Racists For Obama?

Politico: Obama Coalition Appears To Include Whites With Negative Views Of African Americans

(The Politico)  This story was written by Ben Smith.

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New polling and a trickle of stories from the battleground states suggest that Sen. Barack Obama's coalition includes one unlikely group: white voters with negative views of African Americans.

Race has become the elephant in the room of the 2008 presidential campaign, with Obama’s prospect of becoming the first black president drawing some Americans closer to him while pushing others away. At times, the contest has slipped into a familiar dynamic of allegations of racism and outraged denial - but it's also challenged some easy assumptions about race, racism and prejudice.

“What you see is it’s perfectly possible to hold a negative view of at least one aspect of African Americans and yet simultaneously prefer Obama,” said Charles Franklin, a political scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "Racial feelings are not as cut and dried - not as black and white - as people often say."

Franklin explored those contradictions in a large, national survey taken in mid-September, when the Illinois Democratic senator's rival, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), led in many polls and the nation’s economic woes had not yet produced a deep crisis. The poll asked voters whether they agreed with the statement that "African Americans often use race as an excuse to justify wrongdoing." About a fifth of white voters said they "strongly agreed." Yet among those who agreed, 23 percent said they’d be supporting Obama.

"This result is reasonable if you believe that race is not as monolithic an effect as we might easily assume," Franklin said, noting that 22 percent of those who "strongly disagreed" said they'd be supporting McCain.

Anecdotes from across the battlegrounds suggest that there’s a significant minority of prejudiced white voters who will swallow hard and vote for the black man.

"I wouldn’t want a mixed marriage for my daughter, but I’m voting for Obama," the wife of a retired Virginia coal miner, Sharon Fleming, told the Los Angeles Times recently.

One Obama volunteer told Politico after canvassing the working-class white Philadelphia neighborhood of Fishtown recently, "I was blown away by the outright racism, but these folks are … undecided. They would call him a [racial epithet] and mention how they don't know what to do because of the economy."

The notion that there might be "racists for Obama," as one Democrat called them, comes against the backdrop of a country whose white voters largely accept the notion of a black president.

"The economy is trumping racism," said Kurt Schmoke, the dean of Howard University Law School and a former Baltimore mayor. "A lot of people who we might think wouldn’t vote their pocketbook because of race - now they are."

"If you go to a white neighborhood in the suburbs and ask them, 'How would you feel about a large black man kicking your door in,' they would say, 'That doesn’t sound good to me,'" said Democratic political consultant Paul Begala. "But if you say, 'Your house is on fire, and the firefighter happens to be black,' it’s a different situation.

"The house is on fire, and one guy seems like he’s calm and confident and in charge, and that’s the only option," he said.

That is, in less dramatic terms, more or less the campaign’s official talking point, a version of the longtime Democratic hope that class will - or at least should - matter more than race.

"Voters are less interested in the hot button and are more interested in the cooling economy," said Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.), an Obama ally who is as on-message as his father is off.

But other, more nuanced, questions of race are also in play.

One senior congressional Democrat mused about prejudice among his own supporters. "They’ve all got one black friend,” he said, “and they won’t stop talking about their black friend."

"That's Obama," he said.

And some argue that elements of Obama’s story and persona make him specifically acceptable to voters who hold broadly negative views of African Americans.

"Not all whites associate the generic African American with Obama," said Ron Walters, a longtime student of race and politics and aide to the senior Jesse Jackson’s presidential campaigns. "They give him credit for having half a Caucasian ancestry, and give him credit for his education, and give him credit for his obvious ability to take complex subjects and parse them."

The geography of racial conflict and tolerance has been a strong overlay of the electoral map. Obama has run better than past Democrats in prosperous states with little history of tension, such as Colorado and Iowa, and worse in working-class states in the Appalachian belt. His campaign has been structured around this dynamic and may actually have overestimated the number of white Democrats in the region unwilling to vote for him because of his race. Obama had ignored West Virginia, for instance, until a spate of positive polls prompted him to start advertising there this week.

Obama has also ignored Southern states with a history of deep racial division, from Arkansas to Missisissippi, in favor of those that have seen an influx of new voters from the north -  Virginia, North Carolina and Florida.

Until this fall, both campaigns viewed Michigan - a heavily Democratic state, but one with a history of tension between Detroit and its white suburbs - as Obama’s Achilles’ heel. In 2006, the state was deeply divided by a referendum to ban affirmative action. The measure was opposed by most African-American voters as an assault on hard-won gains, but it won broad support among whites and passed by a double-digit margin.

But earlier this month, McCain gave up the state for lost as economic concerns appear to have trumped racial ones.

