From the outset, let me state clearly that I have no political agenda with this blog. It's just my format for getting "random rants" out of my head and occasionally sharing a smile or a thought. In the upcoming presidential election, I have no idea who I will cast my vote for. . . . whether Hillary 'Can-She-Win-It' Clinton, John 'McNasty' McCain, Barak 'Oprah's-Latest-Project' Obama, or someone else altogether. This 2008 campaign gets curiouser and curiouser every day.
In recent days, it seems that Obama's middle name (Hussein) has become a political issue, both for him, for his opponents, and for the media. Why? Presumably, it is a name he has been proud of for his entire life. It is the name his parents gave him. Is it something to be ashamed of or afraid of now, because he/they/someone perceive it as a liability, given our country's fascination with all-things-Muslim and the simmering war in Iraq? Some pundits have even equated the use of Obama's middle name as being on a par with using the infamous n-word. [For the record, that is a word I abhor, on a par with the vulgar f-word!]
All in all, I kind of like the following take on this whole non-issue. . . .
The real problem is that if the right wants to start a whispering campaign about the name Hussein, Obama is only helping them. By cutting short the discussion, Obama is banishing his name to the voters' subconscious, where the dark opposites of hope - bigotry and fear - can turn the word over and over again in their minds until November. The same day that Cunningham was dropping H-bombs on Cincinnati, Obama was at the Democratic debate in Cleveland, hastily accepting Hillary Clinton's assertion that she didn't order the leak of a picture of Obama wearing a turban in Kenya. "I think that's something we can set aside," he said.
It was a missed opportunity. He could have explained that he has nothing to hide. Explained why there's nothing wrong with him dressing in ceremonial clothes on official visits - like batik Bill in Indonesia in 1994 or headscarf Hillary in Eritrea in 1997. Maybe even explained why his middle name is Hussein - what his heritage means, and what it doesn't mean. In short, to reintroduce himself to those general election voters who are just starting to pay closer attention.
No matter what his advisers say, Obama wins nothing by shying away from his differences. After all, Obama is the candidate of change. He should take a cue from McCain's courage on Iraq. Say what you will about McCain, but he knows he's the war candidate. And though may have regretted saying it out loud, McCain clearly accepts that if voters don't buy his vision for the war, he'll lose. It's not too much risk for Obama to stake his campaign on voters' ability to rationally understand the difference between a Hawaii-born Christian and Saddam Hussein, the butcher of Baghdad. (View the entire article on Time.com)
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