A reality check for the fools who pretend that Blacks vote for Obama simply because he's black:

[BuyingThyme]

It just so happens that out of all the demographics in the United States, the one which most consistently stood firm against the invasion of Iraq, to the shame of all others demographics, was the black demographic. They're the ones who got it right.

So if you really wonder why so many black people support Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton, maybe it's time for you to revisit that whole Iraq War thing.

War is a big deal.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

1. People say the democratic party takes black for granted.

I say black people ARE the democratic party.

[Raven]

2. The war IS a big deal and the talking heads are avoiding

talking about what a big deal it really is. Saying that Blacks vote for Obama because he is black is really infuriating. The war is one of many issues. And, I have to say, having been an Edwards supporter, Obama's position on the war and on Iran doesn't thrill me...it's on;y slightly better that Hillary's.

[TheDonkey]

4. Yes, they forget that Clinton had big leads in the AA vote before Obama's run

Obama did not start with huge leads in the black population. He's only getting it now with the attention and the demographic is liking what they see from him and not from Clinton's campaign.

[goclark]

13. I agree ~ he has earned the vote of many of my fellow African

Americans.

:bounce:

Many of us were so hurt by the cutting remarks made by the Clinton campaign about Obama.

He did not have our automatic support just because he is Black.

[NOLALady]

7. Saying that Blacks vote for Obama because he is black

is infuriating and insulting.

[EffieBlack]

10. Notice how pervasive that argument has become now that Obama is the frontrunner?

Desperation.

[CreekDog]

33. agreed, and it's racist too

:hi:

[AtomicKitten]

3. Obama is sweeping just about all demographics.

Plus, as you say, it's the war, stupid. As it should be. Clinton should not be rewarded for her craven, politically opportunistic IWR vote giving Junior a blank check.

[BuyingThyme]

5. I noticed that in the last round, ABC radio made a point

of saying that Obama won among white men. I think the number was 55%. They said it every half hour for hours. I don't remember what state it was.

[AtomicKitten]

8. that's good news in any state

I am convinced Hillary will keep us in Iraq. Eff that.

[Diane R]

6. That's because they knew which demographic would end up fight it. And they were (as always), right.

[EffieBlack]

9. This argument MIGHT have a shred of credibility IF

1) Blacks have not voted for white candidates in large numbers in the past, even when black candidates were running against them;
or
2) White voters weren't voting for Obama.

But given the history of blacks voting for white candidates even against black candidates, it is bullshit to argue that blacks are voting for Obama only because he's black. If black voters were so blind, a substantial majority of us would have voted for Al Sharpton, Carol Moseley Braun, Doug Wilder, Jesse Jackson and, yes, Alan Keyes.

We didn't. So obviously, we don't cluelessly vote for black candidates just because they're black. And unless anyone has any proof that in 2008, we suddenly got struck stupid and are completely changing our entire voting pattern, that argument is bull.

[Captain Hilts]

11. It helps. But what people are saying is that they vote in a bloc. Not always...

for the black candidate, but in a bloc.

Some estimates have black voters voting 9-1 for Obama. Now, THAT's a bloc.

Black voters comprise nearly 40% of registered Dems in VA and MD. In a national election they're about 7%.

[EffieBlack]

12. Blacks do NOT always vote in a bloc

On the other hand, white voters DO.

In most elections in which a black candidate is running, black voters split their votes between the black candidate and the white candidates. On the other hand, white voters vote overwhelmingly against the black candidate, splitting their votes between the white candidates.

This race has been different. White voters have been more likely to vote for the black candidate than they normally have been in the past and are now splitting their vote between the black candidate and the white candidates. Black voters are still also splitting their votes, but a larger proportion is voting for the black candidate than normal.

[A_Titanic_Mess]

15. MSNBC exit poll numbers

For Obama...

Virginia - 94% Black Men, 86% Black Women voted for Obama
Maryland - 86% Black Men, 82% Black Women voted for Obama

Call it what you want, but it sure looks like blacks are voting for the black candidate...

[EffieBlack]

16. Just like white voters usually vote for the white candidate - what's your point

Never mind. I know.

And I see right through it for the racist crap that it is.

Go try to stir this up on one of the white supremecist websites where they'll be more receptive to this. Or maybe you can't get through - they must be going crazy over there - their worst nightmare is happening.

[MzShellG]

20. Thank you...

And why is it that non of the Hillary supporters complain about women voting for her because she is a woman? Such deep arrogant, self serving hypocracy.

[johnnydrama]

18. did Obama get any blacker

Than he was 6 months ago, or 9 months ago, when Hillary had a huge lead on him amongst Black voters?

What changed from now until then? Seems like coming from behind by 10% to up by 70% has to with what people heard
him say, not the color of his skin.

[EffieBlack]

23. :-)

Excellent point.

And I don't think he's any blacker than Al Sharpton or Carol Moseley Braun or Doug Wilder or Jesse Jackson, none of whom got the support Obama's getting now.

[Orangepeel]

14. If they were simply voting for the black guy, Michael Steele would be Maryland's junior Senator

The vast majority of African Americans in Maryland voted for Ben Cardin in 2006, even though he was running against the African American Lt. Governor. Obviously race isn't the most important criteria in choosing a candidate for Maryland's African American voters.

