Obama's Racial Identity Still An Issue

Democrat's Race, And Whether He's "Black Enough," Continue To Spark Conversation

(CBS)  Barack Obama has said that the big city cab drivers who once refused to pick him up had no doubt about his blackness back then, nor should anyone else now, CBS News correspondent Dean Reynolds reports.

Campaigning, he addresses the race issue without hesitation, once even mimicking gangbangers - he criticized their work ethic: "Why I gotta do it? Why you didn't ask Pookie to do it?" he said.

He quotes Martin Luther King and occasionally slips into the cadence of a black preacher, but recent polls show Hillary Clinton is the choice of more black Democrats, and it's clear that Obama's racial identity gives pause to some. He is not the descendant of African slaves, but is the son of a white mother and a Kenyan father, so he alone gets questions about just who he is.

"My black activist friends from here to Boston say that you are not black, you are multiracial, and I want to know how you self-identify?" he was asked at a recent event.

Obama replies: "I self-identify as African American - that's how I'm treated and that's how I'm viewed. I'm proud of it."

"The issue of whether he is black enough is not the primary issue," said Michael Fauntroy, a professor of public policy at George Mason University. "The issue is whether he has enough experience."

Besides, Obama may have other strengths. "He is seen as more palatable and more acceptable to larger numbers of white voters," Fauntroy said.

Of course, there are whites who will never vote for Obama because he is black.

"I don't want to sound prejudiced or anything, but for one, I am not going to vote for a colored man to be our president," said one South Carolina voter.

When asked if this country would vote for a black man for the highest office in the land, Sen. Obama deflects the question, suggesting merely raising it is a disservice to the American electorate.

But the American electorate has never had anyone quite like Barack Obama to consider.

[bdj11]

"I don''t want to sound prejudiced or anything.. I am not going to vote for a colored man". As a BLACK MAN in America,I was not suprised by that comment. I wonder how many other Americans feel that way? When will so many idiots understand that we are all the same (human beings) with just different shades of color in our thin layer of skin. You should do a week long segment on this. So many people need to know this.

[revbates]

When Obama declared that he could "guarantee the black vote" he did a disservice to the black community. To think that black people will vote for a black candidate is no different than thinking white people won''t vote for a black candidate ... it is an assumption that is doomed to failure. This election is not about voting for a black man or a white woman, it is about voting for someone who can represent all the people; white, black, brown, multiracial.

[MrUniteUs]

"My black activist friends from here to Boston say that you are not black, you are multiracial, and I want to know how you self-identify?" he was asked at a recent event.

(Asked by some anomymous person who is obviously not Black and probably made up the question.)

Ever been to a Black Family Reunion? We come in all skin tones.

My Black activist friends and my Black self, and more importantly 90% of Chicagoans support Obama because he is the best person for the job.

Obama is Black enough and American enough for me.

[MrUniteUs]

"My black activist friends from here to Boston say that you are not black, you are multiracial, and I want to know how you self-identify?" he was asked at a recent event.

(Asked by some anomymous person who is obviously not Black and probably made up the question.)

Ever been to a Black Family Reunion? We come in all skin tones.

My Black activist friends and my Black self, and more importantly 90% of Chicagoans support Obama because he is the best person for the job.

Obama is Black enough and American enough for me.

[denn034]

That''s sad. It really is. Obama''s race should be a non-issue. It''s his views on politics and his judgment that should be the issue not his race.

[cryonbrian]

I bet the issue of Obama being Black enough was started by someone White! No doubt!

[keelymarrs]

I was half asleep one evening listening to one of the cable news networks and heard the voice of Barack Obama (before his speech at the Democratic National Convention). I looked up to see the face of this brilliant voice and my very first thought was that this man would someday be President of the United States. It was an instant and absolute moment for me. I never imagined in my lifetime that someone like him would come along and I tear up in moments of joy thinking about how proud I will be to be an American when Barack Obama is our leader. Its not about his name or the color of his skin or even his party affiliation. He transcends sight. His spirit is the essence of his existence.

