tfraser@tstt.net.tt

Trinis weigh in on Obama

• Obama will be next US Presi-dent.
• Image as bi-racial American has tremendous appeal.
• Heart for Hillary but head for Obama.

INTERESTING reaction to last week’s column on Barack Obama’s charge for, firstly, the Democratic candidacy and, secondly, the big prize, almost inconceivable a few short decades ago, has encouraged me to share a few of those comments with other readers.

I insert a few comments of my own to a couple of the reactions. However, most of the quotations below are from Trinidadians living in the US and Canada. Their understanding of the politics and what they see as the possible outcomes are extremely valuable.

“It will be great if Obama can pull it off. But the US election is just like ours in T & T, racial as hell. People cannot get out of their coloured gates. We speak too much about black and white, and it means nothing. Barack is a brown-skinned guy, not black. If you think as others, then we are all black, because all people have roots in the rift valley of Africa, where once all the people of the world were once black.

“If you get a chance to see Obama in action, on TV, where ever, do not miss it. He is possibly among the best politician/speaker in the world today. He can talk, without notes on several subjects, without missing a beat. And he does not just ramble; he talks sense all the time.

“He is a great person, and I will make my prediction. You heard it here first: Obama will be the next President of the US.”

A prediction made by Peter

Mohammed, Mayo, Trinidad

and Edmonton, Canada

One reader thought she would take a shot at me:

“As an aside is the sociology which determines that once an individual has some portion of ethnic heritage which is not white, then he/she is black; the logic being that the individual is tainted, not high quality thoroughbred and so inferior.

“Oh, my God, Phraser! Does that mean that you are black? Horror of horrors!”

Then there was this response quoting first quoting the column of last week:

“The Republicans will certainly achieve a measure of ‘bounce’ and unity when the candidate is elected and when convention times come around. There is a long way to go for both parties and for Obama.”

“Exactly,” states the reader. “I have not seen any analysis about the numbers turning out for the Republicans compared with those for the Democrats. Your fellow journalists have dropped the ball on that one. To me, they are looking at the trees right now, rather than seeing the forest. And that, after all, is the more important issue.”

Cheryl O’Neal

“Obama has been careful,” warns another reader, “to portray himself as a man, rather than a black man. His non-threatening image as a bi-racial American has tremendous appeal to white Americans who would not have considered voting for a black man.

“As many have said, when they look at him, they see a new demographic in the USA, a demographic which includes people like Tiger Woods. White Americans see part of themselves in him. His speeches are well crafted to reinforce this image. It is ironic that the group in America which is usually associated with racism (white males) is increasingly supporting him.

“Black Americans should be cautious about aggressively claiming him as African American if they wish to see him enter the White House. They should allow him to represent this new demographic and share him with America. At this point in the campaign, black leaders and journalists should choose their words as carefully as Obama himself.

“Obama’s brilliance, vision, and audacity of hope for America will usher him into the White House.”

Carl Rampersad

I find the observation about “white Americans seeing part of themselves in the likes of Obama and Tiger Woods—whose mother I believe is from the Philippines and not a white American—very interesting. If it is correct, then the social/racial revolution is in forward gear: one, significant numbers of white Americans are recognising real human value in blackness; and two, it’s an acknowledgement of the advance of blacks and here black can be extended to include all non-white peoples.

Then there was this quote in the New York Times of last Friday from Democratic Representative John Lewis, who has now said he would use his voting power as a super delegate to vote for Obama after the public vote is finished.

“In recent days, there is a sense of movement and a sense of spirit,” said Lewis, a Georgia Democrat who endorsed Mrs Clinton last fall. “Something is happening in America, and people are prepared and ready to make that great leap.”

Here’s a Trinidadian who has been living in the US for decades and has been involved in political organisation for as long:

“I must commend you on your column about the Obama phenomenon. Man! You are a veritable encyclopaedia when addressing the nuances of US politics. Your piece ranks alongside the best of David Broder, EJ Dionne, Fareed Zakaria and some of the others.

“As for me, I am a Hillary ‘groupie.’ Here in the US many of us are torn over the situation. My heart is for Hillary but my head is for Obama. My only daughter, who is a corporate lawyer, supports Obama and my spouse is undecided although she expresses great empathy for Hillary.

“We Democrats are suffering from an abundance of riches. The ideal ticket would be Hillary for President and Obama for Vice President or Secretary of State...but that now appears to be an impossibility since both principals are engaging in a last-minute scramble for delegates and the dirt has started flying. Good God! What are we to do? Many of my colleagues have come out for Obama but in our community Hillary won overwhelmingly four to one.

“We Democrats are in a quandary. They are both excellent candidates but I am afraid that the American curse of racism will affect the final outcome. This scares me, the probability of a Republican getting the White House is a tragedy too dismal to behold. Mc Cain for President? Heaven help us.”

Roy Sampath

I am fascinated by the range of feelings, loyalties, sentiments and what is perceived to be the objective reality of the politics and race relations in the US.

Clearly Roy Sampath, brother of the late Dr Martin Sampath, who was involved in politics here, has a deep understanding of the politics of the US. His personal struggles and those he relates of family and Democratic Party members are very insightful.