We know the Jarrett name so, after a convention interview with Valerie Jarrett who was called “the other side of Obama’s brain” I had questions. So I asked my sister, where it’s a case of “I know you know” anybody who grew up in Chatham or went to Catholic school in Chicago. I thought that Valerie and Bobby Jarrett were the children of the late Vernon Jarrett. I was wrong. My sister said Valerie was married to Bobby, and that he was friends with my brother, and part of his social club in high school. My sister said that in fact, Valerie had married and divorced Bobby, but must have retained the name. He died about five years ago, age 41, after they had divorced. Valerie is only one of the well-disciplined, tough Chicago natives who have helped Obama find his voice.
Playing the “Who’s the Most Liberal" Game
If you listen to conservative radio and TV as I do, you understand how the opposition is framing its argument. You would also be familiar with the games played: who’s liberal and who’s not. Michelle was roundly criticized for reciting the recipe for left-wing liberalism, socialism and pseudo-communism. One conservative observer pointed out Michelle’s liberal upbringing when she spoke of her mom’s concern: “Why aren’t the most educated among us returning to give back, work in the community they left?” Michelle said her mom’s words lighted the path she would later follow. In fact, this is often cited as pathology in the black community — lack of role models within inner cities.
Juxtaposing the right and left for a moment, we find that while both espouse a deep work ethic, the conservative is likely to: start a company, work in corporate America, not pay taxes and live in the community they grew up in or fled to when minorities moved into the old one. They do not bear the burden of their brother. No, that’s the job of the left or the liberal among us. So when Rush Limbaugh talks about teachers and American education (read indoctrination) he is talking about the (mostly white women) who are liberals, Democrats.
“Who Are We Exactly?”
Enter Michelle. It was her job to answer that question in full measure to the satisfaction of the doubting/voting public. Did she accomplish it? I think the speech was designed to dispel rather than to appeal. She said for instance that “Barack had a funny name.” I found that quip disingenuous. Why did she not recognize it as African? Did she not grow up in Chicago where the shift to African names took root? In the 1970s, African names for black children were in vogue. By the 1980s, this meme was cultural. Only in recent decades, in imitation of this practice, did single black mothers begin to invent names and create spelling that launched the familiar “black names.” The Obama family has to define itself and not be shy about it. That definition begins with your name.
Article comments
1 - Baritone
My god. You really are making a hurricane out of the flapping of a butterfly's wings. You are so stuck on Hillary that all else pales.
Hillary lost! She lost, not because of dirty tricks. She lost because she didn't win enough delegates. Period.
Michelle didn't smile broadly enough? And would you given the circumstances? Michelle knew how important Hillary's and Bill's speeches were to fence mending within the party. She was certainly privy to everything that had gone down between her husband's and the Clinton camps. Had the Clintons NOT delivered as they did, had they been less than enthusiastic, had they appeared less than sincere, it could have been devastating to Barack, his campaign and the Democratic party.
To their credit, the Clintons DID deliver. But it is hardly difficult to understand that Michelle was on pins and needles during both of their speeches. What I saw in Michelle's face was relief and gratefulness. That she wasn't visibly giddy in her response to the Clinton speeches is not a surprise.
Anyone still holding out, threatening to vote for McCain or just not vote at all are wasting a golded opportunity. The Democratic platform holds more important planks dealing with women's issues than any other in history. Should McCain be elected, it is more than likely that he will install conservative justices in the SC to implement the reversal of Rowe v Wade.
McCain will maintain the conservative social agenda of the Bushies not to mention the status quo in Iraq and Afghanistan. If spiting Obama is more important to people than the future of women and the welfare of the country, then they are, to put it kindly, exceedingly selfish and very foolish.
I understand that women had high hopes for a Clinton presidency. I was behind Clinton for some time during the primary campaign. Had she managed to withstand the Obama juggernaut and wrested the nomination from him, I would be solidly behind her. But she didn't. Obama's the guy. Those who share Obama's ideology and/or that of the Democratic party choose not to support him during the campaign and/or with their vote, will be turning their backs on this country simply to satisfy their desire for some kind of idiotic revenge.
