Black President In The Usa? Are We Ready?

[Prober]

Andrew Young?

[YO-ELEVEN-11]

Originally Posted by Prober

Andrew Young?

Could be good, but not enough press. Had to google him to find out who he was.

[sara[h]ng]

I didn't know that white fems were considered the swing vote. It's nice to feel important! (Until I remember how the electoral college fits into it all...)

Anywho, wil, and anyone who doubts Obama's potential in the run for the presidency, the support that he has at this moment, this far before the actual election - as determined by things like the head counts at his public appearances (20,000 showed up in the rain at a recent rally in Texas) and the numbers of grassroots volunteer organizations (thousands and thousands - no exaggeration) - is unheard of.

While it is speculated that color could be an issue, I've never heard of that stopping anyone from liking him (though I'm curious how southern black society views him seeing as how a well-informed friend of mine who is a member of that group told me that many don't like Condi because they believe she has turned her back on her culture in order to succeed...) (and another tangent here, when Obama was on the cover of Time a month or so ago, the picture was severely bleached - which I can only imagine to be an intentional downplaying of his heritage...). The two biggest problems, as it seems to me, are his short time in national office and the fact that while so many varied people are attracted to him because of his encompassing speeches, not so many of them are going to continue to adore him when he makes his very left-leaning ideals more public - and they are going to become disillusioned.

And not that I'm influenced by southern black views of Condoleeza Rice (that's another discussion entirely), but I do believe she's a tool and who wants another one of those in office?

I watched the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee hearing with her, after el Presidente's January Iraq address, and one thing that she said simply shocked me. Kerry was the one questioning her and he asked, "What happens if the President's plan fails? What's our plan B?" And Condi, somewhat disgusted, said, "Why are you thinking about a plan B? If you want plan A to succeed, you put all your energy towards THAT one!" (all paraphrased, of course) Which is ridiculous and there's no way that an intelligent woman like her actually believes that... Anyway. I'm off my soapbox now. She's a tool.

[YO-ELEVEN-11]

wow.

[dauer]

My mom's a white female and likes Obama over Hillary. Imo though we will see some folks vote for Hillary in part because she's female and some folks vote for Obama in part because he's black and not because of their positions on the issues. I don't think that's going to be something confined to people or who are black or people who are female either. At the same time, I think there are some people who are going to vote against Hillary or against Obama for the same reason, regardless of the issues. But I think many of those people are likely the ones who would not have voted for any democratic candidate.

I don't think it's really much different from what we see in other elections. Sometimes people have better chances because of their innate charisma or because they're from a certain part of the country. I think either Hillary or Obama would be better than what we have now.

-- Dauer

[Pathless]

Obama has distanced himself from his preacher, who until very recently was also the chairperson for his campaign's African American Leadership Committee. The Reverend got some bad press about some supposedly controversial things he's preached in his sermons.

My problem with this is that it seems to me the Reverend is much closer to being right-on than either Obama or Clinton. I find it highly disappointing that Obama would cave to media pressure and sever his ties with this man. Is Obama really in opposition to his own pastor, or is this more of a public relations issue? If it's PR, then Obama is clearly selling some of his principles and stances, or at least watering them down, which shouldn't be too surprising--after all, he's running for president.

Anyhow, why are opinions like the following deemed so nasty and controversial? America suffers from a serious strain of myopia and self-delusions if the general public cannot acknowledge the truth of the Reverend's words:

Originally Posted by Peterson

REVEREND JEREMIAH WRIGHT (TRINITY UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST) We bombed Hiroshima, we bombed Nagasaki, and we nuked far more than the thousands in New York and the Pentagon, and we never batted an eye. We have supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and black South Africans, and now we are indignant because the stuff we have done overseas is now brought right back into our own front yard. America's chickens are coming home to roost.

Z Blogs

[Pathless]

Originally Posted by Virtual_Cliff

The question is, do the Democrats want to make a heroic statement or do they want to win?

It's interesting to see this statement now, looking at how close the primary is between Clinton and Obama, and that Obama seems to be significantly supported by more vocal, articulate, and even self-styled 'progressive' people. Also interesting in that I don't think it will be particularly difficult for either Obama or Clinton to take the presidency with McCain as the Republican candidate.

