Charles Box and Barack Obama
June 5th, 2008 at 02:18pm Pat Cunningham
In light of Barack Obama’s clinching of the Democratic presidential nomination this week, I’ve adapted a post from the earliest days of Applesauce for the occasion:
If Barack Obama fails in his bid for the presidency, let’s not have it said that his African-American heritage was his political bane. In fact, it’s more of a political boon.
For guidance in this matter, we have the example of Charles Box, a black man who served three terms as mayor of Rockford in the ’80s and ’90s.
Box won his first two elections by massive landslides — in a city where blacks made up only 15 percent of the population. He benefited from the same dynamic that seems to benefit Obama in the presidential race.
Chicago Sun-Times columnist Mark Brown put it this way when Obama announced his candidacy early last year:
“There are more white people than ever before who would like to think they are at least fair on matters of race — and who might be willing, even eager, to demonstrate it by voting for somebody like Obama. For them, Obama’s race is a plus, not that they necessarily even think of it in those terms. I think we saw that to some extent in Obama’s Senate race in Illinois. I think there was a large part of the country hoping at one point that Colin Powell would be the one who gave them the chance to prove it.”
Chicago Tribune columnist Eric Zorn concurred:
“Black voters will turn out in huge numbers for Obama, no doubt. But, as others have noted, many white Americans are eager to demonstrate to themselves and to the world that we are evolved enough to elect a president of African-American heritage. Their number will dwarf the number of wild-eyed racists who’ll vote only for whites.”
That’s what happened with Charles Box in Rockford in 1989. The city had never before had a black candidate for mayor, and at least one seasoned observer of the local political scene — State Rep. Zeke Giorgi, the reigning Democratic poohbah of 25 years standing at the time — figured the electorate was not yet ready for a person of color in that post.
Said Giorgi: “You’re not going to take away the built-in hang-ups that people have when they go into the polling place. If they’re bigots, they’re going to vote that way…I’d like to say it was possible for him (Box) to be elected, but knowing Rockford as I do, I don’t think the numbers are there…(Rockford) is too racist to elect a black mayor, even if he was qualified…So help me, I’ve heard a lot of people bring that up.”
Even after Box won the Democratic primary by a wide margin over two well-known opponents, Giorgi clung to the theory that the general election would be different. But the only thing different about it was that Box’s margin of victory over Republican Len LaPasso was even wider. He carried all 14 wards and prevailed by more than 10,000 votes.
Box later said that his campaign had strategized from the outset to allay the notion that a black candidate had no chance. The method was the planting of yards signs in white neighborhoods — 2,500 of them — quickly creating a widespread perception of Box’s candidacy as far more formidable than Giorgi had anticipated.
When white folks saw Box’s campaign signs on their neighbors’ lawns, they knew it was all right to jump on the bandwagon. Indeed, many of them seemed eager to demonstrate that a new day in local race relations had dawned.
We shouldn’t be surprised if similar attitudes among white Americans give Barack Obama a big boost in his quest for the White House.
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13 Comments Add your own
1. Mike Carroll | June 5th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Good God-where to begin. I voted for Charles Box in his first two mayoral elections because I thought he was the best choice for the city. I didn\’t vote for him because there were \"Box for Mayor\" signs in white neighborhoods and I sure as hell didn\’t vote for him because he was black. I did not vote for him in the 3rd election because I no longer felt that he was the best choice although I frankly can\’t remember who his opponent was.BTW-old Zeke was pretty much out of it by that point. He was the guest speaker at a function I attended and I walked away wondering how this guy kept getting elected. He was virtually incomprehensible.
2. Menlo Bob | June 5th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Pretty obvious, but it\’s what got Geraldine Ferraro in hot water with the PC crowd.
3. gowader | June 6th, 2008 at 8:48 am
If Box was such a great Mayor, How did Rockford get the states highest crime rate. And how did Rockford get ranked one of the worst places to live.
4. Mike Carroll | June 6th, 2008 at 8:52 am
I never claimed that Box was a great mayor only that he was the better choice in his first two elections. Regarding the crime rate and the \"ranking\", the seeds of both were planted well before Box became Mayor.
5. Millard Fillmore | June 6th, 2008 at 9:22 am
I am with Mike. Good heavens. First, according to both Pat and Chuck, some people who have doubts about Obama and ask basic questions (i.e., just how much his thinking has been influenced by his church) are people who “wouldn’t vote for him anyways” — a not-so-veiled play of the race card.
Now, according to Pat, people who vote FOR Obama are doing it to prove that they are not racist — another not-so-veiled play of the race card.
