WILLIAMS: Obamacans

A very "principled" article by Armstrong Williams, to be sure, as it brings home the seriousness of conservatives standing for time-tested PRINCIPLE rather than for personal or political PREFERENCE. However, it also seems that Williams would do well to take his own advice on this matter, as a recent article, http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/06/14/black-conservatives-weigh-voting-for-obama/ reveals that he himself--along with a host of black conservatives--is wavering in his own choice for president, although not necessarily because of some personal advantage to be gained by cozying up to the expected party in power. No, the issue for Williams and some notable others is RACE. According to Williams, even despite disliking Obama's politics and policies, in his mind, "history thrusts me to really seriously consider [voting for Obama.]" The same reasons Williams uses to warn against conservative Republicans caving in to political expedience also work equally well when applied to BLACK conservatives favoring Obama simply because he labels himself, and is perceived to be, black. If Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) were running for president, and a celebration were made of older, white, southern males lining up in support of HIS candidacy, everyone knows how it would be labeled and what it would be called (hint: another "r" word, but not the same one that Williams uses in his op-ed). If such would be the characterization of whites supporting a Byrd candidacy, why is it not also the case on the other side of the (racial) aisle with blacks who support an Obama candidacy--despite a total ideological and philosophical separation from his politics? Double standard, anyone?