If you ask most people what characteristics they'd like in a politician, they're most likely to say they'd like someone who's honest. Yet, several times in recent weeks, honest words have gotten some political figures in big trouble.
The most recent example of this came yesterday, after Barack Obama was interviewed by Philadelphia sports-talk radio station WIP. He was responding to a question about his Tuesday speech on race, a speech which won praise from conservatives such as Peggy Noonan.
Refering to a passage in the speech that referenced his own white grandmother and her prejudice, Obama said that "The point I was making was not that my grandmother harbors any racial animosity, but that she is a typical white person. If she sees somebody on the street that she doesn't know - there's a reaction in her that's been bred into our experiences that don't go away and sometimes come out in the wrong way and that's just the nature of race in our society."
His words caused political commentators to start foaming at the mouth, and Obama quickly back-tracked. Yet, if most white people were totally honest about themselves, they would admit what Obama said was the absolute truth. Most white people are aware of negative stereotypes about African-Americans. That doesn't mean they believe them -- the vast majority thankfully do not. But most white people would also be lying if they said that never in their lives did those stereotypes flash through their mind -- even for a split second -- while walking down an urban street late at night. He wasn't saying the "typical white person" is racist. He was saying we all have stereotypes in our minds that we have to get past. It was an uncomfortable but honest truth.
On the Clinton side, honest talk got Geraldine Ferraro in trouble as well. When she said: "If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman (of any color) he would not be in this position" -- she suddenly found herself in the middle of a shitstorm. Now, I'll admit, this was an incredibly stupid thing to say, coming from someone who never would've been the Democratic Vice Presidential nominee in 1984 if she were a man. However, I have to give her credit for saying something that is absolutely true. If Barack Obama were white, he simply would not be seen as being as unique as his supporters perceive him to be. People are attracted to his candidacy because he is seen as different. Part of the reason that he is seen to embody change so well, is his diverse ethnic background.
So, Geraldine Ferraro told the truth -- and got fired from the Clinton campaign for it. And Barack Obama uttered an uncomfortable fact of life -- and got criticized for it.
Americans say they want honesty. But I'm not so sure they're honest about that.
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