something is not right

[donsu]

the majority of americans are racists.

yes, it is true and you know it. I've had 72 yrs. worth of knowing americans, rich, dirt poor, and everything inbetween, and most are racists. (I gave up socializing when in my early 40's because of racists, sexists and alcoholics.)


so why is Obama winning?

[Lautremont]

1. Because even more of them are sexists.

[donsu]

8. you are probably right

nt

[joshcryer]

12. Bingo.

[theHandpuppet]

56. And we have a winner!

Ding! Ding! Ding!

[wileedog]

76. Bulloney

*Because even more of them are sexists.*

It will be most disappointing if Hillary does in fact lose that her supporters blame this tripe.

She's losing to a black man. Do you really want to try and lay out the argument that sexism is somehow more prevalent than racism? Instead of the more logical argument that perhaps one candidate was simply better than the other?

[Lautremont]

82. I'm making no such argument.

However, the Obama/Clinton rivalry aside, I maintain that there's more sexism than racism in America today. There's racism, of course; just more sexism.

[wileedog]

85. How is that..

..even remotely provable in any way, shape or form?

6 months ago it wasn't even a question that a woman was going to win the Democratic Nomination, and given the current environment probably the Presidency of the United States.

There was no backlash then, no doubt that she had the support of men in the Democratic party.

Suddenly now that she is losing it is sexism? How could she have been winning - the "inevitable" candidate - in the first place if your theory is remotely true?

[Lautremont]

90. Huh. I never thought she'd win.

Turns out I was right. Point proved.

[wileedog]

92. You're right

The sexists pulled a coup! Kept her as the front-runner for over a year before they pulled the rug out from under her.

Ha Ha! That showed her....

[marions ghost]

108. "theres more sexism than racism..."

I have to agree with that statement on the face of it. (Rachel Maddow said the same thing last night on MSNBC). Yes it's still harder for a woman than for a man of any color. But it's only part of the story in this contest between Clinton and Obama.

To really prove which is the biggest factor you'd have to have a female candidate with less negative baggage. You'd have to have a black candidate who's a little less Buddy of Oprah. And finally you'd need a less threatening political climate, a "normal" democracy. That would NOT be following the Worst President ever, not following a monstrous hijacking of the government, not following a military occupation opposed by much of the world. These variables are too weighty to draw definitive conclusions.

I think the overriding concern in the Dem race is to Stop the Bush/Neocon Nightmare. Male/female and Black/white, however much they are hyped by the media-- are concerns of simpler times.

This almost seems like an irrelevant subject. Our desperation to get past the horrors and insults inflicted on the populace by the current regime is driving the push behind both Clinton and Obama.
All else is media contortion. We won't get past racism or sexism with a black candidate or a woman candidate. It's an opportunity for either to get ahead, certainly, but all too soon the emphasis will switch to the 'anybody but a Republican' candidate.

[JuniperLea]

126. I agree...

We have a finely honed sense of what is not right when it comes to racism, and if anyone says anything slightly racist, the hounds pounce... and I'm right there with them.

Sexism (and classism, which is on the rise big time) is far more insidious. Sexism sneaks past people as a little comment or a slightly off ad. Check out the media, any branch, for a time and concentrate on finding sexism. It's all over the place.

I don't think there's all that much difference between Clinton and Obama, except genitalia and melanin levels, neither of which is a good basis for saying they are different.

[smalll]

78. Nailed it on the first post!

:applause: :applause: :applause:
(And yet, somehow, the thread still grows, in all its non-significatory sound and fury.)

[mountainvue]

89. Touche'. n/t

[DURHAM D]

115. Yep. eom

[VotesForWomen]

132. bingo. nt

[Windy]

2. you have seriously got to be kidding me. Thank god the times are changing from your generation! nT

[donsu]

6. what do you mean?

nt

[tabatha]

3. The majority of youngsters are not racists.

Most of older folk are not either.
Certainly, democrats have fewer racists than republicans.

[journalist3072]

4. You don't get it, do you? They want the weakest candidate in November, and that is Obama

They have no intention of crossing over and voting for him in November.

This is about stopping Sen. Clinton, who they know is a helluva candidate and won't take no sh*t from the GOP in November.

