Re: [Marxism] Obama aides

[dave.walters@xxxxxxxxxxx]

I think the 'method' Joaquin has mentioned is not bad. 
I'm thinking back to the Jesse Jackson campaign in 2004. 
I never supported Jackson, but tons of people did for 
obvious, and, IMHO, very wrong reasons. At any rate, 
I worked with the "Labor for Jackson" people in the Bay 
Area. It wasn't a question of getting excited about Jackson, 
but you find that these groups are actually not "electoralist" 
but are "activist" and want to do a lot of things. So one 
engages with them. You don't have to "attack Jackson" to 
do this. Why? It was question of discussions and joint 
activities are areas in the class struggle (which were still 
reeling from the PATCO defeat). Through this, hopefully, 
and throught their own disappointments with the Demo 
machine and Jacksons involvement with it, things get 
clear. Above all, you don't attack him or his supporters.
 I guess you can do this if you think it makes YOU feel better.

But having said that, I think this is true about all supporters 
for various candidates, generally, albeit in different ways. 
The Obama campaign, unlike the Jackson campaign, is, 
on the one hand, exciting a LOT more people, but unlike 
Jackson, it is totally, absolutely, without substance. 
Jackson was at least *political*. Obama's program is 
barely distinguishable from Clinton's and, as showed in 
Ohio AND Texas, she was able to run rings around him 
on NAFTA, both being a supporter of it in Texas and 
an opponent (and OPPONENT!!!!) of it in Ohio.

I think one takes care in how one opposes Obama. 
Making the assumption that because he IS a creation 
of the Illinois state capitalist political machine doesn't 
mean he is perceived that way by your friends and co-
workers. I would think this is basic a-b-c's of politics.

David
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