[aris-d]

Obama''s not black, he''s transparent
http://digg.com/2008_us_elections/Obama_s_Not_Black

[kansas1946]

What a bunch of nonsense. I can imagine the black community if we were discussing if Obama is "white" enough to be president. Can''t we please grow up and judge a person "by the content of his character and not the color of his skin?" A great man once said that.

[barbjc1]

I don''t care what his skin color is, I just don''t trust him. It is mainly where he was raised, Indonesia, with a Muslim stepfather and an atheist white mother. I think he is a closet muslim, which is all we need.

[truthspeake2]

Actually, I''m glad he has "no experience"...so called experience, it seems, is what got this country into the mess its currently in! I''m for anybody who takes us in a different direction and not more of the same. As for that South Carolina voter mentioned in this story, maybe she and the rest of the folks that think, speak, and share her beliefs will go the way of the dinosaur''s before November 2008.

[tbweb]

If you forget where you''re going you will never get there! Part of the American dream is this big melting pot of all races, all cultures with the final product being a true American. The creation of a true American has to be supported from the top down in Government, Business and the News Media. There will never be a color blind society as long as articles like this continue to be published, keeping race in the forefront and consciousness of our minds, or am I too naive and racism, racial hatred and this creature called a true American just a figment of my imagination? In my mind Obama is just an American and I never really looked at him otherwise.

[realpatriot1]

If Barack isn''t black enough to be President, who is?
Fred Thompson?

[idlepugilist]

Black enough? What white person would care? There are only those who have convinced themselves, as they park the Caddy and remove their $400 coats, that some politician has to prove that he is as "oppressed" as they are, while they call their wireless phone company to pay their $600 wireless phone bill. There are just too many "oppressed" people out there who seem to think Obama is white just because he''s articulate and tries to make something, anything, of himself.

[b-easy63]

I remember when Geraldine Ferrara was the running mate of a candidate. Back then, we weren''t ready for a female in the second highest office in the land. We like to believe we have come really far on issues of gender and race, but in so many areas--it is evident that either we are all standing still or even sliding backwards. America appears to be more race sensitive and perhaps even more racist in this century than they were in the 1980''s -2000. A lot of the onus for that goes to what has been allowed in politics and pursued either covertly or overtly by the government. Affirmative Action, welfare, prisons, illegals, all have been fodder to paint not so subtle indictments based on skin color or ethnicity. So are we ready for a Black President or a Female President? Many hearts of many tell them yes--but out of the insular bunkers that make up political and social groups, reality says--probably not. We cannot think so little of a race, that we routinely call names and stereotype as criminals and welfare recipients and think we want one of them to lead the country. there is a huge disconnect there. By the same token, we may not be so eager to have a woman, seen as conniving, manipulative and dishonest as our leader either--but then, we are left with a Republican--and THAT is probably the most unpalatable choice of them all.

[idlepugilist]

As I said before, a woman President would not only change the face of politics in America, it would not make a difference to the different skin colors of Americans... except for Muslims who want women to be subordinate and hidden from public, oh, and maybe beaten or jailed for being gang raped.

[kansas1946]

I don''''t care what his skin color is, I just don''''t trust him. It is mainly where he was raised, Indonesia, with a Muslim stepfather and an atheist white mother. I think he is a closet muslim, which is all we need.


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Posted by BarbJC1 at 09:53 PM : Nov 27, 2007
************************************************


Just amazing.




Amazing.

[lanefiller1]

Anyone looking for some new Hillary video from an SC stop and an interesting commentary on how race is impacting that primary should try: http://goupstate.us/index.php/lanefiller/2007/11/27/hillary_and_the_black_men_of_god

[nottellin1]

I''m still trying to get over the phrase "self identify", where did that come from? Gee, I think I''ll self identify myself as really really cool.

[Pocko]

Wasn''t Mohamid Alley a black muslim? Heck-hes'' got my vote. Knock ''em out, kid.

