The Obama Phenomenon and the 2008 Presidential Campaign

[axordil]

vison--

It took about that long for it to happen, unfortunately. Black players have been around for several decades, black quarterbacks for maybe half that time, but until relatively recently they all played for white coaches. Without going into the culture and history of the sport too much, let's just say it took some dedicated people and years of effort to get to where they are today in the face of inertia and small-minded resistance.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I wonder whether Edwards would accept the VP slot again, should Clinton offer it to him. It seems to me that he would be perfect choice for her.

[axordil]

I have to doubt it. I don't see him or any other candidate who has the drive/ego to run in the first place settling for the number two slot AGAIN.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I know; that's what I thought. But he is still young enough that he could still run for President in 2016 (or 2012, if Clinton only won one term). Being on the ticket would be the best way for him to prepare for that.

Can you tell that I am beginning to believe that a Clinton nomination is inevitable?

[axordil]

It's as inevitable as Muskie.

[vison]

[Faramond]

Warren Moon can't have been the first black quarterback in the NFL. From wikipedia: Marlin Briscoe became the first modern starting black quarterback with the AFL's Denver Broncos,

Okay, that's the AFL, but still a major football league, one that would merge with the NFL in 1970. A year isn't given for when Marlin played, but it must have been sometime in the 60s. It's true there haven't been many black NFL quarterbacks until recently.

Art Shell was the first black head coach in the NFL, in 1989.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Technically, the first African-American quarterback was Fritz Pollard, who took snaps directly from the center for the Hammond Pros of the American Professional Football Association (the precursor to NFL) in a couple of games in 1923. Pollard was also techinally the first African-American coach, serving as player-coach for the Akron Pros in 1921 (he also claims that he served as coach for the Akron team in 1919 and 1920, for the the Milwaukee Badgers in 1922 and the Hammond Pros from 1923 to 1925, but the NFL Encyclopaedia lists no coaches for those teams.

In the modern era, Faramond is correct that Art Shell was the first African-American head coach, in 1989. As for quarterbacks in the modern era, in 1953, backup Chicago Bears QB Willie Thrower became the first African-American quarterback to solely play quarterback in an NFL game on October 18, 1953 against the San Francisco 49ers. He played under center and received the snap directly, making him the first African American Quarterback since Pollard in 1923. Around the same time period George Taliaferro, a single-wing tailback from Indiana University started two games as a T-formation quarterback for the Baltimore Colts in 1953.

[vison]

And from then on, of course, it was never an issue.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Alas, that is not the case. Successful black college quarterbacks continued to be converted to wide receiver or defensive back for another 30 years at least (including Tony Dungy, who just became the first African-American head coach to win the Super Bowl).

[elfshadow]

Last Friday I went to the 2007 DNC Winter Meeting and saw the three front-runners (Clinton, Obama, and Edwards) speak about their goals for presidency. Of course there were only a few hundred people present watching the speeches so it was in no way indicative of the feelings of the general population, but I was surprised to see much more vocal support for Edwards than for Clinton (although comparable to Obama's). Clinton had the most signs and stickers and buttons, but the loudest cheers were for Edwards' speech. Clinton certainly spoke well, but I thought that Edwards was much more personable--and I think he is also more appealing to swing voters. He comes off more in tune with "ordinary" Americans, and also seemed to me to have a much better chance at getting strong, cohesive backing from the entire Democratic party. Clinton came off as too confident of receiving the nomination, and also as much too defensive on her 2002 position on the Iraq War. Edwards spoke of the need for Democrats to become cohesive, Clinton continued along the same failed 2004 strategy of "winning the country back." Obama gave a good speech, but not his best speech, I thought. I saw him speak on energy back in I think October, and I thought that was much stronger. I would love to see him as president--but I really think that no matter how personable you are, or how intelligent you are, political experience on a national and international scale is essential. He is a young candidate and will have many other chances to run for president. But I really like his message, and he has a long future as a leader in the nation.

So, in conclusion , I'm not convinced that Hillary is a lock for the 2008 nomination. There are still many months to go in the campaign and many more speeches and messages that await us.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Hi Elsha. You are certainly well-placed to observe the process! I'm not convinced that Clinton is the best candidate, but I think in the end she will raise the most money, and she will attract the support of the most party insiders, and the best political operatives. Just as that was enough for Bush in 2000 to hold off McCain, so too do I think it will be enough for Clinton this time around. But only time will tell.

Personally, my preference is Obama, lack of experience and all.

[vison]

What a two years we're in for!!! I say "we" although I'm only an interested bystander.

As for the Republicans, I do have to wonder. . . . . .

[Primula Baggins]

I haven't decided. I only know I want to use my vote for someone who will work to undo the damage to our country. Someone who doesn't believe the only answer to every issue is to take inoffensive centrist positions to try to appease the corporate media, who will never be appeased, and the far right, who will never vote for a Democrat. The result being that year after year we put fake Democrats up against real Republicans, and then wonder why we can't seem to energize the Democratic base. Hel-loooo!

It's about time we stopped letting that strategy work.

[Faramond]

Bush is not a real Republican, though.

[axordil]

I still think Bill Clinton was the best Republican president of the last half of the 20th century.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

In the "tell me something else I didn't know" category, Obama officially announced his candidacy today. He (cleverly, I think) attempted to use his relative inexperience to his advantage, but casting himself as the Washington outsider candidate:

"I know I haven't spent a lot of time learning the ways of Washington. But I've been there long enough to know that the ways of Washington must change," Obama said to some of the loudest applause of his 20-minute speech.

Only time will tell whether that - and his considerable charisma and intelligence - will be enough to overcome the Clinton machine.

[superwizard]

Oh wow he's going to run then? That's sad
I'd hoped he'd wait a few years and then run for 2012 when he would have been older are in my opinion more likely to win.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

There really wasn't any doubt that he was going to run, once he formed his exploratory committee. But, of course, running now certainly would not preclude him from running again in 2012. Or, more likely, 2016, if he doesn't win the nomination this time, since I think whoever does win the Democratic nomination should win the general election (even Hilllary Clinton). It is fairly rare for a sitting president to be challenged for the nomination for a second term (the only recent instance that I can think of was Teddy Kennedy challenging Carter). Particularly if he ended up as the Vice President. Which I don't think is that likely, particularly if Clinton wins the nomination.

[Túrin Turambar]

Oh wow he's going to run then? That's sad
I'd hoped he'd wait a few years and then run for 2012 when he would have been older are in my opinion more likely to win.

OTOH, there is quite likely to be a sitting Democrat President in 2012 - it'll probably be now or 2016. Even if he does loose now, he gains recognition for the future. Reagan needed to run in 1968 and 1976 before getting the top spot on the 1980 ticket.

It is fairly rare for a sitting president to be challenged for the nomination for a second term (the only recent instance that I can think of was Teddy Kennedy challenging Carter).

IIRC, every defeated President in the last fifty years or so was challenged before their election. Reagan challenged Ford, and Kennedy Carter. I can’t remember who challenged Bush Sr., though.