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The Big 'What If' (How will Black Americans react if Obama is defeated?)
WaPo ^ | 9/14/2008 | Randall Kennedy

Posted on 09/14/2008 10:00:22 PM PDT by mojito

....Never before have my emotions been so exercised by a political campaign. For one thing, never before has a candidate so fully challenged the many inhibitions that have prevented people of all races, including African Americans, from seriously envisioning presidential power in the hands of someone other than a white American. With intelligence, verve and elegance, Obama has opened the public mind to the idea of a black president and made that idea broadly attractive.

The senator's progressive politics, cosmopolitan ethos and pragmatic style have turned me into an enthusiastic supporter, and I savor the prospect of his triumph. But I'm watching this election very closely as I teach a course about it this semester. And I know that the conclusion to this electoral drama is far from determined. Yes, political gravity would seem to favor the Democratic candidate after two terms of Republican control of the White House. Yet the possibility is very real: Barack Obama could lose.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008; blackamericans; blackvote; obama; obamabiden; randallkennddy
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To: Bellflower
To me Obama just doesn't seem like an American Black at all. He acts more like an international or a cosmopolitan, leftist white. I really wonder if our American Blacks relate to him as much as reported.

That's why he spent so much time in Chicago at the feet of Jeremiah Wright. He spent his time as a "community organizer" learning to be one of the brothers.

61 posted on 09/14/2008 11:09:07 PM PDT by BuckyKat
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To: SevenofNine
...you know you see how we riot when Lakers win championship it going be worse than that here in SO CAL 10 times WORSE

I'm from "the hood" of South Central and know exactly what you're talking about. I'm just glad that most of my family moved out of there decades ago.

I honestly hope that it doesn't go that way. I truly do. Only a commanding victory by McCuda will ensure that.

62 posted on 09/14/2008 11:10:32 PM PDT by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: blam

lol, me too


63 posted on 09/14/2008 11:18:13 PM PDT by steel_resolve (We are living in the post-rational world where being a moron is an asset)
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To: NavyCanDo
What I would like to see happen after Obama looses is for the blacks not to protest and riot - but to think about joining the winning team, the team that freed them from slavery in 1865, and from bondage in 2008.

I've been trying to make the case for this to my liberal black family for years. Haven't made a dent in their liberal mind control programming in all that time.

Maybe Sarah will get them to see us in a different light after a year or two in office.

64 posted on 09/14/2008 11:22:22 PM PDT by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: TheClintons-STILLAnti-American
I was thinking ABSOLUTELY the same thing! With personal commitments this strong, how would this person possibly comport himself equanimity?
65 posted on 09/14/2008 11:25:58 PM PDT by singfreedom (Obama's solution to the energy crisis: check the air in your tires! Why didn't we think of that?)
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To: Prole
I just hope that I am wrong on my prediction, and that the vast majority of black folks prove that they are Americans and not Palestinians.

Your post makes a very good point that "not all" blacks will riot if Obama loses. I'm from that community, and know that to be more true than a lot of Americans do.

In the incidents you mentioned, only a small minority of the black community actually participated in that criminal behavior.

Unfortunately, if it's a close win by McCain/Palin, far too many opportunists in the black community will use that as their excuse to "take it to the streets."

66 posted on 09/14/2008 11:30:50 PM PDT by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: ottbmare
Fabulous post AND I totally agree!
67 posted on 09/14/2008 11:32:02 PM PDT by singfreedom (Obama's solution to the energy crisis: check the air in your tires! Why didn't we think of that?)
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To: Windflier
It's the Jeremiah Wright crowd that are essentially domestic enemies to the American people.

My eyes will be cautiously watching the reaction of the black community in New Orleans given that I live in the greater area.

68 posted on 09/14/2008 11:33:14 PM PDT by Prole (Please pray for the families of Chris and Channon. May God always watch over them.)
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To: CurlyDave
The only person from whom I have heard any derogatory mention of race, has been Rev. Wright, Obama’s own minister! He is still issuing such from beneath Obama’s bus!
69 posted on 09/14/2008 11:37:29 PM PDT by singfreedom (Obama's solution to the energy crisis: check the air in your tires! Why didn't we think of that?)
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To: dennisw
Obama is a fake Black American. No slave blood and his father was a Kenyan student who spent a few years here and split

That's the one argument that I haven't tried using on the family. In a way, it's a technicality, and I'd look like I was splitting hairs with them over something of lesser importance than what the man actually represents.

His politics are much more consequential than his racial origins, and are my chief reasons for opposing him. Those are the things that I've hammered in my talks with family, and are the things that they should be analyzing.

