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5A OPINIONS/Charlotte Thursday, October 12, 2006 Patrick Bellwether for black candidates Deval Patrick, an Afiican-Ameiican Democrat, is run ning well ahead of his opponoit, Eepublican Lt. Governor Kerry Healey at this writing. And as such I have to admit being wroi^ early on about Deval Patrick’s chances to become the first black governor of the state of Massadiusetts. The record shows that rarely has someone been elected to the top job in a state without prior electoral experience. A clear exception is Califomia, where Arnold Schwartzneger, an actor is the Governor, but that is in a state where being a movie star have always provided access to political office, as the career of Ronald Reagan would attest. Elsewhere, you not only wovild be required to have political ejqjerience, but to have had the tacit support of the state party which Patrick didn’t. This causes one to wonder whether the Patrick race is more ofa national bellwether that signals a crushing vote for Democrats. For example, in the state of Marjiand, Michael Steele, a black Republican, is running for the Senate against Ben Cardin, a 10-term House Democrat. And although Steele is clearly the more charismatic candidate in the race, he is running 11 percent behind Cardin at this writing. The major reason is* that the strong opposition of most voters to the war in Iraq has provided a stiff wind against which Michael Steele could be more competitive than vmder normal circum stances. Massachusetts is somewhat like Maryland in that it is a nominally Democratic state which has elected a Republican governor (several in the case of Massadiusetts) but has a Democratic state legisla ture. Right now, opposition to the war in Iraq is running so strong in Massachusetts that I think it is carryir^ Patrick along with the tide. Of course, there are local problems in Masschusetts, such as the quagmire including issues of school integration, the failing economy, problems with the tunnel called “the Big Dig,” and other ihings. The usual Republican fix has been to win dection there by calling for a cut in income taxes and being tough on crime. But Patrick has parried with a call for a cut in the property tax and noted ihat the current Republican administration has cut the police force signifi cantly The local issues, however, are not the dynamic force deriding this race. So far, Deval Patrick’s opposition to the conduct of die war has enabled his campaign to build abroad-based coali tion of supporters at the grassroots, and more recendy has begun to solidify his support among Massachusetts leg islative leaders and die business establishment in the State. And in the first debate between die candidates, recendy hdd, the charismatic Patridc achieved his cam paign objective by not making any mistakes and thereby, giving neither his opponent nor the press much to chew on afterward. AH of this signals a return to a Democratic administra tion in Massachusetts. Added evidence of this is that the former Afiican American Senator fixan Massachusetts, Ed Brooke, recendy spoke before a Republican party meeting and edubited his fiustration that their not being able to run an efiective campaign may result in the loss of the statehouse. Nevertheless, with this election, blacks could have another political star on the horizon, the second black gov ernor since Doug 'Wider of'\Trginia. And althnug'h 'Wider briefly toyed with the idea of running for President, one would expect that if Patrick wins, he would become an instant star in the country, but another black star politi cian, Barack Obama, is blockir^ his way to the top right now. So, he would probably settle down to politics in the state of Massachusetts and potentially become the next Ed Brooke in time. In any case, the stars appear to be aligned for whatever reason. An important sign is that while th^e was consid erable doubt that Democrats would take the Senate now as many as 10 seats (all statewide offices) are in play in the most recent polling. Add this to the possibflity that parts of the Eepublican base that is so disaffected by the recent scandal involving indecent communicatipns by for mer Florida House Republican Mark Foley with some male House pages that may not turn out to vote. It, then, is beginning to look like that, Deval Patrick’s charisma aside, the Massachusetts election ma}' be a harbinger of what is to come. RON WALTERS is director of the African American Leadership Institute, Professor of Government and Politics at the Universitv of Maryland College Park. An important sign is that whiie there was considerabie doubt that Democrats wouid take the Senate now as many as 10 seats (aii statewide offices) are in play in the most recent poiiing. A life lost, a legacy that bums brightly Havir^ mournfully put another September 11th anniversary behind us, and as we move closer to October 11,1 urge you to stop for a moment on that day