From today’s LA Times poll
African Americans would vote overwhelmingly for Obama, the first black candidate with a realistic chance of becoming president. In the poll, he carried 79% of African Americans, with 3% supporting McCain.
In 2004, Bush got 11% of the black vote, which is likely the highest a Republican will receive for the next century. My guess is that the best McCain will be able to muster is 5%. And that might be mighty generous because within the black vote there will be a ton of people who are new voters and especially voters who have just not turned up before. Some of them would have been motivated already by the prospect of a post-Bush post-Katrina presidency, but the vast majority of them are going to want to be part of the history – which the media and punditry have paid lip service to – but I simply cannot communicate with words to you how big a deal this is.
I can only use my own family as a barometer and like most normal people they rarely talk politics. Ever since Obama got in the race, and especially after Iowa, it constantly comes up. And this is from my grandparent’s generation, my mom’s and my own. I’m pretty sure the same thing is going on in black families from coast to coast now. John Kerry, Al Gore, Bill Clinton, were all great guys and black Americans were glad to vote for them (I sure voted for all three) but it just ain’t the same. To paraphrase an exchange I’ve had several times with a friend of mine (who is white):
Friend: Dude, can you imagine?
Me: I know.
Friend: The president’s name will be Barack Obama?
Me: I know.
Friend: And he’s black.
Me: I KNOW.
And then I get a crazed smile.
“And then I get a crazed smile.”
So do I.
I feel like Michelle. I’m finally proud of my country. It’s been far too long since I was last able to feel that way.
Me too. I don’t think McCain, the GOP or the pundits on TV are going to know what hit them when the results are announced on November 4th.
This is huge.
He’s already healing.
“The MEND command is seriously considering a temporary ceasefire appeal by Senator Barack Obama. Obama is someone we respect and hold in high esteem.”
The Clinton campaign was quick to point out that militant Nigerians are not an important voting bloc, and that she is able to draw a broader base of people who could care less what happens in Africa.
“couldn’t” care less.
One of my major language pet peeves and I fall right into it. Yeesh.
Sadly, as a comment on Huffpo says, it will probably play out like this;
I hate the media.
You know how the Rethuglicans will treat this. He’s the favored of Hamas and now MEND. Obama: Teh terrorists want him to win.
(The Rupugnatcans would prefer, of course, that the fighting continue. They like it when people die.)
They like it when people die.)
Cue the good Pastor Parsley:
“We get off on warfare!”
“…crazed smile.” Amen to that, Oliver.
Here in Canada, especially in young multicultural Canada, but also in large parts of older WASP Canada, there’s a fascination with Obama and this election that goes something like this: “Are they really going to do it? (Elect the first black POTUS). Is it really going to happen?” (This in a wondering, hopeful way, not an OMG-the-sky-will-fall way.)
I have no doubt that large parts of the rest of the world are feeling exactly the same anticipation… — and hope. A little fear, too, not that it will happen, but that somehow, memories of 1968, it won’t. There is figurative nail-biting going on all around the planet as we wait to see how this will all play out.
/gloomy
On a lighter note, did you know that Canada’s Commander-in-Chief Michaelle Jean is an immigrant black woman who speaks French? In fact she’s visiting France right now, and Centre Presse said “She has the charisma of a Barack Obama and the charm of Halle Berry.” So feathers in caps all ’round, eh?
OT – what, no preview? Curse it, I hate that.
President of The United States of America Barack Obama sounds good too me.
And he is from Illinois. That is just righteous.