Tuesday, August 05, 2008

The Flexible Barack Obama   [Jay Nordlinger]

Back in April, the Reverend Wright said, “He had to distance himself because he’s a politician.” The other day, Kibibi Tyehimba, “co-chair” of the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America, said, “Let’s not be naive. Senator Obama is running for president of the United States, and so he is in a constant battle to save his political life. In light of the demographics of this country, I don’t think it’s realistic to expect him to do anything other than what he’s done.”

All politicians trim, shift, and shade, to varying degrees. So do most people, frankly. And it’s not necessarily damnable. But does Barack Obama seem more “flexible” than others? Who is he, and what does he really, truly believe? For example, is he an integrationist or an anti-integrationist? He has been both, in the course of his not-long life.

Anyway . . . we’ll stay tuned. And, as I’ve said before, I bless the long, much-knocked American political process. We need the time.

08/05 01:52 PMShare