The big storyline from Barack Obama’s selection of Senator Joe Biden as his presidential running mate is that Biden compensates for Obama’s lack of foreign policy experience. But a secondary theme is one of racial reconciliation. Back on January 31, Biden’s off-the-cuff remark about Obama being “clean” and “articulate” was criticized as having derogatory racial overtones, and it pretty much doomed his announcement of his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. Later, Biden had to apologize again for racially insensitive comments he made while campaigning in New Hampshire. “You cannot go to a 7-Eleven or a Dunkin’ Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent,” he had said in an ill-fated attempt at humor. Still, most folks agreed that Biden was not a racist; he just suffered occasional bouts of foot-in-mouth disease.
Marc Lamont Hill of The Root suggested several weeks back that a Biden pick would underscore the Obama campaign’s spirit of reconciliation, and at least one other political blogger made a similar observation today. I do hope this theme gets some play from the media. With race being invoked and manipulated in such an ugly way earlier in this long presidential battle, it’s nice to see such a prominent example of racial reconciliation in action.
Great point!
I’m not sure what you mean here. Are you saying they can play up the reconciliation piece because Biden is white or because Obama picked someone who has been accused of being a racist in the past? Either way I’m not sure how the choice of Biden is different for the cause of racial reconciliation than any of the other white politician he had on the list.
BK,
Hi there. Thanks for your question. I was referring to the fact that Biden’s comment about Obama being “clean” and “articulate” was interpreted as being condescending and racially insensitive by some observers. For an overview of why some folks would be offended by this kind of language, check out this post at Racialicous:
http://www.racialicious.com/2007/01/25/barack-obama-is-awb-articulate-while-black/
I wonder what they were looking at in that picture.
[...] Ed Gilbreath says the Obama-Biden ticket is an example of racial reconciliation. [...]
Nice spin on what most are now thinking is a horrible pick. Come on, this wasn’t purposeful reconciliation. That is such a stretch. It was political. Obama is a political animal and this pick was what he and his advisers felt was the best political move he could make.
Rich,
Thanks for checking in. Don’t get me wrong; of course his pick of Biden was a political move. How could a vp selection be anything but? Still, the reconciliation piece is one of those extra little sub-themes that are there for anyone interested in observing them. I don’t think Obama chose Biden thinking, “I’m doing this to show people that I believe in forgiveness and am committed to racial reconciliation.” But I’m sure it crossed the minds of Obama and his people on some level.
I’m curious, who could Obama have picked that wouldn’t have worked with the theme of racial reconciliation? I don’t know who the possible choices were, but I’m wondering if there were other options that wouldn’t have fit that bill. Just wondering.
Hi, A Musing Mom. So nice to see you here. I’m thinking I didn’t express myself too clearly in this post. Sorry about that, everyone. In this case, I was speaking specifically about the personal situation between Obama and Biden—the fact that those words uttered by Biden last winter led some to infer some mild bigotry. At the time, Biden attempted to clarify what he really meant, and Obama said no offense was taken and that no apology was needed. Still, for him to now pick Biden as his running mate despite all of that stuff can send an indirect message to those who were distracted by Biden’s words and questioned the sentiments behind them.
I’m not suggesting that this is an example of racial reconciliation simply because Obama picked a white running mate. It has more to do with that personal exchange between the two men. It’s really not a major deal, or some sort of blatant political statement. Just one of those little serendipitous side notes to the larger issues at hand.
I might conceivably even take it further, Ed. I realize for some that this will seem like reading way too much into it, but I’m looking at sub-themes.
On some level, is there a hint not of racial reconciliation, but personal reconciliation (as in, “I can get over personal grievances to work together for a greater cause – I’m a big person”)?
Barby,
Great observation. Thanks! Perhaps what we’re talking about is more of a personal reconciliation. I mentioned the racial aspect because of the racial overtones some say were in implicit in Biden’s infamous comment about Obama.