Posted on 08/07/2008 10:21:43 AM PDT by Chi-townChief
Obama, his campaign trying to transcend it -- but can't
I can't be the only person who sees the snake in the room. The one that slithers away whenever the political pundits start explaining what the latest presidential poll means.
From the moment Barack Obama went from a wannabe presidential contender to a front-runner, the race factor curled up and waited to strike anyone who got too close.
Former President Bill Clinton got bit. So did the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
Still, whenever commentators talk about the close contest between Obama and John McCain, they ignore the snake.
Yet anyone who thought Obama would whip past McCain like an Olympic speed skater was being naive about the state of race relations in this country.
I wouldn't label as racist every white Democrat who switched to McCain after Hillary Clinton was dispatched, but acting as though racial prejudice no longer exists in this country is also wrong.
Obama tries to avoid talking about race, as do his surrogates, staffers and supporters.
But when a cable network interviewed Virginia voters during the Democratic primary, a white woman didn't stutter when she said she couldn't vote for a "Negra."
Does this woman represent a large percentage of the white voting population? Probably not. But there are still enough people like her out here, and they are giving the Obama campaign the flux.
Voting pattern ignored He could put his birth certificate and his baptismal papers on his Web site, and some will still argue that he is a Muslim.
He could distance himself from every black leader who has ever said anything that might have offended white people, and he will still be perceived by some as running to represent Black America.
And he can swill beer, hit the lanes and ride in a pickup truck, and a percentage of blue-collar workers won't be able to bring themselves to vote for a black man who has surpassed them by every measure.
Indeed, it says a lot that McCain, who dumped his first wife to marry a wealthy heiress, is perceived to possess more of the values that resonate with voters than Obama does, according to some polls.
Using code words and nasty attack ads, the McCain camp might as well have called Obama an "uppity black." Yet, they are the ones complaining that Obama has dragged race into the campaign.
The truth is, despite avoiding the topic as much as possible, Obama hasn't transcended race.
Although he has tailored his message to appeal to white voters, McCain has a 17-point lead with white men and is leading by 10 points with whites overall, according to the Associated Press-Ipsos poll.
Those who argue that Obama's 55 percent lead among blacks and Hispanics and other minorities is proof that blacks are voting for him because he is black are ignoring the fact that blacks always vote heavily Democratic.
If Colin Powell was trying to become the first African-American president, he'd have to switch parties to pull similar numbers among black voters.
Women, minorities and young voters accounted for Obama's 6-point lead over McCain, according to the national poll.
Still, given the mess George Bush is leaving behind, conventional wisdom would lead you to believe that Obama won't have much trouble beating his opponent.
Florida poll especially telling But in this election, race trumps the economy, an unpopular war and a dull candidate.
A poll taken in Florida found Obama and McCain in a statistical tie, with Obama at 46 percent of the vote and McCain at 44 percent, with a margin of error of 2.8 percentage points.
How Floridians summed up the potential first ladies was especially telling.
Voters there said Cindy McCain -- a former drug addict and thief -- better fits their idea of a first lady than Michelle Obama, someone who has not had a hint of scandal attached to her name.
How does that make any sense?
Like her husband, Michelle Obama has spent a great deal of time trying to convince white independent voters that she is not "unpatriotic" and "angry."
But I would not be surprised if a photo spread in an upcoming Harper's Bazaar of Tyra Banks pretending to be Michelle Obama in the White House doesn't result in a fresh round of complaints.
I disagree with those who say Obama ought to "suck up" the racial fear-mongering because it's a battle he can't win.
Maybe not.
But you wouldn't want to be in a room with a snake and deny that it is what it is.
mailto:marym@suntimes.com
You can bet the farm this election will come down to race.
I’ll bet she never voted for Alan Keyes. I did in this year’s primary. What’s her excuse?
Sometimes a snake is just a snake...
Because he's lousy at bowling, he wanted to kill the internal combustible engine, and preferred pot and cocaine to beer.
Don't see how this means Obama "surpassed" them. Where has Obama ever worked? He's been a community hustler and a Hahvahd grad.