[brianbwb-2009]

"I don''t want to sound prejudiced or anything, but for one, I am not going to vote for a colored man to be our president," said one South Carolina voter.

"I don''''''''t care what his skin color is, I just don''''''''t trust him. It is mainly where he was raised, Indonesia, with a Muslim stepfather and an atheist white mother. I think he is a closet muslim, which is all we need." Posted by BarbJC1

Unless he is the Democrat''s choice, I probably won''t vote for him either, not because of his ethnicity, (I am also "Black")but because I see him playing the same political games as all the rest (and he is good at it), and I feel that we cannot remain a country much longer with the status quo.

But from others, I see that many Neanderthals in the US are still too stupid to see through the artificial construct known as "race", and therefore don''t deserve a real president.

[flreason]

Not only is racism is still alive and well in America, you play the religious bigotry card as well. How on earth do you justify your conclusion? What you''re suggesting is that attending a school with Muslims (he has stated that he didn''t participate in the optional Muslim religion classes) tainted him for life...that his adult membership in the Church of Christ is a coverup. Look at all of the children brought up Christian who reject it for other religions or no religion later...are they closet Christians? His time in Indonesia was a small portion of his life. And Indonesian Muslims had a much more tolerant view of other religions at that time. Islamic extremism is a more recent phenomenon. Americans need to stop allowing politicians to use fear to win their votes. We need to stand up the way we did in WWII when Roosevelt said, "We have nothing to fear but fear itself," instead of cowering and looking for Muslim bogeymen behind every bush...or is that spelled with a capital B?

[brianbwb-2009]

I''''m still trying to get over the phrase "self identify", where did that come from? Gee, I think I''''ll self identify myself as really really cool.
Posted by nottellin1

Great, now if your actions and words match your new self identity, soon others will also think you are really, really cool.

[chirumbolo]

It''s not that Obama is multi-racial or black, it''s that he is cynically exploiting the black community for his own self interest.

Barack Obama has done nothing for people of color, and he has the gall to claim himself as successor the civil rights movement. Democrats of all stripes reject the Obama brand of ugly race baiting, and the pitting of gay Americans against black Americans.

[Wookiee-1138]

Does this mean rumours of him being a closet Muslim have died out?

[erasmus6]

"He is not the descendant of African slaves, but is the son of a white mother and a Kenyan father, so he alone gets questions about just who he is."

And what does it matter? It shouldn''t matter if he is black, white, whatever, so why should it matter how black he is???

The guy shouldn''t be president no matter whether he is black or white because he is too immature and inexperienced.

[jipoku]

This is not a real issue. Blacks in academia and journalists like this question, but everyday blacks do not question his race.

[jipoku]

Juno912: Before you make sweeping statements, you should check your facts. Obama worked as a community organizer in a black neighborhood. He passed legislature against profiling as a state senator. These are just two examples I know. When did he pit *** against blacks? How is he using race to exploit anyone?

[adian1-2009]

Obama is just aware of the fact that racially he should be considered the best candidate, and he exploits the issue to benefit himself politically. He is part white to white voters; he is part black to black voters; he is colorless to many of us that would pay no attention to ethnicity. A perfect candidate to satisfy all racists and the non-racists, isn''t it? Well, that is precisely his Aquiles'' heel. If he does not show that he is abler than Hillary, which has not shown yet, he won''t prevail. Race does not count here.

[mike71067]

From the article: "Democrat''s Race, And Whether He''s "Black Enough," Continue To Spark Conversation".

Man. I''m sure glad I''m not black or gay. Really. Everything those guys ever think about is "black" or "gay". Look at black or gay comedians on TV - every joke is about being black or gay. As far as how this will affect Obama''s campaign, it''s truly sad. He''s playing to constituents who are black before they are American.

[flreason]

It seems to me the media are exploiting and sensationalizing this "issue" just to create the illusion of a racial controversy that will capture readers'' interests. I think it''s unlikely this would be more than a blip on the radar screen if it weren''t for media hype.

