Welcome Back Rosenthal

I was REALLY torn about what angle to take on this piece. It was either the obvious path I’ve decided to go, OR I was going to make a sort of Police reference and use the opening line “Don’t stand so close to me.” And why would Edwards be apprehensive about standing too close to Obama? Well ever since I was a little black kid all the way until I became a doddering old black man (40!) every single black comic I’ve ever heard has had a routine about a black man becoming president and how very SHORT his term would be with the gag line being about how fast he’ll be shot. So now that this premise has become a real "life imitating art" scenario I DO wonder about the prospect of that happening. But since presidential assassination is sort of an American tradition, I decided NOT take that angle on this piece. I’m trying to bring new idea to the table here!

So instead I want you to consider this premise; John Edwards is being presented as the safe white man who’ll "be there” to keep the ship on course. Just like good ole’ dad holding onto the back of jr’s first bicycle ride. Here’s the deal; have you noticed in the last few weeks how Howard Dean has popped up again like a rejuvenated, hibernating bear? Well, he clearly has been very busy behind the scenes, and one of the things I believe he spent May doing was convincing John Edwards to be Obama’s Vice President.

So Edwards, who repeatedly said (like they all do), that he had no interest in being vice president is doing a considerable amount of VP posturing. That endorsement looks VERY running mate/winning ticket photo op. So you know what this about right? I mean we’re all adults here, so let’s be real. This is how it’s GOT to be playing out in Dean’s mind an the DNC think tank. ”OK, let’s let Clinton and Obama fight it out and whoever seems to pull ahead in a definitive way is who we’ll throw Edwards at.” Because again, let’s be real; Clinton and Obama-a woman and black guy, sure that’s OK for democrats around the country but the Red State people? Get real! I mean really! Get real. No matter HOW sick they are of Bush, no matter HOW much money McCain’s wife wont disclose that she has, no matter how bad McCain’s temper is or how old he is-those Red State people will let this country burn to a cinder before they put a woman or a black guy in office-without a some kind of safety net. ESPECIALLY Bill Clinton’s wife. I mean really! Get real. So what do you do? You slap a standard issue, Southern drawl talkin’ white guy on the ticket. Fait accompli. Despite the tiff that supposedly happened between Obama and Edward’s wife-water under the bridge now that they’re looking at the next 4-8 years doing Air Force 1 flights together.

Meanwhile the temerity to suggest that anybody AT ALL was wondering what Al Gore is going to do with his super delegate vote. AS IF. As if this is a question in any way, shape or form. Listen Gore is NOT Bill Richardson. Gore can’t claim he “paid his debt” to the Clintons. Bill Clinton did a lot for Richardson and Gore, but he made Gore VICE PRESIDENT! There have only been 43 in the history of this country. And let’s face it; after Gore lost people were really ANGRY that he didn’t try a little harder only showed his "human" side after the election. So he spent the next several years doing all kinds of "works for the world" to rebuild his personal capital and become beloved. So if he switches over to Obama…that’ll go down the drain. He’ll revert to persona non grata. I don’t care if Hillary was some old broken whore in some old fashioned Western town, Gore would STILL have to sleep with her. He is DUTY BOUND to slap on 10 rubbers and get into bed with her. And so Gore’s vote is not even up for debate.

Listen, there are exactly two reasons; race and cost . I have to assume that reason number one is CRYSTAL clear, so let’s deal with it. My name is Dave Rosenthal for example, and I’m a Black guy. That’s it! Now look at my last name again, and stop by my About page and take a look at my face. Starting to get the pictures? I’m a person of “mixed heritage.” And I’m not walking around taking the “Tiger Woods Approach to Racial Descriptions ” I, and everybody else, just call me a Black guy. End of story. Yes, when people hear the name they start asking questions, but UNTIL they hear the name I’m a Black guy.

I’m not a guy involved in politics. When it’s time to vote I site down a week before the elections and read then make my decision. That’s it. That’s the whole process. Now that reading part actually means something in LA where I lived for ten years, because that place is proposition crazy. But for every place else voting is not a big deal. So my mom, has been rooting for Barack Obama in the 2008 Election. But I told her months ago he didn’t have a chance-for the obvious reason. But this past week it started looking like he was going to get the Democratic nomination. So on Super Tuesday I got up and wrote a piece in the middle of the day, and then had to update it that night when the surprising results came in. And very briefly I explained what I’m essentially clarifying now. The reason for the loss.

RACE . Here’s what happened; years ago Jesse Jackson ran for President. He, and everybody else, never thought he had a chance in hell. But we all understood. He was running to show that we as Black people can run, and like Nader today trying to put some issues on the table that normally wouldn’t be presented. Plus it was a bit of a publicity stunt to raise not only Jacksons cache, but Black people’s in general. Again, we all understood-and I was just a kid! So when Barack threw his hat in the ring I said to myself, “now what is he up to?”

There’s a book out right now that talks about this giant debate the Abraham Lincoln had with this guy for a Senate seat here in Illinois, and how Lincoln lost the debate but became widely known throughout the country and 2 years later WON the presidency. Maybe, I thought, that’s what Obama’s got in mind. Or maybe he thinks he can win…that the momentum against Bush is swinging the political pendulum unusually far in the opposite direction. But no, I think he got into it like Lincoln with the intent to set the stage for the future. But what I think happened was…things changed. I think at some point he, and those others around him, thought he might REALLY be able to win. And he started running for real.

But then Super Tuesday happened. And he lost 3 out of 4 states. Wanna know a strange fact I learned a few years ago reading the Statistical Abstract of the US? Vermont has the highest interracial marriage in the country. So I was not surprised he won there. And I think like most people, my mother expected, if not a clean sweep, that he might lose one of the big states, but CERTAINLY not both. But it happened. And it happened because lots of people, of ALL colors, got into the voting booth where the Obama magic is no competition for that bland fluorescent lighting. And people started saying to themselves “a BLACK President? A Black president…well…yeah it’s almost time for one. Maybe when I retire in 5 or 10 years…” End of story.

COST . Time to address this issue; Seems a little mysterious? Let me expand; have you noticed how Hillary has been throwing this buzz word around. Experience. But see, that doesn’t make a lot of sense if you think about. She only made it to the US Senate 4 years before Barack. And yet Obama was elected to the state Senate twelve years ago. See that’s experience. But what if you look at the word “experience” as a subliminal cue? What if the “experience” she’s talking about doesn’t refer to herself? Are you catching my meaning yet? That’s right, He’s been keeping intentionally low key but nevertheless making his presence known. Bill. Do you see now? There’s been a subtle message that by voting for Hillary you get 2 for the price of 1. You get a guy who WAS president and woman who IS competent on her own, and sure, she’ll be president from 9 to 5 but when the doors close it’ll be both of ‘em. That’s what’s formed in people’s minds about her. We may not really like Hillary, but everybody loves Bill! And it’s 2 for the price of 1! And all Americans love a deal.

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There is some good news. Whoever does NOT win is going to be thanking their lucky stars and realize they really dodged a bullet. Because whoever DOES become President has to contend with the Bush mess. And I may need to write an entire piece to expend on that issue. But plain and simply, if a woman or a Black guy goes in after Bush they’re going to be blamed for the ton of hell that’s coming our way thanks to Bush. Even if McCain makes it he’s gonna have an awful time too.