Level of White Support for Obama a Surprise

[bemildred]

If Tuesday’s election were confined to white America, polls show, Senator Barack Obama would lose.

And yet Mr. Obama’s strength across racial lines lies at the heart of his lead in the polls over Senator John McCain heading into Election Day. Remarkably, Mr. Obama, the first black major party presidential nominee, trails among whites by less than Democratic nominees normally do.

America’s political parties grew decisively polarized by race after 1964, the year President Lyndon Johnson signed civil rights legislation that his Republican presidential opponent, Barry Goldwater, opposed. Since then, election pollsters estimate, Democratic nominees have averaged 39 percent of the white vote. In last week’s New York Times/CBS News poll, Mr. Obama drew 44 percent support among whites — a higher proportion than Bill Clinton captured in his general election victories.

Analysts ascribe that success to changing racial attitudes, Mr. Obama’s deftness, Republican missteps and the economic crisis. Whatever the cause, when combined with his two-to-one edge among Hispanics and his 10-to-1 edge among blacks, it has given him a national election-eve lead.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/03/us/politics/03caucus.html?em

[Captain Hilts]

1. Race is grossly over-estimated in this contest. Powell would have been voted Prez in the 90s...

had he chosen to run.

People are also THOROUGHLY pissed at George W. Bush.

[bemildred]

3. Race is all they got, so they work it.

It was no accident that the Republican party switched over to the divisive "southern strategy" 40 years ago, and the Democrats switched over to being an advocate for minorities. The Democratic party was captured by its "left" back then, which was pretty far left, some of it, and that forced the Republicans to go over the the right, they couldn't very well move left of the Democrats and still maintain our economic and political system. One interesting question at this point is what divisive issue will be taken up now that race will not do the job? Religion maybe? That's a very dangerous place to go, historically speaking.

But it's nice, speaking as a white person, to know that politically race not a winner anymore. It portends well for the future of this country, and good portents are few and far between these days.

[Captain Hilts]

4. This is where the media really tries to stir up conflict because it's a better story...

the toothless, dumbass racists didn't vote for Clinton, Gore or Kerry either.

Most of them have a problem with Obama because he's a Democrat.

[bemildred]

7. It's always more fun to examine people who are not like yourself.

When I was a child, I would get so annoyed with adults who would talk down to me and tell me what I was like, but would go nuts at the idea that I should talk to them that way. Politicians don't like it when we "talk back" either.

But I think there is generational change going on here, too, not just Bush's failures. I was there in the 60s, now I'm an old man. Everybody much younger than me grew up in a much less white and racist USA than I grew up on. As the other fellow said, a lot of white people would have voted for Powell too.

One interesting effect of this will be that black politicians will not be able to rely on their race as much either.

[Captain Hilts]

8. Yes.

I post in threads here to try to get folks here to step outside themselves and think differently. They generally don't want to do so.

It's not a big deal to folks 35-40 and under. Just as acceptance of gay rights have made HUGE progress the past 20 years.

Oddly enough, the military has led the way in race relations, but most folks here haven't served. They've never heard of guys like Admiral Bruce Grooms. Black men in leadership positions just isn't a big deal to the military community.

If you live in some parts of the country where there aren't many black Americans, and you haven't served in the military or played sports, THIS is your first chance to vote for a black candidate and follow a black leader.

[bemildred]

10. Heh.

I post in threads here to try to get folks here to step outside themselves and think differently. They generally don't want to do so.

LOL. Yeah, I have to flog myself into it sometimes.

It's not a big deal to folks 35-40 and under. Just as acceptance of gay rights have made HUGE progress the past 20 years.

I am really happy with what I see in gay rights and tolerance of gays in public. I know my own personal "comfort level" has improved a lot as I got older. I have always thought tolerantly, but it is another thing entirely to be tolerant in practice, to just fail to notice these things you have been taught to notice, that you could get in trouble for once.

Oddly enough, the military has led the way in race relations, but most folks here haven't served. They've never heard of guys like Admiral Bruce Grooms. Black men in leadership positions just isn't a big deal to the military community.

Yes, I have seen that myself.

If you live in some parts of the country where there aren't many black Americans, and you haven't served in the military or played sports, THIS is your first chance to vote for a black candidate and follow a black leader.

Nice talking, I have to go for a walk now ...

[Lerkfish]

2. race is only an issue in this contest for the bigots. No one else gives a damn

period.

[Captain Hilts]

5. And they haven't voted for the Democratic candidate in years. To hell with 'em. nt

[endthewar]

13. Go Redskins!!!

Time to kick some Steeler butt! :evilgrin:

[crikkett]

6. And boy howdy, these bigots are getting an edumacation in what it is to be a

minority.

It's about time.
O8)

[Skittles]

12. absolutely correct

for any decent person - and there are many of us - race is never a factor

[Recursion]

9. Remember the hand-wringing that Obama wouldn't get Hispanic support?

Seems like a long time ago...

[yellowcanine]

11. And the logical conclusion from this is that most of the black support has nothing to do with race

either. Yes there will be some blacks who will be more likely to vote than not vote because of the historic opportunity. But the real reason most blacks support Obama is because he is a Democrat.

[scarface2004]

14. mkane ain t white!!!

he s ivory!! i ain t votin' for no frickin albino!!