[Pathless]

Originally Posted by InLove

It's a pity that it can't be both. Personally, I'd like to see where a Clinton/Obama ticket would go....I know, right down the toilet. Too risky. Might as well hand the election over. I hate to say it, but maybe wil is right--this country just won't do it.

Originally Posted by China Cat Chrisflower

Obama's getting pulled down into the mud pit by Hillary. He needs to stay on message and above the fray. Election day is a long, long time from now. There's no way he's going to be able to avoid slugging it out, but taking the bait this early just shows what a political novice he is. I don't believe Obama can win the Presidency. There's too much latent racism and bigotry in this country. Just handicapping the horses.

Originally Posted by wil

Rudy has a chance....Obama and Hillary don't...44% of the country says it won't vote for Hillary no matter what....those odds are hard to overcome.

The dems paraded out a herd of candidates the last couple times and the leaders were injured in the fray...appears they are lining up for the same thing again....appears the public is actually losing out now that the real selections aren't made behind closed doors in smokefilled rooms...

It is all about electoral college votes..who can get the totals, Obama's count is disasterous...as is Hillary's...Now Lieberman....the Dems won't nominate him...but the Republicans might.. Could you see a Lieberman/Mckane ticket more Dems would vote cross party lines than ever before...and it would be the only way Mckane would get on a ticket....but that combination is probably to old to get the nod...

Truly our best chance for a black President was Colin Powell or Condi Rice...

...so very interesting!

[wil]

It still looks to me like this isn't the year. With the debacle going on I"m still very concerned about what will happen if Hillary or the DNC pull the rug out from under Obama and he is ahead in popular vote and delegates. We'll find out just how much tension and disastisfaction their exists in our country.

If Obama gets it, 25% of Hillary voters pop over to McCain, if Hillary gets it only 10% of Obama voters move, but 25% of them just stay home. Either way McCain slides in unless he ends up shooting himself in the foot. Something Republicans are prone to do, so there is still a chance.

[greymare]

i dont want to get this thread side tracked, but, can nyone please explain to me the differences between democrats and republicans. if you need to just pm me. thanks. but to your usual viewing.....................

[wil]

Democrats see themselves as caring for society and the people and the environment, Republicans see Democrats as socialists who create entitlement programs thinking the gov't knows more than the individual.

Republicans see themselves as fiscally conservative, empowering the individual, small gov't, less taxes. Democrats see them as greedy capitalists, without a care for the little guy or down trodden.

Neither party acts like its platform, and in reality both are co-opted by the lobbyists and big business despite their rhetoric and finger pointing. The oligarchy took over this country in the 1800's and completed the take over in the early 1900's.

I think Churchill said something akin to ~ If your not a liberal(democrat) in your youth you have no heart, and if your not conservative(republican) in your old age you have no brain. Implying that the exuberance of youth, hope and dreams makes way to funding reality over time. Lincoln said something like ~ Our country is fighting two wars, in front of us we have the country splitting apart and to my rear the bankers trying to take it over, and of the two I fear the bankers the most.

[greymare]

thanks so much for that, willy, (lol) im still confused but not as much as before. lol. obviously Lincoln was a smart man, but it goes to show, that things dont change much after so many years, do they?

[Operacast]

Originally Posted by Prober

Andrew Young?

You know, it's a shame: I used to be quite an admirer of Andrew Young. But quite recently, as a spokesman for Walmart, he trashed the Asian community in clearly bigoted terms, and I was absolutely disgusted. Too many public figures develop tin ears sooner or later. I thought Andrew Young was an exception...........

Operacast

[truthseeker]

I am a black female, so for a while I was split between the two. As prejudice as this country is - just to see a Black Face in the White House; as numb-headed as men can be - just to see some monthly bi-polarism lurking in the shadows . . .

Really though - Daddy Bush was Reagan's VP and then became Pres. Then Bill Clinton. Then Baby Bush. Now Hilary?
28 years of two families running the nation. If Hilary gets in that'll be at least 32. And with all the sensationalism I'm not sure if we are remembering that McCain is still in the running. With America's "conquest" of Iraq maybe our electoral college doesn't think it's time yet to disillusion the public with a Democrat who will all of a sudden start acting a bit Republican.

[greymare]

does it really boil down to the colour of his skin? Or in the other candidate, when she has a penis or not.?