A the election returns
rolled in on Tuesday, ovem­
ber 7, it became clear that
African-American politicians
ere, posting unprecedented
victories in cities like ew York,
ew Haven, Durham, Seattle
and in the state of Virginia.
David Dinkins would be
elected the first African­
American mayor of the nation's
largest city and Doug Wilder
ould become the first elected
Black Governor in American
hi tory.
But while the ir was filled
with euphoria, particularly
among African-Americans, a
curious phenomenon was un­
f Iding. umero journalists,
analysts opinion moulder , and
party pundits ere having a dif­
ferent celebr tion.
They were hailing what they
preceived to be the demise of
Jess L. J ac son as the
preeminent Black policical
le der on the national cene.
J e Jackson was declared the
"big loser" on ovemb r 7.
Commentators virtually
rejoiced in the victories of t-
· man Rice of Seattle, John
Daniels of ew Haven and of
course Dinkins and Wilder.
They were anointed the "new .
breed" of "moder te" and
re ponsible mainsteam" BI ck
politicians who could ppeal to
. nd in substantial white v tes.
Their elevation of public of­
fice, so me analysts reasoned,
meant the inevitable decline of
the liberal-progre ivc : tylc and
ubstance of the J ae n factor
in American politics.
What this gleeful exercise in
wishful thinking ignored,
b r, was the f ct that the
J e son factor contributed
mightily to the impressive
results on member 7. -
Par from di inish ing
Jackson's ture, the election
results e hanced Jesse
J cbon's anding a pioneer
who paved the way and opened
the door to broader dimensions
of political power and in­
fluence.
In both the 1984 and 1988-
campaigns, Jesse Jackson
repeatedly stated that one fo the
goal of his presidential bids
was to increase voter registra­
tion and to inspire increasing
numbers of African-American
to seek public office at all levels.
J ckson put forth the vision of a
Rainbow Coalition and
projected platform ba d on
"common ground i ues , s thc
vehicles to victory for Blae and
progressive politicians.
And though Jess ' Rainbow
was derided in 84 as a rainbow
with one - ripe, by 19 there
was no qu tion but that rain­
bo politics h' d arrived.
The 88 Campaign et the
ton ,staked out th i uc and
lped t a mindsct that
i possible for African­
American candidate to receive
substantial supporty among
white voters.
It is use ul to recall that of the
nearly 7 million votes whieh
JesscJackson won in 1988 near­
ly 3 million were white vote .
Jackson did extremely ell in
Iowa, Minncsota, Wisconsin
Washington State. Oregon and
Idaho.
He scored victories in
Michigan and Vermont, the­
whitest state in the nation. J c
Jackson clearly demonstrated
that it was possible for a Blac
candidate to receiv sizeable
support in areas with mini cule
Black and minority popula­
tions.
Jesse J ac n also won the
state of Virgini and- the city of
New York thereby strengthen­
ing the pro pects for Dinkin
and Wil in 1989.
Espee lIy New York City, it
wa Jesse Jackson' 88 cam­
paign which provided the ce­
ment which bound together the
coalition which would eventual­
ly carry David Dinkins to vic­
tory.
After a demoralizing failure
in 1985, it w� Jesse Jack on
w 0 urged Blacks and Lati os
to forget their past diff re
add join with labor, the I . h.
and other ethnic group to fo ge
a formidable co lition or
change ..
When Jack on carried
Y rk City during the
Dcmocr ic Primary he m de
believers out of di believers It
w on th t night that th co li­
tion was convinced that it s
po ibl to dump Koch and . n
th • office of M or.
The e remin ers are impor­
tant, not becaus it i ec y
to glorify the a mpllshments
of Jesse J. . , but beca e
th re arc alwa force wit in
the media, th part yet b­
li hment and t . power tr -
ture-which seek to eparate u
from our hi tor.
Much of th cdia is ho ile
to Je c Jack n bccau. c e
won big in 19 despite th ir
pre istent neg' v prediction
to the contrary. And there are
Iorces within t e Democr: ic
party, par ieula ly the outh rn
ew Leadershiop
in the. FL I I
Doug William, Warren
Moon, Randall Cunningham
and Don McPherson have been
joined in the professional ranks
by Rodney Peete. Thus the
tradition of Willie Thrower,
Marlin Sri oe, James Harris
and Joe illiam continues.
In the ncar future, thi Irater- pi
nity of African American
proCe ional quarterback will 10
probably also include Tony
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based Democratic Leadership
Conferen e (D.L.C.) wh fear
J ckson' brand f lib r 1-
pr gre ive politics.
The e force woul like a
m rc m derat and mild m n­
nered type fo mainstream Black
let der hip to emerg . J es e
Jackson refus to be suffici nt­
ly accommodating.
So whil African-Ameri s
can legitim tely applaud the
outcome of the ovemb r 7
election, we need to guard
ag' in t the dang r f media
m nipulati n, divid and e n­
qucr and th old gam of we'll
pick y ur leaders for you.
When we decide to demote
e Jack on w 'II let Ameri
kn w. F r m wit' give him his
prdpcr . Je e Jack on's ca-m­
paign paved the way for th
u 'c es on overnber 7.
ROil Daniels s srv d as III
Dire tor of the National Rain­
bow Coalition and as III Deputy
C mpaign manu r for the
Reveren d Jesse Jack QIl'
Presidential Campaign' .
wa bing heralded as the
prototype quarterback for the
990'. aid another way, Elw y
wa and is good, and repr -
scntcd the est non African
qu rterb ck in the NFL. John
Elw y is strong, tough, and not
afraid to mix it up.
But defensive linemen live
ff of qu rterbacks, who are
usually le mobile. Intel­
ligence, mobility and toughness
re the ingredients for quarter­
b ck succes in th 1990·s.
Pie recall the nam of the
fraternity membe s we men­
tioned earli r. T ay, Randall
Cunningham a d his frat
brothers are the p totypes for
the 1990's.
Unless or until e rule ar
changed, more .S. Afr.ica
u terbacks wiU be called on
to produce. Our gue is that
some rule changes will probab­
ly be introduced down the r ad.
Not necessarily to protect the
quarterback, but to protect th
n 'on' "game". Weunder I nd
America.
Contin eel on P 7