Jesse Jackson: Obama’s Success Is Making Us All Winners

[babylonsister]

Obama’s Success Is Making Us All Winners
by Jesse Jackson


Barack Obama’s stunning victory in Iowa lifts our hearts, no matter whom we support. You can’t help but be touched by a brilliant, passionate African American with a message of hope winning the vote of Iowa’s presidential caucuses. Although it’s only a first step in a long race for Obama, it is surely a giant step for America.

Nearly 44 years ago, Fanny Lou Hamer led the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party to the Democratic convention in Atlantic City, challenging a Mississippi delegation that had systematically excluded all blacks. Hamer had to kick open locked doors simply to gain a hearing. She was dismissed by President Lyndon Johnson as an “illiterate.” In the end, two delegates from the Freedom Democratic Party were seated, on condition that Hamer not be among them. Four years later, Democrats required equal representation. And now four decades later, an African-American leader can compete on a more level playing field.

On the stage of the Democratic debate Saturday night in New Hampshire were the leading candidates for the nomination — a white woman, an African American, a white man and a Latino — strong leaders all, contesting for the presidency. (Dennis Kucinich was unfairly excluded from the debate.) We have come a long way.

George Bush the First talked in New Hampshire’s primary about having the “Big Mo,” as in momentum. Obama enjoys far more than that. He’s got the “Big M’s”: magnetic personality, magic moment, message, money and momentum. And the preposterously short primary season — it’s all over essentially by Feb. 5 — dramatically favors anyone who can win the early contests, in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada. If Obama wins today in New Hampshire, he will be well on his way.

The media are into the horse race: Who’s up? Who’s down? Daily polls, focus groups, on-the-street interviews. Lost in all this are the issues Americans care most about.

more...

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/01/08/6245/

[H2O Man]

1. We all are gaining .....

I Am
Somebody
I Am
Somebody
I May Be Poor
But I Am
Somebody
I May Be Young
But I Am
Somebody
I May Be On Welfare
But I Am
Somebody
I May Be Fool
But I Am
Somebody
I May Be Small
But I Am
Somebody
I May Make A Mistake
But I Am
Somebody
My Clothes Are Different
My Face Is Different
My Hair Is Different
But I Am
Somebody
I Am Black
Brown
White
I Speak A Different Language
But I Must Be Respected
Protected
Never Rejected
I Am
God's Child
--Jesse Jackson

[babylonsister]

2. Very nice, H20 Man. I think that was Jackson's point!

This country would benefit from more respect all the way around.

[H2O Man]

3. The world

will benefit from the '08 election.

[babylonsister]

4. Oh yes, regardless of who wins. I'm bucking the status quo.

;)

[Catherine Vincent]

5. No ifs, ands or buts about it....

Obama's got the Juice!

[fightindonkey]

6. Jesse Jackson. Uh, Let's Not Go There

[demosincebirth]

7. I hear ya.

[reggie the dog]

10. What do you have against Jackson?

In my opinion he is the best politician from Chicago. I would have loved to have voted for him for president, or hell even mayor of Chicago.

[shireen]

8. sometime ago, someone asked me if the US was ready for a Black president

Ever the pessimist, I said "no".

But after Iowa, I'm so happy to see how wrong I was.

[Little Star]

9. I love JJ. I'm glad this makes him and others full of hope. n/t

[annie1]

11. I understand black people excited to vote for the first black president...

i just think it's a shame that it had to come at a time when we really need someone better than obama.

[bigdarryl]

13. And whos that?

[annie1]

14. Hillary, Biden, woulda been good.

[Cha]

12. Making us all winners is right!

I'm thinking 8 years of bushnightmare and we're ready for a Leader with a captital L.