[extremophil]

Of course his race is not an issue. It''s his I.Q. that I''m concerned about.

[peeja581]

I am over 50 years of age and an African American female who lives in the South, and I am soooooooo disappointed to see African American "so-called" leaders continue to demonstrate a "slave mentality" when it comes to supporting Senator Barack Obama! Some of those same leaders told the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that the time had not come for blacks in America! Here we are in the 21st Century and yet that same mentality exists -- that is, it is not time for a more than qualified black man to become President of the United States of America. If people disregard the tone of Mr. Obama''s skin -- one could easily argue that he is another John F. Kennedy, Jr. who is young and full of bright ideas and want to engage the youth of America to get involve in politics and make a difference in this country and the world. The Politics of Hope does work!

It never ceases to amaze me that some of those "so-called" African American spiritual leaders and politicos, especially in South Carolina would hold lack of experience as a reason not to support Mr. Obama -- yet, none of them had experience as State Representatives, Senators and Pastors until someone voted them in office! Surely, if one does not vote for Mr. Obama, he will not win!

[robrob791]

IT''S A SHAME THE CHOICES ARE SO LIMITED. WHY CAN''T SOMEONE QUALIFIED IN EITHER PARTY RUN. OUR COUNTRY IS GOING CHINESE QUICKLY, MAYBE WE NEED A CHINESE CANDITATE.

[beltway33]

My concerns are not Obama being black, but that if he became the nominee, the republican machine will rip him apart and we would be back to 2000 and 2004. I feel that greed pushed him into this race. If he was smart he should have supported hillary and ended up in the ticket as the VP, and 8 yrs later, nothing will stop him becoming the first ever black u.s president. But greed had to spoil step in as it ususally does....

[cmp271]

We are all Americans!!

When the common peasantry of this country stop hyphenating their identities we will be able to elect a black President, or one of any previous nationality.

I am tired of hearing the slave connection. Big deal, so what if your ancestors were slaves!! The Jews were enslaved in Egypt for how many centuries, do you hear them whinging about it forever??? God led them out of bondage. Lincoln, and WHITE northerners led the blacks out of bondage!!! It was not god!!!

It is more the muslim issue that will hurt Obama. Actually he can say his background comes from an identifiable source in Africa. There are also WHITES WHO ARE FROM AFRICA!!!

HELLO, ANYONE HOME ON THIS ONE???

CHELSEA DAVY IS WHITE AND FROM ZIMBABWE AND HAS BEEN GOING OUT WITH PRINCE HARRY. DOES SHE LOOK BLACK TO YOU?

[burkai]

One of the greatest obstacles to peace is the penchant of human beings to cling to and identify with being a member of a party, a person of race or religious order. Our true identity is that of embodied spirit. We need to see beyond what our limited eyes define for us as ''white'', ''black'', ''red'', or yellow''. We need evolve beyond the garments of religious affiliation and experience the nature of our soul, a consciousness of dynamic equality and living for the betterment of others.
Those that own the gold make the rules and the rules make more gold for the rule makers. The rules dictate to each one of us a role to play in the dishonestly scripted reality written by the rule makers. The created illusion of opposites is extremely strong. The unevolved person plays into the illusion of living a reality written by someone else while believing the role is uniquely theirs.
Every one of us must try to live a life that moves us toward becoming an actualized human being. Herein lays power and freedom.

Shakespeare said, "..the world is but a stage and we are all actors upon it".

I ask, WHO WRITES YOUR SCRIPT?

Dear Senator Obama, challenge the media and critics who pigeonhole the human truth with sophomoric argument. Keep raising the consciousness of presidential debate by revealing the power and freedom of your honesty.

Lee Burkins, Author of Soldier''s Heart: An Inquiry of War

[nottellin1]

Great, now if your actions and words match your new self identity, soon others will also think you are really, really cool.


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Posted by brianbwb at 12:01 AM : Nov 28, 2007

Thanks for playing.

