In the wake of Rep. John Lewis's statement yesterday I was brought back to what some feared regarding PBO in 2008. And it led me to this thought. . .
the Republican party that harnessed the power of political racism and sexism to seize more of the government than it had since Reconstruction was partially responsible for this country choosing the first African-American President. And may be partially responsible for the country choosing the first all-woman Executive Office.
A) President Barack Obama - Now, nobody can claim any party has ever nominated an African-American to the top of a major party ticket other than us - the DEMOCRATIC PARTY! But many in the party were worried in Spring and Summer of 2008 whether enough citizens' innate racism would lead the country to reject PBO despite him being the unquestionably better candidate than McCain. We heard the concern here and elsewhere (both legitimate and concern trolls).
But in the end the destruction in all sectors of government that GWB left and the utter lack of leadership by McCain led the nation to choose the unquestionably better candidate - Barack Obama.
B) Future President Hillary Clinton - Now, nobody can claim any party has ever nominated a woman to the top of a major party ticket other than us - the DEMOCRATIC PARTY! And we still don't know if Secretary Clinton will pick a female vice-president, whether it be Sens. Elizabeth Warren or Amy Klobuchar or any other qualified Democratic woman. But for all those who are not just concern trolls but legitimately worry . . . I don't think you have to worry about America's innate sexism kicking in to deny Hillary Clinton the presidency no matter who is on the ticket with her.
We may not have to worry because we really are seeing a drumfpster fire on the other side. I really don't know if we are seeing the failure of the Republican Party. It may be that in 20 years we will only see this as the dark days before the party transitions to something much better. Maybe (and dear God I hope not) Cheeto Jesus is elected and we have another era of government implosion.
But it really doesn't look like it. I don't need to detail what we all see on this blog every day. The Republican party by all appearances is in chaos. I can't say whether this will lead to the split of that party, but the fissures are exposed and growing. So failure of party will lead to the election of an all-woman ticket (if HRC chooses) regardless of the innate sexism in our society.
Don't let that mean you don't work for this victory. If I see any of you slacking, I'll break a foot off in your assistance (jk. I wouldn't do that, but I seriously don't stop working even if we are 20 points ahead, because only if every state rejects Cheeto Jesus will we show that racism and sexism have no place in American politics (an impossible standard but the one we must work for).
tl;dr - In 2008, Republicans failure at governing led to the certainty that PBO would be elected regardless of US innate racism. In 2016, Republicans failures at politics is leading to the likelihood that Secretary Clinton and Sen. Warren (if Clinton picks her) will win the White House.
P.S. I wish I could be more pithy like Mike Myers on his SNL brunch show, but I'm neither Holy nor Roman (although my dad was born in Italy) nor an Empire.