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Is It Time?

Interesting story in the Post on an issue that will be dominant as long as Barack Obama is a candidate: is white America ready for a black president?

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27 Responses to “Is It Time?”

  1. Quaker in a Basement says:

    Dunno. But I’m pretty sure America is ready for a competent president.

  2. Doubting Thomas says:

    Oliver: I don’t think so, but what’s your take?

  3. Marty says:

    Sure we are. We were ready for Colin Powell eight years ago. He surely would have won had he run. Most Republicans were savoring the thought of a Rice vs. Clinton run for the White House, (although one isn’t running and both have lost their shine since that time.)

    It isn’t about whether we are ready for a Black President. It’s about how much hype goes behind the Black part rather than the man and his ideas. I’d personally like to focus on the latter.

  4. Oliver says:

    I don’t know, honestly. Sometimes I’d like to think so, but then inevitably something comes along to disabuse that notion. People liked the idea of Colin Powell, it’s a whole other matter whether they would have supported him – especially within the Republican party, but even in a general election across parties.

  5. jerry says:

    “Is America ready for a black president? Well, I say we just had a retarded one. When did being black become a bigger deterrent than being retarded?”

    –CHRIS ROCK

  6. Marty says:

    Support or lack thereof for Powell within the Republican Party wasn’t about race, but about issues. While I think he would have cruised to the nomination, there were many in the party who considered some of Powells ideas were on the wrong side of the ledger. I still don’t think it would have hurt him in the nominating process.

    On top of that Powell’s popularity at the time among Black people was very high, and there surely would have been crossover vote in the general election. In a race between Powell vs. Gore, I don’t think it would have taken a lot of crossover vote.

    But hey- 7 year old Monday morning quarterbacking can be fun, eh?

  7. Oliver says:

    I didn’t say Powell wasn’t popular, I liked Powell. But pro-choice aside, you think a black person would have an easy time as a Republican? I’m sorry but history says otherwise.

  8. fd10801 says:

    I told myself I was going to ignore this thread, but I couldn’t help myself: History says otherwise?
    Without a beverage alert?

  9. Nimrod Gently says:

    He means recent history not goddamn Lincoln.

  10. Oliver says:

    Did that news come in over the telegraph? Jesus H.

  11. fd10801 says:

    “History” can be a matter of perspective. I was in High School, when Kennedy was elected President.

    By the way, it’s not the fault of the Republicans that the Democrats have left millions of Afro Americans sucking the government teat since 1965.

    Now that the people’s largesse is getting thin, and self – reliance is getting popular, what do you expect republicans to do to get blacks to vote for them?

    If I were a major Republican politician, and a black “mover and shaker” came to me, and said, “I can get you the black vote, and you’ll win in ‘08″, I’d answer, “I can without your help”. What would you offer then?

  12. fd10801 says:

    Here’s how Presidential Electoral Politics is played: There are states / groups / demographics without which you can not win.

    Then there are states / groups / demographics that are always yours.

    Two groups without which the Dems cannot win are the AntiWar Left, and Blacks.

    They are in danger of losing some, or a lot of, both.

    Groups without which the Republicans cannot win, that they are in danger of losing: None.

    It’s going to be a real close race.

    If it’s Rice vs. Clinton, or “Anybody” / Rice vs Obama / “Anybody”; it will be an amazingly close race.

  13. condipundit says:

    For awhile, there were a few deluded nut-jobs out there insisting that Kindasleazy run, but inexplicably, they wised up–er…walked away from that idea.

    Alas, dreams die hard…like the ozone layer after spraying on 14 cans of hair spray for a visit by dignitaries. :)

  14. fd10801 says:

    Still haven’t abandoned that racist tag, eh, bigot?
    Does the hair spray bother you, sweetcakes?

  15. Plantsman1 says:

    The Democrats are in danger of losing black voters? To whom? And hey, condipundit- don’t lose that tag.

  16. “Groups without which the Republicans cannot win, that they are in danger of losing: None.”

    Hispancis. If the Republicans lose Nevada and New Mexico and Arizona, they lose the White House.

    Also, the Christian Right, so called values voters are less and less enthusiastic about the Republican Party. While they won’t vote Democratic, they might stay home.

  17. mike in dc says:

    Yep. I foresee a big drop in Hispanic support for the GOP in 2008, plus a big uptick in the proportion of black votes if Obama is on the ticket.
    There’s actually a pretty long list of groups and sub-groups who probably will drop in support for Republicans next year.

  18. fd10801 says:

    Both CSS and mike “foresee” the Republicans losing Hispanics. CSS adds the Christian Right.
    Mike in dc refers to a pretty long list.

    Well, that does it. Now, if I made a statement like that, you guys would be screaming for links and “evidence” and recordings and videotape.

    But will I?

    No, sir.

    I foresee “election fatigue”.

    I foresee major positive change in Iraq by the July 4 in 2008, when it counts.

    I foresee that Sen. Obama will not get the nomination because he is not “fresh” or “new” enough. He’s not saying anything Democrats haven’t said since 1968.

  19. Nimrod Gently says:

    a) Considering where we’re at now, this had better be some really, really major positive change, like God showing up and solving everything instantaneously.

    b) Why does it only count five years after the invasion?

  20. fd10801 says:

    Why does it only count five years after the invasion?
    Because it’s close enough to the election to matter.
    The talk now is irrelevant.

  21. Squirrel says:

    fd10801 | May 8, 2007 10:17:38 AM
    “I foresee major positive change in Iraq by the July 4 in 2008, when it counts.”

    So the last 4 years have been irrelevant?

  22. fd10801 says:

    To NG and squirrel: I mean AS REGARDS THE NOVEMBER 2008 ELECTION, YOU NITWITS!

  23. Squirrel says:

    Shorter Frank: If my typed words don’t make sense, it’s your fault for not understanding what I was thinking!!!!

    Who calls people nitwits these days?

  24. fd10801 says:

    Cool, squirrel, you shithead (do they say “shithead” nowadays?) your “Shorter Frank” was longer than my comment.
    You fuckin’ idiot.
    { Do they still say “fuckin’ idiot” nowadays? }

  25. I have nothing to add, just fixing an open Italics from above.

  26. fd10801 says:

    Thank you for sweeping up behind me. And you thought your life had no purpose…

  27. “Well, that does it. Now, if I made a statement like that, you guys would be screaming for links and “evidence” and recordings and videotape.
    But will I?
    No, sir.”

    I would like to point out that you made the exact same claims we made, and no one demand links or evidence. I guess that makes you a liar.

    By the way, here’s some links:

    Latino Support Peaked in 2004 and dropped in 2006:

    http://www.alternet.org/rights/49924/
    http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=cf26c237842ac9b296c0ff050b7723d7

    Christian Right:

    http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/25/us/politics/25conserve.html?ex=1316836800&en=549990025e0e5b33&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
    http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2007/02/no_candidate_for_conservatives.html

    These don’t have hard numbers, but the evidence is still suggests the ‘Moral Minority’ are not enthusiastic about their choices within the GOP. While the are unlikely to turn to a third party, and even more unlikely to turn to the Democratic Party, there is a real chance they just won’t show up.

    “I foresee major positive change in Iraq by the July 4 in 2008, when it counts.”

    Nope. Sorry. There’s no hope of winning this war, period. And by October or November of this year, the GOP will turn on Bush and demand time tables for withdrawl.