How many racist Democrats are there?

[Radical Activist]

Nominating an African-American candidate can only hurt if the number of racist voters who usually vote Democratic is greater than the increase in black voters. About 40% of eligible African-American voters did not vote in 2004. Would they show up in higher numbers for a black candidate?

So here's the essential question, are there more white Democrats who will switch their vote to a Republican because of Obama's race, or are there more African-Americans who will show up to vote for Obama who haven't voted before? Which is the larger group of people in swing states?

Racists who already vote Republican don't count because we won't get their vote anyway (and that's the vast majority of racists). What white people in Alabama and Mississippi think has no relevance because NO Democrat is going to win those states.

[tk2kewl]

1. I hate to say it, but I think it is a tough call.

[BOSSHOG]

2. I'm white and I live in Mississippi

should I take umbrage at your statement? I guess I should not vote. I guess my democratic congressman should just come home and give his office to someone else.

So if a white person does not vote for Obama they are racist; but if a black person only votes for Obama because he is black he is what? Are we stirring up shit just for the halibut??


Even though I live in Mississippi I will vote for the dem nominee whomever that might be, unless of course you think my vote irrelevant as well.

[pampango]

16. It's a part of the "48 State Strategy".

;)

We are going to battle the RW in every state except Alabama and Mississippi. And I thought that Mississippi had the highest percentage of African Americans of any state in the country. Can't push Obama down their throats now can we? :sarcasm:

I used to live in Alabama before I moved to Ohio. Anyone who thinks that whites are more racist in the South than in the Midwest is just revealing their own stereotypes.

[BOSSHOG]

18. Roger that teammate

My years in the Navy allowed me to live in various parts of the country. I'm always amazed at those who think all the racists are confined to a narrow part of the country east of the Mississippi, South of the Mason Dixon and West of the Atlantic. I'm incredibly amazed at the LTTEs in newspapers in Mississippi. This state is chock full of lunatic liberals.

[Selatius]

3. Most of the racists were driven out of the Democratic Party by the 1970s

To be sure, there may potentially be 1 percent or more of Dems who would vote Repub or not vote at all because of a black Democrat; there's always a Dixiecrat somewhere, but I don't think it is a significant variable.

[k_jerome]

4. high percentages of whites will vote for the Repub. nt.

[Colobo]

6. We should never nominate a black person then

I mean, if not whites will vote for the Republican...

Your logic sucks.

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

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

[Colobo]

9. Yeah

Still, Obama's skin color is not a reason to vote against him, like Hillary's gender is either. No intelligent person should have any respect for someone who thinks otherwise. Racism and sexism are evil.

[k_jerome]

10. there is another possibility....

they stay home and don't vote and the Repub nominee turns off their voters. i think he could possibly win then.

[NoPasaran]

35. An interesting, somewhat racist theory, isn't that?

Texas recently became a "minority-majority" state. Few, if any improvements that I can detect.

[Radical Activist]

8. A majority of white people already vote Republican.

George Bush won in 2004 by turning out his base. What if Democrats did the same?

[k_jerome]

12. i believe that makes it even harder...

a sizeable portion of white Democrats will not vote for a black man, even if 100% of the rest do, and all the minorities. cannot overcome the numbers.

[Radical Activist]

13. That's pretty speculative.

John Kerry was not the kind of candidate that appealed to the racist redneck voting block. I know there are racist Democrats but I have a very hard time believing that most racists haven't already switched over to the Republican Party.

All it takes is a couple swing states with high black populations to give Obama a victory. If Republicans have to fight to keep states like Arkansas, Louisiana and North Carolina, due to increases in black turn out, then we've already won.

[k_jerome]

15. the bradley effect is live and well....

and repubs will not have to fight to keep any states in the south...especially if there is an african american on the ticket to galvanize whites of both parties to turn out.

[Radical Activist]

27. 36% black population in Louisiana.

You don't think Obama can get 15-20% of the white vote? I know for a fact that the Republicans will have to fight for that state. Clinton won Georgia, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Tennessee. Florida has over 15% black population. The south will be in play with Obama.

[k_jerome]

30. what percentage vote?

and no, i don't think a black candidate will get 20% of the white vote in the south.

[Radical Activist]

32. That's what the thread is about

isn't it? What percentage will vote with an African-American candidate for President. We don't know because we've never tried before.

Louisiana has a Democratic Governor. I guess your excluding Virginia, which has already had a black Governor. Another 2% and Ford would have won Tennessee. I don't think the numbers warrant your pessimism.

