If Virginia could elect a black man governor in 1989, the country can elect

[Zynx]

a black man in 2008 as president. Obama will rise and fall on his own merits, message, and positions, not based on his race. The swing voters who always decide it at the end of the day are not racist. They are relatively well educated, largely suburban, moderate income and generally divorced from racial politics. They, more likely than not, will vote for an upending of the political system. They are disenchanted with the direction of the country along with 2/3 of America.

Those who will not vote for Obama due to his race are bigoted, Rush Limbaugh listening, low education, low income relics of the past who will not vote for Democrats anyway. They already see Democrats as "the black party" to quote a couple right-wing acquaintances of mine. They are hopeless and I am not even interested in cultivating their votes. They belong to the 19th century and will eventually be destroyed by the tides of history.

Those who maintain this country can't elect a black man president are cynical to a fault. This country has changed and changed a lot over the past four decades. This isn't your grandfather's electorate. I'm skeptical of Obama's ability to bring real change, but I am not skeptical of his ability to win votes. He can win this election, and, if nominated, likely will obliterate a moribund and lethargic Republican Party that desperately clings to the sad vestiges of the past. America can reform and from time to time it does, despite a history of seemingly intractable conservatism. Over time, the conservatives lose and they will lose this year.

[TwilightZone]

1. Singular events are not indicative of a national trend.

We cannot bow to fear of racists, but at the same time, we need to be careful not to extrapolate isolated events into a national certainty.

[Zynx]

2. Virginia is hardly an isolated event.

Virginia's transformation is very emblematic of the country at large. This is generational and national. Bigoted behavior is fast becoming a thing of the past in terms of being something you must fear. The truth is that voters have proven their ability to vote for black candidates in states ranging from Massachusetts to Tennessee(yes, Ford lost but he came damn close) to Virginia to Illinois.

[TwilightZone]

6. Do not underestimate the level of covert racism in this country.

Personally, I agree that we should choose the best candidate regardless of their race or gender. Our nominee should be chosen based on issues. What racists, sexists, or Republicans represent is irrelevant to me.

At the same time, I am a realist. I am quite certain that racism is still very prevalent in this country, as is sexism. Pretending they don't exist and aren't significant issues is not a good strategy.

[Zynx]

9. I maintain it is largely harbored among those who don't vote Democratic

anyway. Call me a polyana, but I think they are a shrinking group with cross-over with groups that we can't win anyway.

[Anouka]

8. Is that why there's been so many black governors' since?

I always smile sadly to read what appears to be 'one and done' arguments.

[Zynx]

10. There have been more prominent black politicians elected in the past

two decades than ever before. Granted the numbers are quite small, but it is a definite improvement over before.

[Captain Hilts]

3. I voted for Wilder enthusiastically. And his opponent, Marshall Coleman was an idiot, BUT...

Wilder had a MAJOR 'plays well with others' problem as governor. Ticking off people he didn't need to tick off, even when they agreed with him.

But I'm still glad I voted for him even though he wasn't too great of a Gov. and I'm glad he's in Richmond now.

But there were a lot of factors other than race, though it was neat to vote for a black man as Gov. of VA. I'd do it all over again.

[Zynx]

5. My point is Virginia proved it could pull the lever for a black man.

Other states have proved the same. There isn't this massive racist vote lurking out there that will block Obama.

[Midlodemocrat]

15. I can't stand him.

His holdup of the campaign for the Virginia Performing Arts Foundation is unforgivable to me. I think he's a posturing POS.

[Captain Hilts]

16. That he is! nt

[Anouka]

4. I like your post. It's wrong to demonize Repugs as the only bigots, though.

"Those who will not vote for Obama due to his race are bigoted, Rush Limbaugh listening, low education, low income relics of the past who will not vote for Democrats anyway."

I'm reminded of this post, over at Daily Kos. I didn't write it, but it's not the only time I've heard of something like this occurring. Unfortunately, there has been no honest talk about the elephant within the room within the Democrat party itself.

I think this needs to be addressed within the party. I don't think a blind eye should be turned to it. I most certainly don't think the problem is resolved by pretending it's only a white Republican (or even a white Southern) issue. Name calling doesn't help, either. How can this type of thinking be addressed within the party, so that it is no longer an issue, or at least less of an issue?:

http://www.dailykos.com/hotlist/add/2008/1/4/135059/1810/displaystory/

Thanks... (0 / 0)

I need to keep hearing that over and over...

It's those "closet bigots" and the political chickenshits I'm most afraid of.

Here in nearby Mecklenburg County, there's an ugly situation with the sheriff. The current sheriff (a white Democrat) resigned to take a federal HSA job, and the NC general statutes spell out a procedure whereby a replacement sheriff is elected by means of an admittedly quirky election process involving party precinct officials.

