Muncie Times, Muncie, Delaware County, 20 September 2007 — Page 2

Page 2 • The Muncie Times • September 20, 2007

EDITORIAL

An African American, a woman, a Mormon = next year's presidential potpourri

Next year's presidential election is shaping up as a political donnybrook. Although it's far too early to predict whether the Democrats will retake the White House or the Republicans will retain it, one thing is sure: the election will usher in a new administration, since no one from the current administration is in the running. For one thing, it is the first time in history that a woman, an African American and a Mormon are serious

contenders. A win by one of them would be historic. So we are in for a season of high political theater, pregnant with all kinds of possibilities and opportunities. Former first lady Hillary Clinton is the first spouse of a former president and the first woman to seriously contend for the nation's highest officer. So far she is leading in the public opinion polls among the Democratic candidates. She has already made history by being elected (and re-

elected a U.S. senator, after her husband's 8year White House stint. U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, a freshman Democrat from Illinois, is among the top three Democratic presidential candidate. He is the only African American in the 100-member U.S. Senate and the second black from Illinois to enter the Senate. Earlier, Obama had been ridiculed for being too ambitious in seeking the presidency before he had even completed a full Senate

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term. No one is laughing at him now, although his lack of experience is often pointed. Obama has also faced some controversy over those who ask if he is "black enough." Obama is the son of a white Kansas mother and an African father. They met in Hawaii, where his grandparents were living, and his Kenyan-born father was a college student. This has raised questions from some naysayers who question his commitment to blackness and black since he did not have a "typical" black experience and his experiences were not necessarily shaped by the civil rights experiences of the 1960s and 1970. Others also point out that during some of his formative years, Obama lived in Indonesia. His mother had married an Indonesian husband. These, however, see, to false litmus tests. Obama has never denied his blackness and is fond of pointing out that in his early adulthood he was a community organizer in the tough, black-domi-nated Chicago South Side. Besides, who is considered black enough?

Who makes that decision? On the other hand, there are many young blacks and whites who have been inspired by Obama, have been attracted to his campaign and have begun to believe it is just possible that he can win. Many celebrities are rushing to his side, just as others are rallying to Hillary Clinton's side, seduced by the idea that American voters might be willing to breach the glass ceiling by electing a woman president. The other imponderable comes from the Republican Party where former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, is seeking to become the first Mormon to try and win the White House. We have a crowd of Democrats and Republicans seeking to win next year's primaries to compete in the November 2008 presidential election. A primary election campaign in which an African American, a woman and a Mormon are considered serious contender will surely produce spirited debates, political fireworks and offer voters clear choices. Let the count down begin.