Now most American politicians when they have their backs to the wall fall back on devices they know will grab a particularly sensitive area of the American psyche, a crude hand on heart 'God bless America' patriotism accompanied by a lachrymose, heart-rending appeal to the emotions which would do credit to Gwynneth Paltrow.
But not this man. He knew he had to resolve doubts which had been placed in the minds of the electorate about his own attitudes and about the links to others. And he did it. He did it wonderfully with a mature, rational and very calm speech which ought to have elevated him 20% points in the opinion polls. Unfortunately it did not.
He talked, calmly and sensibly, about the issue of race in America - not in a melodramatic fashion, but he told his audience about the chance men like him had been given because of the sacrifices and the experiences of men and women of previous generations. He did not applaud the anti American comments made by his former pastor but he didn't disown the man either. Instead he talked about the strengths and weaknesses of the United States, of his Pastor Reverend Jeremiah Wright, and not least of himself. He said that the angry 'God damn America' comments which Pastor Wright had reportedly made were fashioned in a climate, and a bygone age when black men and women were oppressed and suffering. He said he thought the Pastor was wrong, and that American society had developed and was capable of developing further. He went on to list Pastor Wright's service record, of the work he had done in the community, and how the Pastor had helped young black people, like the speaker himself, towards understanding his faith. He went on to talk of a unifying coalition which his candidacy had stimulated and how he believed he could go on from there to a position where that sense of unity could be directed from the top.
He talked about his own background and his awareness of, despite being a black man, his privilege and his education which gave him the awareness of history and social change and how it fed his desire to do more.
The speech was as honest and laudable a political statement as has been my privilege to hear.
The speaker was, of course, Barack Obama and I am beginning to believe that if there is any justice in the world, come November 2008, this man will be President-elect of the United States.
But sadly I don't believe there is any justice in the world. I believe there are forces in the United States determined to wreck Obama's band wagon and already the wheels are becoming dangerously loose. Hilary Clinton had a lead in Pennsylvania before the disclosures about Pastor Wright and now it is massive. Even in North Carolina where Obama once held a huge lead, that lead is now down to 1 point. I fear that the American public will only read what they want to read, hear what they want to hear, and any careful crafted media campaign which suggests any anti-American feeling by anyone linked to Obama will make sure that his candidacy goes down the tubes. By the time it comes to the National Democratic Convention, he will maybe have too many delegates to be beaten in a straight vote but maybe he will have lost the momentum and the Super Delegates will be called upon to choose the nominee, which could well be Hillary Clinton.
Either way, in national polls, John McCain has taken a lead over both of them and, as I said in earlier posts, I suspect that when push comes to shove, American voters will elect an elderly conservative white man, same as they usually do, and the opportunity for a really revolutionary, radical change in American attitudes to the outside world will have been sadly and tragically lost.
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