WP: From "Is Obama black enough" to "Is he too black to win?"

[DeepModem Mom]

Who's Ready for Change?
By Dana Milbank
Thursday, January 24, 2008; Page A02

SUMTER, S.C.

....The candidate, when he finally arrived, carried with him a message of racial pride to the largely black audience. "Some people say . . . African Americans can't do it," he observed. "I'm one of those people who, when you tell me I can't do something, that's when I decide I'm going to do that." The audience thundered and called back with shouts of "Yes!" and "That's right!" The scene -- a celebration of African American culture and achievement -- highlights the extraordinary revision of Obama's image here as he campaigns for the Democratic presidential nomination. For two years, some African Americans asked: Is he black enough? Now the question for this son of a white mother and an African father has become: Is he too black to win?

For Obama, it's a conundrum. To win the nomination, he needs to win South Carolina's primary on Saturday. And to win here in South Carolina, he needs to win the black vote. And yet, if he appears to be primarily an African American phenomenon, he's unlikely to win the nomination, much less the general election.

The concern showed itself Tuesday morning during Obama's first stop, at Winthrop University in Rock Hill. At the town hall meeting, Rita Moore-Johnson, who is black, raised a worry voiced by her 77-year-old father: "He feels that an African American candidate won't be able to do what he needs to do in Washington to get change done."

Obama gave a hopeful answer. "I am absolutely convinced that the American people right now, they don't care whether you are black, white, brown or green," he said. "If I came to you and I had polka dots, but you were convinced that I was going to put more money in your pockets and help you pay for college and keep America safe, you'd say, 'Okay, I wish he didn't have polka dots, but I'm still voting for him.' "

Polls, however, point to a deepening racial divide. A Mason-Dixon poll last week of Democrats likely to vote in South Carolina's primary found that Obama leads Hillary Rodham Clinton among black voters, 56 percent to 25 percent. But among white voters, Clinton leads him by 39 percent to 20 percent. Much the same thing is happening nationally....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/23/AR2008012303655.html?hpid%3Dtopnews&sub=AR

[MethuenProgressive]

1. "He's black enough"?

Reminds me of his sneering debate comment directed at Hillary.
:eyes:

[jackson_dem]

4. And his racist joke toward Edwards in the last debate

[MethuenProgressive]

5. I think South Carolinians are too smart to allow Obama to Swiftboat Clinton on Race.

Obama, evidently, thinks they're stupid enough to fall for his disgusting tactics.

[skipos]

2. The Clintons are thinking "mission accomplished" about now. nt

[babylonsister]

3. "Polls, however, point to a deepening racial divide."

I know there was a divide already, but the Clintons have done everything in their power to broaden that divide. Yes, they want to win, and they've shown they are willing to do anything to accomplish that.

[jackson_dem]

8. Are the Clintons having speakers talk about "racial pride" at their rallies?

[jackson_dem]

6. "Racial pride" at a Democratic candidate's rally?

I never thought I'd see this at a Democratic rally.

-snip-

Immediately before Obama took the stage, the woman introducing him made an explicit case for racial pride. "Our Latino brothers have integrity, our Indian brothers have integrity, our Caucasian brothers and sisters have integrity," she said. "God didn't anoint one set of people to have standards and not everybody else. This is why we are attracted and drawn to Senator Obama."

[sunonmars]

9. I saw a similar quote today

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/politics/national/stories/DN-obamablacks_24pol.ART.State.Edition1.37a9331.html

For some blacks in South Carolina, making history trumps the Clinton legacy.

"We've been with white candidates and have made them presidents," said Ron Redman, a 65-year-old fast food restaurant manager who attended the King rally Monday. "It's time we elect a candidate who is one of us."

I mean we have forgotten it works both ways. A lot of people are just voting for Obama because he is black same way a lot of people are voting for Clinton because she's white.

I personally like this quote :

"We can no longer afford to vote based on color," said Margaret West Sumpter, a 50-year-old Lexington resident. "I think Hillary has the experience to bring change."

She gets it.

[bluedog]

7. and hes not promoting "race?"

The candidate, when he finally arrived, carried with him a message of racial pride to the largely black audience. "Some people say . . . African Americans can't do it," he observed. "I'm one of those people who, when you tell me I can't do something, that's when I decide I'm going to do that." The audience thundered and called back with shouts of "Yes!" and "That's right!"

[madrchsod]

10. you mean this dana milbank ?