Remember Alan Keyes?!
Journo John Ridley today took on people’s claims that Colin Powell endorsed Barack Obama because they’re both black. In debunking those arguments, Ridley points out that Powell has never endorsed previous – and less famous – black candidates in the past.
The commentator then provides this run down:
…A person of color has run for the White House in every presidential election over the last 24 years: Jesse Jackson in 1984 and 1988. Gov. Douglas Wilder of Virginia in 1992. Former ambassador and conservative activist Alan Keyes of Maryland in 1996 and 2000. Former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois and the Rev. Al Sharpton of New York in 2004.
Ridley’s argument reminded us of something – there is another black man in this race: Keyes, who must be feeling pretty low right now. Because, you know, if Powell endorsed Obama because he’s black, Keyes got the shaft.
(Also, don’t forget Cynthia McKinney, the black Congresswoman who’s currently running on the Green Party ticket.)
If Keyes, McKinney & Nader had been there, maybe the debates wouldn’t have been so goddamn boring.
Queerty, what do you mean “less famous.” On a comparative basis, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and Doug Wilder were all more well known than Obama, especially Jackson. Powell endorsed Obama because he is the better candidate, period!
Tom, at this stage, Senator Barack Obama is the most famous African-American on this planet, second only to Rev Dr Martin Luther King in the U.S.A or you’ve had your head up your ass. Queerty live in a very didactic world of good-bad, black-white, gay-straight as a product of their jaded urbanization. They’re not journalists, just queers who want to be famous the Blackwell/Perez Hilton way.
BTW – Cynthia McKinney of the Green Party is the only pro-gay marriage African-American candidate in the 2008 Presidential Race!
I’m voting for McKinney. I love her even though she is crazy. I saw this documentary on the Mayan’s last night and their calendar ends in Dec 21st 2012. So it won’t matter whose president because we are all going to be dead anyway. LOL.
I’m voting for McKinney too.