What Happened Along the Way, How Did We Get Here?

Oh! Yes, it seemed to have shocked them by the millions.  The Obama “Mojo” is no longer good.  The young light skinned skinny guy with the Muslim name is becoming a “memory” now.  He did not have to make it so.  But for some reason he wanted to get in this 2016 presidential election.  He pled to people who were admiring him as something spiritual.  But he was certainly not spiritual.  He was Obama!  The first Black president of the United States.  That historical event crept up on us and to the millions of Americans who idolized the very thought of his existence he must never go away.  He would go to foreign nations and hundreds of thousands of people would come out just to hear his voice.  It didn’t matter what he was saying; just that he was saying it to them.  Many could not understand English but they knew he had African blood and that was good enough.

In Kenya, teens would line up to buy the soft drink,“OBAMA – The President’s Drink!”  It lasted for a while but the reality of him being a mere human being started to sink in on all the temporary idol worshipers, slowly but surely.  The few African Americans that study political leaders seemed to give him a pass at each social incident.  He didn’t take his family to worship anymore.  Before he was attending a “sure enough” Black church on the south side of Chicago.  I can’t over emphasize the historical highlight of his becoming an American President.  In Nairobi, Kenya there was a well-established political joke: “A Luo (a secondary Tribe in Kenya) will become president of the United States before a Luo will be President of Kenya”.  That joke is no longer funny.

At first not only would 98% of Blacks support President Obama on any issue, they would consider dying for him just to get his point across.  But as his Saul Alinsky style of politics became evident, more and more who idolized him became fewer and fewer.  President Obama was a nouveau radical.  That is not real Americana but somehow he managed to keep the admiration of progressives and radicals at the same time while not offending mainstream America.  I remember him throwing out the “traditional first pitch” at a major league all-star game.  It was so awful and I thought to myself: “This guy has never played baseball.  That is so strange and not real Americana”.

One thing I noticed about our President – he has thin skin.  He gets very upset when people criticize him about anything.  Not too long ago, the Congressional Black Caucus requested a meeting with him to talk about some hiring issues.  He later lambasted them at the following Congressional Black Caucus annual event.  “Stop complaining!” He screamed at them.  Too sensitive to be a prudent judge nor a level headed political official.  All the charismatic descriptions that he once held were fading away.

The 2016 election was more than party loyalty to our President; it would be the protection of his legacy.  If the Democratic Party were to lose, it would be on him.  So, he made a dangerous decision:  He would actively join the Clintons in their quest for the presidency.  It was a terrible mistake.  Most of us have had enough with the Clintons – especially Hillary.  He was going to embrace all their funky baggage for him to say nice things about them.  The scandals, in effect, felonies for common persons will now be recognized as truthful and worthy of taking note.  He put his name on them and that did not uplift the DNC chance for the White House.  In the end, it put his past performance into the same mud pit.

Slowly but surely the various segments of American Voters started to slowly back away.  The deeper the scandals got, the least likely his embrace of the Clinton candidacy would sell to the voters. White males, white females, Hispanics, Asians and even Blacks started to pull out of the Clinton mystique and even the Obama mojo.  My mother would say, “If you play in dirt, it will eventually get in your eyes”.  That is it.  He could not see the filth he was associating with and his judgement became impaired.

Barack Hussein Obama started to slowly slide from his “Throne”.  It lessened him in front of all to see.  His failed deeds – Obama Care, IRS Scandals, VA Scandals, unemployment failures, Hillary’s sleazy past and Bill’s legendary libido.  He put his legacy on the line playing with those dirty doers.  It got in his eyes.

History will give the final report.

Mr. Alford is the co-founder, President/CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce®.