B
2 - Andy Marsh
Uncle Teddy? He's no uncle of mine. Nobody in my family ever killed a woman driving drunk off a bridge and leaving her to suffocate in a car!
But you're right, he has touched some lives...especially those of the Kopekni family!
You dems sure do love your pols...no matter how screwed up they may be!
3 - Baritone
Oh, puleeeeeze! Nothing was ever proven about that incident. You've simply taken the negative position because it suits you. Was it his most shining hour? Certainly not. But to characterize the incident as you have is unfair and unproven.
B
4 - Arch Conservative
Senator Chappaquiddick is no uncle of mine either Andy.
5 - Andy Marsh
B-tone - you're kidding right? How would you characterize leaving a woman to drown in a car you drove off a bridge?
And please tell me, what's the positive position? He didn't mean it? It wasn't his car? He didn't know she was still alive? He was to drunk to know better? What positive position could there be for murder? She pissed him off so she deserved it?
As far as I'm concerned Teddy Kennedy is no better than OJ! They both got away with murder!
6 - Joanne Huspek
"the conservative is likely to: start a company, work in corporate America, not pay taxes and live in the community they grew up in or fled to when minorities moved into the old one. "
I take exception to your narrow view of someone who is conservative.
Anyone who is in business pays taxes. There are plenty of liberals in business, that are multimillionaires, in fact. And plenty of liberals fled decaying inner cities during the so-called "white" flight.
7 - Baritone
Bullshit!
These are all your assumptions. There are no FACTS (remember those?) supporting your charges. None! According to Kennedy, the ONLY witness to the accident, he made efforts to get to the car, but failed. Remember that Kennedy suffered serious back injuries in a plane crash 4 or 5 years earlier.
A grand jury was convened and returned no indictments. An investigation found that Kennedy had approached the bridge at too high a speed which resulted in his loosing control of the car. There was no proof found that he was in fact drunk at the time. Kennedy's drivers license was suspended for a year. All of your assumptions about the incident are just that, assumptions. Since it's obvious that you hate the guy, it works for you to pander those assumptions as fact.
It's pretty much always right wingers who take pleasure in bludgeoning the left with so called "facts." But in this case, it's apparently more convenient and personally gratifying to overlook the provable facts so that you can use your fictions to lambast Kennedy.
B
8 - Andy Marsh
Okay - he tried to get her out...then he went home and slept it off?
And what do you suppose the odds are of a grand jury indicting a Kennedy for anything in MA is??? Slim and none come to mind...
I don't really feel gratified by it...I think he should have gone to jail...but nothing about it gratifies me...
Yeah, I probably have made a few assumptions on what exactly happened that night...as did the grand jury...
And wow, what an appropriate punishment for vehicular manslaughter...lose your license for a whole year!
9 - Heloise
I just wanted him to put Hillary on the ticket. So we could get our landslide! We will have to settle for a mudslide instead!
Heloise AKA Net
10 - BN
SiS-in-Law
I admire and appreciate your enthusiasm, your optimism regarding the up coming election, and how intensely analytical you are regarding the hailstorm of an election. This is indeed a historical moment, a precedent in American politics. But landslide? The bottom line is a black man is running against a white in America. Is it possible the liberal whites who support Obama now will do the right thing in November?
I hope so, but no landslide, Hillary or no.
11 - Clavos
I hope so, but no landslide, Hillary or no.
Although Hillary likely would have helped to make it close to one.
He really blew that call, IMO.
12 - Baritone
I can't believe anyone would think that Hillary would have been the proper choice for VP. Between her an Bill, they had the potential of overshadowing Obama simply owing to their long standing visibility.
It also seems as though all those who went on about all of Hillary's negatives, all of her baggage, etc., now just seem to forget all that.
Were any of you in Obama's position, would you want a running mate who had a very real ability to upstage you?
B