"Obama’s personality - his speech, his look - he provides [white voters] with a non-threatening way to move forward on this issue, and that’s a very positive development," said David Waymire, who led the unsuccessful opposition to the anti-affirmative action initiative. "He is not Kwame Kilpatrick," he said, referring to the Detroit mayor who resigned last month after pleading guilty in a sex and misconduct scandal.

For black observers of American politics in particular, Obama’s ability to win over voters who harbor negative views of African Americans at large is a complex, but hopeful, sign.

"I didn't think the election itself is necessarily going to transport a lot of people, but I’ve been changing my view on that a bit lately," said Walters. "I’ve been in personal circumstances where I said to myself, 'I wonder if this person sees me differently because a black person is about to be the president of the United States?'"

[john43218]

Missouri campaign Senator Claire McCaskill have attached the stench of police state tactics to the Obama-Biden campaign.

%u201CWhat Senator Obama and his helpers are doing is scandalous beyond words, the party that claims to be the party of Thomas Jefferson is abusing the justice system and offices of public trust to silence political criticism with threats of prosecution and criminal punishment.

%u201CThis abuse of the law for intimidation insults the most sacred principles and ideals of Jefferson. I can think of nothing more offensive to Jefferson%u2019s thinking than using the power of the state to deprive Americans of their civil rights. The only conceivable purpose of Messrs. McCulloch, Obama and the others is to frighten people away from expressing themselves, %u201CBarack Obama needs to grow up. Leftist blogs and others in the press constantly say false things about me and my family.

Usually, we ignore false and scurrilous accusations because the purveyors have no credibility. When necessary, we refute them. Enlisting Missouri law enforcement to intimidate people and kill free debate is reminiscent of the Sedition Acts - not a free society.%u201D

[noamnestymc]

If mccain would stop giving more of his time and support to illegal mexicans rather than white americans, maybe then us white americans might vote for him, but until then, I''d much rather have the first black president(Obama) rather than the first hispanic president(Mccain)!

[timnguyen]

Please show me a Black endorse McCain while many Whites endorse Obama. Who is racist?

[timnguyen]

Enven Collin Power may endrose Obama because he is black

[timnguyen]

White liquid mixed Black liquid. The outcome is still black

[timnguyen]

Worse than that, Obama still remain his Muslim name. This leads me conclusion he was sympathetic to Muslim. Why did not he change American name?

[wanderson]

ost of commentary and opinions expressed in USA about racism in the country are convoluted explanations - mostly excuses - for the severity of this persistent cancer of society.

Why the majority of the population, including the"intellectuals"and closet bigots, cannot see fit to cleanly admit the calamity and their sick biases - which is clearly the prevalent opinion of rest of developed (especially "White" countries) world is beyond belief.

[doctajim]

Rather odd truth that I know several black professionals that would also agree with that "racist" statement. Any of the works by noted black activist and author Shelby Steele would also question the "racist" nature of that foolish assumption. Perhaps, just perhaps - that statement may have an element of politically incorrect truth.

[aj4321-2009]

White liquid mixed Black liquid. The outcome is still black
Posted by Timmothy8 at 03:34 PM : Oct 18, 2008

----------------
Sometimes, when you mix "white liquid" with "white liquid", they turn out to be "stupid moron".

[timnguyen]

The mistakes fo some Americans is that they think they are clever and smarter than their president and others. Actually, they are stupid donkeys

[timnguyen]

Obama, freshman senator, attended congress 153 times in 3 years. He has a history of hard drugs, weed and alcohol. His political career was initially started/funded by Resko and Auchi, convicted muslim criminals. Attended a racist anti-american church for 20 years. His pastor, uncle, mentor, and family member, a former muslim, was his spititual guide for 20 years. He freely associated with known terrorists, Ayres and Dohrn for years. Obama%u2019s launch into politics started in Ayres living room, with his support and funds. Launched ACORN, to new heights, with his legal services and instruction, which became one of the premier groups, in many states, associated with voter fraud and now under investigation by numerous government agencies.

[charlie1000-2009]

90% of the black voters voted on Obama and not for Hillary Clinton.
Obama has done nothing for the blacks , the Clintons did.

Racism??????????

[blondchic]

My brother in law lives in Ohio and is a total racist and he is VOTING FOR OBAMA! He said, enough is enough no more Bush enconomic!!!

[timnguyen]

ditgold

I agree I am idiots and you are smarter. Next four years, you open your eyes to see things Obama bring Muslim and his liberal idea to ruin and mess up the country if he is elected.

[notfooled]

I think even racist folks have had enough of the lies, deciept, treachery, and raiding of the treasury by the Bush/Cheney crime syndicate.

