Did you ever expect to elect a black president this early -- in 2008?

[liberalpragmatist]

Obviously, I thought it was a real possibility once Obama through his hat in the rink. But I certainly didn't expect it to happen so soon.

Prior to Obama being elected to the Senate, I figured it'd at least take a decade-and-a-half, maybe a couple decades, for a black person to be elected president. Once Obama emerged on the scene, I figured he'd likely be the first black president, but I didn't expect him to be elected (or even run) before 2012 at the earliest, and most likely 2016 or 2020.

It really is astounding. Back in 2002 or 2003, I don't think anybody would have expected a black president in 2009 -- partly because there were no obvious figures (no black governors, no black senators).

We've come a long way, very fast.

[WeDidIt]

1. I knew we would on November 4, 2004

After Kerry lost, I knew Barack Obama would be our next president. I had absolutely no doubts.

[Hansel]

14. I knew he would be president but...

I wasn't as sure he would be the next president until the Iowa caucus. After he won that I started seeing the campaign as a movie that I knew was going to have a happy ending. It is like I was viewing it to see the twists and turns along the way, but was certain of the outcome.

I sent an email to Bill Clinton in 2004 suggesting he to get behind the idea of Obama running for president and push it. I'm sure he loved that if he ever even saw it.

[msallied]

24. Same here!!

When he threw his hat in, I was like "this is it. Time for President Obama!" :)

[Starbucks Anarchist]

2. No, I thought it would be another 30-40 years.

I'm glad I was wrong.

[No Elephants]

3. Obama went all the way. I don't think "we've" come a long way and I don't think it's been fast

[AlCzervik]

4. you know who wasn't surprised at all, my daughter and her friends.

"Why wouldn't a black person be the president?" I also want to say that these same 14 year olds were horrified by the passage or Prop 8 and many of these kids will be able to vote in 2012 which is a very good thing.

[Lancer]

5. I thought we might have a female president first.

But I'm 48, and honestly did not expect to see anybody but WASP males elected to the WH in my lifetime.

But hey, I ain't complainin', that's for sure.

[THUNDER HANDS]

6. i knew as soon as he announced

because I knew there was nobody in either party with his combination of charisma, intelligence and political-saavy.

[BklynChick]

7. I thought it would be a long way away... so glad I was wrong!

[onehandle]

8. No. I was thinking 2016 or later.

But Bush was so bad...

[RagAss]

9. Yes...since this whole freaking world takes place in my mind !

[truthisfreedom]

10. Gotta thank bush for destroying everything we believe in, so we'd revolt.

He turned the clocks forward for us.

[joshcryer]

11. Yes, I expected this election to be about "historical precedent."

A woman or a black man were the only two choices. We got one. I was not the least bit surprised and I've said this since Jan.

[liberalpragmatist]

15. But what about before then -- say, five years ago? nt

[Ozma]

12. I've been waiting since JFK was killed....that's long enough!

[Ishoutandscream2]

13. No.

I'm a month younger than Obama, and I never thought in my lifetime that this would happen. I am so glad I'm alive to see this.

[Two Americas]

16. yes

But I honestly thought it would be a Republican candidate - Powell for example.

[RC]

17. I'm wondering why it should even matter? If it is such a big deal, then when

are we going to have a native as POTUS?

There were people on this continent 10/14 thousand years or more before the white man even knew anything was here. We stoled this country from the rightful owners, the aboriginals and committed wholesale genocide in the process. I think it is time we give the original owners a chance. They can't do any worse than the white man has/is doing.

[liberalpragmatist]

28. We actually have had a Native American Vice President

Charles Curtis

> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Curtis

[RC]

29. Thanks. I did not know.

[markevil]

18. My father a life long liberal called me to say how proud he was of our generation.

He said for the first time a generation was able to look past a man's skin and vote the candidate. I never looked at Obama as a black man. I viewed him as the smartest. Shattering a barrier was a bonus, getting the greatest canditate was the win.

[johan helge]

19. I didn't think Obama would win, and

tip my hat to all of you who were right about that.

[Phoonzang]

20. No. This wasnt' supposed to happen yet. The timeline has been changed by someone or something. nt

[Critters2]

21. I honestly didn't expect to see it in my life time. I'm 50. nt

[DrToast]

22. I thought Obama could do it, but only because he's an amzing candidate...

If it wasn't him, I think it probably would have been a while before we had the first black president.

[Left Is Write]

23. I guess that depends on how you define "early."

I'm not being snarky when I say that either. In terms of civil rights and history, I suppose this does seem "early." In terms of day-to-day real life, in my lifetime (I was born in 1966), it seems "late" - as in, how can we be in the 21st century and still asking if the US is "ready" for a black president?

[Raschel]

25. No. I'm still in a kind of disbelief when I see him giving press conferences.

[proud patriot]

26. I voted for Jesse Jackson in 87

So I've been ready and waiting since I was 18 ..

[Bullet1987]

27. Very early on in the beginning of 2006...I actually thought he should wait

[Motown_Johnny]

30. It was easier than I expected.. but yes. I knew he could win and always expected any Democrat to win

after Shrub.

[kennetha]

31. I think of Obama as our first Biracial President