Do you think a women or black man can win the Presidency in 2008?

[Dawgs]

No agenda here - I'm just curious. I've had a few discussions that make me wonder about something.

Please try to be honest.

[jsamuel]

1. I'm 25 and didn't know where to go. I went with 10-25.

[Dawgs]

2. Sorry.

[NewJeffCT]

19. I'm 40 - same deal

I went with the 40+

[William769]

3. Of course!

[Double T]

4. Woman-YES; African American-NOT YET in 2008.

[Deep13]

5. Restricting the answer to those actually running: ...

Woman: no. Not enough blue states for that.

Black man: Don't know yet.

In each case gender or race will not be the determining factor.

[bdamomma]

6. I wish to see this happen either a black man or woman being elected

but the presidency seems to a white mans only club.

[dave_p]

7. It may be the best chance for some time

... to break such absurd taboos. I don't see why Democrats should be afraid of it, provided they're ready to fight the GOP on fundamentals of policy and performance. This will be a policy election, if it's to deliver the decisive victory that's needed.

[Zenlitened]

8. "This will be a policy election, if it's to deliver the decisive victory that's needed."

Totally agree. The Dem candidate -- whoever it turns out to be -- will win this thing ONLY by standing up and speaking plainly about how they'll get this country back on track.

No mushy mind-games trying to pin down the elusive "swing vote." Put some practical plans on the table, based on solid Democratic principles, and the votes will swing our way.

:hi:

[zalinda]

9. I seriously doubt it

and that is why the MSM is pushing them at us so hard. While, WE, at DU are evolved dems, there are plenty out there who aren't. Now, some won't vote for Clinton because of her husband, besides being a woman. And some won't vote for Obama because he doesn't have a lot of experience, besides he's black and his name sounds so much like Osama. There are many, many people out there who don't follow issues when they vote. Some will vote straight dem, some straight repub, some for the best looking and some will vote eeney, meeney, miney, moe.

And if the "war" is still going on, there is no way in hell a woman will be elected.

zalinda

[stirlingsliver]

10. America Is Too Racist and Sexist

America is far too racist and sexist a country -- still -- to elect a woman or a Black man in 2008.

This is the country whose Supreme Court just took away a major right -- the right to choose a method for terminating a pregnancy -- from a woman. Do you think that such a country would elect a woman?

This is also the country that turned its back while thousands of Black people died and lost their homes in New Orleans. Do you think such a country would elect a Black man?

[Matsubara]

18. America did not turn its back on New Orleans.

George Goddamn Bush turned his back on New Orleans.

The rest of the country was outraged at his indifference and millions and millions of dollard poured in from all over this country, including tons of white southerners, even conservatives.

As for D & C abortions, that was an obscure, rarely-performed procedure. I don't agree with the decision, but it was largely symbolic, not really the confiscation of a "major right".

There is still a lot of racism and sexism in America, yes, but I think we've come a lot further than you give us credit for.

[xchrom]

11. yes.

[Zywiec]

12. Definitely n/t

[mnhtnbb]

13. I think Obama could be elected; I think a woman with greater

positives than Hillary could be elected. I don't think Hillary--the individual not the 'woman'-- could be elected. And I'm 56.

[havocmom]

14. What mnhtnbb said

:thumbsup:

[Greyhound]

15. Not sure, I know that we on DU are certainly ready, but am less optimistic

about the sheeple. I have a sneaking suspicion that once in the privacy of the voting booth, they will let their demons lose and go for the white guy.

Of course, I hope I'm proved wrong, but I see many signs of it even here, and we are not typical of Amerika at large.

[FrenchieCat]

16. If we vote for them in great numbers, of course!

The problem is that many are doing the self defeating excercise of "assuming" that these two are unelectable because the ones doing the assuming have rationalized that "other" voters won't vote for those two, and so some are choosing to support a candidate that they consider "electable" which actually equals the mere simple fact that the candidates they are choosing to support may be white males, in particular from the south. It is a self realizing prophecy and many are choosing a candidate by virtue of default.....

Maybe the problem is that we don't have enough Southern White Males running to choose from that might allow the "they can't win cause they are female and/or Black" candidates to have a fairer shot. If there were a few more White males from the South running, then a candidate wouldn't win by default of those casting their vote for simply the most "electable" out of the lot.

[Matsubara]

17. Not sure.

I think that 12 years ago, it would be a definite no, but after a.) decades of change and more and more credible women in positions of power, and Hillary having shown a great deal of skill and determination and b.) Obama coming forward as a guy who's black, centrist and seems to firmly stand his ground but isn't overly threatening. and most of all c.) after a horribly destructive presidency and war at the hands of the right-wing fringe nut Bush, I think either Hillary or Obama might have a very good chance. The ball's in their court, but I don't think the deck is as stacked against them as it was a decade ago.