Politics is an uncertain game. Never before is the case so evident as today. Contemporary politics consists of money, popularity and media, not necessarily in that order.
The only real qualifications for political office are age and residency. This needs to change ASAP. No experience or educational level is required. Being President of the United States is not on the job training. Would you hire someone to run your company based on age and citizenship? Probably not.
As the world becomes more digital, with decisions made on algorithms and artificial intelligence, the art and science of experience come into play more than ever.
Trump’s handling of the coronavirus crisis is case in point. Dangerous to have a public health emergency being handled by the politicians rather than scientists and the medical community, I say. That’s scary.
The last few national elections have started with whirlwind candidates. Trump ran against 18 Republicans four years ago. There were 25 Democrats trying to be president in 2020. Those numbers are vast and unreal and I guess make for a well-oiled democracy.
The candidates come forth and present their views and the public gets to judge, with donations and rally attendance. Judgment is on appearance, tone, attire, and popularity, moreso than substance of policy and experience and real platforms.
So now we are down to two running for the Democratic nomination to face Trump on November 3 in the general election to decide the next President of the United States. Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden. Biden has been the least of the pack that he now leads. So much for the polls and the expert pundits, although the polls have long indicated Biden would carry the Black vote, and that will probably deliver him.
This race for the Democratic nomination presents interesting scenarios. Women were six strong originally as declared candidates. Hillary Clinton, indeed, broke the glass ceiling and gave women permission to be presidential candidates. They stood tall on the stage as they represented.
However, what the public said clearly is that America is not ready for a female president. America likes Women the Beautiful, think Marilyn Monroe and Mammies. This is the comfort zone. White women did not vote for Hillary; Black women did. Interesting. White women support their husbands and fathers, I conclude.
Pete Buttigieg loosened the barrier for gays with his run. But the most telling comment on Pete having to drop out was, America may be ready for a gay president, but not a “First Man.”
Sleepy Joe
Joseph Biden is on his way to becoming the 46th President of the United States. He is a career politician who is now receiving the support of the failed candidates.
Biden has the experience. This is his third try for the big seat. He ran in 1988 and 2008. Rev Jesse Jackson was a formidable candidate in 1988; Barack Obama was the winning candidate in 2008.
Biden was a United States Senator from Delaware from 1973 to 2009. During that time, he chaired the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the International Narcotics Control Caucus, and the Senate Judiciary Committee.
And, of course, Biden was Vice President in the Obama administration for eight years. He was the balance on the Obama ticket who made the first Black president palatable for unsure whites to accept.
Both Biden and Sanders are running TV commercials suggesting Obama’s endorsement because they found public video clips of him at one time or other touting their ability and qualifications. Failed candidates Mike Bloomberg and Elizabeth Warren ran similar commercials.
But because Biden was the Vice President, there really is no greater endorsement than him serving his country with the first Black President. It speaks volumes.
Biden has not had a perfect record. He was terrible as he questioned Anita Hill for the world to see during the confirmation hearings of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Hill accused Thomas of sexual harassment when he was her supervisor, long before the #metoo movement. Some may not remember that. It was an historic moment.
Biden has had tragedy in his family life, having lost his first wife and daughter in a traffic accident and a son to cancer. He knows human suffering and when he speaks to it and how to overcome it, it is in hushed tones as tears flow. He connects emotionally. He knows tragedy, pain and suffering. And he knows how to restore.
Joe sounds like a union boss, he sounds like the politician you know, locally. He speaks to the people’s issues that affect us all. He can cross the aisle; he has the experience that America needs at this time to unite and bring this country back to center.
America sorely needs to restore the presidential office back to dignity and center. Joe Biden is the professional that our country calls for at this time.
Kingmaker Clyburn
Biden owes his impressive lead for the Democratic nomination to Jim Clyburn, the Congressman of South Carolina who endorsed him in the South Carolina primary, which was a do-or-die race for Biden.
Clyburn stated the case and turned the election for Joe. The momentum from that South Carolina win carried over three days later to Super Tuesday, which found Biden winning 10 of the 14 contests in play.
Peggy Noonan wrote a beautiful article in the Wall Street Journal, “Jim Clyburn Saves the Democrats” on March 7, 2020. Read it here!
She talked about a funeral where an elderly Black woman beckoned Clyburn and asked, “Who are you gonna vote for next Saturday? I been waiting to hear from you. I need to hear from you. This community wants to hear from you.”
The wise lady whisperer of 80 years broke Clyburn’s silence by asking the simple question and he provided leadership. He spoke loudly and remembered his wife and the sacrifices that parents made for them to attend college. He recalled his wife’s fondness for Biden.