The liberals won’t question his qualifications because of his race. If they did, they have to admit he’s too inexperienced. That’s what was driving the Hillary campaign; they wanted him examined beyond his ehnicity. What Hillary miscalculated is the fact that if liberals looked at things like experience and character, she wouldn’t be in the Senate. This election is solely about who will vote for a candidate because he’s black. That’s the only thing on Obama’s resume’ that got him to where he is today.
Of course you would Mary, in fact that label is what you’re threatening white democrats. You know perfectly well there’s no evidence of a substantial shift of dems to McCain. As to avoiding talking about race, I know what you mean, McCain stating Barry doesn’t look like the Presidents on our currency, and that Barry doesn’t look lake previous Americans who’ve addressed crowds in Europe (like Powell and Rice), that McCain guy is always bringing it up.
Voting pattern ignored He could put his birth certificate and his baptismal papers on his Web site, and some will still argue that he is a Muslim.
The birth certificate would be a very good idea. So would his draft registration. I have to provide those things when I apply for a jog. His application to the Illinois Bar would be nice too. As would his medical records. This never sweating thing is odd. Besides, Republican candidates release all this stuff, your guy could break the Kerry-Clinton tradition.
Using code words and nasty attack ads, the McCain camp might as well have called Obama an "uppity black."
I think arrogant and elitist fit better. Black is irrelevant, Edwards is arrogant and elitist too. Arrogant, elitist Democrat is much better.
Voters there said Cindy McCain -- a former drug addict and thief -- better fits their idea of a first lady than Michelle Obama, someone who has not had a hint of scandal attached to her name….How does that make any sense?
Makes complete sense to me. Cindy has dealt with her problems and is an accomplished woman. Michelle is a highly paid “outreach” attorney of sorts whose salary doubled when her husband became a Senator, able to bring home the pork for her employer. Her whines about having to repay her student loans aside, she doesn’t appear to have accomplished much with her law degree. Probably too busy in that $300,000 garden she acquired via the Mrs. Rezko deal.
Like her husband, Michelle Obama has spent a great deal of time trying to convince white independent voters that she is not "unpatriotic" and "angry."
I have an idea, don’t act unpatriotic and angry, you’ll have nothing to explain!
Above is one of the biggest lies ever told. Obambi does nothing except talk about race. Change you can believe in and you are a racist if you don't believe in it. The biggest racist in plain view is No Oilbama.
I can't be the only person who sees the snake in the room. The one that slithers away whenever the political pundits start explaining what the latest presidential poll means.(head shaking) Mary, Mary, Mary.I wouldn't label as racist every white Democrat who switched to McCain .... But when a cable network interviewed Virginia voters during the Democratic primary, a white woman didn't stutter when she said she couldn't vote for a "Negra." ... Does this woman represent a large percentage of the white (DEMOCRAT) voting population? Probably.
not... they are giving the Obama campaign diarrhea.the flux.
After all this time in Chicago and Crook County and you still don't get that white liberals - aka: Democrats - are Racists.
Just look at 'Da Mare', King Richie. What did he do after all the whites left Chicago in droves. Did he turn to his long time supporters in the black community and elevate them in power and stature, to his inner circle .. uh no. 'He' created the HDO (Hispanic Democratic Organization) and THEY became his new power base, his inner circle, his 'go to' guys.
Yeah he threw a few black aldermen some bones (committees) and yeah he 'gave' the County Board to black pols ('No White shall be President of the County Board') but that was it. Everything else went to Hispanics. 'Your people' Mary are still sitting at the back of the bus in Chicago. And 'your people' are for sure not eating at the same lunch counter as Daley and his new Hispanic cronies.
So Mary, if you want to find that 'racist snake' just take a stroll over to that big building at Randolph and Clark. But watch it, inside it's like that scene from Indiana Jones -- it's full of 'snakes'.
Wow...you have tough jogging laws. All we need here are some running shoes, sweat pants or shorts depending on the weather t shirt etc. :)
Now, thats funny, I don't care who you are.
