Two Questions: The Role of Race in National Politics

[Monte314]

If Senator Obama woke up tomorrow morning with white skin and caucasian features, would he retain his constituency?

If Senator McCain woke up tomorrow morning with black skin and negroid features, would he retain his constituency?

I think these questions address something important about the role of race in national politics. What do you think?

[Lights]

If either of those candidates woke up tomorrow morning with different skin colors, I would question their general health.

[SevenOfSpades]

Well, I can't pretend to think that being white and running for office doesn't tip the scale a little in one's favour. People do cast votes for stupid, prejudiced reasons.

[Sean O]

I think people would just be freaked out if either of them woke up one day with a different skin colour.

If, however, we're talking about if either Obama's or McCain's skin colour was different from the very beginning, then I believe that in any scenario where Obama was white, or where McCain was black, Obama would win. Mind you, I haven't been keeping up with the election as of late (I'm Canadian, so it's far less interesting/important to me than it would be if I were American), so I'm probably not fully aware of the many nuances surronding this election. I hope Obama wins, though.

By the way, I noticed that your poll does not include the possibility of Obama losing to McCain, even by implication.

[void]

The race issue has not been brought up thus far in the mud-slinging we've witnessed over the past few months. However it is naive to think that it is not an issue with voters. People might not openly say that they base their decision upon the melanin content of a candidate's skin, but the truth will manifest itself on voting day. Obama's image problem among the far-right stems mostly from his middle name. Oh and his crazy former-pastor.

[Grizzly]

My voting behavior in this election is based primarily of the differences in foreign policy stance, but also becuase I want to get the "New Generation" of politicians into the seat of power.

The US needs a fundamental shift in the thinking of those on Capitol Hill, for the last few presidencies roughly the same generation has been represented, and they dont seem to be coping to well with the new economic/political eviroment.

But my fellow Kentucky voters think that race is a serious issue. These are the people that wont allow black or female drivers in Nascar because they think these persons just arent intelligent enough.........

[NephilimAzrael]

Race appears to have a quite interesting power in politics. But I would be more disappointed if an Obama of any ethnicity was beaten by McCain.

[void]

On a somewhat related note, I find it surprising that the One Drop Rule is still used in the year 2008. Most of the media has identified Obama as black, even though he is actually mulatto. I'm not one to play the race card, but for all its claims to racial neutrality, the news media fails miserably in this regard. Of course, much of the news media in America fails miserably at delivering unbiased news altogether (but that's another story for another day).

[stasis]

On a somewhat related note, I find it surprising that the One Drop Rule is still used in the year 2008. Most of the media has identified Obama as black, even though he is actually mulatto.
What's even more disconcerting is who the one-drop rule is still being embraced by. I believe Obama self-identifies as "black." And apparently the 'black community' likes to identify him in that way.

[SShack]

Actually, though you can't see it on the national level, there is a huge, tectonic shift in racial self-identification going on in America among those of mixed race. I volunteered to help out with a free local immunization clinic for kids going back to school. About half the children were of mixed parentage and the check-in process required them to identify the races of the kids for info purposes. Most of them simply shrugged at me and said things like "I'm white. His dad's Mexican. Not sure what that makes him." I ended up classifying a lot of them as "other."

Culturally, the one drop rule is probably gone. But we're still in a position of judging by appearances. Obama is black because he looks black. People are still adapting to the concept of mixed races, though we've really come a long way. Here in SoCal, if you see somebody with a deep tan, you can't really tell if they're Mexican, Filipino, half-Mexican/half-black or white, half-Mexican/half-Filipino, half-Mexican/half-Asian, some other Central-South American nationality entirely, et cetera et cetera, or just a white person with a spray on tan.

[Seppuku Savant]

Actually, though you can't see it on the national level, there is a huge, tectonic shift in racial self-identification going on in America among those of mixed race.Culturally, the one drop rule is probably gone. But we're still in a position of judging by appearances.

Interesting. That's quite true. There is most definitely a shift going on.

I'm half and half. I still go by the one drop rule and identify as non-white. I'm almost 25, and I think most people of my generation are still identifying that way as well.

[Monte314]

One of my concerns is that, no matter how the election turns out, it is going to be regarded as a moratorium on race relations in the US. Depending upon the outcome, some blacks or some whites will see the outcome as an expression of racist attitudes, and I think this will set race relations back. This looks to me like a "lose-lose" situation.

I'm also very concerned that if Mr. Obama is elected and falls short in any way (can anyone be *perfect*?), some will point to it as "proof" that black America is not ready to supply national leaders. In fact, I'm not sure that he will be allowed to succeed in some quarters.

All of this troubles me; but we will have to face this eventually. If Mr. Obama is elected, I hope he's ready for all this.

[Wuchak]

Race is not in the least an issue for me, but I'm sure it is for some people. Competence is THE issue, and I'm not convinced that I see it in either candidate.

[void]

One of my concerns is that, no matter how the election turns out, it is going to be regarded as a moratorium on race relations in the US. Depending upon the outcome, some blacks or some whites will see the outcome as an expression of racist attitudes, and I think this will set race relations back. This looks to me like a "lose-lose" situation.

This will be exacerbated by the likes of Al Sharpton & Jesse Jackson in one corner, and white-supremacist groups in the other. They will not waste a second to hop onto their respective soap boxes and wave the race card for all to see. Preaching their nonsense to the ignorant keeps them in power.

I'm also very concerned that if Mr. Obama is elected and falls short in any way (can anyone be *perfect*?), some will point to it as "proof" that black America is not ready to supply national leaders. In fact, I'm not sure that he will be allowed to succeed in some quarters.

All of this troubles me; but we will have to face this eventually. If Mr. Obama is elected, I hope he's ready for all this.

This is inevitable. You can count on the extreme right-wing and Fox News talking heads to do everything in their power to portray him as the worst US president in history. He has handled the swiftboating very well thus far, but it will become exponentially difficult for him to do so if his party wins the election.

[Monte314]

Yes, I fear that void is quite right. The US has become so politically polarized that neither conservatives nor liberals seem to be able to afford to allow the other's winning candidate to succeed in office. This cannot continue.

[zibber]

I think it's still viable for anti-Obama PR minds to use the race factor to try and make people unsure about him. I don't know what it is, but people can be influenced in the craziest ways come election time. I think I read somewhere that over 10% of (polled) Americans are unsure whether Obama isn't a muslim. If you are only able to plant that seed of doubt into people's underbellies, through the media, you can do a lot of damage, no matter how irrational your accusation is.

I have great difficulty assessing the hypothetical situation. I doubt very much that the Republicans would go with a black candidate right now. Race definitely plays a role, though.

[Colette]

Hmm...well if Obama continues to fly under the public radar, and refuse to debate McCain, it won't much matter what colour either of them is..