The Community Word

I listened to a hour or so of Sean Hannity on 1470 WMBD this afternoon as I ran errands before work. And as usual, I had to scratch my head at the man’s ability to pass off pure race-baiting as investigate political reporting.

Good Lord.

Were it not for the fact that I knew better, I would assume that Barack Obama was an armed militant who wanted to round up all the white people and put them into camps.

For those who missed the news, it turns out that the former pastor at Obama’s church has said some stupid things about the United States of America. In fact, I’d go as far as to say they were unpatriotic. And he doesn’t seem to like White people very much. But then, all I know about him are the clips that Hannity and his talk-radio compatriots have played. Over. And over. Folks, it does not surprise me that there are some black ministers out there saying dumb and stupid things. Just as their white counterparts who say dumb and stupid things.

Please try to recall the last time Hannity or Rush Limbaugh or Glenn Beck denounced, rather than defended, the likes of Jerry Falwell or Pat Robertson.

Hannity trots out the example of every black public official he can find who has both said stupid things and expresses any sort of support for Obama. If Obama has ever been in the same room with the person, so much the better (or worse) for Hannity. Feh. It’s classic guilt by association.

Obama has spent his entire public career trying to help the community and by promoting honest discussion about race and racism. I don’t agree with much of Obama’s politics, but that cannot be taken away from him.

And also remember that it was only after it started looking like Obama was going to win the Democratic nomination — and after the Clintonites started playing the race card — did some of these black leaders and ministers started cozying up to Obama. Before Obama became the favorite to win the Democratic nomination, Hannity often referred to Obama as much more likable and honorable than Hillary Clinton. Now, he wants us to think Obama is allied, if not a member of, the Black Panthers.

Obama has not strayed from his message of putting race-based politics behind us. The fact that these others who have made a profession of race politics are now getting behind Obama is a good thing, not a bad thing.

Despite what Hannity wants us to believe, Obama is NOT getting his politics from these people. Instead he is leading them away from all that. He’s leading these other people into the mainstream. In other words, Obama is doing during the campaign what he promises to do if elected — help us get beyond race-based politics.

And wouldn’t Obama’s election put this sort of nonsense out of commission, anyway? As comedian Wands Sykes said recently on the Tonight Show, you can’t complain about “The Man” when you are “The Man.”

Hannity and his kind are just trying to convince voters who are on the bubble that Obama really isn’t safe. He is safe. Argue against his politics. But all this other nonsense just reminds me of what they did back when Harold Washington first ran for mayor of Chicago.

Peoria in the hole?

Two different notices recently from Peoria City Hall might give one pause about the city’s infrastructure: “There has been a cave-in in the Southbound lane of Wisconsin. Wisconsin from McClure to Arcadia will be closed from now until repairs are completed.”

“We are not aware what has caused the cave-in.”

And this one: “Due to a water main leak downtown in the intersection of Main Street and Madison Avenue, lanes will be reduced while Illinois American Water Company and Ameren make repairs to their utilities. Please plan your route accordingly to avoid this intersection for the next week as delays will be possible. It is anticipated that one lane of traffic will be maintained in all directions - but this may be subject to change depending on the extent of damage found when making the repair.”

Peoria is crumbling below ground as well as above ground, it seems. But not to worry. We have a newly remodeled Peoria Civic Center in which we can all take pride.

Will 18th District follow 14th’s lead and go to the Democrats?

The answer: Maybe. But if it does, it won’t be for the same reasons.

For those Peorians who don’t follow state politics (thanks in no small part to the local media’s general disinterest in the subject) were was some huge news Saturday. Democrat Bill Foster, a political unknown, defeated millionaire GOP foe Jim Oberweis in a special election to replace Dennis Hastert as Congressman from the 14th District. Foster will serve the remainder of Hastert’s term, and will have to face re-election in the November general election. His foe then will likely be Oberweis again.

Consider the implications. The far-west suburban district has been considered a Republican stronghold. But changing demographics and a general dissatisfaction with the GOP has tilted the district more Democratic.
There’s speculation that this might mean trouble for another Congressional district that’s traditional been a sure win for the GOP — the 18th District. After all, incumbent Congressman Ray LaHood is retiring.

My advice to the Dems is to not get cocky. A lot of factors played out in the 14th that don’t affect the 18th.

First, I doubt that 18th’s demographics have changed all that much since last election. Maybe there’s some data bearing this out. But there’s been a lot of overall growth in that district as working class folks from Chicago are moving in. Second, Aaron Schock is no Jim Oberweis. Love him or hate him, Schock has proven himself capable of winning elections. Oberweis has proven nothing, except that voters don’t like him. The millionaire dairyman has been able to buy his way past the primaries a couple of times, but in the end has been rejected by voters four times in the last six years.

For reasons I have expressed before, I don’t think Schock is as strong as his supporters think he is. And I also do not think opponent Colleen Callahan is a weak candidate in the least. And I agree that if Barack Obama heads the ticket, Callahan is in really good shape in November.

The importance of Foster’s victory in the 14th is that it’s red meat to the troops. The last Democrat who came close to winning was G. Douglas Stephens back when he first ran against Bob Michael. And he did it with the support of rank-and-file Democrats who felt tossed to the side of the road by the economy. They didn’t get a lot of help from the national party, and I would advise them to not count on any help this time around, either.