[EffieBlack]

17. Or Kweisi Mfume - since he ran against Cardin in the primary

[Cha]

19. Or what was the football player's

name who ran against ed rendell for Guv of PA? ed rendell..the one who is out there saying he doesn't know if the people in his state are ready for a Black Prez? ..that rendell.

[Darth_Kitten]

21. Are people stating they are voting for Obama because of this?

:shrug:

[EffieBlack]

24. No - but why else would a black person vote for him?

Never mind that white people are voting for him - that's different, because, after all, we know that white people are intelligent, discerning, politically savvy people. And never mind that 95% of black people usually vote for white candidates - that's fine and dandy. But if a significant number of black people choose to vote for Obama - whom a significant number of white people are also voting for - the only possible explanation is that black people are either stupid or racist.

Get it?

:sarcasm:

[BuyingThyme]

28. No, black people just vote for black people.

They don't consider the issues and never, ever talk about them.

Isn't that what you've heard?

[MadMaddie]

22. Thanks for posting this - fighting the stupid posts about

blacks voting for Obama just because he is black is hard work.

Thanks to everyone for fighting to get the truth out.

[elixir]

25. You mean they're not?

[woolldog]

26. This election

has been eye-opening, to say the least, about the deomcratic party.

[EffieBlack]

27. Ain't that the truth. Don't worry about our adversaries. Lord save us from our "friends"

[Uzybone]

29. Rubbish

That is a stupid argument. If the Iraq War was the main reason blacks vote for Obama, then why weren’t they voting for Kucinich? One of the main reasons Clinton has no chance at the black vote any more is that black Americans now realize that Obama is actually a credible candidate, is right on the issues(unlike the black republicans) and has a real chance to be the first black president of the US. If you think blacks don’t have that thought in their minds when voting for Obama then you are naive.

You guys know nothing about blacks if you think there is any chance they would support a black republican over a liberal democrat of any color(e.g Maryland senate race).

The reason that "black America has woken up and got it" (as Michelle Obama would put it) is that we now believe Obama can actually be voted in as president by whites. He has proved it by his wins.

[BuyingThyme]

30. Your post makes no sense. Really stupid.

It would be much easier if you would pick a position.

[Uzybone]

31. What about it did you not understand?

I break it down for you.

[BuyingThyme]

32. The part where you say they vote for him because he's black

right before you say they vote based on the issues.

Pick a side.

[Uzybone]

34. Ok.

Blacks are not voting for Obama just because he is black. They are voting for him because he is black, credible and right on the issues. There have been other black candidate for president in recent memory but most have never had a chance of winning the black vote because they are either wrong on the issues (Keyes), not credible candidates (Sharpton, Jesse) or both (Keyes again).

There is little daylight between him and Hilary Clinton on the issues, but they are overwhelming choosing him mostly because he is black. There really is nothing wrong with that.

If the point is that blacks are only voting for Obama is that he is black, then that is a strawman argument.

[BuyingThyme]

35. But my point was that Blacks are not only voting for Obama because he's black.

So where's the rubbish?

[Uzybone]

38. The part about the Iraq War

I don’t think its that big a factor for blacks. Blacks voted for Kerry in the 04 primaries over Dean and Kucinich. Blacks didn’t give Kucinich a look this time even though he is more strident about the War than Obama is.

[BuyingThyme]

39. So what's the factor?

[NOLALady]

42. Unfortunately,

it seems that Whites didn't pay much attention to Kucinich either.

BTW, Kucinich was my first choice due to his war position.

You are wrong. The war is a big factor among many Blacks. We know who will be expected to fight the endless wars.

[Radical Activist]

36. Clinton lead over Obama among black people in early polls.

That tells me that black people took some time to think about it and made a decision after looking at both candidates. If black voters were acting out of blind loyalty then they would have voted for Clinton based on her last name.

[Uzybone]

37. Speaking for myself

And all the black people I know, we didn’t think Obama had a chance. We didn’t think white America would vote for someone with an African last name. And we actually pay attention to politics; many people didn’t know Obama was running until he won mostly white Iowa. Michelle Obama knew what she was saying when she said "black America would wake up".

I don’t think you can underestimate how big it would be for black America if we had a black president who would finally break the monotony of white faces we see in all the history books. It a much bigger deal that JFK being the first Catholic president.

[printpolitico]

40. anti war words.

It is easy to say you would have voted against the war when you never actually had to cast that congressional vote.
He didn't have to listen to the bush sales pitch. He didn't have to make a judgement on the war based on misleading information.
It really is a fairy tale. Bill Clinton had it right. He most likely would have voted present. Seems to be his trend

[BuyingThyme]

41. He spoke out against it. Hillary spoke out for it.

Pretty simple. It's a democracy thing.

[printpolitico]

43. cast a vote.

Speaking out against something and having to actually cast a vote aren't the same. He has a hard time not riding the fence. A great deal of the people in the south
say racism is dead. Go visit. It still exists on both sides, but people speak out against it, because they certainly don't want to admit it. It shouldn't
be alive and well but it is. And in some respects it is gaining momentum. So people can say what ever they want to say, but it is only
when cornered that they have to make decisions that count.

[BuyingThyme]

44. No, they're not the same, but nobody has ever they are.