[Sosfbay-discuss] The Challenge of Obama

[alexcathy at aol.com]

Dear Green Friends, 

See below a blog entry by Wes Rolley on the Obama challenge for Greens and my comment. 

Alex Walker 
Los Angeles Greens 


Posted on Green Commons, Friday, January 4, 2007  



The Challenge of Obama



Submitted by wrolley 



Barack Obama's victory in Iowa
last night identifies a major challenge for the Green Party. He built this
election victory by appealing to the very voters that we need to attract.
People turned out in record numbers in Iowas, twice as many in the Democratic
Caucus as in the Republicans. The ones who caucused for Obama were frequently
younger, many were independents. He is the one that voters have now given the
mantle of being the agent of change. The fact that Edwards and Clinton finished
in nearly a tie indicates a repudiation of all the mainstream stuff. 



At the enviromental Gristmill
blog, Dave
Roberts wrote that "green is an issue Dems still own." To the
extent that this is true, Green have a problem. They have stolen our brand.
Roberts goes on to give Obama a coat of greenwashing. 



Do I want the tax-averse, government-averse,
war-hungry guy with a middling climate plan, or do I want the guy that's going
to go big on climate? If the election turns on green, voters might want the
real deal, not the echo. 



If Obama is the real deal on
climate change for the Democrats, then absolutely nothing has changed and all
of those who claim that there is no difference between the corporate parties
are right. The only thing that has changed is the perception of change itself. 



If our presidential candidates are
going to make any inroads into this election, they will have to make the case
that Obama is playing a shell game, letting you think he will change things
while he is still the prophet of corn based ethanol
and clean coal. It was not long ago that Grist was reaming Obama for his
support of Clean
Coal but, hey, he won in Iowa so let's get behind a winner.



Note to all our Presidential
Candidates. You have to strip Obama of his Green Jacket. He has the media focus
now and is taking away your voters. You can not even make an ethnic appeal,
because he has got you there. We need to convince that Obama is only the image
of change and not the real deal at all. It is either that or hope that Hillary
can become the second coming of the Comeback Kid. 



 



Obama Challenge Must
Be Handled with Finesse



Submitted by AlexWalker 



I agree 100% with Wes Wrolley's
analysis.  Obama's surge is at once a challenge and an opportunity for
Greens.  We have to rise to the challenge but it must be handled with
finesse (delicacy, refinement, and subtlety of performance, execution or
workmanship -- a virtue which, unfortunately, some of our most outspoken Green
activists do not have).  Obama's surge proves that there is now a huge
appetite in this country for change.  If Barack ultimately gets
"kicked to the curb" by the long knives of the Democratic Party
Establishment (and I'm willing to bet money he will be), then we need to be in
a position to capitalize on their stupidity. 



Two Points: 



(1) We must not trash Barack Obama
personally on the war or on the environment.  Now more than ever, we
should maintain our fire on the Democratic Party Machines that have mostly
lined up for Hillary. 



(2) We must pay no attention to the
Black pseudo-nationalist rap.  Cynthia McKinney has already tried
to paint Obama as an "Uncle Tom."  Elaine Brown, among other
things, trashed McKinney as a "sellout."  Jared Ball's
supporters are out waving the Red, Black, and Green colors of Black
Nationalism.  This is a big mistake.  The Obama people most likely to
lean Green are the politically sophisticated, independent-minded folks who are
also most likely to reject that tired adolescent conformist nonsense.  It
has been my experience that the folks who shout “Amen!” to that rap are folks
who either will not vote at all or will vote for the Democrat no matter how bad
the Democratic candidate because “Everybody’s Doing It” in their
community.  Again, the correct tactic,
in my opinion, is to keep hammering away at the Democratic Party Machine Bosses
like Los Angeles Congresswoman Laura Richardson and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa,
who have been shamelessly groveling for Hillary.   



 



Read More and Leave a Comment At: 



http://www.greencommons.org/node/916#comment-2865




 




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