White candidates aren't expected to "transcend race".

[IndianaJones]

I wonder why?

Does it have something to do with this "race card" I read about?

[Bad Thoughts]

1. Because they consider themselves to be color neutral eom.

[cali]

2. Whaaa?

I have no idea what you're trying to say, but of course it's true that White candidates don't have the same challenges as black candidates. They don't have to worry about appearing too "white".

[NJObamaWoman]

7. Also they don't have the same stigma that is placed on blacks.

Its sad but black people are still considered to be uneducated, poor, and lazy. Even Hilary's pollster basically eluded to the fact that many latinos will support HRC over Obama because of racial divide. People don't want to associate themselves with black people. Therefore Obama has a big hurdle to jump that HRC and JE do not have. They know that many people won't judge them on race because they are the majority. Then you have the fastest growing minority group (latinos) who many do not want to associate themselves with black. HRC & JE can run on the issues but Obama can't. It still proves that in 2008 many Americans are still stunted in their racial beliefs.

[dmallind]

3. true, but hardly an indication of any insidious bias

Whites are the majority, and hold the vast majority of positions of power. There's nothing to "transcend" because they're already the "norm" in that context.

Since minority candidates are at a disadvantage and can't win nationally or even statewide with only minority support, they have to "transcend" being a "black candidate" or "Hispanic candidate". It's a poor word but that's what it is saying.

[NJObamaWoman]

4. That is it exactly.

The black candidate already has a strike against him or her because of racism in America. Therefore that person has to try to transcend so that their message will be heard not as black person but as a human being.

[dmallind]

10. I'm not sure I'd go that far

While there's a ways to go in issues of race I think the vast majority of the country is past the black=inhuman stage. I do think black candidates (I'm focusing on black candidates as Obama is the current example - applies to others too) have to prove they can appeal to whites not because whites, in any great number, consider them inhuman but because it's all too easy for a majority person to look at a minority as only, or first and foremost, a minority. So Obama is at risk of being viewed as a black (biracial I know)candidate rather than a candidate who is black. This may limit his appeal to whites, even not particularly racist whites, since he is unfairly pigeonholed. I will confess that I have that immediate reaction myself to some minority leaders. I don't have any great animosity toward say Al Sharpton, but I have the tendency to pigeonohole him as a "black activist" rather than an activist who is black. This means I probably listen to him less attentively than I would someone whose message and intent is, to my mind, less restricted and predictable. I'm quite probably wrong to do this, but it's true. Al has, to me, not managed to do this "transcending race" thing. I certainly don't view him as inhuman, or inferior, or even wrong per se, but he's not reaching me very much either, unlike Obama who ecrtainly does. I don't remember MLK from real life, but I've seen and read enough of him to guess that, even though his message was obviously very much focused on race, he managed to transcend race as an audience limiting factor and reach and inspire whites too, so it's not the message that matters, but the messenger. I can't say for sure of course, but I'm pretty sure he would have reached me too.

Obviously Obama is doing a great job overcoming this tendency, and I suspect few people who would ever vote for him or any Dem even if he were lily white 10th generation American WASP view him as a "minority candidate" as opposed to a candidate who is a minority.

[TomClash]

5. I don't get your point

I know your post is not racist or intended to be so, but what good comes of framing the issues in racial terms - especially now?

[ShortnFiery]

6. If they don't, our great nation is screwed with "divide and conquer" dirty tricks that are ...

the M.O. of the RNC smear machine. Unfortunately the DLC smear machine is alive and well with MANY ultra-wealthy (billionaires) African Americans who seemingly ID themselves with "political power" before their "ancestral roots."

The Clintonian DLC continues to "stir the pot" of race baiting by calling out "Reverend Al" to campaign for them in SC this upcoming Monday. They seemingly live by the motto: "WINNING IS EVERYTHING!"

So instead of the thoughtful and unifying words of Dr. King and JFK, we have a political climate that VALUES the tactics of "Wall Street and Vince Lombardi Quotes."

Shame on The Clintonian DLC ... morally bankrupt as the RNC but one MIGHTY MACHINE.

I can only hope and pray that those who call themselves "democrats" or "independents" can see through their masks to reveal the UGLY truth that *GREED IS GOD* for HRC and her bevvy of sick-minded insiders, i.e., African American *billionaires* and DLC political cronyists. :shrug:

Don't just follow the money, follow the "old time" and wealthy Clinton family friends and former staffers who wish to continue to suckle off of our tax dollars while *keeping the status quo.*

Like cornered rats of the RNC who see the younger, more viable politicians gaining favor, the DLC's smear machine will publish and do anything (and I mean ANY DAMN THING!) to win eight more years for their beloved Clintonian Executive Branch. If EITHER losing to the RNC candidate OR, if successful, having a President who continues to triangulate to "the right of center" while always serving Corporations before average Americans, continue to vote for "the DLC's darling" for President. :(


But don't take my word for inside - ENTRENCHED political power and greed in D.C., check out the "illustrious" DLC's website?

http://www.dlc.org/

IMO, us little people (what the elites refer to as "the chattering classes") need to STOP the stranglehold that the DLC has over OUR beloved Democratic Party's Platform. If we continue "turnstile politics" within OUR Executive Branch then we will continue to SUFFER (working and middle classes) under a continuing right-wing fascist duopoly, i.e., via triangulation and divide and conquer tactics of the RNC and DLC.

[midnight]

8. I'm glad to see that the media's frame of this very narrow issue

continues. The magnitude of problems facing this country the media has zeroed on Race/gender. Jump on if you must, but remember there is going to be a cost associated with this band wagon. It is so comforting to know that the biggest problem most Americans face is Gender/Race issues. And not earning a decent wage at a job that wont be given to the next third world country, or that their employers human resource department is willing to block you from your insurance benefits, or that civil rights laws have eroded to pre-magna carta. How does the media know how to sell us this message about gender/race over bread and butter issues? It's all about the Fear!!!!

[Bake]

9. Bullshit. Of course they are

I certainly expect ANY candidate to "transcend race" and be a leader for ALL Americans, and I think any rational person also expects that. Your post is racist flame-bait.

Bake

[dmallind]

12. I don't think that was the question though

It's not the way I read it. Of course we expect Hillary and John Edwards to be a leader for all Americans. Of course we expect them to do what they can to understand minority-specific issues too. But they don't need to transcend theur race bacause their race is not a limiting factor. It's "normal" and expected to have white presidents. White presidential candidates have been shown time and time again to be able to get majority support from voters of all ethnicities. Al Gore got something like 90% of the black vote. Nobody considered this any great achievement from a racial perspective. The only reason it even got any attention was that it showed the solid support for Democrats amongs the black voting population. Nobody even thought it was because somehow Al Gore had overcome the limiting factor of his whiteness.

Obviously no black or even non-white candidate for usch an office has shown befor enow to be able to capture a sizeable portion of ANY race's vote - even their own - in such a way as to make any damn difference. Black candidates have done OK amongst blacks before in some limited races, but never been able to get a huge chunk of the majority vote. They have something to transcend then - and white candidates don't.

[Occam Bandage]

11. White is the unmarked skin color in America. Deal with it.