Sen. Barack Obama's campaign refused to make a statement about
the death of Jesse Helms according to the
Wall Street Journal:
A spokesman for Sen. Barack Obama said the
candidate aspiring to be the country's first African-American
president wouldn't have any comment.
It's probably smart for Obama to avoid talking about Helms, whose
complex shift on racial issues isn't an easy thing to discuss. But
it
is sort of strange to hear that despite his refusal to
comment, he not only voted for a
resolution commemorating Helms's achievements, but he also
co-sponsored it.
This shows how far Obama has come in alienating his more radical
base in favor of looking like a centrist. Today's
column from Roland Martin is pretty indicative of how many
liberals feel about Helms:
It's easy in this age to say that Helms, who carried
his dislike of African- Americans like a badge of honor for 30
years around the U.S. Senate, was a son of the South who was simply
honoring good, old-fashioned Southern values. But when you stand in
opposition to a bill that would, for the first time, give
African-Americans from border to border the constitutionally
guaranteed right to cast a vote, then I refuse to call you a
stand-up person for the rights of every man, woman and child.
And don't try to suggest that because Helms hired several
African-Americans in his office that he was still a good and decent
guy who was misunderstood. No, he was very clear in how he looked
at issues, and if you had the wrong skin color, sorry, but you
didn't fully count as an American.
What is Obama doing
sponsoring a resolution to commemorate someone who so
clearly grates his followers? Why not simply vote for it?
UPDATE:
Speaking of his base, what about the Kossacks? Are they happy
about the sponsorship? They certainly didn't like Helms. Just click
here to
look at everything they've posted.
Here's what "Al Obama" writes of Dr. No: "A rat bastard. And a
champion of the Republican conservatives. ... Deserving of scorn,
derision and opprobrium, even on the day of his descent into a most
deserving fate."
Or bfuentes with this headline: "Right decides to beatify
hatemonger Helms"
Or "latest outrage": "Helms was a disgrace to North Carolina and
the nation, and what better time to celebrate our independence from
the bigoted, hate-filled politics he stood for."
Every Democrat cosponsored this bill -- if Obama was so above
politics, wouldn't he have done differently? And even as he hasn't,
why is no one on Kos critical of him for doing what he's done?
Sounds like they're giving the honcho from Chicago a lot of
latitude.
topics:
Barack Obama, Constitution, Africa