So of course the obvious choice is to stop her by voting for Obama.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

9. Nonsense. People don't vote that way. They vote for the candidate they actually want to win.

[journalist3072]

13. Wrong...this is about stopping the stronger candidate...and that is Sen. Clinton.

For all of their talk, the GOP does NOT want to go against her in November.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

18. Sorry, Clinton is not the stronger candidate.

She has very high negatives; there are even a lot of Democrats who don't like her. And the polls so far suggest she'd have more trouble beating McCain that Obama would. The GOP would like very much for her to be the candidate because she'd fire up the wingnut base to come out against her. Also, her campaign is in disarray. It hasn't been handled very well lately.

Actually, I think either she or Obama could beat McCain, but Hillary is NOT the stronger candidate.

[JeanGrey]

38. Not so. Hillary has always been viewed as the weakest

candidate and still is! Obama will be real trouble.

[sniffa]

113. I love the state of jounalism today

:thumbsup:

[Why Syzygy]

121. In a perfect world.

Which this certainly isn't.

[tridim]

27. 70% of Americans want to end the war

They don't want 100 more years.

I think you underestimate the damage Bush and his bear-hug partner have inflicted on our national psyche. Republicans will cross over to vote for Obama, they're not all fundies and white supremacists.

[donsu]

40. I don't under estimate - the neo cons have murdered america

we have NOT stopped the neo cons from doing anything they want in seven yrs.

[tridim]

41. The people are much more powerful than the neocons.

[donsu]

48. if that were true we would have stopped the neo cons by now

7 yrs. and counting

[tridim]

55. They wont be able to steal a 30 point Obama advantage in the GE

Not even close.

Buck up man, this is big!

[donsu]

58. Gore won by a lot

nt

[stahbrett]

28. Who is "they"? Obama won 60% of Dems in Virginia

And she's such a "helluva candidate" that she can't beat a one-term junior Senator from her home state of Illinois, with the name recognition, popular husband/former President, and money advantage (at the beginning)? Go try selling that story line elsewhere, because it doesn't fly anymore. She's an awful candidate, at least compared to Obama.

[OzarkDem]

30. Yep

its an old trick. Boosting the weaker candidate, making the primary drag out while both candidates spend a lot of money instead of saving funds for the GE.

This time they have the national news media helping them out.

[tridim]

32. Old trick? Cite examples please.

[onenote]

66. So Maryland Democrats want Democrats to lose?

Are you drunk?

Maryland is a closed primary. Obama got 60 plus percent of the vote.

[OzarkDem]

72. Perfectly sober, thanks

I'm referring to the large crossover voters in VA and other states.

[onenote]

75. So the percentage in Maryland is very close to that in Virginia

But you attribute Virginia to a large cross over of repubs trying to screw the Democrats?

You got anything to back that up other than your imagination?

[OzarkDem]

81. There was an earlier post

that showed large percentages of GOP'ers in VA crossing over to vote for Obama. That's why so many people here tonight are wary of the results.

[Lefty-Taylor]

35. J-3072, You must not really be a journalist to make such a statement. But hey, keep your dreams.

The strongest candidate is easily Obama (and this comes from an Edwards guy -- and a journalist who has published in the W-Post and The Nation, for what it's worth). HRC is history.

[donsu]

43. what is it worth? your words? you have been charmed

nt

[Lefty-Taylor]

51. I mention it to contrast myself from the guy touting himself as a journalist. We need to look

at the facts. They are: Obama has swept the recent primaries.

[donsu]

57. that is a fact. but why has he won?

is Rove laughing

[onenote]

64. Do you realize how stupid you sound?

"They" want the weakest candidate?

WHo is "they" -- the Democrats who are voting in the primaries? Maryland is a closed primary. Obama got 61 percent of the vote.

Get a grip.

[casus belli]

104. Me thinks you are the one with comprehension issues...

why is it you think the GOP has been pushing Hillary as a candidate since shortly after our last presidential election? they have been pushing her to the front and making her the candidate to beat since before she announced her candidacy. There's good reason for this. Take a look at the GOP voting base. It's in complete disarray. You have conservatives threatening to stay home if McCain wins the nomination, and there is no policy to galvanize their base to get them to show upi to the GE. Enter Hillary. You want a way to unite all of the factions fighting for control in the GOP primary...run Hillary. If history has proven anything, its that Republicans despise the Clintons - and my guess is they will show up in droves to keep a Clinton from being the next president. Even if they hate their own candidate, SHE stands a much better chance of pushing them to the polls than Barack. Call it the anti-Clinton factor. Hell, we can't even get a concensus among progressives, how is it you expect the GE to be any different if she's our candidate?

