The attacks—albeit subtle at this point—have begun. Political pundits and gatekeepers are starting to focus more attention on the presidential candidate, signaling to those of us who see a conspiracy behind every tree that Obama’s bid for the White House is more than an aberration, and is indeed a serious undertaking with a reasonable chance of success.

Take note: Obama’s Monday evening rally warranted only page three, part two coverage in Tuesday morning’s Journal Sentinel, while a story about former Governor Tommy Thompson’s apology to Jews for an off the cuff remark was given prominent placement in the main section of that newspaper.

Does that imply that the Journal Sentinel has relegated Obama to the ‘curiosity category’ of presidential candidates? Or instead, that the publication is seeking to diminish his quest? Of course, you could surmise since little of subjective significance was said during his speech, that the story didn’t merit better placement. There were no policy or platform revelations. And granted, it’s still so early in the campaign cycle that some media is concerned about over saturation.

But, for us conspiracy buffs, the Journal Sentinel seems in the early stages of an Obama ‘Blacklash,’ the self-fulfilling prophesy that rears its ugly head on those all too rare occasions when a Black man is taken seriously by a broader audience, and thus poses a threat to the establishment status quo.

If that theory holds true, Obama will soon fall prey to the same media lynching that befell Marvin Pratt after he surprisingly won the mayoral primary three years ago, or Jesse Jackson when he received the endorsements of major unions during his presidential bid. In each case it was not merely a matter of those candidates securing the Black votes—although that leverage cannot be taken lightly. But instead, the candidate enthralled White voters. They apparently looked beyond race and actually embraced the grandiose hope of Martin Luther King, Jr.: They were judged by the content of their character, versus the color of their skin.

And it is that content that threatens the status quo. For Obama is a Black man who proposes an ideological shift, a new philosophical paradigm that could destroy the wall of apartheid. That goal would be accomplished not through intimidation, or slander, but through a moral appeal that touches people’s sense of humanity.

Obama poses a threat because he has ‘it.’ Call it the Oprah Winfrey or Tiger Woods quality. Obama is among that select group of Black celebrities who, for a variety of reasons have been able to traverse the racial divide. They are not only accepted by White America, but also allowed to mentor them.

You can debate the reasons for that phenomena—maybe they are non-threatening ("she’s are not like those other ‘Blacks,’" I overheard a White woman say once about Oprah), possess unique skill sets, and don’t make Whites feel guilty for Black oppression. Whatever the reason, you can’t debate their unprecedented influence.

Despite their status, however, I would venture to guess that if either Oprah or Tiger decided to run for political office, they would find themselves in the same predicament I believe Obama will soon find himself in.

In Obama’s case, there looms a real threat that he is establishing a multi-racial foundation that could propel him to the White House. And from that perch, he can yield unprecedented power to move the country toward a new ideological paradigm that would not only reverse a decade of division and economic regression, but set the stage for a new world order.

This is indeed a serious candidacy by a Black man, the first real threat to the status quo in U.S. history.

Truthfully, Jesse Jackson never had a chance. In fact his role was cast in stone long before he announced his bid for the White House. His candidacy was essentially created to drum up the Black vote as was Al Sharpton’s presidential run. In many respects both Sharpton and Jackson possessed some of the same qualities as Obama, with one exception: they were angry veterans of the civil rights movement, and as such, always suggested the possibility of venting their frustrations, taking White America to task for 300 years of oppression.

Obama, on the other hand, is a creature of social advocacy and political pragmatism. Moreover, he is biracial, a fact that puts him in a unique class. He sees the world through a different lens, and has himself been subjected to racist attitudes from his own. (Yeah, we don’t’ like to talk about it, but there is a subculture among many African Americans who, out of jealousy or self-hatred, exhibit the engrained traits of the Willie Lynch socialization process, hating lighter skinned brothers and sisters because of their perceived status.)

More importantly, Obama brings something special to the political table that both Whites and African Americans have longed for over the past seven years. It’s the ‘it’ factor, that intangible quality that transcends political partisanship; a platform centered on hope and psychological well being, versus unachievable socioeconomic goals that are never achieved.

Thus, while from a practical standpoint, Black Americans can more readily identify with the centerpiece of Senator Edwards’ campaign—ending poverty in America--Obama’s nondescript agenda is covered with a moral frosting that appeals to our morality. He is like a cleric that speaks more spirituality than religion.

For the record, my support for Obama grows daily. It’s easy to get caught up in his energy and moral integrity. His focus frequently deals not with specific solutions to the myriad of problems that face America. But instead, he talks about giving hope to the hopeless, a voice to the voiceless.

He talks about Americans caring and sharing and setting aside those things that separate us, and instead embracing those qualities and cultural nuisances that bind us through a universal order. Of course, that’s not an agenda that will erase poverty, end the war in the Middle East, or lower gasoline prices. But it does provide a moral foundation that would allow us to see the world differently, and from that high ground we can affect long lasting change.

Maybe if we saw each other as brothers and sisters, we would then begin to care for the downtrodden. If we embraced a philosophy more in tune with the great world religions, we would view ourselves as our brothers’ keepers. If we felt better about ourselves, we could slow the epidemic of teen pregnancy, impact the drop out rate, and even slow the epidemic of crime.

I see in Obama’s campaign a national mandate to not only move America back to the political center, but to our righteous philosophical core. In that regard, he reminds me of Bill Clinton, who may not have been the best president in history, but brought to the table intangibles that belied his oftentimes-contradictory political philosophy.

And just as the average Black person may call Clinton the best president of their lifetimes, but can’t recall a single piece of legislation he introduced, Obama is a running a campaign that is essentially nondescript in terms of political platform, yet stands apart from the other candidates.

Obama has the ability to expound upon Clinton’s mission, particularly as it relates to creating a new philosophical paradigm that will move our country forward. And, because he has endeared himself to progressive White America, his candidacy takes on historic significance.

Don’t believe me? Look at the make-up of the crowds attracted to his speeches. Check out his campaign finance report. Most of the $25 million he raised thus far has come from White America. Americans who understand we are not only on the wrong train, but the wrong track embrace Obamaism. His appeal is to a people who are tired of being pawns of an old world order that has destroyed our world’s resources, divided America into racial and economic camps and crippled our sense of commonality.

Obama has a chance, a real chance. And that’s why his honeymoon is over; that’s why he will soon become the target of a well-coordinated attack to discredit and eventually undermine his candidacy. It’s not that America is not ready for a Black president, it’s more so that those who really run this country, who pull the stings of the political puppets, don’t want to alter the course we’re currently on.

The last thing they want is for America to wake-up. The last thing they want is for us to stop sleep walking, and to view ourselves as a world community, one that seeks to resolve our problems not because they adversely impact the financial or cultural bottom line, but because it’s the righteous thing to do.

The last thing they want is for us to see each other as Americans and neighbors and brothers and sisters instead of Black and White, rich and poor, haves versus have nots. Obama doesn’t want to occupy the White House, or to color it Black. Instead, he wants to paint it moral gray.
Hotep.