[k_jerome]

33. i think history and the current condition of minorities does. nt.

[Colobo]

5. The worst racist is the one that hates him/herself

Or feels him/her or anyone of his/her race can't make it in life...

[Radical Activist]

14. Yeah

its pretty sad how much of that I see, and you're absolutely correct.

[TahitiNut]

19. So, those self-hating whites would tend to vote for Obama?

Is that what you're suggesting? Since many get their "IF...THEN" backwards, it'd be interesting to see the ensuing discussion of that one.
:eyes:

[Carl21014]

11. Everyone is a racist!

Racism is like masturbation, there are two types of people, those who do it and those that lie about it. Be you red, yellow, black or white we all harbor some degree of racism. Even when our logical mind tells us we are all the same we still are the victim of our upbringing.

Do we really have to go around assigning scarlet letters. Can we practice a little understanding for those of good heart who may have sinned at some point. Is it possible to repent and get forgiveness?

[TahitiNut]

17. You seem to be asking ...

... whether one believes there are more black voters whose biases will motivate them to vote FOR Obama than white voters whose biases will motivate them to vote AGAINST Obama or NOT VOTE at all.

Merely due to the size of the populations being compared, and my belief that the rate of incidence of racial bias is comparable across races (i.e. race, in and of itself, is not the determinant of bias or any other human strength or failing), it would seem clear that there'd be a greater number of whites who allowed their consideration of race to withhold their vote from Obama.

Clearly, I think it's fair to assume there are whites who'd also allow Obama's race to influence them positively, and blacks who'd allow Obama's race to influence them negatively.

I don't know that this poll sheds much light on anything we don't already know.

[SteveM]

26. You're right about the neutralizing effect of race.

Obama will be affected by his grossly confiscatory policy on gun rights (google smartvote and find his position on a general ban of ALL semi-automatic guns. He is also hostile to an affirmative defense by gun-owners who use their weapons against home invaders/B & E-types; i.e. home defenders may be prosecuted for self-defense. Similarly, Bill Richardson favors capital punishment for twice-convicted importers of illegal drugs. These positions, articulated by interest groups we all know and love, can cause candidates to sink faster than the Lusitania.

[Radical Activist]

29. Its not about attitudes in the general population.

Its about attitudes in the voting population, which is something entirely different. How his candidacy might change the voting population is more relevant.

[KingFlorez]

20. Very little

Most racist people are not going to vote Democratic period or be a member of the Democratic Party, because most racists hold extreme right-wing views on most other issues as well.

[k_jerome]

21. lol. nt.

[KingFlorez]

22. What is funny?

[k_jerome]

23. the delusion i see here regarding bigotry and racism...

be it toward gays or minorities.

[Madspirit]

31. Thank-you k_jerome

I agree with you completely about Democrats being as racist as anyone and it almost worries me more than Republican racists because at least Republicans don't live in denial about it.
Lee

[k_jerome]

34. i would go so far as to say...

the percentages of racists in either party is not that far apart.

[TheWraith]

24. I think both numbers are pretty low.

I think that Obama would get plenty of black turnout, but not neccessarily that a huge number of them would neccessarily be first-time voters.

[SteveM]

25. Populist issues may trump racism. Don't write off Miss & Ala.

In Texas, the GOP is entrenched so thoroughly that a populist Democrat (of either race) would be better advised to run for Congress in Mississippi than in Texas where concrete corporate conservatism hovers like the flu. I've seen at least one black from the PANHANDLE of Florida elected to the Florida House because of good stands on the environment (re: hunting & fishing) and economic issues. Blacks do not constitute a majority in the Florida Panhandle.

[Madspirit]

28. Hi Austin...

Another Austinite here.

You do know our state used to be completely Democratic back in the day. I'm 52 so I remember before the parties flip flopped in Texas. ...but they were Dixiecrats and even more conservative than most Republicans are now days.
Lee

[ecstatic]

36. For Obama to have any chance in hell we MUST DEBUNK the whole Giuliani as "hero" meme

Seriously. We have to get the American public to see what a failure Giuliani was the day the towers fell. People were ordered to go back to their desks in the middle of an attack! The whole Giuliani = 911 Hero meme must be debunked or even voters who claim to be fair will default to Giuliani when in the voting booth.

[pinto]

37. Locking.

As stated, inflammatory.

Thanks for your consideration.