Play of the Week
An Insider’s Look at U.S. PoliticsArchive for March, 2008
Tiger and Obama
I’m not a golfer. Never have been. I’m not one who finds any joy or relaxation in chasing a tiny ball around a lush landscape and poking it into a slightly larger hole. Nonetheless, count me in as a Tiger Woods fan.
I was watching the Arnold Palmer Invitational last weekend, watching Tiger win his third tournament in as many starts in 2008. As I watched this amazing athlete hoist the championship trophy, I pondered the reality that the other golfers know what he’s going to do, but they are powerless to stop him.
Hillary Clinton and her team surely empathize with the golfers on the PGA tour. When it comes to Barack Obama, they just seem powerless to stop him.
They have analyzed Sen. Obama just as the other golfers have analyzed Tiger, but Sen. Clinton has yet to conclude what I have concluded about Tiger Woods. He’s just a better golfer than the other guys. Well, Barack Obama has raised more money, he’s better organized, he’s a better communicator, and finally — notwithstanding the serious Jeremiah Wright-induced bump in the road — he’s just a better candidate.
As Tiger was raising another trophy and pocketing his millions in earnings I also thought about what some of the other golfers have thrown his way, and how disciplined and composed he remained.
Do you recall Fuzzy Zoeller’s clueless remarks after Tiger won his first Masters championship in Augusta in 1997? When talking to reporters following the match, Fuzzy stepped in it by saying “tell him (Woods) not to serve fried chicken or collard greens or whatever the hell they (blacks) serve” at the traditional Champions Dinner.
Tiger was a good sport about it. He didn’t rant and rave or call Fuzzy a bigot. He just focused on his game and has been nothing short of phenomenal for 11 years.
Barack Obama has had the rhetorical kitchen sink thrown at him in the Democratic primaries. In South Carolina, former president Clinton likened Obama’s campaign to a Jesse Jackson effort (code for “just another black candidate who can only get black votes”). Geraldine Ferraro said Barack would not be where he is today with his winning ways if he wasn’t a black man. Hmmm.
After the Ferraro comment backfired, my friend James Carville says we’re getting ultra-sensitive about these issues. To that, I would say the Democrats are getting hit with the bat they have been swinging for years.
Do I know Republicans who are racist? I do, and sometimes they needed to be hit with the race bat. However, it was always ironic; the Democrats would do the same thing, say the same thing they accused Republicans of, and get a pass. The Democrats use race more often than they want to admit. They like to throw the rock and hide their hands. It’s very difficult to combat that kind of racism.
Obama has had to endure the throwing of rocks and hiding their hands-type of racism for the entirety of his campaign.
Politico, a Washington-based online publication, reported that GOP strategists have commissioned polls to determine acceptable boundaries for attacking a black candidate. Might I suggest to my friends rather than commissioning polls and focus groups to determine how to get in the gutter gracefully, why don’t they research how to reach out to the black community with solutions that would improve their lives and strengthen their communities and consider an inclusiveness that says, “Come and help us bake the cake,” not one that says, “Come and help us eat our cake?”
If only Republicans would learn to say, “These are our values. These are our principles. How do we help you accomplish what you want to accomplish in life?”
Due to the foolishness conveyed about Obama — i.e. Bill Clinton’s remarks in South Carolina — the Democrats are scared to death they are going to alienate the most loyal constituency in their party, the African American vote. However, Republicans have so little credibility with Americans of African descent, I’m afraid this may be an opportunity Republicans and conservatives won’t be able to capitalize on. Republicans, especially conservative Republicans, have been so indifferent to race and other issues important to blacks that most blacks will not — will not — vote GOP, regardless of who is on the ticket with John McCain.
Anything short of a total meltdown by Obama, he will probably be hoisting the winner’s trophy at the Democratic National Convention in August.
I recall what Pauly said to Rocky Balboa, referring to the invincible Ivan Drago, “Hey Rock! He bleeds!” Over the last week, we’ve seen that Obama can bleed politically. And thanks to his early silence on his pastor’s inflammatory rhetoric, the general election is up for grabs.
J.C. Watts is chairman of J.C. Watts Companies, a business consulting group. He is former chairman of the Republican Conference of the U.S. House, where he served as an Oklahoma representative from 1995 to 2002. His e-mail address is JCWatts01@jcwatts.com
The MVP (politicians, not players) list
By Ed Fletcher
March 6, 2008
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C1
Kevin Johnson, who announced Wednesday that he would run for Sacramento mayor, isn’t the only former prominent athlete to enter politics. Here are 10 other athletic greats who took public office after their playing days.
• Jim Ryun: Legendary miler and 1,500-meter runner from Kansas was elected to five terms in Congress.
