Posted on 03/09/2007 4:56:34 AM PST by jmaroneps37
With the increasing fanfare over Barack Obamas candidacy for president, weve heard much of what an exciting and articulate candidate he is. But weve heard precious few seasoned discussions regarding Americas willingness to elect a black president.
Superficially, this seems like a foregone conclusion. And, after all, since the 1940s, polls have been saying that a majority of Americans would be willing to vote for a black president. But, when it gets right down to it, will Americans really .....?
The truth is that the answer to this question is not a simple yes or no. It appears that many Americans do have a problem with race and sometimes in the most unlikely of places. In this past election cycle, there were at least 5 high-profile US Senate and gubernatorial contests featuring an African-American Democrat or Republican: Kenneth Blackwell in Ohio, Lynn Swan in Pennsylvania, Harold Ford in Tennessee, Michael Steele in Maryland and Deval Patrick in Massachusetts. While all of these candidates were initially believed to have an excellent chance of winning, only one emerged victorious on Election Day.
Contrary to what some people seem to think, racism is not the only reason for the American voters malaise over electing a non-white candidate. In 2004, I tried to convince a Republican friend of mine to choose a Hispanic candidate in her states GOP Senate primary, but she told me she was hesitant because she thought that a non-white would try to impose a racial agenda if elected. People also feel pressure to vote for their own kind. Census statistics show that 2 of 3 Americans are non-Hispanic white, compared to only 13% of Americans who are black. When the actual eligible electorate is factored in, whites constitute a whopping 80% of the voters and blacks a mere 10%.
(Excerpt) Read more at collinsreport.net ...
It's not a question of race, it's question of integrity and policy, just like everyone else.
I'd vote for Condi in a second..a black WOMAN president..
A little bonus would be to rub it into other European-descent majority countries who accuse of the United States of being particularly racist, and some Latin American countries who usually vote in European descended candidates, even though such people make an easy minority of the country.
Although there are already cases of minority people group (race) leaders: Fujimori (Asian descent) in Peru; European descended leaders of South Africa during apartheid; almost Sonia Gandhi (Italian born) in India, etc. An African-descended (or non-European descended) leader could be the first for a European-descended majority nation, though.
Yes but not a liberal black. Condi YES!
"It's not a question of race, it's question of integrity and policy, just like everyone else".
...integrity and policy have nothing to do with it with the average American. We have become so vaccuous and self-serving that all that matters is lip service, best hair, cutest, best speaker etc. And best speaker doesn't mean, best message. Obama has a commanding presence but when he speaks it's meaningless garble. To the average American he's Superman. "Wow, Does he speak good"! Oprah dictates who women will vote for and they'll be the deciding factor. They're the ones that'll get us all in a heap of trouble. They're the ones that'll vote for Hillary.
Walter E. Williams in '08.
As long as the man is a conservative.Michael Steele comes to mind,Herman cain is another, Walter Williams. I think you get the idea.
"elect a black president."
The left always asks the false question "is America ready to elect a black president?"
I have no interest in the race of a candidate. It is irrelevant to me and most Americans. The left is stuck on the idea that America is a racist country and that Americans are racists who won't vote for Obama because he is black.
Get over it, lefties.
It's not about race. It's about his being extremely liberal.
Whenever anyone questions his qualifications, the left raises the "racist" accusation so as to silence discussion.
Until his liberal leanings became clear, Colin Powell had a legitimate shot at it.
Don't forget Thomas Sowell. Collectively, these men would make for one heck of an executive branch.
it's not a matteer of black and white, its a matter of right and wrong and he is generally wrong
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
Until a candidate the likes of Dennis Haysbert (24) ( The Unit ) comes along it will never happen in my lifetime .
You're entitled to your opinion of course. And I know the talking heads and the MSM would have you believe differently, but my experience is that Americans are not nearly as dumb we're believed to be. Most people genuinely want to do the right thing even if they're confused about what that is, and most everything seems to work out OK eventually.
Isn't that the truth. What kills me is the media. They claim they want a color and gender blind society but then work constantly to divide us by race and gender. Then again the idiots who run "journalism" today don't even have a grasp of the obvious.
To all journalists everywhere...Bill Clinton is not black, never will be black and was not the first black President. Please invest some of your money with your friendly optometrist. Bill Clinton and his lovely bride are a white grifters from Arkansas.
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