Sheesh, looks to me like he nearly did too!

If it was a Obama v Rice run off, would lefties vote for Rice to get the first woman into the White House?

Hillary Clinton v Powell? How about a Hispanic candidate versus an African American candidate? There are more Hispanics in the US than African Americans.

Backing someone because of their race is racist.

Because if no-one knew who he was and he walked down a street in NY dressed in casual clothes he would be a 100 times more likely to be killed by the police than a white man. I don’t mean to be flippant but people are going to treat him as black because that’s how he looks. Some white people will be voting against him because he’s black. Black people will be voting for him because he’s black. And other white people will be feeling good about voting for him because he’s black.

On another note, I too am looking forward to Obama’s presidency on grounds of curiosity. I am wondering how he is going to disapoint. I have followed him long enough to understand he is no messiah but almost certainly just another politician, although a very very good one. Better than even the cynics guess which is why I am quite confident he will win in November. But Democratic supporters have fallen love with him so hard that it will be several years into Obama’s presidency, perhaps not even until a second term before they realise they’ve been had. Or there is a 1% chance that they’re right and the establishment will be in for a rude shock but I doubt thta. I have this theory that Obama’s most lasting acheivement will be the privatisation of social security. Either way it will be very interesting.

And while we’re at it, why don’t we bring peace to the middle east and all just learn to get along?

And would it kill you to throw in a Fremantle Dockers Premiership? Next year would be fine.

Here’s a clue for you Terje - the fact that you feel you need to assert his whiteness is an elegant proof of his blackness. He IS black because he is CALLED black and enough people agree with the label. A turnoff for some, a turnon for others.

Would you agree that a country built significantly on past slavery, but now capable of electing a black president has demonstrated democratic progress?

It is significant.

I know, I was joshing around. I should been a little more obvious.

Obama could be an interesting presidency if he wins. McCain is a rotten choice.

Terje

Why is Obama considered to be a black man?

Because he looks black.

It would be good to have a color blind view but race filters through most things in America and this election is partly about race.

Lincoln who is the great ‘assassinee’ of American history was a Republican surely enough, but he was assasinated for being to the left, if you take abolitionism and liberationism to be ‘left’ which seems reasonable to do. Kennedy is the other much less substantial Presidential assassinee and he was a Democrat. Then there was Bobby K and Martin Luther. Sure enough someone tried to kill both Reagan and Gerald Ford, so perhaps it’s fairly even Steven on intentions if not outcomes. But what are you thinking of when you say Republicans are more likely to be targets.

JC,

You’re jumping at shadows. It was an odd way to phrase it from me, because I was suggesting or trying to suggest that this kind of thing is more typical of the US than many other similar countries - certainly Australia.

I wasn’t suggesting collective guilt, just (trying to suggest) collective trauma and upset. I’d be upset and I’m not even American.

And I hope, I really hope that the Great Republic doesn’t plunge another dagger into its heart and have some nutter shoot the guy.

How would “the republic” be at fault if that unfortunate event we to happen? Why would a US citizen need to feel any guilt?

That leaves curiosity as the main reason to vote for Obama. I’m curious to see how Obama turns out.

That is actually my strongest reason for Obama as well. Not, in my case, strong enough.

If he’s not successfully swiftboated

If you are ’swiftboated’ you are unfit for the Presidency. Swiftboating is what happens when you take one of your biggest strengths, make unsubstantiable boasts in relation to it, and are subsequently unable to offer a skerrick of evidence in your support when a whole swathe of contrary allegations emerge from those who might ordinarily have been expected to support you.

And I hope, I really hope that the Great Republic doesn’t plunge another dagger into its heart and have some nutter shoot the guy.

Republicans seem statistically far more likely to be targets than Democrats, so you can breathe easy here After all conservatives aren’t the ones maintaining the rage are they? In any event Obama seems to have pals who could advise him on this kind of thing.