Cabarrus Cheap Seats

A matter of weeks ago, there were a dozen people to pick from on either side for the presidential nomination: Edwards looked like a strong contender, Thompson looked like a possibility, and even Paul was raising a lot of money. While it’s happening a little later than it normally does - voters are starting to make “the bargain”. Republicans of all stripes are coming to terms with McCain, Edwards supporters are split between Hillary and Obama, and Paul supporters…well, they’re still filling the Internet with spam.

With a polarized electorate, the one who can win “the bargain” is the one who ultimately wins. Let me illustrate what I mean.

In terms of African-American candidates, what makes Barak Obama so different from Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, and local Nick Mackey? In terms of Evangelical candidates, what makes Mike Huckabee so different from Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, or our own Coy Privette?

The difference is that Obama and Huckabee are “bargainers” and Sharpton, Jackson, Robertson, Falwell, Privette, and Mackey are “challengers”.

Bargainers vs. Challengers

In an article in the November 30, 2007 Time (Part I and Part II) Shelby Steele defined the difference between bargainers and challengers in terms of race relations.

Bargainers make a deal with white Americans that gives whites the benefit of the doubt: I will not rub America’s history of racism in your face, if you will not hold my race against me. Especially in our era of political correctness, whites are inevitably grateful for this bargain that spares them the shame of America’s racist past. They respond to bargainers with gratitude, warmth, and even affection. This “gratitude factor” can bring the black bargainer great popularity. Oprah Winfrey is the most visible bargainer in America today.

Challengers never give whites the benefit of the doubt. They assume whites are racist until they prove otherwise. And whites are never taken off the hook until they (institutions more than individuals) give some form of racial preference to the challenger. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are today’s best known challengers.

Here are three lessons local pols can learn from these bargainers.

Don’t Rub It In

One of my favorite scenes from Austin Powers was the Group Therapy scene where this exchange took place (here it is on YouTube - if you’re interested) between Dr. Evil and his son Scott:

SCOTT: I was thinking that I like animals, maybe I’d be a vet.

DR. EVIL: An evil vet?

SCOTT: No. Maybe work in a petting zoo?

DR. EVIL: An evil petting zoo?

SCOTT: YOU ALWAYS DO THAT!!!

This scene plays out in Christian homes; but instead of evil it’s Christian. There’s Christian music, fiction, television, and - yes - even movies. There’s a push in many Christian homes to subscribe to as much of the Christian sub-culture as possible. This is part of the aim to push the message of Christ through children into the world using really bad media. (FYI: That’s not the policy at Casa Thibault)

The justification of all of this is that Christians are admonished to not “be of the world”. One show that’s considered particularly worldly is NBC’s Saturday Night Live. Christian families are considered permissive if the parents don’t at least sneer at this most worldly of programs.

That’s why it was so strange to see Mike Huckabee on SNL last Saturday (the video at the top of the post - a “must watch”). What was even more strange, as a survivor of Evangelical culture, I was surprised at how engaging and funny he was in the bit. He wasn’t stiff and those around him didn’t act uncomfortable.

Could Falwell or Robertson have pulled that off? Doubtful. The difference was best stated by Huckbee - he’s a conservative without “being mad about it”. And that’s the point, Huckabee isn’t fire, brimstone, and condemnation; but he manages to avoid that and not water down his Christianity. It’s possible to have ideals that would rub others the wrong way; but manage not to do it by having a truly charismatic.

Another thing that helps is a more than one part to your act. For example, my parents like Huckabee. Not because my mom is the Jesus Ornament Lady; but because she’s a business owner who likes the FairTax. Thankfully, Huckabee hasn’t turned it into the Christian tax.

Be Credible

Barak Obama is a liberal Democrat who lacks the experience in public life to lead this country at this time. That’s why I wouldn’t vote for him; but he could say the exact same words as Al Sharpton and be more believable to anyone with a brain in their head.

Why is that? For starters, Obama was the President of the Harvard Law Review and Al Sharpton is a college drop-out.

Barak Obama has options and he chose to run for President. He has the talent and the intellect to be successful in most any field he would persue. Al Sharpton gets attention because he’s a walking train wreck.

Part of the bargaining process is to be credible with the mainstream population. Huckbee would be the Christian candidate without the FairTax. Barak Obama would be put in the same bin with Sharpton without his Harvard Law Degree and oratory skills. If you’re outside of the mainstream, you have to have something else to help translate you back - Credibility.

You’ll Never Be A “Messiah”

Bargains always have risk. You show your cards. You exchange something of value.

Obama was critized early on for not “being black enough”. Conservatives have never been very enamored with Huckbee. The point is that when you make your bargin - you’ll probably lose your core constituency. And that can be a problem in local elections where moving a core constituency is often a solid strategy.

Bottom line: You have do the math before you make the bargin. All this being said about Obama and Huckabee is they haven’t clinched the nomination (actually, Huckabee is out)

And this isn’t to knock challengers. They aren’t all bad. Jefferson, Lincoln, King - all challengers. The fact of the matter is that a democracy needs both.