Discuss: Is America ready for an African American President?

[Tropics_Dude83]

Some numbers to start the discussion:

From various sources: Pew, Politco and MSNBC

There are indications that some Democrats might defect if Obama is the party's nominee. Overall, 20% of white Democratic voters say they would vote for McCain if Obama is the Democratic nominee. That is twice the percentage of white Democrats who say they would support McCain in a Clinton-McCain matchup. Older Democrats (ages 65 and older), lower-income and less educated Democrats also would support McCain at higher levels if Obama rather than Clinton is the party's nominee.

Nearly two-thirds of whites were backing Clinton in Ohio — one of her strongest showings of the year _ and almost that many were behind her in Texas. Obama had edged her among those voters in recent primaries in Virginia and Wisconsin in a campaign that has seen some racial polarization since January, following sharp exchanges between the two campaigns.

But both exit polling and copious anecdotes from my colleagues on the trail suggest that some Ohioans were less read than white voters elsewhere to elect, as Obama says, a black guy with a funny name.

Eloise Harper and Kate Snow got a little of the flavor of that from the guy at the Clinton rally last night from a guy roaming the hall in an "Osama for Obama" shirt. And the exit polls had about 20% of Democrats (and these are Democrats, remember) saying that race was a factor in their decision; of those,three quarters went for Clinton.


Martin Luther King's dream has a long way to go.

Just FYI for everyone in case people think I'm an embittered African American, I'm actually a young white dude from the pacific northwest. I find the above highly disturbing. Also, it's interesting for all the comments about sexism, what about racism? Blacks have just as much if not more of a tortured history than females regardless what Gloria Stenimen would have us believe.

[AnarchoFreeThinker]

1. look at the head to head polls, and O is the Only choice

[Redstone]

2. Dunno about America, but I am. Or a woman, if Ms Clinton wins the nomination.

Redstone

[Tropics_Dude83]

7. It's funny for all the accusations of sexism that are flung through this forum

The exit polls reveal that racism is more of an issue.

I, for the record, would have no problem with Senator Clinton winning the nomination on gender grounds. Apparently though some of my democratic comrades would have trouble with Senator Obama if he won the nomination on racial grounds.

[Redstone]

14. I'm not taking sides.

Redstone

[TwilightGardener]

3. Ohio is racist. And the white vote in Texas was a lot of Repubs playing hinky

with our process.

[Vinca]

4. I would think black president vs. woman president is probably a wash.

Fortunately, the majority of sexist bigots are in the Republican Party.

[Chovexani]

17. I agree

But I can't help but thinking of that Yoko Ono quote that gets bandied around a lot.

There's a reason that some black women split off the black power groups back in the 60s and formed their own. I still see that reason, often masquerading as "lifting up black men" rhetoric.

I would be the last one to say racism isn't a problem anymore in this country (it's still a huge problem, both institutionally and socially), but there's a kind of insidiousness to sexism, to the point where most men and even many women don't even recognize it until it's pointed out. It's that ingrained.

[damonm]

5. Don't think it's a huge problem...

as Obama is a "candidate who happens to be black", more than he is "the Black Candidate", a la Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson who are ENTIRELY about race. Obama's been (to date) about Unity, and that's at the core of his appeal.

[lse7581011]

6. Heckuva Lot Better!

than an OLD president!

[Chovexani]

8. Fuck America, it's time

For a woman, or a person of color.

In fact, it's long past time.

[Amy6627]

9. Well I think so....I think that we will have a black man prez before a woman of any color.

When it came to voting, black men got it before women. I think it will be the same with electing our president.

[Chovexani]

18. I am 26, almost 27

I hope to see a female president in my lifetime. I am not holding my breath. :(

[monmouth]

10. Way overdue IMHO. ...n/t

[Autumn]

11. It's been a long frocking 7 years,

I'm ready for either of them.

[msallied]

12. Yes, yes yes...

I just wish there was a better woman on the ballot.

[jobycom]

13. I saw a poll that said nearly a third of voters wouldn't vote for someone as old as McCain

And I doubt that those 20% of white voters who say they won't vote for Obama would vote for the Democratic candidate anyway. At least a third of Americans would say they wouldn't vote for any Democrat, but that's not going to stop me from trying to elect Democrats. :)

[rocktivity]

15. That question was answered a month ago

:headbang:
rocknation

[DJ13]

16. Obama is as much white as he is black

Somehow that never gets any mention by the media.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

19. I've been ready for an African American president since I could vote

Seems to me I supported Shirley Chisolm in her bid way back when. Loved Barbara Jordan, too, and was sad when her health issues took her out of the political arena.

What I see now is using the Muslim straw man and who refuse to accept that Obama is Christian, they are merely using it as an excuse to hide their racism.

[Mags]

20. I hope the country is ready for a black pres. or a woman,but

I'm afraid they are not ready for either. I live in Tennessee,I'm sure you remember Harold Ford,Jr. I worked for months ,day and night trying to get him elected and I can tell you we couldn't even get the black community to vote.
I was hit by racial slurs everyday.; I am a white woman and I got it from both sides.
Kinda of glad he lost after he went to the DLC and fox news. Maybe things have change since then.

[ecstatic]

21. Going into this race, many (older) blacks cynically stated: America

would NEVER let a black man become the president.

Now as I watch what's unfolding before my very eyes (the bar being set higher and higher for Obama, and lower and lower for Clinton), I can't help but wonder if the older generation had it right all along.

[Arkansas Granny]

22. I think America is ready for an African American President.

I'm just not sure that Obama is ready for that job at this time. However, I will be happy to vote for him should he be the Democratic nominee. Regardless of race or gender, our country needs a Democratic President.

[stellanoir]

23. He's Irish

[surfermaw]

24. Im Edwards...then Hillary, but I think most take to Obama as they do to Tiger Woods