[Eurobabe]

105. Your posts are really tiring, I thought I already sent you

to my Ignore list. Obviously not. C'YA!!!

[Little Star]

117. Exactly!!!!!! Plus, if we want to see the real racism, wait until

the GE. Most Dem's are not racist, but Republicans in certain areas of this country.... well..... Obama has no chance of winning the GE.

He may do ok with Dem's in the primary, but I'd bet my Harley he will lose in the GE. Those Repugs are not crossing over during the primary because they love African Americans or Obama. It's so they can change back to Repug and vote their sick racist hearts in the Republican GE.

You can book mark this, and take it to the bank.

Sad that we have not come as far as Dem's think we have. NEVER trust a Repug! They are sick pups. I would also gander a chance that Bush's Brain has hatched this plan.

[Arugula Latte]

120. Hillary is the far weaker candidate. nt

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

5. Maybe they aren't as bad as you think.

Maybe at least the younger people have gotten past that altogether. Maybe even the rest of the people who voted for Obama have begun to figure out that a person's race shouldn't matter. Whatever the reason, I think it's great.

[DJ13]

7. so why is Obama winning?

Because the part that matters isnt a racial issue, but one of the voters wanting to get away from the divisive politics of the last 20 years.

Besides, if race does matter he's as much white as black.

[Avalux]

10. My mother is a racist and she's voting for Obama.

She's lived in the same central PA small town all her life. No African Americans. Why has she decided to vote for Obama? Because of his message...she sees past his color.

It's as simple and as complicated as that. Can you imagine the exhilarating feeling I have knowing my mother is not a lost cause?

[Flabbergasted]

77. Cool! That should be an OP.

[moosen]

11. Because Republicans haven't entered the picture yet

Obama is only winning with maybe 1/4th of the electorate. It is the only group who will ever vote for him.

[OnionPatch]

95. And some of us believe

that the votes Hillary is getting now are the only votes she's going to get in the GE if she's the nominee. Where are her other votes going to come from?

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[donsu]

20. you are calling me a racist and a fuck?

nt

[Redstone]

44. I believe he is. And notice how he's not answered you himself, but has done so with a proxy.

Redstone

[Name removed]

49. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[bling bling]

37. Oh no.

I came back to check out the reactions to Obama's big wins and this is not good at all.

First of all, the OP states he stopped socializing even because of the racist types. Maybe he has a general disdain for people because he sees how racist and ugly humans can be (I find myself feeling that way sometimes....)

There's value to be found in everyone. Old fucks is terribly disrespectful and the wrong lesson will be learned. A lot of old people are racist, no doubt about it. Best not to even focus on it. Keeps us staring down the path of negativity and idiocy. Like jumping in a hole and pointing out how dark it is. It's fucking retarded. Racists are ignorant simpletons. They can find their way by paying attention to Obama or not. I'm not going to focus on them. But not all older people are racist. I didn't get the OP was racist at all. Really there's no moral high ground in insulting a group of people due to age.

[donsu]

53. thank you and I'm a woman

nt

[Egnever]

60. Theres a lot of value in the wisdom that can come with age

But wisdom requires one to evaluate things as they are not as you perceive them to be. This person believes in the power of racism because his generation was steeped in it. Hell when he/she was a younger person shows like all in the family were the highest rated shows on TV.

Those days are gone. I am 42 and my generation doesn't see things in nearly the racist terms his does and the generations after me are progressively less and less racist.

Sure there are still a lot of racists out there but I think you will be hard pressed to prove they are the majority anymore.

I may have been nastier than was necessary in my response but his incredulity that theres something fishy going on because a non white candidate is winning pissed me off. His OP is calling to people to remember their inner racists and to stop the maddness before its too late.

Fuck that attitude its time has passed.

[donsu]

65. I disagree - look at our prisons, look at our schools

racism is not over by a long shot

[Egnever]

80. what about our schools and our prisons?

[donsu]

109. private prisons full of black people - kids not grad. from HS in droves

mostly black/brown kids


if that isn't caused by racism, what is the cause?

[NOLALady]

125. Link

http://www.alternet.org/story/76843/


"since 1988, the year Vice President George H.W. Bush rode to the White House, stoking white fears with an ad campaign featuring convicted black killer and rapist Willie Horton, the black one-eighth of America's population has furnished the majority of new admissions to its prisons and jails.

