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King had the perfect instincts

By JAY BOOKMAN
First published: Sunday, January 20, 2008

Sometimes, I think you have to be nuts to run for president.
     
It is, after all, an act of extreme, unnatural egotism to go out and sell yourself as the answer to your country's problems.
Normal people just couldn't pull that off.
But the opposite is also true. Running for president is not just an act of arrogance, but of extreme self-sacrifice.
It requires you to give up your life, your privacy, your identity and -- as you call and beg yet another millionaire to give you money -- a degree of your self-respect as well.
And yet people do it, eagerly.
Forty years ago, in a sermon at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. talked about what drives people to do such things. King called it the drum major instinct, the human desire to be the one out front and leading the parade, where everyone can see you.
In that sermon, King argued that the drum major instinct exists in all of us. It just expresses itself differently from person to person.
Some, he said, are driven by the drum major instinct to seek recognition through consumption, to live in huge houses and "buy cars that they can't even begin to buy in terms of their income," because that's the only way open to them to feel superior. Others, he said, may be driven to join groups that hand out fancy titles, because "the little fellow who is henpecked at home needs a chance to be the 'Most Worthy of the Most Worthy' of something."
Managing that drum major instinct can be a tricky thing for politicians. Those wanting the job of president have to yearn enough for power to make us think they'll be strong leaders, but they can't let that need seem too naked or blatant. In this year's race, both Mitt Romney and Hillary Clinton have been criticized for seeming to want it too badly, and Fred Thompson for wanting it too little. It's a hard thing to get right.
In his sermon, King warned about the danger of giving too much freedom to the drum major inside each of us. That too has implications in the presidential race.
Are you listening, Mayor Giuliani?
But to King, "the final great tragedy" of the drum major run amok is the tendency to tear down others, as in attack ads. "Whenever you do that, you engage in some of the most vicious activities," he told the congregation at Ebenezer Baptist. "You will spread evil, vicious, lying gossip on people, because you are trying to pull them down in order to push yourself up."
King himself had a large ego. He could not have accomplished all he did without it.
"If you want to say that I was a drum major," he said, "say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace; I was a drum major for righteousness."
In his sermons and writings, King also talked of what he called "the beloved community." He understood the human yearning to be part of something bigger than ourselves, and he knew firsthand how the yearning to belong could be turned to either good or evil purposes.Racial segregation, for example, was in a twisted way an effort to create community. It did so through the negative process of subtraction, defining a community by those who were not allowed to be its members.
It's a time-honored trick, playing on our genetic weakness for tribalism. And while segregation is now fading into history, the strategy of using fear and hate to unite a group against others will always have its drum majors.
In his sermon at Ebenezer 40 years ago, King recalled conversations with his white, underpaid jailers as he sat in the Birmingham city jail.
"All you are living on is the satisfaction of your skin being white, and the drum major instinct of thinking that you are somebody big because you are white," he told them. "And you're so poor you can't send your children to school. You ought to be out here marching with every one of us every time we have a march."
Jay Bookman writes for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. His e-mail address is jbookman@ajc.com.

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Clinton, Obama clash at debate

By NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press
Monday, January 21, 2008

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. -- A simmering feud between Democrats Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama erupted into charges of distortion and exaggeration in a gloves-off presidential debate Monday, with Clinton accusing him of representing a Chicago slumlord and Obama countering that she was a corporate lawyer for anti-union Wal-Mart.
     
