by BAR executive editor Glen FordPeople who remember the days when Black elected officials were scarce and low-ranked, might conclude that last week's spectacle is a good problem to have: A Black president carrying out the “political execution” of a Black state governor. But what does this episode say about Black voting strategies and the value of role models?
White House vs. Gov Paterson: Is That Any Way to Treat a Brother?
by BAR executive editor Glen Ford
“Race loyalty without reciprocity isn’t much of a deal.”
The nation’s First Black President has made it abundantly clear that he wants New York’s First Black Governor to forgo election next year. In choreographed leaks to the press, the White House threw its weight to David Paterson’s most prominent Democratic challenger, state attorney general Andrew Cuomo, who maintains close ties to the Administration and has raised twice as much campaign money as the incumbent. (Then Lt. Gov. Paterson assumed the top spot when Gov. Eliot Spitzer resigned amid a sex scandal in 2008.)
BAR has no favorite in this dispute, since Paterson and Obama are ideologically indistinguishable. Rather, the president’s unprecedented bullying of Paterson should represent a challenge to those African Americans that supported Obama because, in the words of crusading New York City councilman Charles Barron, “I just want to give a brother a shot.” Now, the only “shot” that “brother” Paterson will get at election in his own right is the coup de grace to his temple administered by President Obama.
When the white people have left the room, most African Americans on the Left, Right and in-between will confess that their support for Obama is rooted in race – a default position that has become dysfunctional with the advent of Obama and a whole crop of corporate-friendly Black politicos.In the past, race-based electoral loyalty served Black people rather well – when it was reciprocal. But Barack Obama harbors no such loyalties; Paterson was deemed a weak candidate, so he had to go.
“Race-loyal electoral politics has become dysfunctional with the advent of Obama and a whole crop of corporate-friendly Black politicos.”
No doubt there were strong hints to Paterson from on-high that he should bow out of the 2010 primary race, but they apparently didn’t register. So the White House sent an operative to transmit the president’s demand, and then delegated anonymous politicians to inform the press. It was an exercise in sheer political brutality. The New York Times gave the following version of the White House operative’s ultimatum to the governor:
“He said, ‘I am here at the direction of the president, and we have lost confidence in your ability to run for re-election and win, and we would strongly like you to reconsider. And if you decide to go ahead, you will not have our support.’”
Another rendition of the political execution went: “We want you to stand down. There is no path to success.”
Race Men and Women might ask, “Is that any way to treat a brother?”
Of course, Obama is like the character played by cable TV’s Stephen Colbert: he doesn’t see race. The point is, most of his Black supporters certainly do. Race loyalty without reciprocity isn’t much of a deal.
“Role model” politics is a variation on the racial loyalty theme. Black kids, the rational goes, need to see Black faces in high places – like governor and president – so their aspirations will soar. Paterson is not only Black, but legally blind, and thus doubly inspirational.
No matter. As far as the Obama White House is concerned, the president is Black role model enough. The rest are extraneous. Just ask Van Jones, and now, David Paterson, and other jettisoned “role models.”
“It was an exercise in sheer political brutality.”
It appears Black role modeling is in triage mode, with some role models being sacrificed for the sake of the uber-model in the White House.
Since role modeling is all about hierarchy – that is, Black upward mobility in various hierarchies – it is beyond question that higher-ranking role models are inherently more valuable than models of lower rank. That makes things simpler, since there is no discernible political difference between Gov. Paterson and President Obama. Both can be counted on to buttress the Right at critical junctures, and seem to share an antipathy to the Left. In Paterson’s case, this tendency was most dramatically observed in his appointment of upstate Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand, the most right-wing member of the New York congressional delegation, to fill Hillary Clinton’s senate seat. That was a jaw-dropper, seemingly inexplicable and politically unnecessary – unless one was aware that the Obama White House had exercised its muscles to discouraged other Democrats from actively vying for the seat.
So, the two brothers came together to elevate – a right-wing white woman! Somehow, the role model/race loyalty chemistry isn’t working well, these days. Certainly not for David Paterson. Probably not for most African Americans.
No one that has grown up Black in American can fail to appreciate the internal logic of electoral race loyalty and the potential potency of racial role-modeling. The problem is, Barack Obama does not play by these rules. It is, for him, a one-sided game in which he takes, but never gives.
Saladin Muhammad was the founder of Black Workers for Justice. He played a key role in developing Black revolutionary labor organizing.
This week’s featured author is Andrea Freeman. Freeman is Professor of Law at the University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law. Her book is Skimmed: Breastfeeding, Race, and Injustice.
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