention Sarah Palin in this article.
One more thing, Obama’s sky-high expectations will not benefit conservatives as much as Kerwick believes. For one thing, Obama himself has gone to great lengths to keep expectations of him in check. Besides, even if Obama only fulfills a fraction of his promises in his first term, he would still be a huge improvement over his predecessor AND his 2008 rival.
“I maintain that Obama could not have been elected were it not for young first-time voters,”
Those first time voters were lied to, misled about Obama’s programs being “free.” All of these socialist programs come with a huge price tag. When Obama’s supporters see the tax bills, they’ll change their minds.
Obama has many techniques to win elections. This column discusses those and why the author thinks Obama is a shoe in in 2012 for re-election:
http://conservativecrusader.com/articles/how-barack-obama-will-ensure-his-victory-in-2012
Unfortunately Obama’s election winning methods don’t include being a good leader or having a workable plan to correct all the problems in the economy caused by socialist activities.
You are somewhat right Frank. Obama was elected due to a huge voter turnout of people who don’t normally vote. Many of those people are young and many are black.
I made a point to speak with both young and black voters near election time and after our conversations, none of them knew for sure who they’d vote for. Surprisingly, all were interested and concerned with the conservative points I made with them whereas prior they were totally pro-Obama. Wish I could have spoken to more people!