Is there any room for people who simply want to choose the strongest possible candidate for the most powerful office in the land?.
6. Pat Cunningham | June 6th, 2008 at 10:10 am
Millard: Where and when did I say that “people who vote FOR Obama are doing it to prove that they are not racist”? I didn’t say that. So quit putting words in my mouth. And learn how to read.
7. Mike Carroll | June 6th, 2008 at 10:40 am
Pat-you didn’t say it but the 2 commentators that you quote essentially did. I think that is where the extrapolation by Millard comes from.
I see the glow of your positive mood from Obama securing the nomination has waned.
8. Pat Cunningham | June 6th, 2008 at 11:14 am
Mike: Neither of the commentators I quoted were universal in their categorizations of potential Obama voters. Mark Brown said there are “more white people than ever before who would like to think they are at least fair on matters of race — and who might be willing, even eager, to demonstrate it by voting for somebody like Obama.” I think that’s clearly true. And Eric Zorn said “many white Americans are eager to demonstrate to themselves and to the world that we are evolved enough to elect a president of African-American heritage.” I think that, too, is clearly true. Nor was I universal in categorizing folks who voted for Charles Box. I said “many of them seemed eager to demonstrate that a new day in local race relations had dawned.”
As for my “positive mood” regarding Obama’s good fortune, I’ve still got it. This election is Obama’s to lose. John McCain is an exceedingly weak candidate. The umbrage you detected in my response to Millard arises from my notorious impatience with being misquoted.
9. Pat Cunningham | June 6th, 2008 at 11:17 am
Mike: One other thing, the Republican challenger to Charles Box in the 1997 mayoral election was Tim Simms (who, by the way, is a longtime friend of mine despite our diametrically opposite political views).
10. Mike Carroll | June 6th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
“This election is Obama’s to lose” especially with help like this-
“We in the press love Obama, we’re quivering with our love for since we announced he was the nominee…. It’s not conventional love, it’s the kind of love you have to be a ninth-grade boy to understand…. There was literally a host who I like and I know, but I’m not going to single him out by name — not on MSNBC — who began an interview with Obama at the very height of the Rev. Wright business by saying, ‘I’ll have you know — this show is above that story. We’re not going to ask you a single question about the Rev. Wright’” — MSNBC political analyst Tucker Carlson.
11. Pat Cunningham | June 6th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Mike: Don’t worry. There’ll be plenty of media attacks on Obama over the next five months. But, of course, some people will pretend that there aren’t any such attacks — just as some people have pretended that the media gave Obama a pass during the primary season. These myopic mopes have never heard of the Rev. Wright, Bill Ayers, flag pins, bowling scores, “bitterness” speeches, Ivy League elitism, “hard working white Americans,” Islamic schools in Indonesia, “present” votes in the Illinois Senate, Father Michael Pleger, Louis Farrakhan, pledge of allegiance, orange juice instead of coffee, and a partridge in a pear tree.
12. Millard Fillmore | June 6th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
Wait, is your argument that you didn’t use the exact words? If it makes you feel better, I totally agree that is true.
Or is it your complaint that you never said “all” white voters, but rather that “some” will do this? You got me there too. Consider this a retraction.
But quoting you now: … “If Barack Obama fails in his bid for the presidency, let’s not have it said that his African-American heritage was his political bane. In fact, it’s more of a political boon.”
And then, after citing Zorn and Brown, you close your entry with, “when white folks saw Box’s campaign signs on their neighbors’ lawns, they knew it was all right to jump on the bandwagon. Indeed, many of them seemed eager to demonstrate that a new day in local race relations had dawned.
“We shouldn’t be surprised if similar attitudes among white Americans give Barack Obama a big boost in his quest for the White House.”
Seemed eager to demonstrate…a political boon. Hmm.
I know. It’s my fault. What do I know, I’m just a stupid, poor reader.
13. Wade | June 6th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Hey guys: Don’t confuse yourselves about Obama or Box. Most white voters are stupid at best. They actually think that Obamma will save them from the terrible policies of Bush and the Republicans. They do not realize the president has no control over gas prices and global terrorism. Just like Box had no control over drugs and crime that devestated Rockford. But boy did these politicans sure promise they had all of the answers. All you have to do is be a great speaker and boom boom your in office. It wont take long for Americans to see what Obamma is all about. Just like they realized with Box. These guys are only looking out for their own selfish interest.” Hey! I am the first black president, I will go down in the history books.” Who cares about society falling apart!
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