[latrocinor-2009]

Posted by Kila_MaDDoGG

Spammer and troll

[notfooled]

agree I am idiots and you are smarter. Next four years, you open your eyes to see things Obama bring Muslim and his liberal idea to ruin and mess up the country if he is elected.

Posted by Timmothy8 at 04:14 PM : Oct 18, 2008

Wake up and look around. There''s no way Obama could possibly further ruin the disaster and destruction the Bush/Cheney crime syndicate have inflicted on our country.

The only direction we can possibly go from here is up, unless you vote for more of the McSame.

[timnguyen]

Heros are being inIrag and Afghanistan battleground while some corwards and anti-goverment use the forum to insults the meaningless things

[tkforchange]

Timmothy8:
Please crawl back to the IGNORANT hellhole that you crawled out of - the world has No Use for people like you!

[todd652]

The largest sect of racism going on right now, are the people who are following the Obama movement. They are on the brink of the worst extremism that could get to riotous levels if Mc Cain wins. Obama followers are nasty and rude, and have the look of hatred in their eyes. Just watch the people in the audience at his campaign speeches. Poor Joe the plumber. He represents all of us, and look at what they did to him.

[latrocinor-2009]

tkforchange:
Please crawl back to the IGNORANT hellhole that you crawled out of - the world has No Use for people like you!

[timnguyen]

I will crawl back to the IGNORANT hellhole and let *** hole for you

bye bye

[ramos937]

I have a white friend (I am Hispanic) who really dislikes black folks. His father was in the KKK and his uncles to. Yet, he, his father and his uncles intend to vote for Obama.

Why? His father and uncles receive social security and have seen their investments decline in value. They feel that Obama is better suited to hand the job of President and take care of our economic problems than McCain.

I guess self preservation makes strange bed fellows.

I also guess the deep South is no longer safely red.

[latrocinor-2009]

I doubt that my crackwhore mother knew or cared where the white liquid was coming from.

Since I doubt that my crackwhore mother knew or cared where the white liquid was coming from, but it doesn''''t matter since I was conceived with what dribbled down from her asss anyway.

PVperson

[timnguyen]

I am back

ramos937

CHANGE....CHANGE...

Nothing will be changed

Just for a thing, a BLACK instead of a WHITE sits in White House (new name is Black House)

TALK IS CHEAP. Instead, LOOK AT THEIR TRACK RECORD. What they have done in THE PAST WILL TELL YOU WHAT THEY WILL DO in the future. If one of the candidates has little or no track record, it means that this person is not ready to be president.

[vcofreason]

Obama is not black. Why do people keep referring to him as such?

[charlie1000-2009]

90% of the black voters voted on Obama and not for Hillary Clinton.
Obama has done nothing for the blacks , the Clintons did.

Racism?????????

[charlie1000-2009]

90% of the black voters voted on Obama and not for Hillary Clinton.
Obama has done nothing for the blacks , the Clintons did.

Racism?????????

[latrocinor-2009]

Obama is not black. Why do people keep referring to him as such?

Posted by VcofReason

It''s who he is perceived to associate with. Black preachers shouting GOD D A M N AMERICA makes people think racist negro.

[missingamerica]

Anybody who doubts the damage that the Republicans have done to our educational system should be made to read the comments posted by Republican supporters.

[timnguyen]

PVperson
I''''m sorry PVperson, I didn''''t realize you were only 2, it''''s OK, mommy will come to feed for you soon, don''''t cry.

[latrocinor-2009]

Anybody who doubts the damage that the Democrats have done to our educational system should be made to read the comments posted by me and other Republican trashers.

Posted by ibsteve2u

[latrocinor-2009]

Why don''''t we turn that? 98% of McCain supporters are white, does that mean anything?

Posted by PVperson

Yep, racists are voting for Obama.

[latrocinor-2009]

Gosh, you guys are SOOOO original, but I guess that''''s the way of 5 year olds.
Posted by PVperson

Yup, we read the 5 year old filth your crack mother taught you to spew all the time.

[latrocinor-2009]

No actually I said:

Actually Timmothy8, I doubt that your crackwhore mother knew or cared where the white liquid was coming from.

But I''''ll expand it for you:
Actually Latrocinor, I doubt that your crackwhore mother knew or cared where the white liquid was coming from, but it doesn''''t matter since you were conceived with what dribbled down from her asss anyway.

[letreasonwin]

Here''s an interesting read:

http://www.republicansforobama.org/?q=node/3329

[latrocinor-2009]

No actually I said:

Actually Timmothy8, I doubt that your crackwhore mother knew or cared where the white liquid was coming from.

But I''ll expand it for you:
Actually Latrocinor, I doubt that your crackwhore mother knew or cared where the white liquid was coming from, but it doesn''t matter since you were conceived with what dribbled down from her asss anyway.

