June 24, 200818 yr I think I can fully empathize with them. This election can be compared to Jackie Robinson integrating baseball or the students at University of Alabama. Someone has to be first before it becomes commonplace. This, for minorities, is a huge step forward and could open more doors than anything in decades. Yet, if I'm an African American and I don't believe in Obama's policies, do I vote my conscience? Can I pass on an opportunity to elevate my race to a measure of equality never before obtained that could move racial relations to a realm that Dr. King could only dream of? I would have a very hard time with this decision and I don't think I could honestly find fault with either decision. If you decide to vote for Obama even though you don't think he is best qualified, in effect you are applying the concept of affirmative action to the office of the Presidency. I think from my experiences that every time the principle of affirmative action has been used to promote the lesser qualified person into a position, I think it has hurt not helped the minority. It may help the person, but I think it causes the minority to take a step back as it causes resentment towards the minority and it causes a lack of respect for the person promoted (i.e. he only got the promotion because he's African American or because she's a woman, etc). If Obama gets elected and doesn't do a good job running the country, he will make it much, much tougher for another African American to be seriously considered for the Presidency for a long, long time. I think African Americans and others considering voting for Obama because he is an African American would be wise to heed that old cliche': be careful what you wish for, you just might get it. And whomever is elected as our next President is going to be entering into office in what has to be one of the toughest times in our country's history.
June 26, 200818 yr If 90% of Caucasian Americans supported McCain, would they be labeled racist? In 2000 and 2004 when a 100% of Caucasian Americans supported Bush or Gore or Bush or Kerry. They were not labeled racist. Why does race always have to be an issue?
June 26, 200818 yr Obama enjoys an overwhelming 90% of support from African-American adults, the poll found, while Republican Sen. John McCain garners just 7%. McCain, meanwhile, gets 51% support from white adults while Obama takes 39%. Among all adults, the poll found, Obama enjoys a lead of six percentage points over McCain, 48% to 42%. Link If 90% of Caucasian Americans supported McCain, would they be labeled racist? The support of the African-American community to the Democratic party should not be much of a suprise. That number was around 90% last presidential election. The more disturbing number to me was that during this year's Democratic primary, Obama received 90+% of the African-American vote.
June 26, 200818 yr The more disturbing number to me was that during this year's Democratic primary, Obama received 90+% of the African-American vote. What percentage of the white republican vote did GW receive in 2004?
June 26, 200818 yr What percentage of the white republican vote did GW receive in 2004? What does that have to do with Obama receiving 90 percent of the black democrat votes when running against another democrat? I'm confused by the question. Would you think it a problem if 90 percent of the white democrats had voted for Hillary? I would.
June 26, 200818 yr What does that have to do with Obama receiving 90 percent of the black democrat votes when running against another democrat? I'm confused by the question. Would you think it a problem if 90 percent of the white democrats had voted for Hillary? I would. Did Obama get 90% of the Dem vote when running vs. Hillary? This is from a CNN article after Super Tuesday: In Georgia, Obama polled 88% of the Black vote, in Alabama 84%, in Arkansas74%, in Tennessee 77%. In the northeast, Obama polled 82% of the Black vote in New Jersey and 74% in Connecticut. The most notable exception to this pattern was New York where Obama polled 61% of the Black vote, his lowest percentage of African American support in any February 5th state. There are obvious explanations for this differential. New York is Hillary Clinton’s home state—at least it became her home in 2000—and she and her husband (remember him? he’s the new invisible man) are the state’s most persuasive power brokers. http://blackstarnews.com/?c=125&a=4224 In a general election Obama may very well get 90% of the Black vote but he did not really come to close to that (except in Georgia) in the Democratic Primaries.
June 26, 200818 yr Did Obama get 90% of the Dem vote when running vs. Hillary? This is from a CNN article after Super Tuesday: In Georgia, Obama polled 88% of the Black vote, in Alabama 84%, in Arkansas74%, in Tennessee 77%. In the northeast, Obama polled 82% of the Black vote in New Jersey and 74% in Connecticut. The most notable exception to this pattern was New York where Obama polled 61% of the Black vote, his lowest percentage of African American support in any February 5th state. There are obvious explanations for this differential. New York is Hillary Clinton’s home state—at least it became her home in 2000—and she and her husband (remember him? he’s the new invisible man) are the state’s most persuasive power brokers. http://blackstarnews.com/?c=125&a=4224 In a general election Obama may very well get 90% of the Black vote but he did not really come to close to that (except in Georgia) in the Democratic Primaries. I took that number from O'Reilly after a primary (I am thinking N. Carolina...). I should have specified "in some states". Just did a quick search from the day of the N.C. primary: http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/05/06/exit-polling-shows-wright-controversy-economy-matter-to-indiana-north-carolina-voters/ None-the-less, 88% in Ga., 91% in N.C. (and the other numbers you referenced), those are some staggering numbers.
June 26, 200818 yr I took that number from O'Reilly after a primary (I am thinking N. Carolina...). I should have specified "in some states". Just did a quick search from the day of the N.C. primary: http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/05/06/exit-polling-shows-wright-controversy-economy-matter-to-indiana-north-carolina-voters/ None-the-less, 88% in Ga., 91% in N.C. (and the other numbers you referenced), those are some staggering numbers. In some states yes, but not in all. Consider the southern states you mention. To not believe that plays a part in those numbers is also naive probably. I still wonder if these aren't "backlash votes" from Jim Crow history.
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