As we enter the final phase of this political season, we calculate what decisions and strategies would best serve the African American community. Six months from now, will we says “I wish we would have done this or that differently.” I don’t play checkers; I play chess—always thinking three or four moves ahead.
When a new president is sworn into office on the West Portico of the U.S. Capitol, he or she is the president. Period. Anyone who plays with the notion that the president is not the president is playing with un-American activities on some level. On January 20, 2001, George W. Bush became my president. Period. On the day that White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer announced “the liberation of the Iraqi people has begun,” I walked out of a pub in Vilnius, Lithuania, and some college kids walked up to my buddy Brad and me saying, “Bush bla bla, invade bla bla, America wrong bla bla.” Since the dollar was strong back then and so were we, I told them “Slow your roll, we can discuss it over a few pints on me but I can’t let you slam America and our president.” (Of course, their broke behinds jumped at free brew.)
A new president will be sworn in January and I hope Senator McCain or Senator Obama will face fair opposition from the losing side because ultimately we are all Americans. Bitter extremists from the losing side will dial up conspiracy rumors and untruths design to undermined the efforts of the new leadership—disagree on policy, spending and direction but consider the negative consequences of being ugly just to be ugly. As a moderate Democrat, I will give President McCain the same consideration I gave every president during my adult life. If Obama wins, will my Republican friends do the same?
Obama supporters should help him by gaining a little leverage with congressional Republicans. Congressional Republicans will vote with their party over 95% of the time—that is understood; but can we order up a few GOP members who will stand up in their conference meetings and say, “Let’s dial down the rhetoric and beat the Democrats on the issues—we should be above dirty tricks and innuendoes.”
Forget about party politics for a second; the average American thinks our current problems could have been avoided or reduced by better Washington deliberations and communication. At this late hour, African Americans voters could decide the fate of many GOP congressional candidates. To me, a Republican who dials down the rhetoric while voting his core conservative beliefs is more important than some Obama coattail-riding Democrats are. (hint, hint Macon, Georgia)
Project Logic Ga 
It’s so apparent at this point that Marshall is riding coattails that it is almost pathetic. His latest radio ad talks about “change”, and it is all about “change” and how he needs voter’s support so he can bring “change.”
If you have not done it in six years, then you have failed in the first place – why should I continue to reelect you?
Quite clearly it’s an attempt to latch onto Obama, a candidate he has not and will not endorse. He has taken the African American vote for granted ever since 2002 when he ran his campaign out of the basement. He calculated then that he would need about 15-20% AA vote to win, and he has not courted them in earnest since.
I’ll blog about this shortly.
Ron: the amazing thing is that the national and/or state GOP doesn’t jump on this recent move. At this late date, the folks walking around talking about silly stuff could help the GOP actually win a seat.
My mother was watching T.V. today and saw a Goddard ad. She said that he puts her in the mind of Charles Hatcher, from 2nd Dist. congressman who was comfortable in a range of settings.
Unbelieve, this guy was career military and therefore likely diverse in his mindset yet the handlers never think to cut him loose.
I won’t take anything from Marshall, smart guy. But, he is everything they tried to say about the Obamas…elite, nose in the air, not warm.
If my mother saw Goddard and Marshall ads back to back and said Goddard is better for the job, why didn’t they make it a personality contest on some level. It would be over.
I’m sitting here scratching my head personally. It is difficult to get involved in what would be labeled “race politics” by the State Democratic Party/Marshall, if they truly called him out on it.
The Goddard campaign is suffering from 2006, Mac Collins fought dirty and lost by a small margin with many commenting that he was underhanded. Goddard is winning over these people by staying positive, but I worry we are losing key votes.
If the GOP loses this one, it’s not for lack of trying. Marshall realized a number of years ago that about 40% of the district is Democrats – and that the A.A. vote is very powerful in Macon and surrounding areas. There is only so much you can do before it gets dirty, and Marshall is just begging Goddard to get dirty.
I think it is time to invest in Karl Rove tactics, someone convince a popular liberal to run in the primary next time – let the two rip each other apart.
What angers me most, other than 13 WMAZ being so biased, is their website where users call General Goddard a carpet bagger. By God, Marshall was born in Ithaca, and went to Princeton. Yet Goddard gets labeled as an elitist and a carpet bagger.
Haven’t we progressed out of these dejected type of attacks yet, or are we still in the 1970’s in Central Georgia?