MyDD :: Is the "Safe" White Male V.P. Really Safe?

Is the "Safe" White Male V.P. Really Safe?

by Manic Lawyer, Sat Aug 30, 2008 at 04:55:39 AM EST

Barack Obama did what most Democratic presidential nominees do when called upon to pick a vice presidential nominee: he picked a "safe" white man. White men are perceived as being inherently safe, while anyone who is not a white man is perceived as being inherently less safe simply by virtue of not being a white man. That's what we're struggling against. (At least SOME of us are, while the rest are viciously opposed to the concept that there ought to be demographic representation in government.)

From a substantive political justice standpoint, isn't it really outrageous not to have a woman on the ticket when women are 59% of voters and 53% of the country? Doesn't an all-male ticket just throw demographic representation out the window?

From a tactical standpoint, when Barack Obama chose Biden, it might have seemed like it was reasonable not to try to change too much too fast. But it was also foreseeable that the Republican response to an all-male Democratic ticket would be to nominate a woman and make the Democrats look like the party of patriarchy. I wrote as much in an essay at July of 2006, before I had my own blog.

So, now it seems to me that Obama has lost some of the tactical advantage of being the Party of inclusion and "making history" and even of demographic change. What he has left is being the representative of the party that has its head on straight with respect to Iraq, the economy, taxation of the rich, and everything else the Republicans have royally screwed up during the last eight years.

So, what now ? Will some women be drawn to Polin the way some Blacks were initially in favor of Clarence Thomas, even though Clarence Thomas stood and continues to stand in stolid opposition to every political interest Blacks have as a group?

In retrospect, was choosing the "safe" white man really all that safe?

Tags: Biden, Obama (all tags)

Permalink :: 12 Comments :: Post a Comment

Re: Is the "Safe" White ............... (2.00 / 4)

Yes, I think if you look at the replay, you can clearly see that Biden beat the tag at second.

by JENKINS on Sat Aug 30, 2008 at 06:24:34 AM EST

Re: Is the "Safe" White ............... (2.00 / 1)

I thought instant replay was only going to be used to determine home runs! See, this is why I was skeptical, the creeping use of it. First, its for home runs, and then before you know it, its being used to evaluate metaphors used in response to crappy diaries....

Saxby Chambliss

by bosdcla14 on Sat Aug 30, 2008 at 09:02:25 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Is the "Safe" White ............... (2.00 / 1)

To be honest though, you could say it was a crappy metaphor in response to a crappy diary. :)

by JENKINS on Sat Aug 30, 2008 at 09:36:14 AM EST
[ Parent ]

"Safe" White Male V.P. Really Safe? (none / 0)

All the VP choices had some down side. I still think that someone comparable to Biden was Hillary's request for VP. Too much behind the scenes stuff that we are not going to know to really evaluate it. If Biden was a fill the holes pick we didn't have many options.

Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win. ~ Sun Tzu

by Tumult on Sat Aug 30, 2008 at 06:33:44 AM EST

Re: Is the "Safe" White Male V.P. (2.00 / 2)

I think that Biden was a reassuring pick. Palin is not. She is against everything that women have been fighting for. She is also a scary pick. It scares me to think that old man McBush would die and we would be left with her as president. Very scary. Also, she is an extremist, a pentacostal who believes in creationism and that it should be taught in schools. She probably speaks in tongues at her church. Very scary.

by Spanky on Sat Aug 30, 2008 at 07:26:15 AM EST

Re: Is the "Safe" White Male V.P. (2.00 / 1)

Spanky is right on as usual. People are going to ask if something were to happen to John McCain is she ready for the Presidency.

by canadian on Sat Aug 30, 2008 at 07:44:27 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Is the "Safe" White Male V.P. (none / 0)

I did advocate Hillary to be VP partly because I knew that would block McCain in choosing Palin or another woman from being his VP choice. Palin is a dangerous pick. If McCain wins this election, she'll probably eventually become the first woman president. So we've got to bring her down now. Let's start looking to see if she abused her office. Let's frame the Palin pick as an affirmative action pick.

Dizzy Zzyzzy

by Zzyzzy on Sat Aug 30, 2008 at 07:27:12 AM EST

Geraldine Ferroro..... (2.00 / 1)

History already made.

People don't vote VP.

It is not as historical as P.

It is a reflection of P.

Attack McSame on crappy temperament and judgement, not VP.

by IowaMike on Sat Aug 30, 2008 at 07:52:37 AM EST

Re: White Male V.P. Safe! (2.00 / 1)

Tell ya what..
Let's wait for the VP debate.
For the GOP and Indy folks that think Obama is not ready..wait until they get a peek at Palin.

"harlequin speech of suicide, demanding instantaneous lobotomy"

by nogo postal on Sat Aug 30, 2008 at 08:17:04 AM EST

No Thomas lover... (2.00 / 1)

Speaking as a Black female, most Blacks were not drawn to Clarence Thomas. We were offended that he took Marshall's place. Look at their resumes. I don't want to get off subject here but as an Obama supporter I did somewhat want him to pick Hillary because I thought she was smart and tough. But if Obama had lost and Hillary did not pick him I would not vote for McCain ever. I don't care if McCain had put Obama on his ticket. Actually, then I would have lost respect for Obama.

by smgreene on Sat Aug 30, 2008 at 08:20:21 AM EST

What is "safe"? (2.00 / 2)

well, this was all the chatter yesterday at work during lunch.

an ex-marine, a man who voted for GWB first time around, didn't vote for anyone in 2004, voted for Obama in the MA primaries. He NEVER voted for a democrat before. He was for the war initially.

However, he was sold on Obama's message and wanted to see both parties work together. He was not impressed with McCain's choice at all - he saw it for what it was

the rest of us (flaming liberals, lol) are viewing this the same way. Some of us, like me, voted for Hillary in the primaries and some voted for Obama, not because they didn't like Hillary (they did), but they felt in the GE, the baggage (fairly or unfairly) would be her stone around her neck.

even the ex-marine stated that - he actually likes Hillary, but felt, thru no fault of Hillary's, things would be held against her

I expected Obama not to pick Hillary. In fact, I think she can do more as a Senator.

by colebiancardi on Sat Aug 30, 2008 at 09:55:16 AM EST

Is the "Safe" White Male ..... (crap) (none / 0)

Will you ever overcome your dislike of 'white males'?

Seriously!

Railing against the 'white male' was all you ever did at Kos under your other name, that was foremost in every diary, your support of Hillary was secondary to that.

Some of us remember all too well, and it makes the rest of your diary fodder for file 13.

Hell's bells, even the GOP didn't have to crucify Eisenhower's record in order to make Reagan their 'saint'. We can have two great ones, you know?

by emsprater on Sat Aug 30, 2008 at 02:02:10 PM EST

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