Posted by PVperson
Posted by PVperson
Posted by PVperson
Posted by PVperson

[latrocinor-2009]

Here''''s an interesting read:
http://www.republicansf
Posted by LetReasonWin

It''s just more partisan trashing and hate drooling with no socially redeeming purpose.

[timnguyen]

We are human. The racism is inside our minds more or less

[latrocinor-2009]

No actually I said:

Actually Timmothy8, I doubt that your crackwhore mother knew or cared where the white liquid was coming from.

But I''''ll expand it for you:
Actually Latrocinor, I doubt that your crackwhore mother knew or cared where the white liquid was coming from, but it doesn''''t matter since you were conceived with what dribbled down from her asss anyway.

Posted by PVperson
Posted by PVperson
Posted by PVperson
Posted by PVperson

[tallyman2008]

Very interesting article.


Perhaps, at last, America is finally ''growing up''

[timnguyen]

So you blame someone to be racists. It is just you are recist.!!

[latrocinor-2009]

Very interesting article.
Perhaps, at last, America is finally ''''growing up''''
Posted by TallyMan2008

We all would hope and pray so.

[timnguyen]

BLACK RACIST WHITE TO VOTE FOR OBAMA
WHITE DIVIDED

OBAMA WINS

AL QUADAL CHEERS AND THINK GOD SEND BROTHER RUIN AMERICA

US MILITARY WEAKEN. SECOND 9/11 OCCURS WHEN BARRACK HUSSEN OBAMA LEAVES OFFICE

US POWER COLLASPED.

BLINDED FOR CHANGE

[imaghast]

Doesn''t anyone monitor the blogs at CBS on the weekends? Please, let''s get this trash cleaned up before certain contributors (who aren''t really contributing anything) go apoplectic.

[timnguyen]

Imaghast

Is contribution thing to talk what you favor?

[latrocinor-2009]

Doesn''''t anyone monitor the blogs at CBS on the weekends? Please, let''''s get this trash cleaned up before certain contributors (who aren''''t really contributing anything) go apoplectic.

Posted by imaghast

They do monitor, clean up the posts and ban who they consider the offenders to be. It isn''t performed in real time but it''s done.

[pegpond]

http://www.nationalblackrepublicans.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=pages.DYK-Why%20MLK%20was%20a%20Republican&tp_preview=true

NBRA Newsletter - Obama vs. McCain Candidate Comparison NBRA''s Denver MLK Billboard Campaign Was A Huge Success Martin Luther King Was A Republican Billboards - Photos An Open Letter To Obama From Black Republicans NBRA At The NAACP Convention 2008 Whitewash - The racist history the Democratic Party wants you to forget by Bruce Bartlett The Democrats'' own history with race By Bruce Bartlett In their Own Words: North Carolina Democrats Issue A Resolution of Apology for 1898 Race Riot Democrats Smeared MLK in the 1960s For Those With Black Republican PAC Questions - Click Here In her article, "A Covenant With Life: Reclaiming MLK%u2019s Legacy", MLK''s niece, Dr. Alveda C. King, affirms that her uncle Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Republican Unveiled: Democrats%u2019 Racist Past by Frances Rice See The NBRA Grassroots Activities - click here Order Black Republican Forum Videos Why Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Republican
.

[pegpond]

By Frances Rice

It should come as no surprise that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Republican. In that era, almost all black Americans were Republicans. Why? From its founding in 1854 as the anti-slavery party until today, the Republican Party has championed freedom and civil rights for blacks. And as one pundit so succinctly stated, the Democrat Party is as it always has been, the party of the four S''s: Slavery, Secession, Segregation and now Socialism.

It was the Democrats who fought to keep blacks in slavery and passed the discriminatory Black Codes and Jim Crow laws. The Democrats started the Ku Klux Klan to lynch and terrorize blacks. The Democrats fought to prevent the passage of every civil rights law beginning with the civil rights laws of the 1860''s, and continuing with the civil rights laws of the 1950''s and 1960''s.

During the civil rights era of the 1960''s, Dr. King was fighting the Democrats who stood in the school house doors, turned skin-burning fire hoses on blacks and let loose vicious dogs.

[latrocinor-2009]

Is this story supposed to mean anything.Who cares if racists are voting for Obama as long as they are voting FOR him.
Does the McCain Camp think this will detract from Obama''''s lead or make their lead greater?
The person who wrote this drivel needs to be fired.
Posted by obiden08

The point they are trying to make is:

1: Even though they are negro haters they still will vote for Obama.

2. Those who are trashing Obama for his perceived race are finding the negro trashing is NOT working as well as they had hoped.