70 posted on 09/14/2008 11:39:26 PM PDT by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: LimaLimaMikeFoxtrot
Actually, part of his black heritage is mixed also with Arab blood, so Obama is in fact more white than black, if his racial makeup is anyones yardstick.
71 posted on 09/14/2008 11:41:39 PM PDT by singfreedom (Obama's solution to the energy crisis: check the air in your tires! Why didn't we think of that?)
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To: South40
They’ll cry if Barry loses and blame me for every ill in the nation that they’ll swear he could have cured.

You'll have to keep putting all of the improving statistics in their face until they cry Uncle. That's what I'm gonna do.

72 posted on 09/14/2008 11:42:46 PM PDT by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: ottbmare
My best girlfriend, a black professional woman, says the same thing about her family. She tries to explain to them that Barack Obama would simply be bad for America, but their minds are closed; all they see is that the color of his skin is a little bit like theirs.

My whole family are educated, upscale people, but that is exactly the mindset they're stuck in. It's only because they refuse to examine Obama with critical analysis that they allow themselves to "believe" in him.

I honestly think they're smarter than that, but they'd have to re-examine the foundations of their liberal politics if they looked too carefully. It's intellectual dishonesty on their part, frankly. They can't look, or their worldview will fall apart, and OMG!, they might become Republicannnnnnnnnsssssssss!!!!!!!!!!

73 posted on 09/14/2008 11:50:35 PM PDT by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: Windflier
Sadly, I think most of us, with lefty wing-nuts in our families, have come to that conclusion! It is regrettable that you can't even have an intelligent factual discussion with them. To quote a proverb: There are none so blind as those who will not see.
74 posted on 09/14/2008 11:53:33 PM PDT by singfreedom (Obama's solution to the energy crisis: check the air in your tires! Why didn't we think of that?)
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To: Prole
My eyes will be cautiously watching the reaction of the black community in New Orleans given that I live in the greater area.

Keep your protection on you. You've got every right to defend yourself against domestic terrorists.

75 posted on 09/14/2008 11:55:57 PM PDT by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: singfreedom
To quote a proverb: There are none so blind as those who will not see.

Until a liberal finds the intellectual honesty and courage to question the dogma they've been indoctrinated with, they will remain imprisoned by lies.

Even with encouragement and loads of good data, it can be almost impossible to penetrate liberal mind control programming. One of the first axioms of liberal dogma is that the right is inherently evil, and you must not EVER listen to them.

Once that axiom is set in the bones, it's nearly impossible for a useful idiot to escape the plantation. The master has cut him off from his only key to freedom.

76 posted on 09/15/2008 12:03:02 AM PDT by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: Windflier

I think Obama himself will largely define the reaction in how he handles defeat.

The DNC is the party of excuses but the FACT remains that the last 2 Democrats in the White House had platforms firmly in the middle. Obama does not have a middle America platform nor does he have the experience Americans are comfortable with. He has a liberal record (curse of death in Presidential elections) and questionable friends on top of it all.

It is sad that so many blacks cannot see past color. The very sin they routinely project on others. I am sure there will be riots and anger for the wrong reasons but Obama should exit gracefully to pave the way others. If he does not, I am afraid he could add decades to the chance another Black Democrat could grab the nomination.

Based on this, I believe the GOP will have the first black President in office and I would be happy with that if he/she were the best man/woman for the job!

Interestingly, I believe the more the media discusses this possibility the more they hurt Obama on election day. Nobody in their right mind wants to see anything like this. Unfortunately, Obama has many supporters he cannot control who will probably say this over and over as we get closer to Nov 4th.


77 posted on 09/15/2008 12:12:48 AM PDT by volunbeer (Dear heaven.... we really need President Reagan again!)
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To: Windflier
Here's hoping that someday they will realize that that “master” is still a “master”, even if it is of one's own creation.
78 posted on 09/15/2008 12:16:21 AM PDT by singfreedom (Obama's solution to the energy crisis: check the air in your tires! Why didn't we think of that?)
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To: oblomov
I hear that B. Hussein Obama coined the term “neighborism” or something like that when Bill O’Reilly called him out on Income Redistribution.

A guy I work with, an independent voter, actually called me at home tonight after seeing the Obama interview. He said, and I quote, I cannot f**king believe this guy said something that stupid”. He was fit to be tied. I just replied, I told you so...

Another McCain - Palin vote is on the way.

79 posted on 09/15/2008 12:24:29 AM PDT by Kickass Conservative (Obama / Biden, the new Ebony and Ivory.)
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To: mojito

The Left will never admit their ideas and agenda doomed Obama. Calling Americans racist is easier.


80 posted on 09/15/2008 12:26:15 AM PDT by hershey
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