POLITICS, RACE AND HOW IT HAS SHAPED THE 2008 ELECTION

"Politics, Race and How It Has Shaped the 2008 Election"

By Fahim A. Knight

The United States of America has come a long way, as it relates to race relations within this nation, but viewing the recent presidential campaigns; in particular between Senator Barack Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton, two democratic candidates, the variables of politics and race have been exacerbated. It is only timely and proper that we weigh-in on how these variables are playing out in the 2008 election. The Clinton campaign and even the Clintons (Bill and Hillary) themselves were probably shocked after the Iowa Caucus that a political novice and inexperienced Illinois Senator named Barack Obama had upended and defeated the established and political well oil machine of Senator Hillary Clinton.

Senator Obama went into Iowa according to the experts that monitors political polls, at least thirty (30) percentage points behind, the veteran Clinton after all; she had a very popular former president as a husband in William ‘Bill’ Jefferson Clinton. President Bill Clinton just sixteen (16) years ago had energized the Democratic Party in the same manner as Senator Barack is doing in 2008.

Clinton brought young people and minorities into his cabinet, in unprecedented numbers and he was deemed the "the first black president". Blacks in 1992 and 1996 had voted for President Clinton at a ninety-five percent clip and they seemed to connect to him like they were connected to President John F. Kennedy some thirty years prior. Clinton was charismatic, he was musically inclined and like the great Jazz and Blues musicians of the Bayou played a mean saxophone.

He had aligned himself with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) President Kwesi Mfume and the National Urban League and other traditional Civil Rights organizations; he even hired long time Civil Rights activist Vernon Jordan as a top advisor and close political confidante. Black leadership and the Congressional Black Congress had an open door to President Bill Clinton's White House, which was a relief from the hostility of President Ronald Reagan and George Herbert Walker Bush’s White House.

The Clintons attended most high level civic engagements put on by black leadership. It was a political marriage made in heaven. I believe President Clinton became one of the first sitting United States President to visit Sub-Sahara Africa in an official diplomatic capacity. Although many black Americans and Africans got caught-up in the moment and did not fully understand that the continent of Africa was perhaps being viewed as the new strategic key in determining and altering the balance of power relative to decreasing the United States dependency on foreign Arab States for Middle Eastern Oil.

Just a little over a century ago King Leopold of Belgium led the charge in 1884 & 1885 at the Berlin Conference to partitioned Africa and carved Africa up into little tiny nation States at the disposal of the European Powers—Great Britain, France, Spain , Germany , Portugal , Belgian, etc. The Dutch East Indian Company, King Leopold, Cecil Rhodes, Oppenheimers, etc. They partitioned Africa based on the availability of exploitable natural resources, which became of great monetary interest and to the vital and strategic interest of the European Powers. They were not concerned of the short term or the long term affect these artificial barriers would have on the people, land, culture, etc., nor were they concerned about the short and long term political, economic and social predictions of their imperialistic actions on Africa. (Reference: John Henrik Clarke: “African World Revolution: Africans at the Crossroads”).

This writer said that, to say this—President Bill Clinton's visits to Sub-Sahara Africa was out of recognition that Africa still has a wealth of untold Oil reserves and exploitable natural resources. The United States dependency on Middle Eastern Oil is becoming steadily and increasingly volatile based on United States Foreign Policy in which the Western Governments have created a hostile environment between Islam and itself, it does not look good for Western interest.

The US invasion and occupation of Iraq is a condemned act by most Sunni and Shia Muslims throughout the Islamic world; the United States unconditional support of the Zionist State of Israel and possess an unwillingness to exercise balance and fairness toward the Arab Palestinians; this too is a sensitive area in international Middle Eastern politics that could potentially affect the politics of OPEC and Middle Eastern Oil distribution.

Islam is deemed unpredictable and for sure the Muslim populace do not always follow the political directions of its state leaders. For example, remember it was found that out of the nineteen (19) allege ‘terrorist’ on September 11, 2001, sixteen (16) of the allege hijackers and 'terrorist' were from Saudi Arabia. The Saud monarch from Abdul Aziz Bin Abdul Rahman Bin Faisal AI-Saud, King Khallid, King Fahd, King Abdullah, etc., they all have had a friendly, diplomatic and capitalist relationship the United States up until 2008.