Even in the superheated atmosphere of their fight for the party's nomination, the statements and exchanges between Clinton and Obama were unusually acrimonious and personal. The debate came as the two campaigns continued to complain about dirty politics and disenfranchisement of voters in last Saturday's Nevada caucuses.
As Obama tried to defend his recent comments about Republican ideas and Ronald Reagan, Clinton interrupted and said she has never criticized his remarks on Reagan.
"Your husband did," said Obama, who has accused the former president of misrepresenting his record.
"I'm here. He's not," she snapped.
Obama persisted, suggesting the Clintons were both practicing the kind of political tactics that had alienated voters.
"There was a set of assertions made by Senator Clinton as well as her husband that are not factually accurate," Obama said. "I think that part of what people are looking for right now is someone who is going to solve problems and not resort to the same typical politics that we've seen in Washington."
Clinton countered: "I believe your record and what you say should matter."
John Edwards, who badly trails his two rivals, tried to stay above the fray while pleading for equal time.
"Are there three people in this debate, not two?" he asked.
"We have got to understand, this is not about us personally. It's about what we are trying to do for this country," Edwards said to applause from the audience.
The bitter exchange underscored the closeness of the race for the party nod. Obama captured the Iowa caucuses on Jan. 3, Clinton bounced back with a win in New Hampshire and the two shared the spoils in Nevada. The first-in-the-South primary on Saturday in South Carolina is expected to produce a strong turnout from black voters, who could make up more than 50 percent of the Democratic electorate.
In two weeks, some two dozen states, including California, New York and Illinois, will vote on the nominee.
Hillary Clinton, who was close with the Walton family, served on the Wal-Mart board from 1986 to 1992. In 2006, her Senate campaign returned $5,000 to the company's political action committee while citing differences with company policies.
A blind trust held by Clinton and her husband, the former president, included stock holdings in Wal-Mart. They liquidated the contents of the blind trust in 2007 because of investments that could pose conflicts of interest or prove embarrassing as she ran for president.
Chicago real estate developer and fast food magnate Antoin "Tony" Rezko was a longtime fundraiser for Obama. Prosecutors have charged him with fraud, attempted extortion and money laundering in what they allege was a scheme to get campaign money and payoffs from firms seeking to do business before two state boards.Hillary Clinton, who was close with the Walton family, served on the Wal-Mart board from 1986 to 1992. In 2006, her Senate campaign returned $5,000 to the company's political action committee while citing differences with company policies.
A blind trust held by Clinton and her husband, the former president, included stock holdings in Wal-Mart. They liquidated the contents of the blind trust in 2007 because of investments that could pose conflicts of interest or prove embarrassing as she ran for president.
Chicago real estate developer and fast food magnate Antoin "Tony" Rezko was a longtime fundraiser for Obama. Prosecutors have charged him with fraud, attempted extortion and money laundering in what they allege was a scheme to get campaign money and payoffs from firms seeking to do business before two state boards.
Obama's campaign said Saturday it was giving to charities more than $40,000 from donors linked to Rezko. In 2006, when charges against Rezko were made public, Obama gave $11,500 in Rezko contributions to charities.
Often speaking over each other, Obama and Clinton bitterly complained about each other's legislative records. Obama questioned why the New York senator had voted for a bankruptcy bill that she later said she was glad hadn't passed, and Clinton criticized Obama for voting "present" on dozens of occasions while a member of the Illinois legislature.
"Senator Obama, it's hard to have a straight up debate with you because you never take responsibility for any vote," Clinton said to loud boos. "On issue after issue, you voted present ... Whenever someone raises that, there's always some sort of explanation."
Obama accused Clinton of playing loose with the facts and saying anything to get elected, while Edwards joined Clinton in criticizing Obama for the "present" votes.
"Why would you over 100 times vote present?" Edwards pointedly challenged Obama. He said he didn't simply refuse to vote on controversial bills in Congress. "It would have been safe for me politically ... but I have a responsibility to take a position even if it costs me politically."
Obama said most of his present votes didn't have political consequences but were because of technical or legal concerns.
"Don't question, John, that on issue after issue that is important to the American people, I haven't followed. I have led," Obama said.
With the holiday honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., as a backdrop, the candidates also addressed questions of racial equality.
Clinton and Edwards compared their records on helping to alleviate poverty, while Obama was asked if he agreed with the famed black novelist Toni Morrison who dubbed Bill Clinton "the first black president."
Obama praised the former president's "affinity" with black people but also drew laughs.
"I would have to investigate more, Bill's dancing abilities and some of this other stuff before I accurately judged whether he was, in fact, a brother," Obama said.
"I'm sure that can be arranged," Clinton joked.
The two-hour debate was sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus Institute and CNN.

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Fred Thompson Quits Presidential Race
1 hour ago

NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson quit the Republican presidential race on Tuesday, after a string of poor finishes in early primary and caucus states.

"Today, I have withdrawn my candidacy for president of the United States. I hope that my country and my party have benefited from our having made this effort," Thompson said in a statement.

Thompson's fate was sealed last Saturday in the South Carolina primary, when he finished third in a state that he had said he needed to win.

In the statement, Thompson did not say whether he would endorse any of his former rivals. He was one of a handful of members of Congress who supported Arizona Sen. John McCain in 2000 in his unsuccessful race against George W. Bush for the party nomination.

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Obama: I Am Not a Muslim

Barack Obama is stepping up his effort to correct the misconception that he's a Muslim now that the presidential campaign has hit the Bible Belt.

At a rally to kick off a weeklong campaign for the South Carolina primary, Obama tried to set the record straight from an attack circulating widely on the Internet that is designed to play into prejudices against Muslims and fears of terrorism.

