Is Obama black enough to get the Black vote

Franz Fanon and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr wrote about the dilemma of having to choose whether one is black or a citizen. Why could not you simply be both? Critics appears to be demanding such an answer from Senator Barack Obama. Critics wants to know is Obama Black, African, African-American, HalfAfrican, or bi-racial? Critics seems to think the answer to the question will determine if Obama will get the black vote to be the first black President of the United States. Earl Ofari Hutchinson writes

in the eyes of many blacks, Obama departs from past black presidential contenders such as Shirley Chisholm, Carol Moseley Braun, and Messrs. Jackson and Sharpton. They were readily identifiable, urban-bred, African-Americans who spoke out boldly on civil rights, poverty, and economic injustice. On the other hand, the racially mixed, Harvard-trained Obama, as the so-called postracial candidate, has soft-pedaled these issues. It's no accident that his appeal among whites seems stronger so far than among blacks.

It did not bother critics on the issue of blackness when Colin Powell, the four star general, was thinking about running for President. But it's something about this Obama. This Obama who was not afraid of offending his mother from Kansas, when he identfied himself as being black. Unlike, Tiger Woods who was given the same question and decided to combine his father and mother ethnic background and not offend either parent. But Tiger knows that no matter how he defined himself, America defined him black based on the fact that at least one of his parents was dark in complexion. So Obama claimed his blackness quickly. But there is something about Obama blackness because it has charm.

And there is something about this Obama charm. Obama is charming has raced whites folks and that charm is offending some African-Americans. Yes it is something about this educated, handsome charming Obama, that have old guard African-Americans in leadership who are skeptic of his staying power. Old guard leadership is trying to hex Obama with the the Martin Luther King, Jr. hex.

King,Jr. like, Obama was deemed too young for a leadership role in taking his people to the promise land by old guard established African-American leadership. So, the well educated and handsome Obama is being cursed with the excuse of inexperience to forestall his run to the White House presidential seat.

The brutal truth is that Obama is too new on the political scene, too untested, too politically nice, too liberal, and most of all, he's an African-American. That's just too many strikes for many blacks to seriously believe he has a real shot

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It's a nice way of saying, the old guard does not trust Obama in keeping them around, if the people elect him to that seat. The old guard has no use for Obama because he is too black. Senator Joseph Biden describe Obama blackness as non-traditional, by stating, he is storybook black. Not quite mainstream, but clean enough, not dirty black, but mixed with raced white to be considered even nice looking. Shirley Chisholm experienced similar skepticism in her bid for the white house. Shirley was too black because not only was she first generation black but she was a she, too black.

Black leadership did not believe she was the right one, she was labeled an outsider, not a "he". Chisholm had to go it alone,

I stand before you today as a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the presidency of the United States. I am not the candidate of black America, although I am black and proud. I am not the candidate of the women's movement of this country, although I am equally proud of that. I am not the candidate of any political bosses or special interests. I am the candidate of the people.

So for old guard black leadership Obama is too black. What old money wealth does Obama bring to the table for these old established black leaders to fawn over? Obama can only fight for jobs for their children, Obama owns no businesses. The old guard has no use for Obama because he is black, he thinks like a black, he is not quite mainstream, according to Joseph Biden. With all the limelight on Obama, corporate America may not being willing to meet their demands, if Obama is not taking them along for the ride. And because Obama can't court them with brotherhood, Hilliary Clinton will have to be black enough for these old school blacks and their connection to her husband, former President Bill Clinton.

African-Americans will vote for Obama because he is black. But it is the grass root folks who believe that Obama is rooted in the essence of what it means to be a black in America. It's in his walk. Watch Obama movement, he lets you know, it is an outsider that can mingle with the insiders without missing a step in his stroll walk. It's a style of blackness in that walk, a coolness, a level head under pressure. Other African-Americans will not folks for Obama because he is black. Obama has not embraced these African-Americans to map out their benefits. Obama has not internalized their way of compliance with mainstream politics. Obama is too black in his identity still, for them to jeopardize their connections to raced white power.

Will black folks vote for Obama? Some will, some won't for various reason. But the majority will vote for the young, handsome, energetic charismatic Obama because they believe it is time for an African-American to take their rightful place on the seat of the throne in the White House.

The next time a woman runs, or a black, or a Jew or anyone from a group that the country is ‘not ready' to elect to its highest office, I believe that he or she will be taken seriously from the start… I ran because somebody had to do it first. In this country, everybody is supposed to be able to run for President, but that has never really been true.

Obama run for President is being taken seriously by blacks.

Sherri Emerson and Jacqueline Dowdell ran as local independent candidates for political offices.