A Bound Man: why we are excited about Obama and why he can't win

Book Cover
Publisher:
Tantor Media, Inc
Pub. Date:
2008
Edition:
Unabridged
Language:
English
Description
From the New York Times bestselling and controversial author Shelby Steele comes an illuminating examination of the complex racial issues that confront presidential candidate Barack Obama in his race for the White House, a quest that will be one of those galvanizing occasions that forces a national dialogue on the current state of race relations in America.Steele argues that Senator Obama is caught between two classic postures that blacks have always used to make their way in the white American mainstream: bargaining and challenging. Bargainers strike a "bargain" with white America in which they say, "I will not rub America's ugly history of racism in your face if you will not hold my race against me." Bill Cosby's sitcom in the 1980s was the classic example of bargaining. Obama also sends "bargaining" signals to white America, and whites respond with considerable gratitude-which explains the special aura of excitement that surrounds him.But in order to garner the black vote-which is absolutely necessary for victory in the primaries and the general election-Obama must also posture as a challenger. Challengers are the opposite of bargainers. They charge whites with inherent racism and then demand that they prove themselves innocent by supporting black-friendly policies, such as affirmative action. If whites go along with this-thereby proving their innocence-they are granted absolution by the black challenger. The current black American identity is grounded in challenging. Obama must therefore posture as a challenger to win the black vote. However, challenging threatens Obama's white support. But bargaining threatens his black support. Thus, he is bound. He walks in an impossible political territory where any expression of what he truly feels puts him in jeopardy with one much-needed constituency or another. Only a kind of two-sided political mask, or an "above politics" posture, keeps the wolves at bay.
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Grouping Information

Grouped Work ID9391ae76-37c3-d429-233b-67f90e1a1bca
Grouping Titlebound man why we are excited about obama and why he can t win
Grouping Authorshelby steele
Grouping Categorybook
Grouping LanguageEnglish (eng)
Last Grouping Update2023-11-23 01:40:29AM
Last Indexed2024-03-28 02:50:47AM

Solr Fields

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accelerated_reader_reading_level
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auth_author2
Allen, Richard
author
Steele, Shelby
author2-role
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hoopla digital
author_display
Steele, Shelby
display_description
From the New York Times bestselling and controversial author Shelby Steele comes an illuminating examination of the complex racial issues that confront presidential candidate Barack Obama in his race for the White House, a quest that will be one of those galvanizing occasions that forces a national dialogue on the current state of race relations in America.Steele argues that Senator Obama is caught between two classic postures that blacks have always used to make their way in the white American mainstream: bargaining and challenging. Bargainers strike a "bargain" with white America in which they say, "I will not rub America's ugly history of racism in your face if you will not hold my race against me." Bill Cosby's sitcom in the 1980s was the classic example of bargaining. Obama also sends "bargaining" signals to white America, and whites respond with considerable gratitude-which explains the special aura of excitement that surrounds him.But in order to garner the black vote-which is absolutely necessary for victory in the primaries and the general election-Obama must also posture as a challenger. Challengers are the opposite of bargainers. They charge whites with inherent racism and then demand that they prove themselves innocent by supporting black-friendly policies, such as affirmative action. If whites go along with this-thereby proving their innocence-they are granted absolution by the black challenger. The current black American identity is grounded in challenging. Obama must therefore posture as a challenger to win the black vote. However, challenging threatens Obama's white support. But bargaining threatens his black support. Thus, he is bound. He walks in an impossible political territory where any expression of what he truly feels puts him in jeopardy with one much-needed constituency or another. Only a kind of two-sided political mask, or an "above politics" posture, keeps the wolves at bay.
format_boulder
eAudiobook
format_category_boulder
Audio Books
eBook
id
9391ae76-37c3-d429-233b-67f90e1a1bca
isbn
9781400126033
last_indexed
2024-03-28T08:50:47.648Z
lexile_score
-1
literary_form
Unknown
literary_form_full
Unknown
primary_isbn
9781400126033
publishDate
2008
publisher
Tantor Media, Inc
recordtype
grouped_work
subject_facet
Biographies
Ethnology
Political science
title_display
A Bound Man : why we are excited about Obama and why he can't win
title_full
A Bound Man : why we are excited about Obama and why he can't win [electronic resource] / Shelby Steele
title_short
A Bound Man
title_sub
why we are excited about Obama and why he can't win
topic_facet
Ethnology
Political science

Solr Details Tables

item_details

Bib IdItem IdShelf LocCall NumFormatFormat CategoryNum CopiesIs Order ItemIs eContenteContent SourceeContent URLDetailed StatusLast CheckinLocation
hoopla:MWT10756368Online Hoopla CollectionOnline HooplaeAudiobookAudio Books1falsetrueHooplahttps://www.hoopladigital.com/title/10756368?utm_source=MARC&Lid=hh4435Available Online

record_details

Bib IdFormatFormat CategoryEditionLanguagePublisherPublication DatePhysical DescriptionAbridged
hoopla:MWT10756368eAudiobookAudio BooksUnabridgedEnglishTantor Media, Inc20081 online resource (1 audio file (3hr., 30 min.)) : digital.

scoping_details_boulder

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hoopla:MWT10756368Available OnlineAvailable Onlinefalsetruefalsefalsefalsefalse