The images of the beginning and the ending of Indiana’s historic, once a lifetime presidential primary are w hat will stay with me forever.
The campaign began March 15 with an African-American, Sen. Barack Obama, opening the presidential primary with a rally in an unlikely place. If you’d asked our community where Barack Obama would begin his Indiana campaign, they’d have said Indianapolis, or Gary, or Fort Wayne, maybe even Bloomington.
Well the Indianapolis metro area was chosen, but the location, Plainfield, was surprising. A town that’s 96 percent white, but in a county where the Black population’s exploded the last 10 years, Plainfield’s virtually all white high school was the setting for a unique Indiana political event.
Obama’s first Indiana appearance was literally unforgettable. The crowd was so racially mixed, so integrated, that one lost track of the racial divide. The diversity seemed natural. The diversity Dr. Martin Luther King talked about in his “I Have a Dream” speech. To bring such a 50/50 racial mix to a community (Plainfield) and its high school showed the power of Obama’s unorthodox campaign. A campaign that’s captured the imagination of the world.
Monday night, 51 days after that historic Plainfield rally, Barack Obama finally came to the heart of Indianapolis as the largest racially integrated crowd in Indianapolis’ history gathered on American Legion Mall to hear the candidate.
American Legion Mall, of course, is the setting for our African-American community’s biggest party — the annual; free Black Expo concert. But the 25,000-plus that were there Monday wasn’t a Black crowd, or a white crowd. It was something downtown Indianapolis has always wanted, but never achieved, a totally integrated crowd, in the heart of the Circle City, enjoying a shared experience together.
This finale of a unique political campaign brought literally the eyes of the world on Indianapolis. Journalists from Japan, Germany, Great Britain, India, France and Australia wrote and filmed it all for their nations to understand the power a multi-racial man was having on America.
I have many thoughts and remembrances of this historic seven weeks in Indiana politics and history.
I remember the faces of people at Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton rallies. The faces of people filled with hope, adoration, respect, love for their particular presidential candidate.
At the two Hillary Clinton rallies I attended, the faces, especially of women, when they finally saw Hillary, made me understand the power Sen. Clinton’s campaign has among women. It’s something I don’t think our African-American community fully realizes and appreciates. Clinton’s strong support of women, especially non-Black women, is what has kept her in this race.
On the other side of the coin, I will never forget the faces of those Obama supporters. Three instances stand out. That first rally in Plainfield, where the excitement of seeing history for the first time was palatable.
Then last Wednesday in Garfield Park, I witnessed the power of Obama. It was the first time I saw both Obamas — husband Barack and wife Michelle — together. I’ve seen some political couples in my time, but those two exhibited real love and mutual respect and the audience of 30 “working couples” were enthralled by them. But so were ordinary people who came to Garfield Park for a glimpse. Obama, as he always does, went over to greet those who couldn’t get in. So did Michelle who was greeted with big hugs by the women waiting there.
Then Monday night, as I watched in the press section as 25,000 people packed American Legion Mall, I saw something else. I first expressed to Steven Gray, a reporter from Time Magazine, the frustration of many in our community that Obama hadn’t done a rally within Indianapolis. An event where many in our African-American community could see him. The Indianapolis Star, embarrassed that Time had discovered an angle on the story they hadn’t, (one of many angles of this campaign that the Star flat out missed) interviewed me for a major story last Saturday.
That story was repeated by the Associated Press in scores of newspapers around the world. The Obama campaign complained. Gently, but firmly and courteously.
I explained that I felt that our children, our young people, our seniors should have an opportunity to see the history I’d seen.
Monday, they were all there. And seeing the faces of the children there witnessing history proved my point. My own granddaughter, who is so cynical about politics, grabbed my digital camera when Obama took the stage, went off and snapped a bunch of shots. That’s when I knew she was caught up in the history.
The power of Obama, the inspiration he inspires, is something to see. It’s something the cold, callous editors of the Indianapolis Star failed to realize in their editorial not endorsing him.
In fairness, let me say that each time I saw Hillary Clinton in person; I was impressed when her voice turned soft, and she talked about the problems of real people. That’s Hillary at her best. She didn’t have to lie about “sniper fire” or embellish her qualifications. When Hillary talks seriously about people it is her greatest strength. When she makes up stories or panders about gas taxes, she’s at her worst.
Some other observations:
I can’t speak for my Recorder colleagues, but from my day job’s perspective (broadcast), both the Obama and Clinton campaign and PR staffs were among the most courteous and professional I’ve encountered. Even when there were disagreements, courtesy and professionalism was the hallmark. I wish them all the best.
I can’t say that about Woody Myers campaign.
Myers’ campaign manager developed a deserved reputation for bullying media and perceived political enemies. During the campaign, Myers’ manager threatened to sue individuals who expressed truthful opinions about Myers. Myers’ campaign honcho bullied candidate forum organizers who included me as a moderator or questioner. Myers’ campaign even threatened local media who aired commercials featuring the Barack Obama endorsement of Andre Carson.
Woody Myers’ campaign played fast and loose with the truth and tried to bully their way to a win. They failed miserably as our community’s common sense prevailed.
See ‘ya next week!
Amos Brown’s opinions are not necessarily those of the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. You can contact him at (317) 221-0915 or by e-mail at ACBROWN@AOL.COM.
