<p>Here’s a little thought experiment for politics buffs: imagine that instead of Hillary Clinton, Obama was vying against a guy named Patrick O’Bama. The only different between these two guys is that O’Bama’s father was an atheist from Ireland instead of Kenya. The rest of the story is the same: stepfather from Indonesia, raised in Hawaii, teen problems, Harvard Law School, same jobs, , joined a Protestant church as an adult, etc. Same position on all the issues. What would be rational reasons for voting for one over the other? Would they be different if you are white or black? To play this game, you have to assume that they really are pretty much the same except for the racial difference. (I’ll hold my answer for a bit.)</p>
<p>Would he still have an African American wife?</p>
<p>Ha! I don’t know if that would make him more the same or more different. Let’s say no, his wife is white.</p>
<p>Hunt,</p>
<p>Keep in mind that many people who voted for Obama may actually have voted against Hillary because of her personality, integrity and ethics. This has nothing to do with race or gender. It also has not much to do with the issues; since both candidates have similar opinions on most, with the exception of the Iraq War and the definition of Universal Health Care.</p>
<p>Some of us would need to know more about O’bama’s past beyond his racial past. We would need to know whether he was honest and ethical. We would then be better able to determine if we would be comfortable with him as our President.</p>
<p>In my opinion, the issue of integrity and honesty is getting artificially masked by race and gender, particularly by the Clinton supporters.</p>
<p>For the sake of this hypothetical, his honesty and ethics are the same as Obama’s.</p>
<p>Depends which O’Bama had Barak’s ability to inspire, particularly the young. To me, that’s O’Bama’s greatest asset: the impact he has on young people, college kids & beyond – we will need their involvement, their energy, talent and intelligence in post-Bush Washington.</p>
<p>Which one would give me a job in his cabinet?</p>
<p>This could be a trick question. Barack Obama has claimed Irish ancestry. The Boston Globe had an article about that. (March 2007)</p>
<p>One could assume that Patrick O’bama is also Irish American.</p>
<p>The Irish Americans claim a huge presence in the US. :)</p>
<p>Neither has announced that they are Catholic. Now the Catholics make up a large percentage of the Irish American voters.
We would also need to know how they dealt with the Catholic priest fiasco I would imagine. :o</p>
<p>Yes!</p>
<p>This is not about race to me it has always been about other issues. AGAIN for the 90 MILLIONth time…African Americans have the same blood type as caucasian and the only difference is pigmentation!</p>
<p>I am so sick and tired about hearing about his race…it is now becoming vile to me! I am tired of people saying to me it’s because he’s black…NO IT’S NOT! It’s about his experience and lack thereof, it’s about his vision of change is not in line with mine!</p>
<p>I am tired of people not understanding that there are voters who vote with what is in line with their views…I would never have voted for Huckabee…yes, I would have written in Mickey Mouse. I am tired of hearing people say well in Nov these supporters will hold their nose…No some of us have more principles and not vote for a candidate that they cannot believe in!</p>
<p>Why vote for Hillary? For all her baggage she still falls closer to my beliefs than Obama. If it came down to a Hill and Huck I would have felt very comfortable voting for her over Huck.</p>
<p>Obama has all of the charisma, but here’s my issues why Patrick O’Bama would not receive my vote ever!</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Rev Wright…call me ignorant and one of those people who don’t get it, b/c I don’t. It is about him saying I won’t denounce him and then is forced to. It is about authoring a book after 1 of his sermons, it is about inviting Wright and then uninviting him for political reasons to his candidacy announcement. It is about him allowing Wright to perform sacred rights for his family…sorry, no way in Hades would I allow my children sit in a pew and hear those messages. Thus, I question Obama why he didn’t leave and until he can explain how he can allow his innocent children as a parent to hear hateful rhetoric than I must still question his morale compass.</p></li>
<li><p>IRAN…when someone says that within their 1st yr as Prez they will invite Ahlmindejad to the WH I lose all respect. Ahlmindejad has said vile things against homosexuals, jews and the US I have no respect for him or Columbia Univ. There is no comparison with speaking to him and Russia (cold war). Ahlmindejad is ignorant and intolerant, nothing good come out of it b/c Ahlmindejad is unable to see the global aspect</p></li>
<li><p>Healthcare. I have lived in a country with Universal and it is not pretty. </p></li>
<li><p>Taxes. The worst time to raise taxes(in this case go back to 2001 rates) is on the cusp of a recession. Who will it hurt…everyone! Why b/c those of us with 401Ks or mutuals will pay higher taxes and thus, less of a tax return means less discretionary even if it is paying down credit (paying down CC also allows CC co. to give out more credit…cycle continues upwards not down)</p></li>
<li><p>I hate the fact that he talks in circles, his speeches are awesome and motivational, but when you break it down you walk away asking where do you actually stand? What is your actual plan. Give me concrete vision of what you will do, give me actual plans of how your ideas will translate into reality!</p></li>
</ol>
<p>In the end the more he says he is about change and the more he speaks (leave my wife alone, Wright, Rezco) he makes me believe he is cut from the same cloth as every other politician, at least with Hillary and McCain we know the cards, they have a record, Obama or O’Bama both would have very little background and I am not willing to vote for someone without a National track record</p>
<p>There are what, 500? atheists in Ireland?</p>
<p>I have a pin that says O’Bama for pres
:)</p>
<p>Sigh. Let me give my answer. If there were two such candidates, I personally would vote for the black one. Why? Because I think it would be good for the country. It would show in a very demonstrable way that we have made progress toward racial equality, it would provide inspiration to a segment of our society that continues to lag behind in education and achiement, and it would send a positive message to other countries. I also think that having a black president will cause a subtle and beneficial change in how white people view black people in this country. If you are a black voter, you could probably add to those reasons pride that a person who looks like you can become president.