The fact is that while U.S. prison populations have grown seven times since 1970, crime rates have increased only slightly over that time. According to Berkeley scholar Dr. Loic Wacquant, the increase in America's prison population over that time has been achieved simply by locking up five times as many people per one thousand reported crimes as we did in 1980.

The ripple effects on black communities and families have been enormous and devastating. Millions of the black poor are permanently stigmatized, excluded from much of the job market and opportunities for training and education, and are sent home to the same resource-poor, deindustrialized communities in which they lived before prison, where there are no services for them and no societal will to educate or train them. America's enormous prison system, along with its punitive and exclusionary attitude toward the class of people from which prisoners originate, is freezing the black poor in place for generations to come. As we said in 2005,"

[NOLALady]

100. I tend to agree.

You don't have to look back very far.

Katrina...Looters vs Finders.

I'm also surprised by his wins. It could be a setup. Or, maybe just maybe, the people fear the neocons more than they fear a black man with power.

[thunder rising]

15. We may not be perfect ... but we're working on it. Obama let's us join him, just as stupid as we are

That's why the unity talk. There is one thing that Bush has done and that is let us forgive our past and unite to oust the neocons. Republicans, old, young, Hispanic, African American, Native American are all welcome at his table. That's what he is selling, and doing it well. No more wedging.

We are One Nation, the United States of America, and we are a good people.

[donsu]

21. dream on

nt

[donsu]

68. "let's us join him" what a strange thing to say

nt

[juajen]

91. That's gotta be one Hell of a big table.

Selling is right. Does used car salesman come to mind? Never mind. Go ahead and drink that koolaid.

[Cha]

97. Excellent post, thunderising!

Thank you..much better than "something's not right" or whatever.

[Thrill]

16. Obama is just as much white and as he is black

Truth is...he is the so called 'type' needed to breakthrough

[tridim]

17. Maybe America isn't as racist as the media has been telling us?

Maybe America has changed.

Something is happening in America, and for once it's good!

[Redstone]

19. Bullshit. There are a LOT of racists in America, but a majority? No. Just fucking no.

Redstone

[donsu]

23. what percentage do you think it is?

nt

[Redstone]

46. Hard to say, because white people are FAR from being the only racists in America.

You want me to guess? I'd say, over the whole spectrum of Americans, thirty percent.

Damn sad, that percentage is, but at least it's not a majority.

Redstone

[onenote]

71. Question for the OP: Do you think a majority of Democrats are racist?

Because that's the only way your post makes any sense. Obama right now is running in Democratic party primaries -- the electorate that is voing in those primaries is -- to a very large extent, if not exclusively -- Democrats. So what is strange about it?

And I agree with Redstone. I don't think a majority of the nation is racist, at least not in the way you are suggesting.

[Rowdyboy]

22. Believe what you choose....I live in a different America.....yeah, there are racists but

they are nowhere NEAR a majority and thankfully they're dying out.

Since you apparently withdrew from active participation in society 30 years ago, perhaps your views are a bit skewed

[donsu]

26. I didn't withdraw from society, I stopped socializing

parties, dinners out, etc., etc.

[jasonkrueger]

24. I think you exaggerate. plus the majority of Democrats are NOT racist

There is a very big difference between Democratic Americans and Republicans Americans.

[donsu]

29. true - but many dems & independents are racists too

nt

[Blue_Roses]

25. Depends on where you live

there are some pockets of deep racism, especially here in the south. The younger generation is bringing fresh new hope to the deep seated racism that has plagued this country for so many, many years. Thank-god.

[bigbrother05]

31. ....

:popcorn:

[OzarkDem]

33. Dem-hating news media pushing him along

Right wingers saying good things. Hell hasn't froze over, its just a game they're playing with the Dem primary.

[LibDemAlways]

99. The repukes are definitely pushing for an Obama

nomination. Right now it's a pretty safe bet that Rove is sitting in a cave somewhere heading up a smear operation that will make the swiftboaters look like Sunday School teachers. The repukes aren't above dragging out every offensive racial stereotype they can think of, and after that, they'll invent some new ones.

Their entire campaign will be focused on playing to people's prejudices, and I think they have a good shot at being successful - even though their candidate is a stale warmonger. He'll be played up as an apple pie all-American war hero.

[AtomicKitten]

34. Because: "Yes, we can." Believe it.

[JeanGrey]

36. Because you are wrong, that's why.

[mmonk]

39. I think a lot of Americans have had enough and turned to him.

The idea of change married to hope is working.

