Barack Obama and White Southern Democrats

Now that the dust is settling on the Democratic side and Barack Obama assumes the role of the party's candidate for President, how will those white southern Democrats, wary of an African-American candidate, vote? Obama's nomination is definitely a problem for them, and they are torn between their disgust of Bush and McCain's apparent embracing of Bush's policies and voting for a black man.

Yesterday, I was party to a conversation about Clinton and Obama. The two people involved were white male veterans over the age of 65, who obviously had a strong distaste for Bush. One of the men is U.S. Army, ret. Both were concerned about Obama, and were Clinton supporters. Although nothing was said about race, it was very clear that it was the issue, and both were very concerned about how to vote. Neither had made up their minds and one asked the other if Clinton's presence on the ticket would make a difference to him. The response was "I don't know...I just don't know."

I can imagine that this conversation is going on all over the South, but I expect that it is also taking place throughout the country among Democrats, Independents, and some moderate Republicans, who cannot stomach another four years of a Bush-like administration. They have also not come to terms with an African American president. Do they have an alternative? Will they hold their nose and vote for McCain or will they look to Bob Barr's Libertarian Party? Or, will they not go to the polls at all.

At this point, I haven't studied Barr's platform. I do know that the Libertarian philosophy is very easy to agree with in many ways, especially for one who is politically conservative. Less government, less government intrusion into the personal life of citizens, and lower taxes is very appealing, as is their opposition to the Iraq catastrophe.

Obama is definitely going to have to take this group of people into consideration. I think that right now, they are on the fence and free for the taking. He must carefully choose a running mate to help balance the ticket, and he must choose his words carefully. His speech last night was a good start. Not once did he mention the fact that he is African American or that he is the first of his race to reach this point in a presidential campaign. He talked about America and Americans, united in a common cause to put this county back on track as a world leader and working together to reverse the trends of the past eight years. He also talked about the campaign being a contest between opponents and not enemies. The Bush Republicans have run their campaigns and their Administration in such a way that anyone who differs with them is an enemy, who must be completely devastated, not just defeated.

The coming weeks and months will be interesting to watch as we see what form the campaigns will take. Will those white, conservative southern Democrats and their counterparts elsewhere be won to the Obama side? Will the Republicans resort to "Swiftboat Veterans," take no prisoners, devastation? Will Obama and McCain be able to stand up to scrutiny, especially McCain, who has changed his views on issues, and who has questionable issues in his past.

Oh what fun we face!

Scott McClellan, the Lastest White House Whistleblower

"...we are puzzled." Words from the current White House Press Secretary, referring to former press secretary, Scott McClellan's new book, "What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception." Of course, like the others who have ventured to tell the truth about the culture of deceit inside the Bush White House, McClellan will be dismissed as self-serving and disgruntled by insiders and die hard Bush supporters. Those of us who have been thinking for ourselves during this whole sad era knew better all the time. It was so clear, if you really listened to what was being said and did not let partisan politics color your perception.

McClellan reportedly writes that, "President Bush relied on an aggressive "political propaganda campaign" instead of the truth to sell the Iraq war, and that the decision to invade pushed Bush's presidency "terribly off course." That point was very evident as Bush sent his people far and wide to "sell" the war to the United States and its Allies. Members of Congress were openly courted and Bush went on TV and in front of Congress to convince the world that invasion was the only course of action, while those of us who opposed this action listened and said "why?"

The White House and former staffers are already denying McClellan's book. They question his motives and say, "why didn't he do or say something then?" Speaking out against something as big as the Bush White House and its war, would have taken an exceptionally strong person. That person would have had to have been ready for complete ruination. I can't imagine what despair would have befallen McClellan at the hands of Rove, Cheney, right wing talk radio, and the die hard Republican faithful. The Dixie Chicks were almost driven from a successful music career by these people for simply exercising their right of free speech. McClellan would have been harried to this day and driven into some sort of quasi-exile by these people. Free speech does not enter into their vocabulary.

As it is today, McClellan is free of the White House. He will probably suffer somewhat, because he will never be able to work with any of his former friends and staffers, at least those who remain blindly loyal to their leaders. However, by waiting until now he is preaching to a much larger congregation than he would have been at the time this terrible catastrophe began. Many people will be much more understanding, because it is much clearer now that Bush and his people lied. If many people could not see it then, they surely can see it now.

Thanks to McClellan and others like him, we are getting a very clear picture of how the White House worked and its chain of lies and deceit that continues to fool so many people to this day. There will be others who finally have the courage to speak out as time goes by. Historians will surely look back on these days as some of the darker days of our nation. In my opinion they are even darker than the days of "Tricky Dick," one of the new "poster boys" of today's Republican Party.

Later that day...

As I reflect more on this issue, it has occurred to me that, unlike Bush, Cheney, and Rove, McClellan may very well have had to come to terms with his conscience. To have worked among this group of "ne'er do well's," seen the results of their criminal actions, and then realized that he represented them and defended them in front of the world must have caused much inner tumult. McClellan may have realized that he played a part in this tragedy and, therefore, he had to expose the truth to cleanse his soul.

Memorial Day

This weekend we will recognize those who have given their lives in service to our country. Here in Union County, Georgia we will have a memorial day parade on Saturday. Tomorrow, I will work with other volunteers to complete the Union County Historical Society's entry in that parade. We will remember the 158 men from Union County who have lost their lives in the wars that have taken place since the county was created in 1832. That number includes 94 men from both the South and the North who were killed during the Civil War. Fortunately, we have not lost anyone in the current fiasco in Iraq...yet.

I hope that everyone takes a moment this weekend to remember those who have sacrificed for our country, whether actually in "defense of freedom" or because of some politician's particularly narrow minded vision. Few of our wars have really been in "defense of freedom." I hear the current action in Iraq continually referred to in this way, however, I cannot for the life of me determine how this calamity "defends" freedom. In reality the current administration is more a threat to our freedom than anyone in Iraq.

So many of our young men and women have lost lives and limbs over the past few years in Iraq. Today's military is all volunteer, but, still they must go where they are sent, no matter how poor the leadership and planning. They are not fighting a war to rid the world of Adolph Hitler or Hideki Tojo, but their lives and their sacrifices are just as important. The same is true for those who died in Vietnam because of poor leadership at home. They were there because they were sent by their country. They didn't have a choice, and they deserve to be remembered.

I hope that by this time next year we will see the light at the end of the tunnel in Iraq. Maybe we can focus our resources on Afghanistan and remove the real threat to our world. Whatever, the case, let us hope that fewer of our service people are in harms way. I certainly hope that we in Union County still have 158 souls listed on our war memorial.