"I've been to the same church -- the same Christian church -- for almost 20 years," Obama said, stressing the word Christian and drawing cheers from the faithful in reply. "I was sworn in with my hand on the family Bible. Whenever I'm in the United States Senate, I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. So if you get some silly e-mail . . . send it back to whoever sent it and tell them this is all crazy. Educate."

Obama is referring to a debunked chain e-mail circulating widely on the Internet that suggests he is hiding his Islamic roots and may be a terrorist in disguise. It says he was sworn into the Senate on the Quran and turns his back on the flag during the pledge.

There are some truths in the e-mail's details. Obama's middle name is Hussein. His father and stepfather were Muslim. And he spent part of his childhood in Indonesia, a largely Muslim country. But he attended secular and Catholic schools, not a radical madrassa.

His campaign has been pushing back against the false rumors all year. His aides decried an incorrect news report that Obama was educated in a Muslim madrassa and a section of his Web site is devoted to correct that and other false rumors circulating on the Internet.

But they are stepping up the effort now that the campaign has hit South Carolina and soon turns to other southern states where religion is so important to voters. The campaign distributed an open letter from seven Jewish senators this weekend condemning the attacks; aides are planning an event this week to respond directly to the e-mail; and campaign representatives blanketed South Carolina churches Sunday with literature that touted Obama's Christian faith.

One piece features photos of Obama praying with the words "COMMITTED CHRISTIAN" in large letters across the middle. It says Obama will be a president "guided by his Christian faith" and includes a quote from him saying, "I believe in the power of prayer."

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Paul best exemplifies Republican ideals

    I urge all Republicans to vote for Ron Paul in the Feb. 5 New York primary. Ron Paul is a 10-term congressman from Texas, an obstetrician, a veteran of the Air Force and a devoted husband of 50 years. A man of great integrity, he is unparalleled in his principled approach to government and adherence to our nation’s constitution.
    Ron Paul has never voted to raise taxes. He voted against the intrusive Patriot Act and opposed the unjust war in Iraq. He opposes NAFTA and the World Trade Organization, which effectively transfer legislative and judicial authority to international entities.
    Ron Paul is pro-life, and has introduced legislation that seeks to defi ne life as beginning at conception. He is also the prime sponsor of We the People Act, which would negate the effect of Roe vs. Wade by removing the ability of federal courts to interfere with state legislation to protect life. Many Republican politicians talk about being prolife while doing little about it, but Ron Paul has taken direct action to restore protection for the unborn.
    A president should protect liberty, promote justice and govern according to the rule of law. Ron Paul deserves the support of New York Republicans and New Yorkers deserve a leader like Ron Paul.
    GREGG WILBUR
    Galway

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Obama runs away with SC primary

By DAVID ESPO and CHARLES BABINGTON, Associated Press
Saturday, January 26, 2008

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Barack Obama routed Hillary Rodham Clinton in the racially charged South Carolina primary Saturday night, regaining campaign momentum in the prelude to a Feb. 5 coast-to-coast competition for more than 1,600 Democratic National Convention delegates.
     
