The Republicans have made an incredibly potent maneuver in the choice of Michael Steele to head the RNC. Placing a black Republican in such a position of power and prominence in the wake of the Barack Obama victory signals a return to politics after a brief excursion in the lane of emotionalism and racial unity.
The Republicans are not fooled by the overwhelming black support of the Barack victory, nor are they willing to believe that the movement has reached its zenith just because a black man has been elected president. This party is looking beyond the ebony mirage to tap the resources of pleuralism within the black community and the American public at large. The Steele move seems to be aimed at diluting the accumulated energy of the African- American constituency still caught up in the rush of the Obama ascension.
Add to this timely move, the recent jabs thrown by the defeated John McCain in regard to the upcoming Senate consideration of the bailout bill. Senator McCain is positioning himself as the point man to take the momentum away from Barack Obama and give the Republicans a voice with which to stand against the rushing tide of Obamanism which seeks to create a bipartisan unity in government. The potential losers in this chess match are the victims of this ailing economy who must wait for political horseplay to run its course before getting much needed relief.
A decisive overturn of the Democratic majority in the mid-term elections; a highly visible Black RNC chairman, and a Democratic Party caught off guard in 2012 spells darkness for the Obama sunrise. As I mentioned earlier, 2008 is not sufficient to establish the success of Barack Obama as a black American president. Defeat in 2012 will erase a lot of the meaning from the victory of 2008. Winning in 2012 is more important than winning in 2008 in many ways.
The Repubilcans are on the move as should be obvious to anyone smelling the coffee. I only hope that concerned Democrats, undistracted by the pressing concerns of running this country and saving it from complete economic collapse on their watch, will set their sights not just on mid term elections but on 2012. It is not too early. Soon enough, it may be too late.
Comments are closed for this post.
