We have heard them cheer, “Obama, Obama, Obama” and “Yes we can. Yes we can. Yes we can.” We have all felt inspired, proud, and a few, like MSNBC commentator Chris Mathews, have even felt a “thrill going up (their) leg.”
Other statements:
Unfortunately, the so-called movement behind Obama’s candidacy, the policies Obama advocates, and the pronouncements on race Obama has issued so far may not produce the change we all want and that his campaign has taken as a slogan.
The reasons why his election may not be a progressive event in American history are: (1) Obama does not represent a genuine social movement, (2) his policies are centrist, and in the last few weeks, he has moved clearly to the right, (3) a large portion of his funding comes from elites (through “bundling”) and they have received preferential access to Obama, (4) he has taken a problematic color-blind, post-racial approach to politics and policies, and (5) his rise to political stardom means something different for whites and non-whites making even the symbolic value of his election a problematic matter.
Rather than hope, his election may prolong hopelessness and reduce the space for open racial contestation. With no social movement in the horizon, the only option at this juncture is for progressives to force Obama to commit to a few basic things or risk losing their support. Otherwise the Republicrat candidate will win and Obamerica will look very much like Bush’s America.