and remember the life and death of a brother who was just as significant as each one of those who per ished on 9-11. Although he died alone, fitom an assassin’s bullet; although the nation does not pause for a moment of silence; although no beUs ring in his memory, although his name is not called fiom a roll; and although there are no marches held in his name, we must never forget our dear brother, Kenneth H. Bridges. Ken was a family man just like many of those we mourn in the World Tbade Center, in the Pentagon, and in ShanksviHe. Ken was also at work when he was kUled. Ken is just as much a hero as those who died trying to help others on 9- 11 because he died in the act of helping others. Ken sacrificed his life, before he was killed, by giv ing so much of his time to the cause of economic empowerment for Black people and ta'king so much valuable time away finm his beloved wife and six adorable children. On 10-11, at nearly the same time the first towa- Ml in New York, and after making his last cell phone call to his wife, Ken Bridges lie on the ground dying, a bullet having ripped throw his body thinking the same things I am sure those who died in on 9- 11 were thinking just before they transitioned. Knowing him the way I did, I feel confident in saying Ken was thinking about his family his work, his brothers and sisters, and the qrrest he had been on since 1997: The MATAH Network. Ken Bridges was a man among men and we should never forget him and that infamous date, October 11, 2002. Just as we com memorate others who worked and sacrificed for dur people and who loved us more than they loved themselves, we must do the same in memory of Ken Bridges. He deserves no less fiom those for whom he fought so valiantly, so eloquently, and so tirelessly Each one of the pasons lost on 9-11 left loved ones behind, mourners who still love them and will never forget that tragic day There can be no less fiom us for Ken Bridges, who touched thou sands of individuals with his er^aging smile, his bear-hirgs, and his infectious and indefatigable enthusiasm for true econcanic firee- dom for Black people. Had he been on one of the upper floors of either of those towers, or on that plane in Shanksville, we would owe him tire same homage, not because he happened to be there at the wrong time, but because no matter where he was when he met his demise, we know he would have be^ working for us. As Ken’s long-time partner and fiiend, Al Wellington, said in his remembrance of his fallen confidant, “The world doesn’t know it yet, but Ken Bridges was the most significant Black leader since Martin Luther King.” How ri^t Ai was in his assessment. Ken Bridges “died on his waytofiieedom,” never lagging back, afi’aidto be out finiit, but as antlientic leaders do, he led the way he showed us how it was done; he lived what he taught. In so doing, Ken found himself in the ri^t place at the wroi^ time, just as those who lost their lives on 911 did. They were where they were sup posed to be that day, and so was Ken. He just stopped to get gas, as he was making his way back to his family after a marathon ‘ffeedom session’,’ that could have catapulted Black people to new heights in economic fiieedom. Ken was in the right place, doing the right thing, for the aU tiie ri^t reasons, but just not at the right time. Those in the World Ttade Centers were doing much the same. In both incidents there have been rumors of conspiracy and intentional targeting by some one other than the ones accused and/or convicted of these crimes. Parallels aboimd between these two occurrmces, but the parallels cease when it comes to how we treat the memory of Kenneth Bridges and how we treat the 9-11 tragedy Yes, there v/ere 2,900 lives lost that day but to their famflies each person lost was a sin gle horrendous act just as Ken’s death was to his family and fiiends. I think about Ken quite often, like nearly everyday, as I see his portrait in my office, his “If I Should Die on My Way to Freedom” poster in my basanent, the Afiican doU he gave my daughter, and the MATAH jacket he gave me the first day we met, which I still wear. I remember him as I listen to the tapes and watch the videos on which he speaks so passionately about the importance of Black economic fieedom. I remember him through his wife and children whom I speak to and see fiom time to time. I remember him tbmngb our mutual fiiends and associates, and I remember Ken Biii^es because he actually brought to finition an institution, an entity through which Black people could circulate our dollars among ourselves. He was an “authentic” leader who paid the ultimate price for his leader ship and concern for his people. It’s so nice when my dai^hter remembers something about Ken and mentions it to me. I am so glad she had the opportunity to meet him. It’s good to know that she will never forget 10-11. TOll you? Go to www.kenbridges.org and get to know him. Restpeace- ftflly my brother. JAMES E. CUNGMAN, an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati’s African American Studies department, is former editor of the Cincinnati Herald newspaper and founder of the Greater Cincinnati African Ken was in the right place, doing the right thing, for all the right reasons, but just not at the right time. Election losers: What’s next? “But what if I lose?’ This question is on the minds of a number of good North Carolina political candidates who are facing tough elections next month. Former Georgia Senator Wyche Fowler once gave me the best answer to that question that I have ever heard. Fowler, as a congressman and senator, almost always faced strong challenges. He finally lost his bid for reelection to the senate in 1992 in a very close runoff Long before that loss, I had asked him how he dealt with the possibility that every election brought the possi bility of a career-ending defeat. His answer, as I remember it now, was. “I keep a list of all the Ihings tiiat I want to do, and couldn’t do if I won, but would have time and occasion to do if I lost. I’d list the books I wanted to read, the places I could visit, the things I would have time to write about, the fiiends I could sp^d time with and so on. Thaie got to be so many good projects on that list, that by the time election day comes, one part of me would be* very satisfied if, by losing, I would gain the opportunity to begin to work on my list.” Every candidate ought to consider Fowler’s advice, not to diminish or compromise his or her campaign efforts, but to remember that a good life is ahead for election losers as well as winners, if they are veiling to embrace it. If they still have ambition to serve in political office, the losers on November 7 shoxfld remember some thing else. In politics, losir^ can be a launch pad to later polit ical victory Reading H.'W Brands’ recent biography of Andrew Jackson reminded me that Jackson’s defeat in the presidential contest in 1824 provided the platform for his victory in 1828. Abraham linpoln’s losing campaign for the U.S. Senate in 1858 paved the way for his election as pres ident in 1860. More recently Richard Nixon, after los ing a presidential election in 1960 and a Cahfomia governor’s election in 1962, came backto winin 1968. Ronald Reagan’s losing campaign for the presidential nomination in 1976 was the beginning of his success ful effort in 1980. But North Carolinians do not have to go so far away to find examples of candidates who bioilt victories fiom earlier defeats. IVEke Easley began his statewide election ejqjerience with a run-off loss to Harvey Gantt for the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination in 1990. The contacts and a good r^utation as an appealing candidate he gained in 1990 helped him win election as North Carolina attorney general in 1992 and 1996-and governor in 2000 and 2004. Elaine Marshall lost a heartbreaking reelection bid to the North Carolina senate in 1994. She plunged ahead in 1996 to a successful campaign for secretary of state in 1996. Also, after losing a primary contest for U.S. Senate in 2002, she won reelection as Secretary of State in 2004, and has proved herself to be one of the most popular North Carolina political figures since her predecessor, Thad Eure. There is a long list of other current successful North Carolina political figures who not only put their loss es behind them, but made those loses stepping stones to later victories. Richard Moore lost a bid for the U.S. Congress in 1994, but he developed the experience and the orga nization to run successfully for state treasurer in 2000. Robin Hayes, after losing the governor’s race in 1996, came back to win election to the Congress in 1998. Lauch Fairdoth lost in the 1984 Democratic guber natorial primary but won election to the U.S. Senate in 1994. Elizabeth Dole, after an unsuccessful run for the Republican nomination for pr^ident in 2000, won a U.S. Senate seat in 2002. Whether the losing candidates look for new ven tures outside politics or use their defeat as a platform for future successful campaigns, they wfll find that life can be still be very very good. D.G. MARTIN is the host of UNC-TV's North Carolina Bookwatch, which airs Fridays at 9:30pm. and Sundays at 5 p.m. Connect with 3^05(1 Send letters to The Charlotte Post, P.O. Box 30144 Charlotte, NC 28230 or e-mail editorial@thecharlottepost.com. We edit for grammar, clarity and space. Include your name and daytime phone number. Letters and photos will not be returned by mail unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. ^ TOkfE IT FROM THIS OIP IWiN THf WOCLP'S GONMA SHOW YOU THINGS AIN'T SO CUT AND PRItO ... SO PLACIC ANO WHITE. THERE'S, (JH . SWtTLenES ANP NUANCES ANP _ AIL KlNPA .. MVLTXPLKXX- TIES THAT YOU JUST AiNT lEARNEP APOUT YU. YOU HEAR WE?
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Oct. 12, 2006, edition 1
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