By S
am
Sanders
I keep imagining a strange political scenario. It’s got US Attorney General Eric Holder and Barack Obama, dressed to the nines as they always are, huddled in some back room of the White House, exchanging daps and pleasantries.
Motown’s playing in the background. And I swear, Obama’s smoking a cig.
But all is not well. I’m witnessing a transferal of power. Barack Obama is giving away his mojo, bequeathing his progressive bona fides to Mr. Holder himself.
Since the start of the Obama administration, I’ve been more and more impressed with Eric Holder, and increasingly disappointed with Barack Obama. Our President has waffled on torture, backed down on a health insurance public option, and kind of forgotten that gay people even exist. He’s been quiet on HIV/AIDS and Sudan. And he just Jeremiah-Wright-ed Van Jones.
Holder on the other hand, is investigating the detainee torture of the Bush era. He gave a controversial speech during Black History Month urging America to have an honest discussion about race. He spoke out in favor of an assault weapons ban. He did the right thing in the Ted Stevens case. He’s been pretty much unabashed in kicking up dust and setting things straight.
Where Obama’s slowly losing his mojo, Holder seems to be hitting his stride.
Yeah, I know that everything Holder does is a part of the Obama administration’s agenda, but I still feel like our AG is running rip shod while our Commander in Chief is kinda running scared.
I wonder if this is all pre-meditated. What if Obama knew everything couldn’t be as good as the campaign? What if he saw his centrism coming? What if he’s living vicariously through his Attorney General?
What if there can only be one Black, amazingly-dressed, gifted, progressive Superman in DC at once?
I don’t know, but I sure hope not.
Sam Sanders is a proud Texan and graduate of Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. He maintains a blog entitled “The Not So Angry Black Man” where he discusses pop culture, race and politics.
