THAT WHITE GUY RACING FOR THE WHITE HOUSE

THAT WHITE GUY RACING FOR THE WHITE HOUSE
by Andy Weddington
Tuesday, 19 June  2012


"I don't see a white woman. I see a black woman, even though my mother is white. Knowing that has made my life easier, I think." Halle Berry


No, not Mitt Romney.

The other white guy--you know, that guy--Barack Obama.

Let's get right to the point--a paradigm shift.

Barack Obama is as white as he's black. That is biological fact. And arguably, from a sociological angle, more white considering upbringing, education, lifestyle, and privilege. And yet he, advisers, protectors, supporters, and media trumpets do not want the public seeing nor thinking in that direction. Not at all.

Why?

To distract. To ignore the tough, beyond skin deep issues--the ones not so black and white, facing America caused or aggravated by our sitting president. Black and white issues, skin deep ones, are easier to articulate and easier for the public to grasp. The issue, by nature, is divisive. What's left when ability and accomplishment absent? Pitifully play to emotion. Simple as that.

After a deep breath and objectively thinking about the past four years, the black community, the voting block, should be disillusioned and downright insulted. Incensed. Disgusted. They should be angry. They should be red-eyed angry. For they've been played. Used. Big time. What has their president done for them--other than offer a misplaced scolding for being whiners? And making more and more Americans, many black, dependent upon government?

More importantly, what has our president done for any of us? What has he done to strengthen America? And what has he done to move our exceptional country forward based on her foundings?

Promises of hope; change; civility; a new tone and way of doing business in Washington; rule of law; transparency; and bringing our country together; to name a few of his campaign pledges, have not been realized. Nor will they. They were never intended to be.

Quite the contrary, his administration is a facade and crumbling--one of self-worship; blame; secrecy; corruption; and polarity. And a lot of scripted flowery void of substance rhetoric that's beyond tiresome. There never were any new ideas with merit. Time, regardless of who controlled the house and senate, has shown that to be reality. Empirical evidence is such a troublesome thing.

From the beginning, the modus operandi--divide. No need for analysis, only a cursory look at any issue touched necessary. All are toxic. The bickering factions clear. Unity is not a descriptor nor by any stretch of the imagination the desired outcome. Recently, every turn to divide (e.g., income; religion; gender; immigration) has backfired. Of course. They were ill-conceived, shallow, and wrong--contrary to moral and common sense. Even people who disagree know right from wrong.

It's not so strange to conclude, Barack Obama does not have anything in common with the black community. Not really. Nor does he have anything in common with the white community. Not really. He is conveniently black. Just as he's conveniently white, most of the time, jet-setting here, there, and everywhere, and now making rounds at tens of thousands of dollars a plate fundraising dinners with elites who really don't matter while mocking those, skin color notwithstanding, who've worked long and hard to enjoy the fruits of their labors. Hypocrisy, however painted or sculpted, is a sleazy craft not a fine art. And it's so unbecoming.

Beyond a shadow of a doubt, Barack Obama has proven he's not up to the demands of the presidency. And that's too bad. Like or not, no one in their right mind wants an American president to fail. For if the president fails we all fail, and suffer. Have we ever.

The Presidency of the United States is a performance-based position temporarily entrusted to a citizen by the citizenry. That chosen citizen swears an oath, on a Bible, to preserve, protect, and defend our Constitution. That is, to enforce all law. And there's the implied expectation of leadership; from the front. All so simple. As it is, the sitting white guy's motive(s), competency, and performance are in question. The accusatory assessment of some goes beyond questioning. Regardless, in a handful of months the citizenry will deliver their formal appraisal. It's not going to be pretty.

While we await that day, another white guy is telling us he can do the job. Maybe he can. Maybe he will. But like all who've held the high office, he, too, will be subject to citizen appraisal; based on performance.

From start to finish, from presidents to peons, performance is the way and how and why America works. And it ever will be.

Just ask any peon.

Just ask any president, other than the incumbent--the 44th white guy to hold the office--for he's dogged by an unshakable bias, a permanent condition.

Bottom line: The 2012 race is not about race. It's about competency and performance.

Racing for the White House is the game.

"Racing" for the White House is intolerable.

Post Script

During the 1956 presidential campaign, a woman called out to Adlai E. Stevenson: "Senator, you have the vote of every thinking person." Stevenson called back, "That's not enough, madam, we need a majority."