From the red carpeted "Town Hall" stage set at Belmont University in Nashville, TN last night, millions of Americans and millions of others throughout the world via TV and the Internet watched with bated breath the second round of the 2008 US Presidential Debate between Barack Obama and John McCain.
Tom Brokaw from NBC News moderated what many saw as another tightly structured debate that begged for those rare moments when the two candidates really faced off in contrast on some of the most vital issues of the campaign: restoring the US economy, national security, health care, and energy independence.
Both Obama and McCain claimed to be candidates of change. Obama, however, appeared to have articulated a clearer vision about change as he detailed a distinctively different governmental course of action from the last eight years of the Republican Administration in Washington, DC.
Let's keep it real. With less than several weeks remaining before the November 4, 2008 election, hip-hop voters want to see and hear more substance on the issues that affect the quality of life in our communities..
Style in hip-hop culture is also important. Watching Obama and McCain maneuver across the stage glaringly exposed not only the dramatic differences between the candidates concerning age and agility, but also the critical differences between them on the issues were revealed.
Although neither candidate specifically tackled the issue of ending poverty in the US, Obama's stance on expanding economic opportunity for middle class and working class families resonates better with the growing youth voter constituency throughout the nation.
McCain stated that "health care was a responsibility," but did not identify who was responsible for making health care more accessible and affordable. On the other hand, Obama, without any hesitation, emphasized, "Health care is a right" that all people should have the right to have and the government should take the leadership and action necessary to ensure health care as a fundamental equal right for all.
At one lively point during the debate on the issue of the candidates' voting records on energy, McCain stood and turned pointing his finger toward Obama and referred to Obama as "That one." Some of us have heard that kind of phraseology before in the politics of the past.
"Those people, that one, and you people " are phrases that characteristically refer to a condescending view about a person or a group. But we will not playa hate on McCain for spitting that phrase because we support freedom of speech in hip-hop. But with freedom of speech, as we always state, comes responsibility.
McCain's condescension was really just more evidence of his inability to do a straight up, stand up, face to face, objective verbal contest with Obama on the issues.
Today, millions of hip-hop voters are energized and mobilized to cast their votes for a change in the politics of the past and a change for the future of America and the world. Last night's debate only showed young voters more reasons why the youth vote will be so important and so necessary. Change is not something that you merely hope for, but you have to work for change, struggle for change, mobilize for change and then vote for change.
-Dr. Benjamin Chavis