2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: If you're voting for Hillary because you think she can win the GE, you're part of the problem. [View all]Persondem
(1,936 posts)There are far less nuances with race and once you are over it, so to speak, then that's it. Socialism suffers from it's link to Communism as in "it's a slippery slope ..." sort of thing. Reds (and socialism) were the enemy for a couple of generations while AA were the victims of oppression. Socialism takes some explaining and thought and interest to understand while Race is just what it is, no explanations necessary. (Issues concerning Race are very deep and nuanced, but Race itself is pretty straightforward.). So some not so subtle differences between the two.
I get what you are saying though, that if acceptance of a Black man as president can improve that much in a year then so might acceptance of a Socialist. Possibly. Another consideration though is that Obama was/is a great candidate appearing at the right time. The polls asking that in 2008 were really about him just as polls this year are really asking about Sanders. Obama was damn near the perfect candidate for the time while Sanders, passionate and smart and on target with his ideas as he is, is more of a character actor trying to be a leading man.. He is just not right for the role; his time just has not come yet.
Imagine in 15-20 years a candidate like Trudeau in Canada with Obama's flair for speaking and inspiring picking up Bernie's torch. Then things might go better.