They never stop talking about it. And if anyone tries to talk about substantive issues, thats immediately where they go.
A lot of people were favorably impressed by Obama early on, not just Dem nutballs, but normal everyday Americans. He threw that away. Or, rather, his Reverend Wright screaming and cursing America from the pulpit threw it away for him. People never looked at him the same after that.
It caused heads to turn all over middle America.
The fact that people are paying $4 a gallon for gas, but he doesn't want to drill, he wants to raise taxes instead... what? But then again, maybe he does want to drill, no wait, no he doesn't. Well, maybe.
People realize he hasn't a clue.
And then people notice that he said the "surge" or counter-attack in Iraq wouldn't work, but it did. He said he'd order a withdrawal on the first day of his presidency, but then he decided he'd spread it out over a year and a half depending on circumstances... which means essentially he agrees with George Bush. People notice that.
They notice that he isn't comfortable around soldiers, and yet he wants to lead them.
Conservatives were hoping for a chance to spank the Republican Party, so all Obama had to do to win was show himself to be an adult with adult ideas. Instead he sided with the nuttiest of DNC fringe nutcases, and forced the conservatives back into the race, and at the same time forced middle America to reappraise his fitness for office.
McCain, for all his warts and they are many, has a lifetime of service and experience to point to. Obama has a resume that wouldn't fill a paragraph. At some point that starts to mean something.
i don't care about Hispanics or other minorities. What are the black support numbers? McCain +17 with white men, Obama +90 with black men. By the way, why did 90% of blacks vote for Obama, a half a term Senator with no experience and a Muslim name over Hillary Clinton, wife of a President who bent over backwards for them?
Uh, I think he meant “job”. That said, I have never ever had to provide my Selective Service number, when applying for a job, and I have had jobs with pretty heavy clearances.
Colin Powell is going to switch to a Republican? How would that help him with the black vote?
Why is it that Obama and his supporters have he pushed to be recognized for being the "first black presidential candidate" when, actually, he is 50% white? Why hasn't he stated that he is what he is - the first "bi-racial presidential candidate?"
Could it be that he knew that using his black race would get him more political traction, attention, and a following? He could have accepted his whiteness as much as his black heritage, but no...he proclaims himself black and even makes slurs against his white grandmother.
As much as Obama publically states race should not be an issue, I am sure -- that early in his planning -- he and his supporters knew/felt that being the first black candidate is all that was needed to catapult him into the forefront, combined with playing on the white guilt of liberals. If it was not a matter of race to Obama, and he didn't want that to be emphasized, then he would focus on his bi-racial heritage, not his black relatives, friends, associates, etc. and he would have used the term "bi-racial." That would have been more appropriate - and would be in line with what he proclaims he is - a uniter! But who can unite anything when, in their very life, they are proving that they are separating themselves from 50% of their own heritage?
I've provided my DD-214, not Selective Service card since it would be irrelevant, but I do remember draft status being verified for those who didn't serve. I suppose that died with the draft, and it's a bit irrelevant. Someone younger might help here, but I believe they're required for college admissions, or perhaps if receiving college loans now. And in those days employers did health checks too, whether of not job related.
Still, were I a politician, it's the kind of thing I'd release if asked. Same with health records, and his Bar application, which would list all non-traffic infractions.
Excuses, excuses, excuses
Algor lost because of voting machine errors (NOT because he’s a Left-Wing Anti-American socialist radical zealot)
Kerry lost because of the swiftboat ads (NOT because he’s a Left-Wing Anti-American socialist radical zealot)
Obama loses because he’s Black (NOT because he’s a Left-Wing Anti-American socialist radical zealot)
No he's not, it's all he has.
He's not even a real black- his mother is the same color as mine, and I'm white.
If he didn't have his phony racial status he'd just be another John Kerry but without the Purple Hearts.
Now what if a white columnist supporting McCain had written “black voters can’t bring themselves to vote for a candidate who surpasses them by every measure?” That writer would be accused of being a racist. Which is what Mary Mitchell happens to be.
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