[nancyr]

42. I sadly agree with you.

I have a terrible sense of impending doom. I have a difficult time believing that suddenly millions of bigots have had a change of heart. I grew up among them and I sincerely doubt they've changed. Maybe there will be enough young voters to make a real difference, but experience has taught me to be leery. I sincerely hope that I am 100% wrong. I would be delighted to eat my words.
Things are often not what they would seem, unfortunately.
There, now feel free to tell me how deluded and wrong I am. Just another old person who is clueless.
I will support whichever Democrat is the candidate, but I am a realist if nothing else.

[donsu]

61. ditto to what you say

nt

[my2sense]

106. cosign n/t

[Renew Deal]

45. Maybe most of them are republicans?

:shrug:

[RiverStone]

47. At some point in history --- a breakthrough happens

This is that moment!

It has to happen eventually; great that we are all around to see it! :hi:

[TexasObserver]

50. The majority of Americans look at Obama and see a president. They look at Hillary and see ambition.

[donsu]

70. I'll take ambition over motivation

nt

[TexasObserver]

87. you'll take incompetence over leadership, then

[emilyg]

98. So will I.

[bling bling]

52. Obama is winning because he's true to himself.

And people who are in touch with themselves can *feel* it when they are in the presence of others who are true. We're *taught* to be racist and we're *taught* to be sexist. Deep down everybody knows it's crap. But we get stuck in patterns that are instilled into us by parents and reinforced by society.

People don't like Obama for who he is, they like him because he reminds us of who WE are. We're tired of being sheep listening to one side tell us that the other sucks and vice versa. It's crap. Obama says it's crap. Then he says we can do better. And we're like, "yes, you're right. I knew it all along, I was just waiting for someone to take the lead and lead us there." Obama took the lead. When you have a choice that makes you feel like you can genuinely reach for something better or focus on piddly things like skin color, most people will abandon the stupid shit like that they knew deep down was stupid anyway.

After Bush's re-election, I started to feel like an alien on earth, particularly when one person literally told me he wasn't going to vote for Kerry because "Kerry loves queers." I was horrified to feel so evolved among such primitive thinking. It warms my heart to see people in this country aren't as braindead as I was painfully starting to believe. Some of them are. But if we can build a majority of people who aren't neanderthalls it will be the start of massive shifts in our level of consciousness about what is and isn't truth.

Racism is the stupidest most ridiculous outrageous thing to let divide us in the history of mankind. I'm so happy to see people rising above the stupidity and staying true to what's true. I'm becoming more and more proud by the day. And I've said all along that if the Democrats nominate Obama, he'll be our President. And I plan to be there with my toddler when he's sworn in. It will be one of the best days of my life.

[IndieLeft]

54. because times change. perhaps it's time you realize that.

[donsu]

63. times do change - life is change and loss

I'm quite aware of that

[New Earth]

59. I don't believe that

Not to say it doesn't exist at all, but I definitely don't think people think about it as much as they used to.

[Omphaloskepsis]

62. I didn't read all the replies to this shithole.

I'm 30. I grew up with Eazy-E and Dr. Dre. We don't fear black people, fuck, we grew up looking up to them. My sister is the same way and agrees race isn't a issue... She gave me my first Slick Rick Tape.

[BoneDaddy]

116. Do yourself a favor and search all the posts by

the OP. She thinks she is without prejudice because she defends what she considers to be the victimized groups of society. The truth is she is just as hate filled as those she decrys. She hates men and sees racism and sexism in EVERYTHING.

[stillcool]

67. The times they are a-changin?

--Bob Dylan--
Come gather 'round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You'll be drenched to the bone.
If your time to you
Is worth savin'
Then you better start swimmin'
Or you'll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin'.

Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide
The chance won't come again
And don't speak too soon
For the wheel's still in spin
And there's no tellin' who
That it's namin'.
For the loser now
Will be later to win
For the times they are a-changin'.

Come senators, congressmen
Please heed the call
Don't stand in the doorway
Don't block up the hall
For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
There's a battle outside
And it is ragin'.
It'll soon shake your windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'.

Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don't criticize
What you can't understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is
Rapidly agin'.
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin'.

The line it is drawn
The curse it is cast
The slow one now
Will later be fast
As the present now
Will later be past
The order is
Rapidly fadin'.
And the first one now
Will later be last
For the times they are a-changin'.

