Camera Whores

Personally I love primary elections because they serve many purposes including -- forcing incumbents to re-connect with voters and providing an outlet for voters to "make a statement" via the ballot box. Yesterday's (8 August) primary elections in the states Connecticut and Georgia were no exception.

In Connecticut's Democratic Party primary election incumbent US Senator and 2000 Vice Presidential nominee, Joseph Lieberman, was defeated by cable tv executive/rookie politician Ned Lamont. That same day Georgia's Democratic Party primary election voters (voting in a run off election to be exact) sent US Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney packing her bags since she was soundly defeated by a former county commissioner, Hank Johnson.

Having watched the news clips of Lamont's and McKinney's speeches once the polls closed on election night two distinct - but politically intriguing elements - caught my attention immediately:

1.) Lamont (a white man) -- standing directly behind Mr. Lamont at his podium were the Reverends Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson (both black men) who looked like bookends holding Lamont upright!!!

2.) McKinney (a black woman or is it womyn, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Womyn, as the ultra-feminists say?) -- clearly stated in her concession speech that the election had been "stolen" from her due to "electronic voting machines.............." A new conspiracy!!! Yea.

THE BIG QUESTION -- I may have missed someone in the media posing this question but I really doubt it. If Ms. McKinney was a victim of a "stolen election" whereby African-American/black voters were dis-enfranchised in GEORGIA why then were Sharpton and Jackson (black men) at a rally for a white man in CONNECTICUT??

Here is an example of Sharpton and Jackson's "voting rights" work in New Orleans:

http://www.sweetness-light.com/archive/revs-jackson-and-sharpton-protest-in-no
"We want the Voting Rights Act," Jackson said at a news conference before the rally. Black leaders have argued city elections could violate the landmark 1965 law designed to ensure voter equality.The city election could have a broad effect nationwide, Sharpton said: "What happens in New Orleans will affect voting rights all over the United States."

I am happy to be corrected if I am wrong but it appears that it was more important for Sharpton and Jackson to stand with a "winner" in Connecticut since Lamont's victory was a clear message that Lieberman's support of President Bush and the war in Irag comes with a huge political price -- versus standing with a "victim" (McKinney) in Georgia.

Clearly like moths to the flame Sharpton and Jackson much prefer to bask in the lights of TV cameras at a victory party versus working in the trenches with someone like Ms. McKinney. How quickly these two wolves in sheeps' clothing move to where they feel the political winds are carrying them.

November approaches,

Todd