I suppose I can imagine a white voter thinking that a black president is more likely to adopt policies that will help black people at the expense of white people, and vote against him for that reason. This concern might have some real bite if the candidate is somebody like Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton. I don’t see that as likely with Obama, though.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>So voting for our 1st woman President wouldn’t say the same thing?
Look at the UK Margaret Thatcher led their country successfully for many yrs in the 80-90’s. Germany has a female Chancellor…why is race more important then gender?</p>
<p>Look at studies women have had as hard of a time breaking the glass ceiling as African Americans. Girls lag in mathematical and scientific education. I am sorry Hunt, but how you have explained your last post is very disturbing…
</p>
<p>I am not willing to use our country as a test project…there is too much to risk! Your rationale falls along the lines if you were a Hillary supporter to prove to the world that PMS is not an issue. IMHO you should never vote for utopian beliefs, because it is not realistic. Realism will be the only way that prejudices against racism, sexists and ignorants can be defeated. </p>
<p>Vote for Obama because you believe his path is the right one. Do not vote for him to send messages to the world and provide an inspiration to a segment of society. Isn’t Hillary giving the same inspiration to young girls? Isn’t McCain giving that inspiration to the war veteran?</p>
<p>Nothing you have stated shows an illustration of what a President needs to be capable to hold the office, all you are stating is noble beliefs. I do agree with the beliefs that you hold, but I am not willing to stake my life or my family’s life to prove to the world we are not jerks</p>
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</p>
<p>Ahhhh, she’s, what, 61? PMS is unlikely to be an issue.</p>
<p>“So voting for our 1st woman President wouldn’t say the same thing?”</p>
<p>Well, it wouldn’t say exactly the same thing, but it would say something similar. But, as you may not have noticed, I was imagining a situation in which there was no gender difference between the two candidates, but only a race difference. For what it’s worth, I would vote for a female candidate over an identical male candidate for much the same reasons I mentioned above.</p>
<p>And gee whiz, people, can’t anybody answer a simple hypothetical question, namely ALL OTHER THINGS BEING EQUAL, do you think it would be a good thing to elect a black President?</p>
<p>Not my pt…my pt was that women have traditionally be seen against men as emotional and not able to make decisions based on info, but only based on their emotions (maternal and estrogen)</p>
<p>Wow Hunt, so you are voting for a candidate not based upon what they will enact as a President, but based on race or gender?</p>
<p>Also I would vote for a black candidate(MAN/WOMAN) in a heartbeat if everything was equal and they were aligned with my view…being black is a genetic makeup…more pigmentation, nothing more, nothing less</p>
<p>“Wow Hunt, so you are voting for a candidate not based upon what they will enact as a President, but based on race or gender?”</p>
<p>Yes, EVERYTHING ELSE BEING EQUAL. I am ASSUMING that they will enact the same stuff, which is what makes this a hypothetical question.</p>
<p>Okay than as the media has stated there was very little difference between Obama and Hillary…which one did you vote for and why?</p>
<p>I voted for Obama. I’ve been very impressed by his intelligence, and I do think that he has a chance for improved bipartisan governing. I like Hillary too, but I do think that she and Bill are polarizing figures, and I am concerned about the possibility of more scandal–I think Bill’s Monicagate scandal is what gave us 8 years of Bush. I also think that Obama is more likely to win in November than Clinton, but that’s questionable. I may have practiced a little identity politics, too, I guess, because Obama attended one of the same schools I did. (I will add that the idea of voting for the first black president or the first female president were a wash for me–it’s too bad we had to make that choice.)</p>
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<p>I agree…too many people weren’t willing to give AL Gore a chance due to his ties…I personally gave up on him when he said he invented the internet and that his mothers prescriptions were the same cost as the dogs</p>
<p>I understand the AFrican American community wanting Obama since as a woman I should want Hillary, but alas I do not look at gender or race and try to make my determination on what I align with the best and I have fundamental issues that I cannot get past with either of these candidates…my dream has always been for 08 that Colin Powell would run, I would gladly support a woman(I voted for Mondale/Ferraro and would vote for her again) or an African American if I believed in their path</p>