The process resulted in the election of a black man, Nick Mackey, who
was a "long shot" candidate and certainly wasn't the favored candidate
(white) who was handpicked by the outgoing sheriff.

OK, there are some questions about whether Mr. Mackey is the more
qualified candidate, but exactly how qualified was B**h for president?
There are also some concerns that Mr. Mackey once filed for bankruptcy
(although I seldom see white candidates being bashed for that particular offense), and the fact that he had a pending personnel inquiry as a Charlotte policeman several years ago which was dropped when he resigned from the force to complete law school and the bar exam.

But, he is qualified - even if the white Democratic establishment doesn't like it, he has 13 years of law enforcement experience, he has no felony convictions and he has obtained the required surety bond, and he was duly elected by an admittedly convoluted process, but a process that is written in North Carolina state law.

Now, the county commissioners have a Democratic majority, and they
are required by the same state law to confirm Mr. Mackey.

They won't do it.

The Democrats won't vote to confirm.

For whatever reason of political expediency - or is it just plain
racism? - they won't follow the law and confirm Mr. Mackey. They've thrown the duly-elected sheriff under the bus.

Oh, but they're all quick to say "it's not because he's black - we're
just concerned about getting it right".

The party got it right. The law was followed. Now, Mr. Mackey's
fellow white Democrats refuse to follow their part of the law.

That's the sort of closet racism I'm afraid of should Sen. Obama get
the nomination.

by blue in NC on Sat Jan 05, 2008 at 08:34:08 AM MST

[Zynx]

7. Oh sure, but we know where the bulk of them are.

Now the Democrats do have elements of anti-Catholic bigotry that are pretty widespread and that concerns me. There is also a little anti-semitism in the hardcore left that I have seen while being in school at Madison. However, the Republicans really are the party of the bigoted white man. They cultivate it. They love it.

[virginia mountainman]

11. You would not believe the level of "closet" racism there is..

You also would not believe the language I have heard at UNION gatherings....

Don't forget, around Obama, their is also the "Muslim" issue, fair or not, all the repukes will need to do, to remind folks of that fact is, use his WHOLE NAME, in their adds.

Not to mention the credible issue of experience.

I think America IS, ready for a black president, but I don't know if Obama can be it.

[soundguy]

14. A few points missed

The thing that lost as well as won the vote for Dem's here in Ohio was the get out and vote, vote. The gay marriage thing brought the righties out in droves. And the only thing that will rile them more is a black guy. Say what you will but those are facts. Oddly some of our neighbors happened to pop over last night and the consensus? Probably won't vote at all, none of us think we can pull the lever for a person named Hussein. Why? he plainly isn't American enough for us. Maybe I am a racist? I don't know. I have several black friends. There are several black artists that I produce for FREE. I try to judge people on a case by case basis. Maybe I am ignorant? I don't know, most people tell me I am a genius (I am not sure what that means either). But I do have an uncanny ability to look into the future, and find myself preaching to deaf ears only to be vindicated years later when reality catches up.

And the young vote that brought him a win in Iowa, well they aren't going to have people there to hold their hand on election day and I seriously doubt they will break away from their video games long enough to go vote, at least that is what history says. But I know all of you who live on a different plain are SURE it will be different this time. The righties are chomping at the bit praying for an Obama win. This guy is a swift boaters dream come true. Why do you think they all praise him? You can't possibly be that naive can you? Can you? Ah you supported Dean didn't you?

[pretzel4gore]

12. i must correct a misapprehension

"....to his race are bigoted, Rush Limbaugh listening, low education, low income relics of the past who will not vote for Democrats anyway....."
this is the Big Lie, carefully nurtured by mass media for multi generations.
Low education and low income actually means liberal progressive, crudely applied maybe, but still...
In James Loewen's 'Lies my Teacher Told me' Loewen recounts a study concerning a poll of university students on who they thought were hawks versus doves in Vietnam era 1971. The poll asked respondents whom they thought would be pro war, pro government depending upon the levels of education and income: those with university education earning more then 100k or those with only high school or less earning nearer a minimum wage. The respondents, who themselves were well to do university students, were STUNNED to learn the truth was exactly opposite of what they expected- it was the poor, less educated who opposed the war, and who defied the government, while it was well to do university educated who supported mass murder wars and big government militaries etc!
And think about it! Whose sons and daughters are mostly sent to die in wasteful, nasty brutish wars?And who bears the most burden of regressive taxes, iow make do with less, to pay for it?
Another thing, in all my acquaintances, have yet to meet a working person that struggles to get by who also adheres to the hateradio ideals of oreilly/beck/limbahumbug/coulter etc- the hatred for us by massmedia is all too obvious!
don coyote was right to take on those windmills

[JerseygirlCT]

13. Yup, I agree with you nt