• Jim Bunning: The U.S. senator from Kentucky had a Hall of Fame pitching career in the American and National leagues, throwing a perfect game for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1964.
• Bob Mathias: Was the youngest winner in Olympic track and field, earning a gold medal in the decathlon in 1948 at age 17. Retained his title four years later. Served the Fresno area as a four-term Republican congressman.
• J.C. Watts: Oklahoma quarterback, two-time Orange Bowl MVP, star in the Canadian Football League. Elected to Congress in 1994 and served for eight years.
• Steve Largent: Career as a Seattle Seahawks wide receiver led to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Was elected to Congress as an Oklahoma Republican in 1994. Defeated in his bid to become Oklahoma governor in 2002.
• Bill Bradley: “Dollar Bill” was an All-American at Princeton, All-Star for the New York Knicks and eventual basketball Hall of Famer. Elected to the U.S. Senate in 1978, serving for nearly two decades. Presidential run failed.
• Jack Kemp: Former AFL quarterback for the Buffalo Bills, he led his team to back-to-back titles and was the Associated Press league MVP in 1965. Congressman from western New York (1971-89) and Bob Dole’s running mate in the 1996 presidential race.
• Jesse Ventura: Pro wrestling fame propelled “The Body” into Minnesota’s governorship.
•Arnold Schwarzenegger (left): Bodybuilder-turned-actor-turned- “Governator.”
• Gerald Ford: At Michigan, was one of the nation’s best college football players. Turned down a chance to play professionally to enter law and politics, ending up in the White House in 1974.
Missing Mike Huckabee already
One of the things that has driven me crazy about my fellow evangelicals in this election is their mercurial, erratic and sometimes arbitrary approach to selecting their candidates for president. Early in the Republican primary process we had a front-runner to whom none of the evangelical “leaders” could warm, and when John McCain imploded early on, you could almost hear the sighs of relief rising up from Colorado Springs.
Then came the dance with Fred Thompson, but he waited too long to buy his dance card, and Fred’s last dance was his first. All the while, we had the former governor of Arkansas, a Baptist preacher with all of the evangelical street cred one could ask for in a candidate. A pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, proven vote getter who drew support from a wide range of demographics and ideology.
But even then, the “leaders” couldn’t get behind Mike Huckabee. Several months ago when Huckabee was still a curiosity, they wouldn’t give him the time of day. Not long later, as Marvin Olasky of World Magazine noted, the evangelical leaders were “following their followers” who had taken a shine to the Arkansan. Now that Mac is back and has sewn up the GOP nomination, many of those same evangelical leaders are expressing their extreme discontentment with the will of the voters. Where were they when Huckabee really needed them?
Granted, there were aspects of Mike Huckabee’s record as governor of Arkansas that left some conservatives wanting. But his positions on the social issues that make the hearts of evangelicals fibrillate every election season were rock solid. Many evangelicals passed over Mike Huckabee for reasons of national defense. They still viewed that as the prime issue facing our nation, and feared Huckabee came up a little short in that respect. But even the evangelicals and “compassionate conservatives” who did not vote for Huckabee will miss him now that he is gone from this race. Indeed, Mike Huckabee spoke to so many issues that I’ve been trying to get the GOP establishment to speak to as a black, a social conservative and an opportunity conservative. With Huckabee gone, those issues may be addressed due to politics, not from conviction.
These issues were in Huckabee’s DNA. Issues of life, strong families, compassion, outreach and opportunity for all. Mike Huckabee got a substantial percentage of the black vote for governor in Arkansas. It’s a natural outgrowth of his heart to reach out and deal with poverty. The faith warriors that made up 25-30 percent of Huckabee’s support are true believers. Their politics were driven by their faith. Their faith was not driven by their politics. Nor were they driven by polls or news cycles or political consultants.
Huckabee’s exit leaves the Latino and black faith communities in a real quagmire because they don’t feel like McCain and the GOP are in sync with them. While they agree with the GOP on most issues, they don’t feel embraced by the party. They disagree with the Democrats, but the Dems reach out to them. Many white evangelicals are disgusted because the establishment and consultant class of the GOP are not connecting with them. This class of voters is abandoning that form of politics, but not their core beliefs.
I think of a young man I’ve known since he was a toddler. “Matt” was raised in an avowedly Christian home which was and is involved in the political process. He loves the church, he loves his country and is passionately concerned about the hurting people in his world. His foremost desire is to serve his Lord and his country and he prepares for such challenges today as one of our outstanding young cadets at West Point.
Today, many black, Latino, and young white evangelicals like Matt hated to see Huckabee go because they felt he’s the only GOP candidate who had enough guts or heart to talk about their issues. Do they believe the earth is melting? Not necessarily, but they believe in being good stewards of God’s earth. Do they believe in big government? No, but they believe God is concerned with poverty, although the GOP establishment seems uninterested. With Huckabee gone, what now?
