The opus is done; you'll see it Sunday

Well, I just finished writing what I consider to be my most provocative column of this long presidential election. At least, it's the most provocative to me. You have to consider that I didn't expect the John Edwards column to cause such a fuss. So maybe this one will be a dud; I don't know.

But I do know it's longer than any other column that I can ever remember publishing in the paper -- twice as long as usual. It will jump from the Sunday editorial page to the op-ed page. But then, I've thought about it a lot longer than I do most columns -- months, in fact. That's something it does have in common with the Edwards piece, although this one is much more complicated. Even at this length, it requires the reader to understand more than I have space to say. And maybe, because of that, it will be unintelligible. But a lot of my columns attempt to say more than I can denote in a limited space. This one just has more than usual to say.

Anyway, I look forward to your reactions to it. I think.

Comments

[Mike Cakora]

Brad -

We assure you that we eagerly await your magnum opus. We will consider your thoughts carefully and most critically, savaging every phrase -- every metaphor, every simile, every allusion -- within and out of context, castigating you mercilessly in a tone that renders “insulting” weak in comparison.

How bad will it be? By the time your blog’s server crashes you will wish rather that you faced tar and feathers or even an angry crowd with pitchforks, hoes, electric hedge-trimmers, generators (for the hedge-trimmers), and torches, streaming down Shop Road, storming The State’s offices, screaming “Get the monster before he editorializes again!”

On the other hand, if the Gamecocks win and we like your column, we might just have an espresso, an Armagnac, and a smoke and stay away from the computer for a day.

[p.m.]

Your meanderings on Barack like you
May even inspire a Barack haiku
From he who shows up only seldom
The seventh son, dear Uncle Weldon.

[Phillip]

Don't know what you'll write, but many of us are still hopeful that you will begin to see things much as Michigan's senior GOP statesman, former Gov. William Milliken, has come to see them.

[Reader]

There is still hope for Brad. Many, many others have had the wool pulled back from where it was: over their eyes.

Here's another: William F. Buckley Jr. Jr.

[http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/10/obama_wins_william_buckleys_so.html]

Not that I'm yet voting for the Golden Boy, Barack Obama. But I will be voting against McCain!

[Reader]

Good grief. Where're all the regulars? Bud...must be playing chess. Lee...must be being indoctrinated, yet again. Karen...must be gardening. Ralph...must be...don' know.

[Randy E]

Brad, by bringing up Ayers and the "bitter" remark again in your threads, I suspect your McCain man-crush bias will continue to pervade this upcoming column. I'm surprised you haven't posted another half dozen threads with videos about Wright...

Phillip, don't hold your breath. McCain sought the endorsement of a pastor who considers Brad (and me) a cult member and Brad ignored it.

Reader, I don't think it was WFB Jr. Christopher Buckley took McCain to the woodshed in his endorsement of Obama.

[Reader]

Randy, don't forget how he slapped Pastor Hagee in the face and rejected his much-sought-after endorsement when he [lightbulb!!!] figured this stunt would woo the masses. These masses will be tossed aside like yesterday's pancake batter, but that is beside the point.

P.S. Leave the legitimate men of the cloth out of it. Rev. Wrong is fair game, though!

[Reader]

P.P.S.

It WAS too WFB Jr. Jr. -- AKA Christopher.

[Reader]

P.P.P.S.

I set Pastor Hagee straight on who the Great Whore really is: Not the Catholic Church, but John McCain. He didn't print my e-mail on his website like all the others people sent him, though. Imagine that.

[Brad Warthen]

Actually, if any of y'all are hoping this is some sort of PRO or ANTI piece with regard to either Obama or McCain, it is neither.

It's just my long-promised answer to the question I've been asked a number of times about what I mean when I say I don't consider Obama to be black. It's an observation rooted in our common experiences growing up in Hawaii and in the Third World (him in Indonesia, me in Ecuador). Actually, it's a little hard to explain what the column is about; it sort of takes the whole column to explain that, and it is, as I said, a long one.

I'm thinking about doing a similar column based on personal commonalities with McCain, but I doubt it will be as long and involved as this one.

The whole thing might be a big bore to everyone but me...

[Brad Warthen]

... and in fact, I probably shouldn't have made a big deal about this one.

I was just so relieved to have it done, because all week I was trying to finish reading that book -- and actually finished it Friday morning, with the column due immediately -- and I had already warned Cindi and Warren I probably wouldn't be able to get it done this week, but I did. I was happy that I did, and just thought I'd put up a post to brag about it.

Those of you who have read his book will find the column very much influenced by it. It's self-referential to a mind-numbing degree. You will think of me the same many have no doubt thought of Obama after reading that book: Man, this guy sure does think about himself a lot.

[Harry]

Brad,

I found your editorial worth reading, and enjoyabe. Job well done...BUT...

What was that about Pastor Wright? You seem on shaky ground with that...and I believe incorrect. The analogy is very weak.

I am a fish without water.I see John mcCain as part of the problem in DC, and America. But having been around socialists all my life, I just can't go the Obama route.

So whats a guy to do?

[Randy E]

Brad, I bet Obama's reflection on himself probably helped him develop an aptitude for critical thought. Chris Matthews speaks of intellectual curiosity and how Obama has it while Palin and W do not and how that should be considered an asset for a president.

I'm an army brat and moved to SC from El Paso, Texas. I remember analyzing the differences between my former and new home as an 8th grader. It helped me learn about the differences (and similarities) between people, even in the same country (the phrase "just pikin'" bewildered me at first).

I believe his world view, formed by exposure to different cultures, is valueable.

