A Difference

While the offices aren't quite on the same level, it is noteworthy to see how the press covered the nomination and subsequent election of Barack Obama and the insurgent recall candidacy of California governor hopeful Larry Elder.

I'm 2007 the press hammered home that Obama was the first black candidate from a major political party. Never mind that Alan Keyes ran for the Republican nomination in 1996, 2000, and 2008. Obama was a first when he accepted the nomination back in 2008. In rereading some of the coverage from that time, and especially on the day he was nominated, it was quite obvious the media was over the moon.

Flash forward 13 years. Larry Elder, a conservative pundit, has been running a campaign that could very well win the governorship in our most populous state; California. Yet, other than conservative news outlets and blogs, there is no mention that Mr. Elder happens to be black or that, if he should win, he would be the first black governor of California. There has been a few mentions here and there in the mainstream press, but it mostly making themselves look stupid by trying to paint Elder as a white supremacist. Fortunately, that was rather short-lived as most saw this for what is was.

To me, this shows everyone who bothers to look that the democrats don't view blacks on equal terms. You vote party line, run your candidacy as a democrat, you are OK. However, if you step off the plantation, vote Republican, run as a conservative candidate, well, you are not worthy of mention, unless they attempt to paint you in a bad light.

Conservatives, on the other hand, tend not to view color/diversity as a reason you are electable. So what, you're black, Hispanic, a woman, etc. Do you have conservative cred? Will you vote for or against the policies I support? Are you a decent human being?

A little personal anecdote: Back in 2008 I was on temporary assignment to the air base in Montgomery, AL. Early in the morning I was driving out to the airport. As usual, I was listening to the news when it was announced that Obama had accepted the nomination. A foregone conclusion. If you are any sort of history buff, you are aware the highway that takes you from downtown Montgomery to the airport is the Selma-Montgomery highway, one of the most important civil rights locations in our history. Many consider the marches that occurred there to be pivotal in the civil rights movement. Just being there at the moment the news came across that Obama was the democrat nominee made the hair on my arms stand up. To think that 40 years prior, men and women were being beaten on that very highway for nothing more than the desire to be treated as equals, and now we have a black candidate for the highest office in the land. We had come a long way. Now, mind you, I wasn't gonna vote for the guy, not a single policy of his was something I could support. And no way was I voting for him just because of the color of his skin. Nonetheless, it was an interesting moment.

If Elder is able to overcome the forces allied against him (deep blue state, questionable voting practices, etc.) it will be interesting if the mainstream media makes any mention of his skin tone and that Elder's election would be historic in California. In all honesty, I really don't care all that much whether they do or don't. I would just like this possible event, and Elder, to be treated equally.