Folks like Matt fear it will be business as usual. Consultant-driven campaigns from the mold of 2000 and 2004. I know of no consultant who knows how to speak to the young crusaders of my party or the older crusaders like me who are black, socially conservative and seeking opportunity for all. Red, brown, yellow, black and white.
J.C. Watts is chairman of J.C. Watts Companies, a business consulting group. He is former chairman of the Republican Conference of the U.S. House, where he served as an Oklahoma representative from 1995 to 2002. His e-mail address is JCWatts01@jcwatts.com
Ex-players’ pledge to help OU showcase black history
By James S. Tyree
NORMAN – Former University of Oklahoma football players Joe Washington and J.C. Watts plan to donate $10,000 to a campus project aimed to bring sharper focus to OU’s black history.
Norris Williams, director of the Henderson Scholars Program, said about $100,000 will be needed for renovations, plaques, portraits, lighting and secure cases at the Henderson Tolson Cultural Center.
Washington, who works in OU’s athletic department, and Watts, a former U.S. congressman, toured the center Thursday morning before announcing the donation.
“I’ve got a check on behalf of Joe and me,” Watts said, “and with it we’d like to have the (center’s) conference room named after Prentice Gautt.”
Gautt became the university’s first black football player in 1956. After a few years in pro football, he earned a doctorate and became an associate commissioner of the Big Eight and Big 12 conferences before his death in 2005. Organizers for the Henderson-Tolson project also seek pictures and other memorabilia from alumni and teachers of their OU experiences to display throughout the center.
“We’re trying to make the building a showcase of African-American students, faculty and staff,” Williams said. “There are pictures in the building that reflect that, but we’re trying to enhance that a bit more.
“Not just the Ada Lois Sipuels and Prentice Gautts, but many others. We want to display that legacy through students, teachers and alumni.”
After three years of legal battles, Sipuel was the first black student to be admitted to the OU College of Law.
Students’ design ideas sought
The cultural center opened at the former Stovall Museum in 2002 and is named after OU’s first black faculty members, George Henderson and Melvin Tolson.
The building houses the Black Student Association and black fraternity and sorority offices, but student organizations reflecting all races often use it for gatherings free of charge.
Williams said the project will happen in phases. He expects the first one, involving plaques and numerous photos, will be completed in time for the OU black all-class reunion April 25-27.
For future phases, Williams enlisted the help of OU interior decorating students who made a project of designing rooms, floor plans, lighting and murals for the center.
Williams said he and other organizers will seek student input on design ideas before any decisions are made, and then make them happen as the money comes in.
Watts Encourages Activism
By Carla HintonFri February 29, 2008
Members of the World War II generation can provide citizenship examples for others to follow, former Rep. J.C. Watts said Thursday. Watts, a minister, spoke on the topic of religion and politics during his keynote speech at the Jim Thorpe Association’s Business and Community Leadership Luncheon at the Petroleum Club in downtown Oklahoma City.
The gathering included several of Watts’ former football teammates, young athletes and their coaches from Mustang, Guthrie and Midwest City, along with clergy, business and civic leaders from across the state.
Watts said members of the WWII generation loved their families, God and their country. They supported their communities.
He said long before Nike came up with the popular slogan “Just do it,” the WWII generation “just did it.”
He warned his audience that some of his comments might be considered politically incorrect. He challenged those gathered to ask themselves if they were doing anything to make America a safer, healthier and more prosperous nation for future generations.
“The more time I spend with my grandkids the more I ask myself that question. We need to ask ourselves what do we want to do as a nation when we grow up,” he said.
Watts said a first step toward that goal lies in one’s vote in the presidential election.
“When evil people say they will do evil things to the United States of America, we better have someone in the White House who will take them seriously,” he said. Watts said marriage should be defined as a union between a man and woman. The Baptist minister also said efforts to remove God from the public square should be stopped.
“We ‘are endowed by our Creator.’ That one line (in the Declaration of Independence) makes us different from North Korea. That one line makes us different from Russia,” he said.
Watts also said people of faith need to develop authentic relationships with people of other races. He said people may have working relationships, but those relationships don’t often extend outside the work setting.
Churches, he said, should reflect the diversity that God created, yet 11 a.m. Sunday morning is the most segregated hour of the week.
“I would love to pastor a church that on a Sunday morning, I could look out and see a congregation that looks like the United Nations,” he said.
Chuck Bowman, deputy executive director and chaplain of the Jim Thorpe Association and Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame, said the leadership luncheons are offered quarterly.
