Can Either Candidate Be Trusted?

Since their nominations, talk has surfaced about whether to trust the political agenda of either of the presidential hopefuls. Can either of these candidates be trust?

JACKSON, SHARPTON NEED TO STEP ASIDE ---WILLIAM HOSTON

With all due respect, the Revs. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton need to step aside and allow a new generation of black politicians and activists to emerge. The self-described "civil rights" politician-activists are making a mockery of themselves and the entire black community. Their respect in the black community has diminished (if not vanished), and it is safe to assume their respect is obsolete within the white political culture.

Recent comments by Jackson may even illustrate that he is not in support of the historical achievement of Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., as the first African-American Democratic presidential nominee.

The vulgar comments made by Jackson -- that he wanted to castrate Obama -- show that there may be a certain amount of generational jealousy. We all know that Jackson's landmark presidential run in 1984 helped pave the way for the Democratic nomination of Obama. However, Jackson's recent tirade has led many to question whether he is jealous of Obama's progress toward becoming the first African-American president. Even Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill., expressed his disgust with his father's comments, stating they "contradict his inspiring and courageous career."

The elder Jackson should be aware that his comments may provoke unsophisticated white voters to question their support for Obama. If an influential figure of the civil rights movement does not substantiate the success of Obama, then why should they cast their vote for him. Although Jackson apologized for his reckless comments, expressing that they were "crude and hurtful," the damage has been done.

Jackson and other black civil rights activists have condemned Obama for practicing deracialized politics and alienating the black electorate. Because of the historical injustices faced by blacks, they have questioned whether Obama will actually provide leadership for the black community as a whole.

What prompted Jackson's comments in the first place was the claim that Obama has been talking down to blacks while on the campaign trail. Jackson believes that Obama should speak at great length in his campaign speeches about how he will address the high levels of unemployment among blacks, housing foreclosures and continual violence plaguing the black community.

Obama's decision not to focus on race-specific issues and policies has defined his presidential campaign. Rather than focus on issues to improve the level of social and economic equality for blacks, he has strategically addressed universal issues such as the war in Iraq, universal health care and economic development, and he has taken a strong stance on coalition building.

Black leadership that emerged from the civil rights generation is being replaced with a "new breed" of leadership that represents a changing political philosophy. Jackson and others may feel that Obama's campaign strategy misrepresents the black political struggle of the 1950s and 1960s, but Obama is responding to the current political climate that these civil rights politician-activists have not embraced.

William T. Hoston is an assistant professor of political science at Wichita State University

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