The Chicago Sun-Times notes the latest in a series of “Hey you… under the bus” plays from Barack Obama. The most recent involves Bernie Mac: [1]:
Comedian Bernie Mac got a little too cute when he warmed up the crowd at a Barack Obama fund-raiser in Chicago Friday night.
Obama’s campaign staff attached this preface to the “pool report” filed by the Los Angeles Times reporter allowed to cover the fund-raiser: “Senator Obama told Bernie Mac that he doesn’t condone these statements and believes what was said was inappropriate.”
Well, if he thought it was inappropriate, why’d he invite him in the first place? What we’re dealing with here is a question of Obama’s choices. Inviting Bernie Mac to speak at a rally is like Nixon inviting JIm Morrison’s Doors to a command performance at the White House, or Lenny Bruce [2] being invited to Denver this year. It’s like putting a quarter stick in with some lady fingers. Or Bill Clinton inviting Snoop Doggie-Dog. You know eventually there’s going to be a bigger bang. (Pardon the pun)
We need to examine Obama’s decision making process here. Let’s be honest; This is not Mac’s fault; He is, as would be the other cases I mention, simply doing what he got famous for, and his fame was why Obama invited him…. he was hoping some of that fame would rub off on him. Well, it did… and now Obama’s tossing him under the bus. But wouldn’t you expect someone aspiring to be POTUS to exhibit better decision making ability? If this business shows us he ability of Obama and his staff to vet perspectives, what does this say about the people who would be serving in a hypothetical Obama administration?
I hasten to add, that this is hardly the first time this kind of dance has revealed itself in and around the Obama campaign. As Bruce intones this morning...”We’re gonna need a bigger bus” [3] This stuff has been going on with Obama since he first popped up on the scene.
Perhaps it should be said, that part of this is the idea that there are very few black celebs… or white ones from the left end of the spectrum for that matter who are as Simon pure on most things as Obama wants to be seen as… and that as such he doesn’t have much in the way of choices of stars to hitch his electoral wagon to. Perhaps, though, that’s of itself indicative of a major cultural rift that Obama doesn’t really want to face up to. The popularity of the people like Mac is exactly because people like Mac are like his fans. They identify with him, and his like. So in reality, Obama is asking for votes from people he’s embarrassed to be around. You just let that one soak in for a few minutes.
Look, let’s break this down; Generally speaking, when a politician tries to associate himself with a entertainment or sports celeb, it’s done in general, because the celeb is more popular among the target audience than the the pol is. And certainly, this is true of Bernie Mac and Barack Obama. So how does he react to the celeb? By tossing him under the bus when he does what he’s asked to do. Clearly, what is happening, here is that Obama wants the fame without what is attached to it. In short, he wants the good, without the associated bad.
Gee… in a larger sense, that’s sorta like Insisting on gasoline lower prices without allowing for production of the product in question. That’s kinda like insisting we should lower our dependence on foreign oil while not allowing us to do what’s needed to obtain it domestically. That’s like saying we need more jobs, but then taxing the life out of entities that you’re asking to provide those jobs. And so on.
I’m not suggesting that this trend is one unique to Democrats, but it does seem particularly attached to the left end of both parties. And again, I say, the decision making ability of such folks does seem an issue… particularly if they want to lead this nation.
Obama, if he wants to get really serious about this, is going to have to set his mind to the fact that when you ask for something, you get the whole thing, not just the more desirable pieces. However, I doubt we’re going to see that level of “Aha” coming from camp Obama in the next few weeks. So perhaps then, it’s up to we, the people, to decide that Obama’s decision making ability is wanting.