Race in the '08 election: Will it matter?

i was fooled by obama at first.
he is a brilliant orator

then I read and reseahed the annenberg papers and bill ayers.
rev wright really turns me off.
acorn---obaomba conratulated them on thie good job--then stated he didn't know who they were. it was found in court records that he represented acorn in a law suit.
he got father flager 120 thousand for playground equipment.
if you are white or black and not afraid of farakahn---something is wrong with you.
obamas wife wrote a raciest paper while in college.
the vescos sold obama 4.8 million dollar hous for 1mil.
why does obama get 208 million of bailout money. they say he did lobbying several years ago. just what did he do for 208 mil--kill?

Chicago Bias wrote:

Maybe people just don't believe there is such a thing as "honest Chicago democrat". That is my reason for not voting for him. That system can not operate in honesty anymore that Louisiana's or some other areas of the country.

I've lived in Chicago and you have a very good point. He's every bit a hard left Chicago machine politician. Mr. Change had a great opportunity to bring change to corrupt Cook County. It was a close election and there was this once in 50 year shot at breaking the cycle. Guess which side Mr. Change sided with. Status quo. The sad part is that his weight really could've made a difference.

Nobody likes to be called short even though they stand at only 4 feet l0. It's a touchy matter. Anywho, I guess I missed the part where whiteness became a race, one that would hurt you to be white at least. The difference is some people will not vote for Obama because he is black. Can the same be said of McCain? Are there people out there unwilling to vote for him because he's white (and there's something direly negative in that)? Are there people searching for his history, looking for anything to link him to terrorist in European countries.

Now I will agree that Obama's race does benefit him too but so does Palin being a woman benefit McCain's vote. And if McCain wasn't looking for getting the women votes, he would have picked somebody way more qualified.

One of the things that amuses me is that Obama critics regularly attack the strong support Obama gets from African-Americans as prima facie evidence of racist politics. Was it racist politics when Johnson, Humphrey, McGovern, Carter, Mondale, Dukakis, Clinton, Gore and Kerry got that same overwhelming support from African Americans?

Was I asleep when the vast number of African-Americans refused to vote for these men?

Do you think the brothers are voting for Barak just because he is black? Do any of you think that Condoleeza Rice, Allen Keyes, or (grooan!) Clarence Thomas could wrench away the Democratic black vote from Bill or Hillary Clinton? No, they could not.

People vote their interests and to get them to vote for you, you must appeal to their interests. Obama is not pandering to racist sentiments when he makes specific efforts to galvanize the black vote. The black vote is a huge segment of the Democratic coalition and mobilizing them --What white Republicans call "energizing the base"- is only smart politics. Not racist politics. Especially if no racial or racist overtures are made in the doing.

If you are black and you vote for a black candidate who represents your views and interests, you are not racist, you are practical.

If you are white and you vote against a black candidate who represents your views and interests because he is black, you are not just racist, you are impractical. And possibly suicidal.

To me, age is WAAAY more important than race. Am I gonna vote for someone who listens to Stevie Wonder or Lawrence Welk?

Sure will matter....to the black folks. This is their moment and they're not going to miss it.

Robin wrote:

No way. No How. No Bush/McCain/Palin. Never. Ever.

are you having a stroke?

John Kass wrote:

To me, age is WAAAY more important than race. Am I gonna vote for someone who listens to Stevie Wonder or Lawrence Welk?

Wow...there's some insight. Whether you're being funny or not, it brings up a good point. From the rock and movie industries, it takes very little to sway people because they want to listen to their heroes. Pathetic, vapid, but a very real phenomenon.

I believe way too many poeple have no idea what they really want, without looking to someone else or some faction of our culture they think knows more.

Or, they just want to vote "cool", as in Jesse. Or the first black prez,

it's funny to hear what white america's say when they are told what they are.(RACIST) even dogs sometimes bite back when kicked. i can tell that the americans who post here are not in bush,mccain,palin money bracket because you would be doing something else other than sitting around trying to figure out who to blame for your troubles money is green and that's what i see and if obama will put more of my money back into my pocket then let him try but if someone tells you straight out that they will be separating me from my money (which is what american is all about)it makes me go hmmmm think past your BLACK AND WHITE issues green is a very good color i could get used to it! VOTE FOR OBAMA/BIDDEN

Obama & Friends: Judge Not?