[Political Heretic]

69. I don't believe that. I think you're perspective is skewed.

With all due respect, I don't think you are in touch with younger generations.

[donsu]

73. I usualy DU mid day but came on tonight to see what DUers were thinking

and because there is a nagging going on in my mind saying 'something is not right'.

got to go soon but will resume tomorrow.

thanks everyone for chiming in.

[smalll]

74. WTF? You've had 72 yrs. of life at least, and you "gave up socializing" in your early 40s -

So what, for 32 long years, you've said "I don't drink with you" to the world? Are you a Zen Buddhist monk or something like that? ("Donsu" sounds vaguely Japanese to me.)

[donsu]

114. nothing vague about it. Donsu is Japanese. in memorial to

CH. Sakura's Donsu, CD

Akita bitch

Donsu came from chanpions and was the dam of champions

and a good friend.

and my politics is feminist

[kristopher]

79. Because Obama isn't culturally "black"

There is a "black" subculture in the US that incorporates most of the cultural signals used to identify someone as "black". Remember the debate in the beginning about Obama among blacks?
"Is he black enough?" was all we heard for about 6 weeks. This is what twas being discussed. He uses Standard American English; his dress and mannerisms are to the standards you'd accept from a TV newscaster; he is, in short, putting forth none of the signals that racism today is cued to. I don't know how many people I've heard who deny they are racist while they excoriate and deride the city of Washington for problems they intimately associate with its large African American population.

So, in short, racism is (IMO) triggered by more than skin color and Obama isn't setting off those triggers. I also believe that a large part of his success will be due to whites who are eager to demonstrate that they are NOT racist. They are inspired by his oratory and in love with the idea that he doesn't cause them the subconscious unease that a Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton elicits.

That's my take, anyway.

PS It would be great if I could get some more responses to this poll on racism in the elections: Any help keeping it up would be appreciated.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=4556286&mesg_id=4556286

[McCamy Taylor]

83. The majority of Americans are not racist. Racism is a tool of the elite to divide the working class.

In the wake of Katrina, I think it became very clear that the old "Fear the Black Man" strategy that the bosses used does not work. That is why they are using "Fear the Muslim" and "Fear the Latino Immigrant"

Obama, half White, half Black, with an advanced degree and a position in the Senate and a platform of unity is about as unscary as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Once again, the Republican strategists who thought that he would be easy to beat have shown how out of touch they are with modern America. Worse, they were planning on running Rudi, who is at least middle aged and who can give a decent speech. Now that we have St. John McCain of the Hanoi Hilton whose only virtue is that he is a war hero and a "straight talker" and who is as exciting as the Phone Book and as old as time---the GOP realizes that they would have been better off with Hillary. But it is too late now. Obama is going to win against McCain. Rudi might have beaten him. Or Romney. Both of them would have used dirty attacks. But John McCain will not want to fight dirty. And Obama will not need to fight dirty (indeed, against a man who spent years in a box, your best strategy is to be gracious while you look young and energetic compared to his old and pathetic).

At least with a Hillary vs. McCain match up they could have played up his honor vs. her corruption.

It was sooooo funny to watch the faces at MSNBC tonight when they realized their mistake, and Pat Buchanan said something like "It's time for the press to start negative coverage of Obama."

:rofl:

[kristopher]

86. I think you're living in a dreamworld

What I see is a country that is ready to tear itself apart over racism. Look at the stats on crime, prison populations, education, employment, economic advancement... The list goes on and on.

The country isn't in this state because some nebulous "they" is demonizing a minority for political gain. That is entirely too simplistic a reading of the problem.

Wishful thinking is how we can lose this election; but clarity of understanding and purpose can not only lead to victory, it can actually help address some of the root causes of racial animus.

[NOLALady]

102. "unscary as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr"

You do realize MLK was hated by many in America as much as Jackson and Sharpton are hated today. He was considered by some to be one of the most dangerous men in America.

[Sara Bradi]

84. great question...

I think he defies all racial stereotypes.

It is hard for people to feel racial prejudice when the man and his wife have worked so hard to get to where they are today.

