Reply #68: It's the combination that's a problem [View All]

[Tom Rinaldo]

I think a black man can get elected President, but he will have to run against a head wind in order to win. I don't know what that translates into in percentage of racist votes that might have voted for a white Democrat but not a black one (racists who only vote for Republicans anyway are moot to this point), maybe two to three percent vote leakage for racism alone.

That type of handicap can be overcome, larger shifts than that happen from Election to Election in the relative strength of the Republican candidate against the Democratic one. Someone like Obama has a real chance to be elected President now. I think Colin Powell had a real chance to be elected President a few years back had he become a candidate. Harold Ford Jr. came pretty close to being elected Senator from a Red Southern State. The fact that he narrowly lost can be used to argue this issue from either side I suppose.

But the fact that Obama lacks experience on the national and international stage compared to someone like McCain gives cover to those whites who are not completely comfortable voting for a black to be President. It gives them a socially acceptable reasaon to not support Obama. I would certainly vote for Obama for President if he wins our nomination but he doesn't have the experience I want either. I'll get past that to keep the White House from remaining in Republican hands. Personally, the fact that Obama is "Black" is a big plus to me