Obama won 90+ supports from afro American community

[Hunt]

Obviously, anybody willing to spend more than five minutes investigating will learn that Obama has plenty of policies. But this is a pretty good sound bite, because it fits in with the idea that he is inexperienced.

[katliamom]

.... now if only we could get 90+ of white Americans to vote for Obama too, there'd be some hope for this country after all...

[tega]

WashDad, I don't know how you can reach that conclusion from what I wrote. I don't hate Republicans, in fact, I agree with a lot of their economic polices. I like Mike Huckabee a lot, but I don't agree with any of his social views.

If you calculate the electoral college vote per capita (eligible registered voters) and you normalize by 100,000, smaller states have more say than bigger states. In my opinion this is undemocratic, every vote should carry the same weight.

[nameneeded]

I am really reflecting how people here feel about Obama. He rarely came here to campaign and when he did, he said things that were not popular. He also really suffers here due to Reverend Wright. He did not even win here in the black areas, but I'm sure he would now. However, this would not carry this state.

I don't really like McCain or Clinton, but I certainly don't trust Obama, and that is a widespread feeling in my area. It's not race, but a man is judged by the company that he keeps. And I certainly think he had poor judgment in keeping Rev Wright as a pastor and spiritual adviser. I expect that Al Sharpton would be his Secretary of State.

[Hunt]

I'm trying pretty hard to be polite, but if you really think that Al Sharpton will be Obama's Secretary of State....I mean, seriously.

[poetsheart]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I think the point the OP is trying to make is that people would be calling whites racist if Hillary won 90% of the white vote.

If a white candidate had never enjoyed 90% of the black vote in an election, maybe you could claim racism on the part of blacks. If blacks only voted for black candidates, no matter what, and to the exclusion of all else, you could most certainly claim racism. But neither of these scenarios is the case.

Blacks almost never think, "I'm not voting for So 'n So because he/she is white. Blacks are use to voting for white candidates, and have been known to throw their support (yes, by 80-90% and higher) behind a single white candidate (always a Democrat). The Clintons have been use to just such overwhelming support from the black community, which is why it must have been galling to find out that they could no longer take that support for granted.

Contrast that with whites who state they will not vote for a black candidate because he is black---who say so quite unashamedly. Racism is the belief that one race is inherently superior to another or other races, and that political and social policy should reflect that belief. Throughout the history of The United States, it has been the white race that has held that it is inherently superior to all other races, especially the black race. Until roughly the last 30-40 years of our country's 300+ year history, this belief was held to be so axiomatic that all of society was structured to reinforce it. So, it has only been relatively recently that a black candidate has even been on the ballot for an elected position of importance. Until relatively recently, race alone would have been deemed an absolute disqualifier.

Black people aren't voting for Barack Obama just because he is black, and Hillary Clinton's race is not being seen as a "disqualifier". Black people aren't thinking, I'm not voting for that woman because she is white, and therefore inferior. They are voting for Barack Obama because he is a symbol of hope, and inspiration, a person of historical significance who excites a sense of possibility within the black community. He is a democrat (an absolute prerequisite, as far as most blacks are concerned) who embodies everything blacks have always admired in The Clintons, AND he represents an opportunity that has heretofore been historically denied. You had best believe that if he were a black republican, he would be viewed with deep suspicion, even resentment, and would in no way be enjoying such widespread support within the community. Black skin alone won't earn you the black vote! White skin is not seen as a disqualifier. Black people are not voting against whiteness, but for hope.

[Hunt]

One comment about voting against a black candidate: I'm not sure it would be racist to vote against a candidate who appeared to be only, or primarily, running to represent the interests of black people. I think the Clintons made an effort to portray Obama as such a candidate, but it's clear he isn't. But I think it might be fair to think of Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton as such a candidate.

[poetsheart]

Originally Posted by Hunt

I think the Clintons made an effort to portray Obama as such a candidate, but it's clear he isn't. But I think it might be fair to think of Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton as such a candidate.

Which is why so many black voters felt so insulted by Bill's apparent attempts to do so. I don't know of a single black person who feels that Obama is a candidate in the vein of Al or Jesse. That's one of the reasons blacks are so excited by his candidacy.

I agree Hunt, that it would not be racist to vote against a candidate who appeared to be running primarily in the interests of a single race of people, which is why blacks have historically voted against Republicans. The prevailing belief within the black community has long been that Republicans are only for rich white people---which is why black Republicans are often viewed with open disdain.

[nameneeded]

There's no evidence that Obama and Sharpton are not closely aligned.

Also by associating himself for 20 years with the black nationalist preacher, he has made a statement about his priorities and clearly he represents a form of black nationalism, which throws him into racial politics.

I just hate to see the Democats run another hopeless campiagn, like they did with McGovern, Dukakis, and Kerry. But they have gotten themselves in a real mess now. The money could go to much better causes.

[nameneeded]

"Which is why so many black voters felt so insulted by Bill's apparent attempts to do so. I don't know of a single black person who feels that Obama is a candidate in the vein of Al or Jesse. That's one of the reasons blacks are so excited by his candidacy."

But plenty of other people feel this way, of many races.

[katliamom]

plenty of people are also half witted, too. I mean, a large portion of this population can't find the atlantic ocean on a world map.

[Hanna]

"There's no evidence that Obama and Sharpton are not closely aligned."

There's no evidence that Obama and the planet Venus are not closely aligned. Does that make it true?

[poetsheart]

Originally Posted by nameneeded

There's no evidence that Obama and Sharpton are not closely aligned.

The onus is upon the accuser. The prosecution must prove its case. Where's your proof, nameneeded?

[Mr Payne]

But most of my ultra liberal democrat friends are calling that Obama will loose election because majority of white are racist. According to them majority will not vote for him, because he is AA. Yet when I ask them about AA supporting with 90% to obama, my friends get mad at me for questioning them.

I always wonder how ultra-liberals can be so smart and so idiotic at the same time.

[ucsd_ucla_dad]

But most of my ultra liberal democrat friends are calling that Obama will loose election because majority of white are racist.

Then I think those friends are wrong and anyone who is "ultra (liberal or conservative)" typically has skewed views anyway IMO. For the Dems this time it's a 'no win' in this regard since I suppose these 'ultra' people will claim 'racist' for anyone who doesn't vote for Obama and 'sexist' for anyone who doesn't vote for Hillary - i.e. there's no result that will appease them.

For the record, I and my conservative friends have discussed various possible candidates and not one of them cares at all about race or gender - they care about views, experience, record, etc. I suspect this is true for most people both conservative and liberal. Not all, but most.