LOLOLOL.
For Obama to win, the country needs to be mature enough to get past some age-old stereotypes and divisions. The recent McCain surge is a reminder of how difficult that may be. There is simply no denying that race is an issue. But if Obama is defeated in November, it may have less to do with overt racism than another obvious issue in this race: class, and a striking inability for a majority of white, working class Americans to connect with Obama and his vision for the country.
Obama's unique task is to introduce Americans to the concept of change—change that is about far more than policy issues. He has to convince Americans that, regardless of the color of his skin, his vision and his plans for the country are superior to those proposed by John McCain.
He also has to connect with working class and rural white Americans, many of whom, believe it or not, have not ever really had an intimate friendship or dialogue with a black person, especially one whose education, career and life prospects far outpace their own.
It may work. It may not. But black people, particularly those of us of Obama's generation and younger, who have been blessed with great educations, opportunities, jobs and incomes, need to come to grips with the fact that we cannot have it both ways. We cannot both see ourselves and our success reflected in Obama's rise, and at the same time blame racism as the only explanation if he loses. That rationale simply won't wash anymore.
Much can and will happen over the next eight weeks to challenge all of our perceptions about what is possible. But we have advanced the ball too far down the field to claim racism as our principal national weakness. Regardless of the outcome, we have drawn closer to fulfilling this nation's great promise and America's political landscape has changed forever, whether people actually vote for change or not.
Sophia A. Nelson is a media commentator and political analyst.