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OBAMA’S HISTORIC DEMOCRATIC NOMINATING VICTORY IS A BIG CHALLENGE TO CLINTON

BY FR JOACHIM OMOLO OUKO, AJ

NAIROBI-KENYA
JUNE 4, 2008

With Barack Obama effectively clinching the nomination battle for the United States Democratic Party presidential ticket which came to a closure last night thus making him to become the first black candidate ever to lead his party into a November campaign for the White House, the whole world is watching with whether this dream can come true, especially Africa, and in a special way Kenya his genealogical origin home.

Even though he was guaranteed victory even if he lost the final two primaries in South Dakota and Montana, the fact that the 46-year-old first-term senator will now face Sen. John McCain of Arizona in the November campaign to become the 44th president, is indeed a big challenge, not only to Democrats or Hillary Clinton, but also the American white majority.

In what the press refer to as titanic battle; if Clinton won she could make the history in America since she would be the first and the strongest female presidential candidate in history. No doubt that despite the fact that Clinton is a woman she has drawn large and enthusiastic audiences even though the Obama’s were bigger still.

Just like any other white American Clinton is not yet convinced that a Black American can make it to presidency. It explains why her campaign officials found it very difficult for her to suspend or end her candidacy in a speech Tuesday night in New York.

Obama’s triumph which was fashioned on prodigious fundraising, meticulous organising and his theme of change aimed at an electorate opposed to the Iraq war and worried about the economy – all harnessed to his own innate gifts as a campaigner, it explains why even though he is black, and more so a Kenyan, he drew that large crowd.

Just like what a source that has been living in the US for the last one year told Kenya Times yesterday that the way things are in America right now, only a bullet can stop Barrack Obama from being the next top White House occupant, his following which is like a cult,” and by the fact that House majority Whip, the top ranking African-American in Congress, James Clyburn who had been neutral in the race between the front-running Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton, the former first lady, his announcement that he will support Barack Obama in the Democratic presidential race, is yet another big challenge to Clinton.

The way things are going Clyburn believes the nomination of Senator Obama is their party’s best chance for victory in November, and their nation’s best hope for much needed in America. This is because Senator Obama brings a new vision for future and new voters to their cause. He has created levels of energy and excitement that Clyburn has not witnessed since the 1960’s.

If according to the senior campaign officials who told journalists that Clinton would concede latest today that Obama has done enough to secure the Democratic nomination, Obama needed the support of about 40 more Democratic delegates to make the 2,118 needed to capture the nomination at the party’s August convention. If this fails then he is likely to depend on superdelegates – party officials free to back any candidate – to tip the balance.

Latest information that Obama has pulled ahead of McCain in the latest Gallup voter opinion survey, published yesterday in USA Today is just some few hints that Obama could easily become the first Black American president. According to the poll, Obama leads McCain 47 to 44 per cent.

The poll also found that 58pc of Americans have a positive image of Obama, 56pc view McCain favourably and 54pc have a good opinion of Clinton. But President George W Bush’s approval rating was just 28pc.

Obama has been finding it rough to excel through because of the racism in the United States which has been has been a major issue in America since the colonial era. Historically, the country has been dominated by a settler society of religiously and ethnically diverse whites.

According to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, major racially structured institutions include slavery, settlement, Indian reservations, segregation, residential schools (for American Indians), and internment camps. Racial stratification has occurred in employment, housing, education and
government.

Although racial discrimination was largely criminalized in the mid-20th century, and it became socially unacceptable or morally repugnant as well, the fact that major inequalities still persist and racial politics remains a major phenomenon in America explains why racism in the States is there to stay.

People for Peace in Africa (PPA)
P O Box 14877
Nairobi
00800, Westlands
Kenya

E-Mail ppa@africaonline.co.ke
Tel 254-20-4441372
    Website : http://www.peopleforpeaceinafrica.org

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Date:  Wed, 4 Jun 2008 09:21:14 +0300
From:  PEOPLE FOR PEACE IN AFRICA <ppa@africaonline.co.ke>
Subject:  Regional News