Former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina was running third, a sharp setback in the state where he was born and scored a primary victory in his first presidential campaign four years ago.
About half the voters were black, according to polling place interviews, and four out of five of them supported Obama. Black women turned out in particularly large numbers. Obama, the first-term Illinois senator, got a quarter of the white vote while Clinton and Edwards split the rest.
The victory was Obama's first since he won the kickoff Iowa caucuses on Jan. 3. Clinton, a New York senator and former first lady, scored an upset in the New Hampshire primary a few days later. They split the Nevada caucuses, she winning the turnout race, he gaining a one-delegate margin. In an historic race, she hopes to become the first woman to occupy the White House, and Obama is the strongest black contender in history.
The South Carolina primary marked the end of the first phase of the campaign for the Democratic nomination, a series of single-state contests that winnowed the field, conferred co-front-runner status on Clinton and Obama but had relatively few delegates at stake.
That all changes in 10 days' time, when New York, Illinois and California are among the 15 states holding primaries in a virtual nationwide primary. Another seven states and American Samoa will hold Democratic caucuses on the same day.
"South Carolina voters rejected the politics of the past and they wanted something different," said Robert Gibbs, a spokesman for Obama.
Clinton issued a statement saying she had called Obama to congratulate him on his victory. She quickly turned her focus to the primaries ahead. "For those who have lost their job or their home or their health care, I will focus on the solutions needed to move this country forward," she said.
Returns from 24 percent of the state's precincts showed Obama winning 53 percent in the three-way race, Clinton gaining 27 percent and Edwards at 19 percent.
All three contenders campaigned in South Carolina on primary day, but only Obama and Edwards arranged to speak to supporters after the polls closed. Clinton decided to fly to Tennessee, one of the Feb. 5 states, leaving as the polls were closing.
After playing a muted role in the earlier contests, the issue of race dominated an incendiary week that included a shift in strategy for Obama, a remarkably bitter debate and fresh scrutiny of former President Clinton's role in his wife's campaign.
Each side accused the other of playing the race card, sparking a controversy that frequently involved Bill Clinton.
"They are getting votes, to be sure, because of their race or gender. That's why people tell me Hillary doesn't have a chance of winning here," the former president said at one stop as he campaigned for his wife, strongly suggesting that blacks would not support a white alternative to Obama.
Clinton campaign strategists denied any intentional effort to stir the racial debate. But they said they believe the fallout has had the effect of branding Obama as "the black candidate," a tag that could hurt him outside the South.
Nearly six in 10 voters said the former president's efforts for his wife was important to their choice, and among them, slightly more favored Obama than the former first lady.
Overall, Obama defeated Clinton among both men and women.
The exit polls showed the economy was the most important issue in the race. About one quarter picked health care. And only one in five said it was the war in Iraq, underscoring the extent to which the once-dominant issue has faded in the face of financial concerns.
The exit poll was conducted by Edison Media Research and Mitofsky International for The Associated Press and the networks.
Clinton and Obama swapped accusatory radio commercials earlier in the week.
The former first lady aired an ad saying Obama had once approved of Republican ideas. His camp responded quickly that Clinton "will say anything." First she, then he, pulled the commercials after a short run on the air.
Given the bickering, Edwards looked for an opening to reinvigorate a candidacy all but eclipsed by the historic campaign between Obama and Clinton. He went on the "Late Show with David Letterman" at midweek to say he wanted to represent the "grown-up wing of the Democratic party."
That was one night after a finger-wagging debate in which Obama told Clinton he was helping unemployed workers on the streets of Chicago when "you were a corporate lawyer sitting on the board at Wal-Mart."
Moments later, the former first lady said she was fighting against misguided Republican policies "when you were practicing law and representing your contributor ... in his slum landlord business in inner city Chicago."
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Associated Press writers Beth Fouhy, Seanna Adcox and Mike Baker in Columbia, S.C., contributed to this report.

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GOP looks at taking names off primary ballot
BY RICHARD RICHTMYER The Associated Press

    ALBANY — A move by state Republicans to strike three candidates from the Feb. 5 presidential primary ballot has prompted resistance from Democrats who say state election law doesn’t allow them to do so.
    The change would push former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani — the state Republicans’ preferred candidate — higher up on the list of candidates appearing on the ballot.
    On Friday, GOP staffers sent an amended ballot to county election boards. It removes former Sen. Fred Thompson and Rep. Duncan Hunter and activist Alan Keyes.
    Matthew Walter, a spokesman for the New York Republican State Committee said Thompson and Hunter were removed because they both dropped out of the race in the past week, and Keyes didn’t provide the party with a required list of delegates.
    Walter said ballot changes can be made until a week before the before the primary. “It is completely legal,” he said.
    Doug Kellner, one of the Democrats on the state Board of Elections, told the New York Daily News that dropping out isn’t legal grounds for removing candidates from the ballot and board members were never consulted on the decision.
    “Apparently, the Republicans did this in secret,” he said.
    New York City’s election board on Friday balked at the notice and deadlocked in a 4-4 party-line vote.
    Steve Richman, the city board’s Democratic counsel, told Newsday that Republicans cannot remove candidates without a full state board vote.
    Walter insisted that it’s the Democrats who aren’t following the law.
    “The Democrats on the New York City board are acting illegally to disenfranchise Republican voters and meddle in the Republican primary,” he said.
    A random drawing set the order in which candidates’ names will appear on the ballot. It was to be Ron Paul on top, followed by Keyes, Hunter, Giuliani, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, John McCain and Thompson.
    The proposed ballot would move Giuliani from fourth to second place.
    Lee Daghlian, a spokesman for the state Board of Elections, said it’s unclear how the question will be resolved, since the board is equally divided with two Republicans and two Democrats and lawyers on each side have conflicting opinions.
    “The Republicans say that since it’s their plan, they’re the final arbiter,” Daghlian said. “But there seems to be some disagreement on that. If somebody doesn’t like it, I guess they could take it to a judge.”

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