I have one point of contention with your piece. Race is so visual and external that it is part of how we are defined. Consider how many people identify an African-American by including "black" in the description of that individual. Having slavery in the family tree is hardly a factor in determining an identity because race is so external.

This was Obama's point when he explained that race is determined for you by others. A series of studies have shown that many people have unintentional racial tendencies. In one study, people who were identified not to be prejudice were asked to determine who they would hire between two candidates who had identical resumes with the only difference being race. A higher proportion of people chose the white candidate.

[Paul Waymond]

Newsflash....

Obama is NOT a socialist. Socialists are Paulson, Bush and the rest of the crowd that came up with this $700 Billion Corporate Welfare Program that we called a "Bailout/Rescue" Plan.

It boggles the mind how fiscal and social conservatives rail against entitlement programs to help the poor like Medicaid, Social Security and Medicare but don't see the hypocracy of supporting this bailout. It is the biggest Welfare Program in American History.

But back to my point, Obama is not a socialist. As John McCain said in his townhall full of old biggots, "Obama is a decent, American family man that he happens to disagree with on fundramental issues."

He's not a socialist.

[Harry]

Those who rail away at the lack of introspection on the part of others are themselves narcissistic at their core, pouring their petty personal opinions onto the public stage. They are the first to ridicule others, and the last to see the “plank in their own eye”. It has become rote lefty criticism …and it is so tiresome.

As for Obama being a socialist, I believe he is. I have read his 2 memoirs, two books of critical of him, and hundreds of articles on his policy, life and the friends and groups with whom he has associated. I am confident in my assertion…and am equally certain that nothing said by any human could change your mind concerning even the smallest point concerning Obama.
He is, after all, THE ONE.

And by the way, we know all we need to know about your character when you uttered the phrase...a room full of bigots.

[HP]

Boy, what Barack Obama must have gone through growing up -- being tossed around like a ship at sea!

Bless his heart...now I want to adopt him...invite him over for potroast...give him a nuggie....bring him to Sunday School...[make sure he gets it.]

I think he would make a fine president. If he would stay far enough away from Nancy Pelosi, that is.

[Tim]

Paul, you've got it wrong. I don't think you'll find many conservatives who actually support the President or Paulson with the rescue bill. Take Jim DeMint for instance. Plenty of Republicans supported it, but not many conservatives, just as how many conservatives didn't support Bush's drug program either.

[weldon VII]

Barack like Brad?
Maybe just a tad.
But so are shad.
I expected far-reaching insight,
But try as I might,
All I saw was a dim light.
Nowhere near enough to spell the night,
Too little to give color to the black and white.
Still, all things considered, it wasn't bad,
But I was disappointed it was all Brad had
After he promised more bite
Than the Edwards column that got it so right.

[p.m.]

Mr. Warthen, Uncle Weldon tells me your "Barack like me" column had about as much punch as Clemson's offense had against Wake Forest.

He said you used two columns worth of space to say that you and Obama both moved around a lot and searched for your identity in the process, as though every human being on Earth doesn't go through that growing up.

Uncle Weldon was happy you used "polyglot" in a sentence, though.

Otherwise, he said, you said Obama tried to embrace blackness, while you tried to embrace otherness, so that means Barack ain't much like you at all.

After all, he did go to a private school.

[Randy E]

PM, perhaps Brad is more like McCain who went to Episcopal High School that has a tuition of $40,875 plus other expenses.

[JimT]

I agree the column was your most provocative. It seems that many people consider any kind of self-reflection to be some kind of a weakness, so don't be surprised to hear some dismiss it right away.

I especially appreciate your remarks about Obama and Rev. Wright, comparing it to your experience remaining a Catholic despite some teachings you might not agree with. Considering religious speech in black churches sometimes tends to swelling, some might say over the top rhetoric, I suspect the tone and some of the content was something he long ago learned to live with. Baby and the bathwater kind of thing.

I believe if people could get over their need to condemn Rev Wright, and actually listen to what he was trying to say, they might not find it so awful. In fact, I think many people especially in S.C. would actually agree with him. He did not just up and say "Goddamn America." He said what many evangelists say every day, that because of America's sins we cannot expect that God always blesses America, but that he damns America for its sins.

Yes, his theatrical rhetoric was over the top, but that is often the style in those churches.

I know my point of view will be seen as provocative too, but to me it seems reasonable and not provocative at all.

[Harry]

JimT

I have studied the central tenets of Black Liberation Theology, and Rev Wright and his words cannot be removed from that church and that movement.

What you are really saying is that the words, and the message, and in fact the man are meaningless. Why on earth would one go to a church where that is the case?

And Randy...what has the cost of McCain's schooling have to do with anything...other than to incite class warfare?

[just saying]

I thought it was certainly worth my time to read. Thanks.

[Karen McLeod]

I enjoyed the column. One of the things I particularly like about Sen. Obama is that he had been immersed in other cultures than ours (middle class white America, in my case). It allows him to have a gut understanding that "other" is not always evil. This understanding will make it much easier to see how to negotiate with other countries, I think, because he won't be blinded by immediate prejudice.

[Mike Cakora]

Sorry, I put this on the wrong entry…

That was a fine memoir of sorts. I shall ponder it anew with espresso and Armagnac after dinner in the library.

So you and I are like this guy, without the musical ability, of course, and I have the T-shirt and sweatshirt, having bought them at the July 12 concert in DC. I understand that.

What I don’t understand is: how did Obama end up like this? Why did he not hang with Jesse and Al, and instead move on to Jeremiah, the wrong stuff?

There’s a link missing, no?