He was at the top of his class in Harvard, he speaks like a humble soul and he sounds genuine when he speaks of the revolution.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

88. deleted, mistake

[Wizard777]

93. I've had 76 years. Obama simply presents himself as a man.

I can remember the days when blacks would refer to themselves as Black men. I have even asked a few. Why do you have to tell me with your mouth what I can see with my eyes? Why can't you simply be a man just like I am? Barack actually doesn't do this. I can see he's black. He doesn't have to tell me he's black. He doesn't. Obama just does not bring his race into it. That makes him a very bad racist. But a very good person any man can support.

[bilgewaterbill]

94. In 1973,

I was 12 and lived in Omaha, NE. A "friend" of mine pushed my sister and ran away. I called him the N-word at the top of my lungs as he ran down the street. He was white. It was the worst name I could think of. My neighbor heard me and told my Dad. My Dad made me write 1000 times "I will never call anyone a ni**er." I didn't even know any black kids. He told me that no one desrved to be called names because they were born different from me. I'd heard his aunts and uncles call blacks "Jigaboos" and "Ziggies" and his reaction set me back.

When I moved to Chicago a few years later I got to know many black kids. I made friends because the lesson my Dad taught me allowed me to see people as people, not skin color. It carried on to other areas as well. Religion, sexual preference, gender... People are people.

Obama is winning because guys like my Dad raised guys like me.

[LibDemAlways]

103. I'm a substitute teacher in an affluent district in

So. California. There are very few African American students. Last Friday I was assigned to a class of very low achievers who have a variety of behavior issues. It was "game day" and the students were supposed to be playing board games as a reward for good behavior. Several students started making rude comments toward each other. I asked them several times to stop, but a couple of them couldn't let it go, and finally one boy blurted out the "N" word to an African American girl. I immediately sent him to the office, expecting that the dean would not tolerate that sort of behavior and that the boy would be sternly disciplined. Instead, he was back in class in about five minutes. Apparently he simply told the dean that the girl had called him "caveman," and she was asking for it. The dean did absolutely nothing.

Granted, the girl wasn't entirely blameless, but letting that go sent the message to the kids that the "N" word isn't so bad. That the vilest racial slur of all is ok. I was appalled and shocked that it was tolerated.

There's still a lot of bigotry in this country. If Obama gets the Dem nomination, we'll definitely find out how far we've come or how far we still have to go.

[OnionPatch]

96. I don't think they are.

Not the majority. (Maybe the majority of *Republicans* are. ;))

I'd say most Americans might have some variety of stereotypes if you dig deep enough, but most of them aren't racists.

[cooolandrew]

101. If you are exceptional racism is overcome eg Mohammed Ali.For peace in America & the world Obama 08

link....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyIAHDx5398

[AZBlue]

107. Well, first you have no clue about "the majority of americans...."

I'm so sick of this shit.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

110. "so why is Obama winning?"

Because he's a better candidate.

Duh.

[ecstatic]

111. Right now, people are "looking past his race," but I'm a little nervous wondering how the GOP

will go about trying to remind everyone before the GE. Will his supporters stay true or will the GOP's tried and true tactics work... again?

[paulk]

112. Two reasons

Obama has been winning caucuses, where the average turnout this cycle has been 6%. The majority of primaries he has won are in states with large black populations, who are voting for him overwhemingly.

This skews his "support".

In the general election a lot more people will vote, and the results will be a more accurate reflection of the America you know.

[mckeown1128]

122. Two problems....

He won the white vote in virgina.

And bitching about caucuses because you candidate didn't when doesn't change the fact that they are representive about their states.

[paulk]

129. another content free post from an Obama supporter

[jeffrey_X]

118. Because a large percentage of people who grew up in racist environments

have figured out that they don't want to be racist any longer?

[Why Syzygy]

119. If what you say is true, maybe it's because there is more than one race

to be racist against. Did you mean most are racists against black people specifically?
I think that's just poor observation skill. And if you haven't been out of the house in 32 years, you might find something different on the social scenes these days.

[Jed Dilligan]

123. So you stopped talking to people 20-30 years ago

and you still believe your fingers are on the pulse of America. 'Nuff said.

[endarkenment]

124. Because a majority of Democratic primary voters are voting for Obama. nt.

[Johnny__Motown]

127. Because we have the capacity to overcome our racist tendencies

[BooScout]

128. Yep...

This is something I have been afraid to give credence too........but I know some mighty fine liberals in Atlanta .......that are very much closet racists.

[RoadRage]

130. Americans are getting less racist and less sexist, and are voting for the candidate they prefer.

[theboss]

131. Maybe Americans really aren't that racist

That could be true.