Ever since the popularization of the Rev. Wright "problem" (and note that it is merely a "popularization," not a revelation, as Wright's views have been public and even well-documented, all along), I have been having some concerns about the Obama campaign – in how it's handled the "scandal," in the statements he's made (especially his speech last Tuesday, which I, uniquely among people of my political stripe, found weak-kneed and slightly vacuous), and in general, in a sort of indeterminate discomfort I've had with the quality and level of the "pro-Obama" discourse. But I couldn't put my finger on what was bothering me, exactly.
And today, surfing the news and blog sites, I finally found a fabulously articulate and cogent summary of all my concerns about this issue, in the form a column by a sports commentator for the Kansas City Star, Jason Whitlock. Go figure. Thanks, Jason. And no thanks to all you other political bloggers and opinion-makers out there.
Yet on the flip side, my personal favorite guy in the race, Bill Richardson, turned around and endorsed Obama later the same week. I wonder if some kind of secret deal is in the offing – did Obama promise Richardson the number two spot, if he wins the nomination? And, is that based, in part, on Hillary's implied promise of the number two to Mr Obama if she gets it? What's certain is that although I find a Clinton-Obama ticket plausible, an Obama-Clinton ticket is patently impossible (because Hillary doesn't want to go from First Lady to VP – that's like going from supporting actress to… supporting actress).
And frankly, an Obama-Richardson ticket would be formidable, as Obama's weakest demographic, latinos, would be perfectly complemented by Richardson's obvious super-strength in exactly that area – Richardson's chilangosity is rarely commented upon, but it's a well-known fact among the Mexican-American population that despite his American birth, he grew up in Mexico City. Additionally, Obama, perceived as weak on both foreign policy and executive-branch experience, would be tucking a former ambassador to the U.N. and current popular state governor into his belt. Such a ticket would definitely remove any lingering doubts I had about Obama. So… we shall see.