By Charles Krauthammer
Friday, October 10, 2008; A19

Convicted felon Tony Rezko. Unrepentant terrorist Bill Ayers. And the race-baiting Rev. Jeremiah Wright. It is hard to think of any presidential candidate before Barack Obama sporting associations with three more execrable characters. Yet let the McCain campaign raise the issue, and the mainstream media begin fulminating about dirty campaigning tinged with racism and McCarthyite guilt by association.

LBJ wrote:

Most people wouls say that race plays very little in this election, unless you count Barak Obama's universal support among blacks. It's hard to imagine, due to his distinct lack of experience, that anyone would choose him over McCain, especially since the recent revelation of his fingerprints all over this current housing debacle. Then there's his associations with radical theologians, violent revolutionaries and his links to corrupt "get out the vote" organizations with a record of massive fraud charges up to and including this election. Wholesale theft of votes is not a legitimate remedy to past sins. I'm not sure if anything could say "I'm a racist" more than a minority vote for Obama. My sense is that there is racism aplenty in this election, but the vast majority of it is in the Obama camp. If John McCain and Sarah Palin were both people of color who stood for the things they stand for, people like me would still run to the booth to pull the lever for them. It's really tiring to keep reading and hearing that race only plays a role in white votes. But what ever the media keeps droning on and on about, it's usually a pretty safe bet that the opposite is true.

There is no reason to vote for McCain unless you're rich or bigoted.

Jeff - Milwaukee wrote:

I think racism is the most significant reason that Obama isn't winning by an even larger margin. Some lifetime Democrats have reported that they aren't sure if they can vote for a black candidate. And McCain and Palin are fanning those flames - just looks at the anti-Obama fervor in recent Republican ralies. It's frightening and pathetic that racsim is still such a prominent factor in America in 2008.

You are entirely correct.

Jeff - Milwaukee wrote:

<quoted text>
It's hard for many people to believe that the once hornorable McCain, the pretend Maverick who's really just another Republican that worhsips at the alter of unregulated capitalism and military adventurism and Palin, the least qualified candidate ever for a national ticket, are even in the game. Yes, Palin has energized the right wing with her homepsun charm, winks and outrageous mistruths but at what cost? Most think she's had a negative effect on McCain's chances.
From day one, the next President has a long list of tasks, thanks in part to massive mismanagement by the executive branch for the past 8 years. We're in a deep financial hole and have lost our standing in the world. It will take a different type of politician to tackle this problem. McCain isn't -- and never was -- this person (and Palin <shudder> should go back to not building bridges and pipelines in Alaska as soon as possible). Thankfully, Democrats rejected the Clintons and chose Obama as the one that might make a difference. Yes, Obama (or "that one" as McCain so designated him in debate #2) offers us the best chance to right the ship.

Right again. Good stuff.

steve baker wrote:

Obviously one candidate is counting on race mattering?
Personally, I wonder about the vegetarian vote?

That might go to Sarah (Plant Life) Palin.

Lawrence Wolf...why the need for genarlization and name calling or telling people there is no reason to vote if they don't support your chosen person? You give liberals a bad name.

hdog wrote:

<quoted text>
Wow...there's some insight. Whether you're being funny or not, it brings up a good point. From the rock and movie industries, it takes very little to sway people because they want to listen to their heroes. Pathetic, vapid, but a very real phenomenon.
I believe way too many poeple have no idea what they really want, without looking to someone else or some faction of our culture they think knows more.
Or, they just want to vote "cool", as in Jesse. Or the first black prez,

Or they want to vote suicidal, as in Johnnie.

Don't forget everyone to watch Fox News at 9Pm tonight for the special report from Hannity & Colmes. Its must see for everyone interested in this election.

Perhaps the images in the following hyperlink are not racism but they do show a viciousness I find appalling. The new media covers the Lakeville townhall meeting or the Waukesha meeting where people boo and hiss. How about these images?

http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/10/12/the-o...

to those juding the goat, don't judge, report as abuse so it is removed...judging it does nothing, but when you reort abuse, someone looks at it.

kat wrote:

Lawrence Wolf...why the need for genarlization and name calling or telling people there is no reason to vote if they don't support your chosen person? You give liberals a bad name.

kat ...
I see this as the most important presidential election in my lifetime. This is hardly a time to mince words. In my view, the possibility of a McCain-Palin White House poses the threat of great danger to our country and to the world. Now Kat, if you are neither rich nor bigoted, and you support John McCain, and remembering that being a prisoner of war does not qualify one for the presidency, what are your reasons?
Considering the tone of most of those who oppose my views, I think I am being quite civil.