Clyburn spoke up and his voice was heard by those who were uncertain, confused and undecided. He turned it up and turned it out for Joe. He is the kingmaker; Black America heard him loud and clear and the southerners followed his lead.
Black America now needs to give Biden an agenda for Black America. Clyburn needs to be Biden’s Vice President or at least have a strong voice in deciding who that VP candidate should be. Joe owes. I hope Clyburn stands with Joe and I hope the lady of 80 continues to beckon him and whisper in his ear.
The Bloomberg Factor
Mike Bloomberg would be a great president for the simple reason that he is a problem solver, decision maker and leader. He knows how to hire the best talent and work on goals and objectives. He is a driver.
But things worked against him. His riches worked against him as he jumped in late, poured half a billion dollars into commericals, and was accused of trying to buy the election.
His race-based practice of “Stop and Frisk” in New York was haunting in the Black community as he was considered for president. Stop and Frisk was remembered and worked against him. Bloomberg gave an apology, but that was just not enough.
Money is important in campaigns these days. Money is required to run social media and traditional media campaigns carrying your message and policy designs. However, it is not the ultimate factor in winning. What you do like about Bloomberg, though, is that he put his money where his mouth was.
Bloomberg ran a first-rate corporate campaign. With a total spend of $620 million, he hired 2,400 staffers and they enjoyed luxury living with good food, drink, high salaries, catered meals, single hotel rooms and high-tech resources.
The former mayor of New York, who led that city through the tragedy of September 11, gave his top political talents tools and a budget to work with. However, campaigns are about people, lots of people. Volunteers have to sign on and people have to donate.
Bloomberg did not do well in the first debate; his debut on the presidential stage produced a poor performance. It’s fair to say that his candidacy was killed in that debate and his dispatcher was mainly Elizabeth Warren, who hit him with body blows early from which he never recovered.
Bloomberg spent a big buck, but he got to the party late and engaged a lag game of politics that was not overcome with money. His competitors, who had been hard at it for over a year before he jumped in, weren’t having it. So it was a rich, resourceful, and exciting 100 days for Bloomberg that did not materialize into a win.
However, Bloomberg is now positioned to be a king maker himself if he puts his dollars and unparalleled political/media organization and energy behind Biden. 2020 might be recorded as the most expensive presidential campaign in American history. Bloomberg has to figure out where to put his passion and money into saving America from Trump.
The Progressives
Bernie Sanders has gotten a lot of money from the average voter. His average contribution, he brags, is $18.50. He has started a movement that includes America’s youth as he addresses progressive ideas on health and education. However, the people in his movement come to the rallies en masse, but forget to go to the polls where it counts.
Bernie’s ideas are radical and America is not as ready for socialism as he claims to be, even if it is “Democratic Socialism”. This is still very much a capitalist society, begging for opportunity for all. Bernie’s strength is also his weakness. Progressive. Movement. Youth.
Bernie has appealed to the grass roots community, but somewhere along the way, they forgot to vote for him. Bernie’s message has been the same for the past three decades; it requires updating. Bernie is a revolutionary, but can he lead the party and bring it back to normalcy? I question that.
Barack Obama challenged the Democratic Party. He never ran as a Black candidate, obviously. He ran as a progressive, “now” candidate, coupled with popularity and new ideas and unity, with Black Americans as his base that he took for granted. Obama had white appeal and united that with the powerful Black vote, that he galvanized.
Donald Trump has killed the Republicans, but he, too, has a base that he works daily. No one in the Republican Party even seriously challenged his second candidacy.
Delegates And Age
Trump has changed the trajectory of American politics, but Biden is the one to turn it around and bring the country back to center, with decency.
At this point the aim is for the delegates. The winning Democrat needs 1,991 delegates, and the count was Biden at 670 and Sanders with 574, entering Tuesday’s primaries.
Even as America is becoming more and more multicultural, in 2020 we will still have an elderly white male at the helm of the country and the oldest president ever in the White House if Biden or Sanders wins.
Biden is 77 and Bernie is 78 on their way into entering the presidency. (Trump is 73.) The oldest serving president was Ronald Reagan, who was “only” 77 after completing his second term.
So either Biden or Sanders will be in their 80s while serving their first term in office. Therefore, for either Biden or Bernie, we pray for long life, good doctors, great medicine, and a vibrant, competent Vice President.
I am hoping that the successful Democratic candidate will be able to stand toe to toe on the debate stage with Donald Trump and beat his showmanship and algorithms.
Change.