[nottellin1]

I ask, WHO WRITES YOUR SCRIPT?

Dear Senator Obama, challenge the media and critics who pigeonhole the human truth with sophomoric argument. Keep raising the consciousness of presidential debate by revealing the power and freedom of your honesty.

Lee Burkins, Author of Soldier''''s Heart: An Inquiry of War




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Posted by Burkai at 11:01 AM : Nov 28, 2007

Uh, hello, writers strike, no scripts. Ha ha.

[thgdriver]

Sorry bud, I can''t get past your votes on gun control in Illanois for one, for another, I can''t get past why a very well known, rich, black, Daytime host picked you to back. She knows you don''t have the experience, so is it because you are black?

If all the candidates were black and one was white, and a very well known, rich, white celebrity backed only the white guy the NAACP, Jackson and Sharpton would be calling fowl and call for the network to fire him/her.!! But in this case alls well and good.

[tibu987]

I don''t give a hoot about Obama''s racial indentity.
What I do give a hoot about is voting for the person that I feel will unite this country, end the war, help to change the U.S. profile internationally, and lastly, be a honest, forthright president.
Yeah, I know, that is asking too much.

[dgal878]

thgdriver:
Boy you got that right! Sure get tired of hearing the so called minorities belly aching. WA-WA-WA

[dgal878]

cmp271:

We hear ya! Right on!

[thgdriver]

tibu987

Reading what you asked for, it''s too bad Dorothy from OZ is not running, Hillary is.

[kansas1946]

I love Obama and I am white. The majority of blacks so far are supporting Hillary, at least that is what the polls are showing. It is funny to hear that Obama "may not be black enough." As far as I can see, he is the blackest one of the bunch! I think he is great and would vote for him in a minute.

[yongamerica]

Some people call him an oreo cookie. I call him a smart cookie.

[chitown639]

Black people aren''t really behind Obama''s Presidential Campaign because they know he has no chance of winning. African-Americans know that there is absolutely too much racism in America to elect a Black President. Most Americans wouldn''t want to think of themselves as racist. But, the daily decisions that we make, whether conciously or sub-conciously, show our true intolerence toward blacks. Whether you quickly check your purse or your wallet when you suddenly notice a black man standing near you, or cross the street when you see a black person approching. If you villify or find it easier or more believable that a black person commited a crime, or do you give mixed couples a mean stare or quick glance of disapproval. There are countless other things we do in our daily life, but we never really quite understand that African-Americans see these things we do as racism. Many blacks endure these sutle forms of racism everyday. They know the racism that''s out there. This country was build on racism, it''s enwoven into the fabric of our society. Racism is the cornerstone to many of the great institutions of our government. From our nations police and fire departments to the courts, to the schools and universities. From big cities to small towns, from your neighborhood to mine. Racism is all around us, something the black people know better than any of us. Which is why they also know better than any of us, that there won''t be a black president for a long time to come.

[pakaal]

"The issue of whether he is black enough is not the primary issue," said Michael Fauntroy, a professor of public policy at George Mason University. "The issue is whether he has enough experience."

Does it take a professor to point out that we''re talking about whether or not Obama can be a good president, not what his ethnic heritage created in him as a human being?

Yeah, I know. All those crackers out there are so insecure they rail against the very thought of a Black man as president. And it seems like Blacks aren''t much better. I actually heard a Black woman say Obama can''t apply the term "African American" to himjself because of US historical connotations to the slave trade. His dad''s from Africa, and he was born in America. How much more frickin'' African American can the guy get?

The whole "Racial Identity" thing may be an issue, but of the range of issues facing America today, his self-definition of cultural heritage plays far further down on my worry list than say, Huckabee, Brownback and Tancredo saying they don''t belive in science.

[erasmus6]

"If you villify or find it easier or more believable that a black person commited a crime, or do you give mixed couples a mean stare or quick glance of disapproval." posted by chitown639


I find it absolutely unbelievable how bad the racism is in the U.S. It is just mind boggling to me.