March 25, 2008
This past week, Senator Obama gave a remarkable speech on issues surrounding race in America. It was a speech timed to close down speculation around controversial remarks of his former pastor, Jeremiah Wright, Jr., but the Senator did more than that.
Obama took the occasion not only to end speculation about Wright’s comments, but to begin a much larger and too long delayed conversation about race and about the politics of distraction and division.
Not the product of speech writers or handlers, this was a personal speech, crafted by Senator Obama, and it tells us much about who Obama is, and how he will deal with controversy, with attacks, and with those with whom he disagrees. It demonstrates a largesse that is rarely seen or heard in American politics today and stands already as an important speech to be heard and read by students of American history. [His speech may be seen in two segments on YouTube.com at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWe7wTVbLUU.]
Standing in sharp contrast to Obama’s coolness under fire, the desperation with which Senator Clinton is pursuing a nomination that she continues to steadily lose to Obama seems to increase in direct proportion to her sense of entitlement to the office. But no one is entitled to our presidency. It is ours, after all, not hers, or his, or theirs.
It is time for the Clintons to gracefully step down and endorse Obama’s candidacy and stop running ads that play to John McCain’s benefit. Another couple of months of sniping can only harm the democratic party, and harm the electorate, and harm the country. Her campaign has such a small chance of securing the nomination – put recently at 5-10% by outside observers – that clawing her way toward an outcome with such slim odds of success only plays into Republican hands, with little benefit to the Democrats and much harm.
Extending the Bush presidency with a McCain presidency is a nightmare that can be readily avoided with a little self-sacrifice on the part of the Clintons. And acquiescing to the will of the people would buy Senator Clinton goodwill that she will desperately need, if she is to run again in 2016.
Given the performance of these two candidates under pressure, it is clear that Senator Obama has the temperament and leadership qualities we need in American politics. Senator Clinton should step aside and spare us a spring and summer of grief that will only strengthen the Republicans in both the short and long run.
Sincerely,
Scott Ainslie, ainslie@musician.org