Prometheus 6

Fabio Tojas of Marginal Revolution via Foreign Dispatches:

The challenge African-American politicians must overcome is this: if you appeal too much the African-American base, you'll alienate moderate whites; if you appeal too much to moderate whites, your opponent will claim that you aren't "black enough." Witness Cory Booker's difficult campaign for mayor of Newark, when the Yale educated councilman was tarred by the incumbent.

Scheiber appeals to research showing that white Americans routinely make distinctions between "good" and "bad" blacks. Once advertising showed to voters he was of Kenyan ancestry, as opposed to African-American, Schebier believes, the voters reframed Obama as different than traditional black politicians. Scheiber concludes that Obama's act is tough to follow - how many self-deprecating half-Kenyan Harvard Law Review editors are there?

On the contrary, if successful, Obama could be in the position to establish a new brand name in national politics. It's easy to imagine Obama establishing a sort of "DLC" for the African-American community, much in the same way Clinton tried pulling his party towards more moderate positions on trade and social programs.

I didn't notice this post back in May. I wish I had…do you realize how much hay I could have made from "research showing that white Americans routinely make distinctions between "good" and "bad" blacks"? HOO-hah!

But you know, the Marginal Revolutions post is on point for the most part. The "not Black enough" thing only works if two Black candidates oppose each other and one is actually vulnerable to the charge for some reason. It also doesn't work well across class lines. But notice Fabio's precise—and correct in those instance where it does work…phrasing:

if you appeal too much the African-American base, you'll alienate moderate whites; if you appeal too much to moderate whites, your opponent will claim that you aren't "black enough."

He does NOT say "if you appeal too much to moderate whites, you'll alienate the African-American base." That's because the African American base truly is moderate. And this

Once advertising showed to voters he was of Kenyan ancestry, as opposed to African-American, Schebier believes, the voters reframed Obama as different than traditional black politicians.

…occurred to me before.

There's an old anecdote about an African transfer student that had trouble getting served in a southern restaurant or diner or something. He, being wealthy actually, was angry and decided to return in full royal regalia and got excellent service. He asked what the difference was and was told, "hell, we thought you was one of OUR niggers." One of the major reasons immigrants from the African diaspora do well in America is they are treated differently than American Blacks.

Fabio is right about one more thing: Obama's act can be followed. Smart Black progressives will support him and all the image building going on around him. Smart Black progressives will triangulate off his position…I hesitate to make this parallel but the same way the Religious Right eased their way into dominance of the Republican Party, Progressives need to ease their way into the Democratic Party (I hesitate because the Religious Right is evil and Progressives are not).

LATER: Edited because I just knocked off that first version and one sentance was actually wrong.