Seinfeld is Seinfeld, Obama is Obama

By Mark Bennett
THE TRIBUNE STAR (TERRE HAUTE, Ind.)

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. May 05, 2008 10:49 am

— Terre Haute laughed and laughed, and then gave Jerry Seinfeld a standing ovation.

Local folks scooped up virtually all the available tickets, at $76 and $61 apiece, to see the star of the classic “Seinfeld” TV series perform Jan. 26 on the Indiana State University campus. Tilson Auditorium filled up for two comedy concerts, with 1,366 fans watching Jerry’s 7 o’clock gig and another 1,307 for his 9:30 show.

Seinfeld also caused a buzz earlier, when he visited Honey Creek Mall.

That night, Seinfeld mentioned his mall trip to his concert crowds, asking, “How do you stand the excitement of living here?” Hauteans in the audience laughed at him and themselves.

It was an evening full of smiles. That Jerry, he’s a special guy.

Obviously, folks weren’t holding him responsible for the hateful tirade of racial epithets by his fellow “Seinfeld” cast member and friend Michael Richards, a.k.a. Cosmo Kramer, on a comedy club stage in 2006.

In the wake of Richards’ abominable outburst, Seinfeld appeared alongside him on David Letterman’s show as Richards apologized and insisted he’s not a racist.

“I’ve known him many years,” Seinfeld told Letterman and the “Late Night” audience, “and I know how he works on stage. None of that justifies what happened. He’s someone that I love, and I know how shattered he is about this.”

Yet in that case, Richards’ words and actions remained Richards’ responsibility, not Seinfeld’s. A little more than a year later, people here spent nearly $180,000 combined on tickets to laugh at Jerry’s clever comedy in Tilson Auditorium. Clearly, we Hoosiers understood that while Seinfeld was a longtime friend of Richards, Jerry had no control over his former co-star’s emotions, did not condone Richards’ behavior, and had not exhibited such bigotry himself.

Isn’t it possible that Hoosiers should extend the same understanding to Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama after the volatile comments by the Illinois senator’s former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright? Obama has no control over Wright, does not condone his comments, and has not expressed those same views himself.

Indiana residents are in a rare and precious position, playing a decisive role in the 2008 national election process. If this side issue involving Wright becomes the determinative reason our state tips the nomination toward Hillary Clinton or Obama, then Indiana will have marginalized its chance to show America its political savvy and Hoosier common sense.

If this race is indeed a coin toss, then actually flipping a quarter would be a fairer way to decide than assessing Jeremiah Wright. Better yet, there are real, actual quandaries facing the nation to consider. The candidates’ solutions to such problems will matter long after this tempest evaporates: How can college education become more affordable for families? Can the country immediately and seriously begin shifting its oil-based economy to renewable fuel sources? How can the U.S. strengthen the dollar’s value and revive the economy? How and when will a nation, struggling fiscally at home, end its costly war in Iraq? Which candidate would spend our taxes most wisely? Would Obama or Clinton command more respect from Congress — both Republicans and Democrats — to make real progress?

To those questions, some Hoosiers would answer, Obama is the right choice. Others would insist it’s Clinton. Some would say it’s Republican nominee-to-be John McCain. In each case, those selections would rest on far more solid decision-making ground than a debate over Jeremiah Wright.

Tuesday’s Indiana primary ballot pits Hillary Clinton vs. Barack Obama. Not Hillary Clinton vs. Jeremiah Wright. Not Bill Clinton vs. Barack Obama.

Obama is Obama. Seinfeld is Seinfeld.

Mark Bennett writes for The Tribune Star in Terre Haute, Ind. He can be reached at mark.bennett@tribstar.com.

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