Posted on 05/26/2008 5:51:38 PM PDT by The_Republican
Hillary Clinton was "too hard" and Barack Obama "too black." Thus proclaimed my new friend at Jillian's sports bar in Columbia, S.C., at what was to have been a celebration of John Edwards's victory in the primary there. So unless Edwards somehow secured the nomination, she was considering sitting out in November. Not that she had anything against Obama, she said, but the country was "not ready" for a black president. The woman, who'd been drinking heavily, then fell off her seat, ending our political discussion. A few days later, Edwards announced he was stepping aside "so that history can blaze its path."
What path history will blaze is unclear. That Obama seems poised to become the Democratic nominee is certainly evidence we've arrived at a redefining moment in this nation's evolution. But that's not to say race has ceased to be of consequence.
Hillary Clinton made that point in a widely criticized interview, boasting she had a stronger base of support than Obama among "hardworking Americans, white Americans." (She said she was misunderstood.) Clinton is not alone in suggesting that Obama has a blue-collar, white-voter problem. Frank Newport, editor in chief of the Gallup poll, agrees that Clinton does better among whites than Obama does—but more because of Clinton's appeal to white women than because Obama alienates blue-collar whites. "In general, Obama and Clinton perform … the same among non-Hispanic white men when pitted against presumptive Republican nominee John McCain," observes Newport.
For years, most Americans have told pollsters they were prepared to put race aside when voting for a president. Some 94 percent of Americans (up from 53 percent in 1967) tell Gallup they would vote for a black candidate.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsweek.com ...
The media is so busy pimping for Obama that they can't even understand their own inferences. It is precisely because race is an issue that Obama is "poised to become the Democratic nominee". It isn't that America isn't ready it is that we are too ready to elevate someone on the basis of his protected race status.
give me a “David Palmer” (from “24”) type president and sure, I’m ready. but not THIS one. It wouldn’t matter if he turned white, blue or green, Obama would still be the wrong man at the wrong time.
I’m gonna vomit if I hear one more time this crap.
Obama is being rejected by centrist white Dems because he is a radical with black racist overtones. The very reasons college kids and overeducated GenX and Y brats are voting for him.
It hasn’t diddly to do with racism except his.
I would be glad to vote for a black conservative running if I could find one. And don’t tell me about Powell, Steele, Condi or Watts...none of them are either conservative or substantive enough.
95% of blacks are having multiple orgasms over Obama. The rest are FReepers.
I have no problem voting for a black man. Blackwell was my choice for governor in 2006. I do have a problem with voting for a Marxist though. The only “change” BO will give us is what is left in our pockets after he is done with taxation. Many will be surprised to find out that Dimmocraps think they are rich!
I voted for Keyes in 1996 primary.
I will not vote for a self-proclaimed Black, marxist candidate who attended a “hate whitey” church and hates his white half.
Does that include the 92% of Americans with dark complexions who won't even consider voting for a white person in a contest that includes Brocko Bama?
His anti-American policies aside, if Obama had been white, he'd have been told to go to the back of the line, build some credibility and await his turn.
Obama's candidacy is an artifact of skin color.
Give me a Dr. Thomas Sowell candidate and see how fast I vote for him. It ain’t about race - except to the libs.
I am quite willing if he is competent and conservative.
That eliminates Obama on both counts.
That is very honerable of you to say... Three cheers!!
Fact is, it will never happen.
There are too many red necks, resentful people cue’d into the manipulation of the black race, and just plain old racists out there that will not vote a black man into offic, no matter what his views are.
The dems are hoping to win themselves, their hypocritical selves, a place in heaven for this.
Ain’t gonna happen...
I don’t care if he’s Black. What I don’t want is Jimmy Carter 2.0.
Says more about the author and her hangouts than anything else American. Probably a lib, given the narrowness of thought.
But if I ever visit Columbia SC, I now know a place to avoid.
He'll zoom past to 3.x. Count on it.
It matters not what his color is, it is his policies and his experience. Personally, I’d be cheering on and sending my money to JC Watts if he had decided to run. That would have made for an excellent race this election. Too bad he will not run.
Perfect reply. Exactly correct!
Michelle Obama is like Sherry Palmer.
exactly we have the wrong candidate running for the position.
How about someone qualified to be president? We have to quit defining people by what they are, don’t we? I mean, imho, we’ll be beyond the race divide when we quit referring to people as African-American or Black or White, etc. As long as we describe people by their race, it seems to me we’re still engaged in race stuff.
But back to Obama — not qualified. Couldn’t the Democrats find anybody who’s black and at least who votes for matters. I mean, what the heck does 130 “present” votes mean in Illinois senate?
I have a solution for both the race and gender issue. Nominate Condaleeza Rice for vice president to run with McCain. Get the best of both worlds — McCain, who’s gonna win and a brilliant woman.
Typical racist liberal columnist, who sees only the color of the skin, rather than the person inside. I too voted for Alan Keyes. I’d vote for Michael Steele, Janice Rogers Brown, J.C. Watts, Clarence Thomas, Alan Keyes, Tom Sowell, Walter Williams or Ward Connerly in a heartbeat. Also Jesse Lee Peterson, Gary Franks, Lynn Swann, Keith Butler, Rod Paige, Condi Rice or even Colin Powell. It’s tragic that the first time we might get to vote for a black candidate presents us with this incredibly unsuitable person.
Barak is the Zune of presidential candidates.
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