But sixteen (16) of the allege 9/11 so-called 'terrorist’ were Wahhabi Muslims. Often what is untold and the West does not understand about Islam and Islamic societies, is that often the Imams, Sheiks, Emirs, Ayatollahs, etc., possess more influence and power over the people than the secular state leaders. The United States must find other energy sources, which to alter their overwhelmingly dependency on Arab Oil. 9/11 if you believe the Western propaganda, as far as the attack of the World Trade Center was led by one of the United States staunch ally’s, the Saudis.

President Clinton and recently President George Bush visits to Africa, these trips should not be viewed as Goodwill Ambassador trips which to establish cultural exchanges between Africa's Foreign Minister of culture and exchanges and US Minister sitting down to discuss tourism and artifacts. No, these recent presidential trips to the second largest continent in the world were based on strategic and vital US interest, which the United States Department of State and the Central Intelligence Agency need to get deeper into Africa as a matter of National Security because China is already in Darfur, Sudan cozying up to those thugs and Islamic dictators in Sudan and exploiting Sudan’s Oil. A few years ago they found Oil in Equatorial, West Africa and as political tensions increase in the Arab world—Africa is a viable option, ripe once again for foreign exploitation. The truth be told Africa is no match for the Seven Oil Sisters.

This writer does not know how we digressed from writing about "Politics, Race and How It Has Shaped the 2008 Election" but knowledge is connected and interrelated. No one has been more critical of Senator Barack Obama than as this author. I have dedicated two articles to analyzing and critiquing the man, mission and his politics; the first articles was written on December 2, 2007 titled, "Barack Obama: Who Does he Represent? Oprah Don't Understand" and the second article was written January 28, 2008 titled, " Barack Obama the Candidate of Change: The Party with the Same Old Game".

This writer initially was very cynical and pessimistic when it came to viewing Senator Obama as a viable candidate for the United States presidency. Thus, he was up against some legitimate low level political operatives that had served the Hidden Hand quite effectively. For example, Rudolph Giuliani, the former Mayor of New York City who was a key player in helping the Hidden Hand re-alter United States history, in particular and world history in general, by aiding and abetting in the 9/11 hoax, while Larry Silverstein and the Cabal claimed trillions of dollars from this hit. Now! That do not factor in the international bankers and their profit incentives from 9/11 fiasco. Mayor Giuliani as this writer has stated in previous articles should have won an Oscar for his role as lead actor and his Police Commissioner Bernard B. Kerik should have receive one for best supporting actor.

This writer truly believed that Giuliani services were invaluable because the 9/11 hoax was one of the greatest acts of deception ever played on humanity. They sold the script to us hook, line and sinker and most of us were gullible to buy it. Giuliani was so good he used New York’s finest and surrounding departments to clean-up a crime scene in record time. To alleviate any suspicion or physical evidence that the two twin towers were bombed by dynamite or some high powered explosives that caused an implosion.

Mayor Giuliani was a low-level co-conspirator in this criminal act that perhaps had a concert of players on many different layers and levels. The Council on Foreign Relations, Bilderberger and Trilateral Commission who consist of international bankers--with deep Dynastic Families ties are the ones who decide all US presidents; it is not the electoral process (voting), nor the Electoral College, nor superdelegates that makes this determination, but a small group of powerful Elitist who functions with complete autonomy and with the utmost sovereignty.

Moreover, since Mayor Giuliani had done such a masterful job to shield the Hidden Hand, destroy the United States Constitution and implement the United States Patriot Act, which compromised all Americans civil liberties. This writer had him a sure write-in for being the next United States president, and did not necessarily think Senator Obama was on their short list, he was inexperienced and hasn't been one of the 'good ole boys' but he was Ivy League trained, an attorney and an ambitious politician. Thus, usable qualities, but the most sought-after quality is loyalty and a willingness to serve the interest of the Council on Foreign Relations, Bilderberger and Trilateral Commission. This writer does not believe that Senator Barack Obama's rise to power and him potentially become the forty-fourth United States president is mere coincidental and happenstance, but his ascension has to be viewed within the dynamics of the power Elite. (Reference: G. William Domhoff; “Who Rules America)

Some people have gotten caught up in the moment that June 3, 2008 was historical and history making within United States for Senator Obama who became the first African American to receive the US presidential nominee for either party. Did he make history or was this so-called historical event being guided, directed, prescribed, and ordered by the Hidden Hand? The day after winning the nomination and given that beautiful speech in Saint Paul, Minnesota, he and Hillary Clinton the very next day spoke at an American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) held forum ensuring the Jews that he was friend of Israel. But this writer would like to play a little devil’s advocate; how would it had been perceived, if Senator Obama would have met with an Arab based civic or political action group or better yet a Palestinian American group to talk about Arab foreign policy and United States diplomacy?

