Political sausage-making
If you want a brief glimpse at just one of the things wrong with the snuffling truffle-hunt for votes that constitutes the competition for political office, read New York magazine on the courtship of Al Sharpton by the top three contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination.
The above excerpt doesn't make it clear, but the article says that John Edwards calls Sharpton even more often than his rivals.
If you're not familiar with Sharpton ... well ... lucky you. He's a political hustler who has turned the old business of political tribalism ("identity politics" in today's terminology) into a lucrative operation that gives him access to money and power. He played a key role in the bogus Tawana Brawley rape scandal that resulted in his being ordered to pay a defamation award to a man he'd fingered as a perpetrator in the case. He's led protests against businesses in majority-black neighborhoods that commit the high crime of being owned by non-blacks -- resulting in murder and arson in one case. Last (and least, since I'm not generally impressed by federal investigations) the F.B.I. is probing his very interesting financial arrangements.
Sharpton's not special -- in many ways, he's simply continuing in the tradition of the urban political bosses of the 19th and 20th centuries. But that's a contemptible tradition that has always raised doubts about the viability of democracy as a political system. If one-man, one-vote empowers tribal thugs, what value is it?
But, as very not-special as Sharpton is, he's the man Clinton, Edwards and Obama have put on speed-dial. They flatter him, dine with him, ask his advice and join him in photo-ops, all for the hope of gaining the votes he commands. Two centuries on and counting, and the republic has advanced no further than ritual favor-seeking from powerful chieftains who order their minions to support the contenders who give them the most tongue.
Republicans do their own ass-kissing, of course, though they generally seek the nod from charlatans who claim to have a direct line to God rather than hucksters who play games with race and ethnicity. Think "James Dobson" and you'll know just who's ass most GOP candidates feel obliged to smooch. In the end, it all comes down to the same sad result: democracy as farce, with votes won by cuddling up to political gangsters.
No, not every political candidate plays the game. But enough do to taint the whole process.
Do you really want to have the whip of government cracked over your head by somebody willing to break bread with Al Sharpton?
The voice sounds familiar. “Hey, Al, this is Hillary Clinton, and...” Is it really her? Yep. Clinton is actually calling Sharpton for—pinch yourselves, folks—campaign advice. She wants to know what issues she should raise in an upcoming debate at Howard University. The focus is on black issues, and, well, who is a better judge of black issues in America than the ubiquitous face of them?
Sharpton has the cigar back in his fingers now. He wants the phone back. “Here,” he says, making sure to save the message. “Now, check this out.”
Another voice. “Al, this is Barack Obama...” Obama! Seriously? The senator also wants advice about the debate at Howard. Sharpton has calculated the values closely. “Hillary called three days before the debate,” he says. “Barack called like three hours before.”
And on the surface, that’s partly what this primary season comes down to for Sharpton: a race to see which candidate can kiss his ring the most, the fastest, and with the most sincere pucker.
The above excerpt doesn't make it clear, but the article says that John Edwards calls Sharpton even more often than his rivals.
If you're not familiar with Sharpton ... well ... lucky you. He's a political hustler who has turned the old business of political tribalism ("identity politics" in today's terminology) into a lucrative operation that gives him access to money and power. He played a key role in the bogus Tawana Brawley rape scandal that resulted in his being ordered to pay a defamation award to a man he'd fingered as a perpetrator in the case. He's led protests against businesses in majority-black neighborhoods that commit the high crime of being owned by non-blacks -- resulting in murder and arson in one case. Last (and least, since I'm not generally impressed by federal investigations) the F.B.I. is probing his very interesting financial arrangements.
Sharpton's not special -- in many ways, he's simply continuing in the tradition of the urban political bosses of the 19th and 20th centuries. But that's a contemptible tradition that has always raised doubts about the viability of democracy as a political system. If one-man, one-vote empowers tribal thugs, what value is it?
But, as very not-special as Sharpton is, he's the man Clinton, Edwards and Obama have put on speed-dial. They flatter him, dine with him, ask his advice and join him in photo-ops, all for the hope of gaining the votes he commands. Two centuries on and counting, and the republic has advanced no further than ritual favor-seeking from powerful chieftains who order their minions to support the contenders who give them the most tongue.
Republicans do their own ass-kissing, of course, though they generally seek the nod from charlatans who claim to have a direct line to God rather than hucksters who play games with race and ethnicity. Think "James Dobson" and you'll know just who's ass most GOP candidates feel obliged to smooch. In the end, it all comes down to the same sad result: democracy as farce, with votes won by cuddling up to political gangsters.
No, not every political candidate plays the game. But enough do to taint the whole process.
Do you really want to have the whip of government cracked over your head by somebody willing to break bread with Al Sharpton?
Labels: popularity contest
posted by J.D. Tuccille at
6:17 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home