Obama won 90+ supports from afro American community

[katliamom]

Well, ucsd dad, if people truly didn't care about race or gender, we would have had either a non-white or a female president a long time ago.

I'm not saying your friends are racist or sexist. I'm saying we as a society haven't yet come CLOSE to electing someone other than a white guy. How close we can come now will be revealed in November.

[nameneeded]

You all are right about Sharpton and Obama.See below. But maybe Obama will have to buy him off with the promise of a government appointment.

SHARPTON RAPS OBAMA
By CHUCK BENNETT and KAVITA MOKHA
April 29, 2008 --

Barack Obama made a call for nonviolence in the aftermath of the Sean Bell verdict - infuriating the Rev. Al Sharpton, who accused the presidential candidate of trying to "grandstand in front of white people," sources told The Post.

During what a source described as a "heated" phone call yesterday, Sharpton told Obama he was disappointed with the Illinois senator's words on Friday, when Obama said "resorting to violence to express displeasure" was "completely unacceptable and counterproductive."

"[Obama] issues this statement and not a single rock had been thrown," said a source. "How does the candidate of change ask people to accept a verdict that is unjust?"

The source said Sharpton had hoped Obama would "side with the Bell family" and not use it as an "opportunity to grandstand in front of white people."

An Obama spokesman described the conversation as a chance to "hear [Sharpton's] views and to get his perspective."

Sharpton ratcheted up the pressure on federal prosecutors yesterday by bringing Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, to Kalua, the Queens strip club where the Nov. 25, 2006 shooting took place.

"We are going to put together a federal strategy on how to deal with the case," Conyers said.

Also yesterday, Queens Supreme Court Justice Arthur Cooperman, who rendered the not-guilty verdict, refused to comment on his decision.

"He said what he had to say on the bench," his law clerk said.

[ucsd_ucla_dad]

katliamom:
It's true unfortunately, that some people do care about the race and gender of the candidate but there's progress. There are enough people of various races and genders in high level political postions now that I don't think most people would even blink at the fact that a particular member of congress or high level presidential appointed position isn't a white male. I think it's now considered fairly normal so people can focus on real issues rather than attributes that the candidate has no control over (race, gender, ancestry, height, handicaps, etc.) and are largely irrelevant.

However, back to the OP's question, I don't think it would be fair to conclude that if Obama loses to Hillary it's due to racism or if Hillary loses to Obama it's due to sexism or if either loses to McCain that it's due to either racism or sexism.

[nameneeded]

"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."

I would guess that your friends are for the most part educated. I work in a swing state with "Reagan Democrats" and not one of them will say anything good about Obama. At least here, I don't think he has a chance. These voters will vote McCain if it is Obama vs McCain. They just can't stand Obama, and they just don't trust him. There have been too many things going on that were questionable with him.

[Hanna]

"not one of them cares at all about race or gender"

It's possible to care about race and gender in ways that are evil, and it's possible to care about race and gender in ways that are benign.

It's absurd to equate a voter who thinks, "I'll never put a n***** in the White House as long as I live" with a voter who thinks, "Wow, it would be so healing for this country to have a black president." Being race-aware is not the same as being racist. That's why it's not news, and not bigotry, that black voters strongly prefer Obama.

[ucsd_ucla_dad]

nameneeded:
Yes, these friends are educated and are in California but just because they don't view Obama or Hillary as an appealing candidate doesn't mean it's related to their race or gender. These same friends didn't have much good to say about Kerry or Gore either. I think if Colin Powell, Condi Rice, or others whose views might be more aligned with theirs happened to be running they'd have plenty of good things to say about them.

[ucsd_ucla_dad]

Hanna:

I understand your points and agree that those two perspectives you gave don't equate, although I think the point where we'd all like to eventually end up is when it truly doesn't matter.

[nameneeded]

"Yes, these friends are educated and are in California but just because they don't view Obama or Hillary as an appealing candidate doesn't mean it's related to their race or gender. These same friends didn't have much good to say about Kerry or Gore either. I think if Colin Powell, Condi Rice, or others whose views might be more aligned with theirs happened to be running they'd have plenty of good things to say about them."

I think this is true to a certain extent with these "Reagan Democrats." Obama just doesn't do well with the working class people that I know. I also think Colin Powell would be different. They didn't react well to the Reverend Wright association, and they just don't like him at all, in fact, they make a face when he is mentioned as if he is some kind of joke. They like Clinton more, but if Obama is the candidate, I have no doubt that my swing state will go for McCain.