Senator Obama's core political base is African Americans and he has not met with or had a closed session with the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and has not publicly recognize how important and vital his African American base has been to his campaign. How would it be perceived if blacks submitted and proposed a black agenda to Senator Obama? This is not to suggest that if it were not for multi-racial coalitions and alliance he would not be sitting on top as the presumptive Democratic Party Nominee. But it is clear, he like all other high profile politicians have to acquiesce to POWER.

President Bill Clinton and Senator Hillary Clinton after the South Carolina Primaries tried to inject race into the campaign by comparing Senator Obama’s South Carolina primary victory to the Reverend Jesse Jackson’s South Carolina victory in 1984 and 1988. The Clintons had penciled the African American vote in based on President Bill Clinton's popularity amongst African Americans, as a loyal bloc of voters who would readily throw their support to Senator Clinton unconditionally. The South Carolina primaries had shocked the Clintons and we witness President Clinton turn another color—white.

This is the same President Clinton that supported federal and state judicial sentencing guidelines and the three strikes you’re out penal legislation that placed more black men in United States Prisons and received longer and stiffer prison sentencing under a Democratic administration. He also supported the prison industrial complex and was a friendly ally to the overall criminal justice system. However, this same Clinton pardon federal fugitive and 'metal man’ tycoon Mark Rich who had committed some big money fraud and high level white collar crimes in the United States, but absconded to Europe from the US Justice system for over a decade and a half until Clinton relieved him of his debt to society.

It was Clinton's administration that blamed the failed US welfare system on poor and oppressed people and passed legislation dismantling a system that in part aided poor women with dependent children. It was President Clinton that spearheaded the passing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) that led to US based companies leaving the United States for Mexico, which many US workers lost jobs.

President Clinton thought since he would have lunch almost every day at the famous Sylvia's soul food Restaurant in Harlem, New York and moved his private company into Harlem that this would lure blacks to sleep and perhaps they would forget his reactionary policies. It was not out of the ordinary to see President Clinton in a black Christian worship service, clapping and enjoying black spirituals; he appeared comfortable in black social settings. President Clinton even called on Reverend Jesse Jackson during the Monica Lewinsky ordeal and Reverend Jackson prayed for the president and acted as a spiritual advisor.

Senator Clinton even took one of the famous African Proverb sayings, "It takes a Village to Raise a Child" and titled her book. The Clintons covertly pushed the radical and controversial Reverend Jeremiah Wright (this writer must admit he agreed with the majority of what Reverend had stated or what the media reported what he stated) issue out front. The Clintons did not tell the public that Reverend Jeremiah Wright had been an official guest of the Clinton White House. They knew that, if they could connect Senator Obama to his pastor’s so-called inflammatory words, it would appeal to the subliminal psyche and subconscious psyche of a society that still has historical unresolved race issues that lay just beneath the surface. (Reference: Marble Manning: “How White America underdeveloped Black America”).

Ralph Ellison stated, “Since the beginning of the nation, white Americans have suffered from a deep inner uncertainty as to who they really are. One of the ways that has been used to simplify the answer has been to seize upon the presences of black Americas and use them as a marker, a symbol of limits, and a metaphor for the ‘outsider.’ Many whites could look at the social position of blacks and feel color formed an easy and reliable gauge for determining to what extent one was or was not American. Perhaps that is why one of the first epithets that many Europeans immigrants learned when they got off the boat was the term ‘nigger’—it made them feel instantly American. But this is tricky magic. Despite his racial difference and social status, something indisputable American about Negroes not only raised doubts about the white man’s value system but aroused the troubling suspicion that whatever the true American is, he is also somehow black. (Reference: Ralph Ellison, “What America Would be Like Without Blacks).

Thus, any right-minded human being knows that Senator Obama should not be held accountable for others deeds and actions including those of Reverend Wright, Minister Louis Farrakhan or Father Michael Pfleger. But the manipulators of media spin and those who systematically mold and shape public opinion knew exactly what they were doing; they were playing to the raw feelings (fears) and emotions of the dominant white electorate in particular.

