| If Barack Obama has given black politicians reason | | | | enthusiasm for the ambitions of the younger |
| to reconsider shattering the glass ceiling, Artur | | | | Davis, 42. Their uneasy relationship broke into |
| Davis may be the man — aside from the | | | | open warfare recently, when Reed publicly |
| president himself — who has taken up the | | | | berated Davis for being the only black House |
| most audacious hammer. He hopes to become | | | | member who voted against health care reform |
| Alabama’s first black governor. | | | | legislation, suggesting Davis’ stance was a |
| Davis, the black Democrat who has represented | | | | betrayal of black voters. |
| Alabama’s seventh district in Congress since | | | | In truth, my home state of Alabama is among |
| 2003, is running a shrewd campaign, with Jere | | | | those whose citizens would benefit most from |
| Beasley, who once served as lieutenant governor | | | | health care reform. About 31 percent of its |
| under George Wallace, as his campaign chairman. | | | | residents under the age of 65 went without |
| Several polls have shown Davis either leading or | | | | health insurance for all or part of 2007-08, |
| keeping up with Republican contenders, while easily | | | | according to a report by Families USA. |
| besting a Democratic challenger. | | | | Still, Reed might have disagreed with Davis over |
| “We didn’t get into this race on a quixotic, | | | | health care reform without injecting racial |
| last-minute whim,” Davis told me. “. . .The | | | | undertones. But Reed— an egomaniac who has |
| polling says my candidacy has established a | | | | long enjoyed his role as the Bwana, or Big Man, in |
| foothold. The voters are judging me on the issues | | | | the state’s black electoral politics — is |
| that a governor is going to deal with.” | | | | among those who still believe he has the authority |
| Still, Davis has a tough job ahead of him if he is | | | | to determine who is behaving in a manner which |
| to persuade his state’s white voters, who | | | | is appropriately “black.” That’s |
| view black politicians and Democrats with | | | | nonsense — an outdated and irrelevant |
| skepticism, to put him in the governor’s | | | | standard that ought to be retired, much like Reed |
| office, once held by a fiery segregationist named | | | | himself. |
| George Wallace. While John Kerry received | | | | It’s no great surprise that Davis has to put |
| about 20 percent of the white vote in Alabama in | | | | up with criticism that suggests he is not |
| 2004, Obama only pulled ten percent. | | | | authentically “black” — as Obama did. |
| The state no longer automatically embraces | | | | Like Obama, Davis is a post-civil-rights-era |
| candidates who use blatantly racist appeals, but it | | | | over-achiever with a law degree from Harvard |
| continues to support adamantly conservative | | | | University. (Davis also received his undergraduate |
| office-holders. Former Gov. Fob James, for | | | | degree from Harvard.) He tends to be thoughtful |
| example, once loped across a public stage | | | | and analytic, without the bombast that the black |
| mimicking an ape to accentuate his disdain for the | | | | old guard has come to expect from its |
| theory of evolution. Former Alabama Supreme | | | | self-appointed “leaders.” |
| Court Chief Justice Roy Moore — known for | | | | But Obama showed that black gatekeepers no |
| his defiant insistence on public displays of the Ten | | | | longer have the power they once did. Indeed, |
| Commandments — retains a sizable core of | | | | Davis shrewdly responded to Reed’s criticism |
| support and is running for governor. | | | | by noting that Reed remained an enthusiastic |
| But it’s not just a conservative white | | | | backer of Hillary Clinton in last year’s |
| electorate that poses a challenge for Davis. | | | | Democratic primary, while Davis was an early |
| It’s also an aging black political establishment | | | | Obama supporter. |
| that isn’t ready to give up its outsized role in | | | | The road to racial progress has never been sure |
| political affairs. As Obama had to co-opt or | | | | and steady; it’s a potholed and unpredictable |
| outmaneuver older black political figures who had | | | | path. But whether or not Davis can make history |
| thrown their support to Hillary Clinton, Davis is | | | | as Alabama’s first black governor, he can |
| having to contend with a longtime kingmaker | | | | made headway on racial equality just by ushering |
| named Joe Reed, 72, who has never shown any | | | | Reed and his cohort off the public stage. |