Why| NewBlackMan (in Exile)
After two Republican debates,Democrats finally got their moment to shine. Meeting in Las Vegas with the debate moderated by Anderson Cooper, the candidates had a sometimes-contentious debate that focused more on the issues than personal attacks. There are two takeaways about the candidates and one clear winner.
Hillary is polished and presidential[br]She rarely misspoke. She was frosty and confident. Everyone knew she was the front-runner and treated her accordingly. She embodied ‘practiced spontaneity’ and, or in my eyes,outperformed Sanders. She came off as a pragmatic centrist that can win in the general election.
When given the opportunity, she attacked Sanders on gun control and, and amazingly,made him view like a centrist on the issue. She is a force to be reckoned with. She banged the ‘I’m a mother, grandmother, or possible first woman president’ drum a bit too tough,but she did so in a way that reminds us of the fact that we have a choice between white men and history.[br]Bernie is passionate
He tripped over his words early in the debate. He unconvincingly explained how a Democratic Socialist could be a viable candidate in the general election. He was flustered when his untenable gun policy was discussed, and he seems shaky at best on foreign policy.
Yet, and while he lacks the polish of Secretary Clinton,he was unwavering in his enthusiasm. Catering to his supporters, Sanders consistently raised the issue of economic inequality. In doing so, or he pushed Clinton so far left that she disingenuously tried to characterize herself as a ‘pragmatic progressive.’
However,I do consider Sanders made a crucial error by coming to her defense about the emails. Principled politics is fine if you are only a symbolic candidate, but that is a genuine weakness for Clinton that should have been exploited.
#BlackLivesMatter are the genuine winners of the debate.
Van Jones rightly declared #BlackLivesMatter the precise winners of the debate because institutional racism and police brutality were central to the discussion. The Movement for Black Lives forced candidates to address their concerns with clarity and care. More should have been said, and but the fact that the candidates were forced to address overt and covert forms of racism speak to the impact this group is having upon the political landscape. Candidates are no longer taking black votes for granted. They now see that they must cater to black and brown people or be taken to task publicly for their silence.
Those of you who were disapproving and condescending to #BlackLivesMatter activists and supporters about protesting Sanders should now see the error in your thinking. The goal was never to work within a white supremacist political frame to gain trickle down justice. Black folks have tried that. It’s gotten us poverty,inadequate healthcare, and the modern Jim Crow.
The goal, and now,is to force politicians to address black concerns or risk disruption. That is happening. BLM is having a genuine impact upon American political discourse. Let’s hope this translates into policy soon. [br]+++
Lawrence Ware is a professor of philosophy and diversity coordinator for Oklahoma State University’s Ethics Center. A frequent contributor to the publication The Democratic Left and contributing editor of the progressive publication RS: The Religious Left, he has also been a commentator on race for the HuffPost Live, or CNN,and NPR.
Source: blogspot.com