They knew that Senator Obama was winning many of these primaries because he had attracted and mobilized a sizable numbers of the Caucasian electorate. Senator Barack was eventually forced to address the topic of race on May 18, 2008 in Philadelphia and one would have thought this subject would have been political suicide for Senator Obama. He perhaps initially saw himself running a racially neutral campaign and although Reverend Jesse Jackson coined the phrase "Rainbow Coalition" it has been proving much more applicable toward Senator Obama's campaign. (Reference: Cornel West: “Race Matters”).

Claud Anderson his book titled, “PowerNomics: The National Plan to Empower Black America” stated, “Black leadership and their respective organizations are trapped. They have painted themselves into a corner of civil rights and integration. They have been “the hewer of wood and the drawer of water’ for every aggrieved group for so long that they can not change roles. Black leadership is being forced to represent all aggrieved groups, even if it is detrimental to their own interests. Though others practice the politics of gender, ethnicity, culture, class and language, Black leadership is prohibited from practicing the politics of race.” (Reference: Claud Anderson; “PowerNomics: The National Plan to Empower Black America” pg 219)

Reverend Jackson ran two successful presidential campaigns, but never could transcend being labeled the "black candidate". But Senator Obama is standing on the shoulders of the foundation and work Reverend Jackson put in twenty-four years ago. Jackson's 1984 campaign was derailed by Zionist Jews in the same manner that the Clintons injected race in this 2008 political campaign with the intentions of derailing Senator's Obama presidential run. But in general, the electoral was a little more astute in 2008 and the trick wasn't as affective as it was twenty four years ago against Reverend Jackson.

The Clintons may have had reasons to be dismayed and little perturbed over how a sizable amount of blacks had politically alienating them and chose to support Senator Obama over Senator Clinton. But this 2008 elections should serve as a valuable electoral lessons and in one respect; it served notice that the black vote can no longer be taking for granted. The Clintons started appealing to lower class whites; in particular those blue collar and less educated whites in rural America and even labeled Senator Obama as an Elitist. This writer could not figure out what the Clintons had in common with rednecks from West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, etc., other than the generic classification of race and identification of race--white skin color.

Many of these poor and lower class whites perhaps found commonality in identifying with the political aspirations of Senator Clinton, a white upper class bourgeoisie politician who in truth probably had nothing in common with them other than exploiting race for the benefits of political gain. But these mountaineers probably shared a little more with Senator Obama’s experiences and background, but their values, beliefs, mores, folkway, etc., were probably shaped by a culture of race and to them nothing else mattered.

Claud Anderson in “PowerNomics” stated, “Since human rely on culture for survival, culture is an essential empowerment tool. . .Culture usually refers to the norms or systems of behavior and shared values that are passed on from one generation to another. Essentially, culture is a script that is never neutral in its purposes. It either empowers or de-empowers a group. What it does to a group depends in large measure upon the position the group holds in the societal pecking order of acceptability and whether they are in an in-group or an out-group. Culture’s most important function is to promote cohesiveness and trust that bind members together through values such as group loyalty, pride and respect. It is through culture that members of a group know who and what they are, and how to behave.” (Reference: Claud Anderson; “PowerNomics” pg 35).

Senator Hillary Clinton wanted Florida and Michigan counted and they were counted and will be seated in some fashion at the Democratic convention. Barack Obama has clinched the Democratic nomination for president of the United States. The total number of delegates needed to secure the nomination was 2,118. Right now, Barack has the support of at least 2,179 delegates. “The Fat Lady Has Sung.” But Senator Clinton has refused to succumb to defeat and keep on throwing out that she has over eighteen million voters, as to covertly suggest that she might declare herself as an Independent presidential candidate and run against McCain and Obama or take her delegates to the Democratic Convention floor. However, it plays out the Clintons have been distasteful, arrogant, racist and soar losers. This writer does not think it would be a good idea for Senator Obama to consider Senator Clinton as a potential vice president candidate because her and President Clinton lacks loyalty and can not be trusted. But politics makes for strange bed fellows.

Fahim A. Knight Chief Researcher for KEEPING IT REAL THINK TANK located in Durham, NC; our mission is to inform African Americans and all people of good will of the pending dangers that lie ahead; as well as decode the symbolisms and reinterpret the hidden meanings behind those who operate as invisible forces, but covertly rules the world. We are of the belief that an enlighten world will be better prepared to throw off the shackles of ignorance and not be willing participants for the slaughter. Our MOTTO is speaking truth to power. Fahim A. Knight can be reached at fahimknight@yahoo.com.

Stay Awake Until We Meet Again,Fahim A. Knight