For a while I have been asking myself a few questions regarding President Obama and his current administration. The main question being this: Does Obama think that there are other intelligent African Americans in this country, particularly inside the Beltway or inside the hallowed boardrooms of Wall Street? If so, why does he seem to show favoritism for whites in his cabinet?
Now it is true that this question is hardly significant when compared to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq or even the woes of our economy, but it is mind boggling to me that the first president of African descent lacks the presence and advice of those who look like him. As of now, there seems to be less than a handful of blacks in the top advisory positions within the cabinet. In fact, on the surface there seems to be fewer blacks within the current administration than in the prior two administrations. I guess black folks are good enough to be tsars, but not top shelf advisers with visible positions of authority.
Now I will admit there are a few blacks in “higher” positions than most, such as Eric Holder (Attorney General), Valerie Jarrett (White House senior advisor), Susan Rice (foreign policy advisor), Lisa Jackson (director of EPA), but this is not as many as one would expect with a mantra of hope and change.
Maybe I should not lay all of blame at the president’s feet or even at the feet of his handlers since the GOP seems to object to anyone Obama appoints with melanin. From their objection to a Latina being appointed to a Supreme Court seat to their objection of the appointment of an African American female as the Surgeon General of the United States, there are certain things out of Obama’s control, but George W. Bush had more powerful blacks in his administration with Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell. What does Obama have to show? Obama is surrounded by geeky white dudes giving his administration the appearance of being more pale than Bush’s cabinet and Obama’s seems to be more bottom-heavy for non-whites than Bush’s.
I do know that intellect has no color and that Obama has stated on record that he “wants to have the best, brightest, and most qualified individuals” around him to fill out his posts. I guess I never thought that words like “best” and “brightest” were also antonyms for African Americans. –torrance stephens
