"I really don’t want an African-American as President."

[bunnies]

This article I read yesterday, as well as the two articles it references contains many quotes from residents of WV and KY who say race is THE issue.

Why will Obama get trounced in West Virginia and Kentucky?
Posted May 11th, 2008 at 12:15 pm

It’s not an altogether pleasant subject, but it’s probably worth taking a moment to consider why Obama, just as he wraps up the nomination, is going to get his hat handed to him. McClatchy takes a closer look at the landscape in Kentucky, and suggests race is a dominating factor.

More than one in five likely Democratic voters surveyed said being black hurts Obama’s chances of winning an election in Kentucky, compared to 4 percent who said Obama’s race helps him…. “Race is still the elephant in the room, and the Rev. Wright issue hits at remaining racial prejudices and fears that people here might have,” said Saundra Ardrey, head of the political science department at Western Kentucky University. <…>

“I’ll be very blunt,” said pollster Del Ali, president of Research 2000. “Even if there wasn’t a Rev. Wright controversy, I think Obama would have a tough time in Kentucky, for obvious reasons.”

The thing is, Ali alluded to the “obvious” reasons, but didn’t want to come right out and acknowledge them. I don’t want to put words in his mouth, but by virtue of his stated desire to be “very blunt,” I suspect the pollster was thinking, “A lot of white folks in Kentucky aren’t going to vote for a black man.”

The evidence is entirely anecdotal, but an analysis of the race in West Virginia produced similar results.

Much More at link: http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15505.html

[izzie]

1. Sad. So hard for some to give a good man a vote.

I think it was why he pushed so hard to bring so many in to the party. He may make it and I hope he does. I grew up in to that world that had 'for whites only' and I hope I have reached the age when we can put a good man in the WH and to hell with what color is skin is. I wish they would just look at his mind.

[ej510]

3. When those old fucks die. We will progress a hell of alot faster than

before.

[thoughtcrime1984]

21. There are a lot of racists among younger folks too.

And yes, those would be some of the less educated and less intelligent types.

[LeFleur1]

44. Old Fucks...

as you so cruely put it, got civil rights for a whole lot of Americans.
You might want to open up a history book now and then, or read diaries and notes of those who rode the buses and marched for civil rights, demanding it.

[tblue]

2. And this neanderthal is pollster?

What a clown.

[scheming daemons]

4. The problem with the quote in the OP is that they wouldn't use the word "African-American"

...if they were in front of a whites-only audience.


We know what word they would use.

[babylonsister]

5. Isn't that who Clinton's been banking on? She'll get her

southern states, big deal. I'm just sorry the people in those states who aren't bigoted aren't speaking out. Or maybe they are, and I missed it.

[bunnies]

22. Not only banking on it,

but using it to her advantage. Thereby giving these bigots a free pass to vote based on race. Its sick.

[frogmarch]

6. I hate racists. - every one of the effing assholes! nt

[burythehatchet]

7. We will have the president we deserve

Maybe when gas is 10 bucks these pigs will gnash their tooth and wonder if they should have voted for the black guy.

[AspenRose]

15. I doubt it.

eom

[MediaBabe]

23. I seem to recall gas was 99 cents a gallon under Bill Clinton

What does Obama's skin color have to do with the price of gas?

[keep_it_real]

8. I believe if Obama campaigns in those states he can

Win over a lot of those people who say they won't vote for a African American. He just has to show them he is a human being just like they are with the same wants and desires for their future and children as he wants for his own future and children. He should hits those states full blast and in their face. Kennedy did it and won WV over. But I think it's best to do it after he wins the nom and the influence of the Clinton's is not in the state.

[Adelante]

10. I agree absolutely

Obama can do this.

[MediaBabe]

26. For every voter Obama has won

He has lost one for calling the Clinton's racist.

[Hawkowl]

49. Nope.

I actually liked the Clinton's till they infuriated me with their racist innuendos. They have become repugnant and hideous. It is hard to believe I was actually on the fence between the two after Edwards dropped out. All they need now to complete the picture is a couple of pillow cases over their pointy heads parading behind a burning cross.

May they rot in hell.

[Overseas]

50. But some Obama supporters are really slandering rural citizens

I agree that Obama, as a community organizer, could reach out to a lot of the West Virginians. He could relate to their concerns and offer practical solutions they might like. So I get very sad to see people talking about Democrats in rural states in a grossly snobbish manner. I hope the Obama campaign can get its supporters to understand how much they hurt their cause by slandering Democrats from other areas.

[Basement Beat]

9. I've always been blind to this sector of the...

...democratic party. I just sort of naively assumed that dems would all be more progressive minded.

[knixphan]

11. and to think...

This is a man with one totally-WASP parent!

Imagine if he had TWO black parents...?

...We have a long way to go still.

[CakeGrrl]

12. I'm certain that this comes as absolutely NO surprise to the Obama camp

A 40-something AA man who decides to run for POTUS knows quite well what he's up against. So far, the gambit that the racists who will not vote for a black candidate would be outweighed by non-bigots and people who generally want to solve this nation's bigger economic, social and foreign policy problems has paid off.

What Obama loses in these Dixiecrat-mentality voters, he partly recoups in Independents and crossover Republicans who are disgruntled with what their party has become under Bush II.

[tledford]

13. Obama got 36% of the white vote in NC...

...and I think that he will continue to garner a higher percentage of the white vote after the conventions as the Republicans become more blatantly racist in their attempts to frighten voters.

I'm a 51-years-old white Southern male and I had begun to doubt that I would see something like this Obama candidacy *in my lifetime* and yet here it is. And for the first time in history, 35% or 40% of the white vote might be enough to elect a President, even in a race where there is no Perot-type (strong) third-party candidate.

And as someone pointed out in another post, Bill Clinton only won 39% of the white vote in both elections. (Of course, Perot might have been a factor there, but many of his votes were Republican defectors disappointed in GHWB and uninspired by Dole.)

[L0oniX]

14. "African-American" ??? hmmm I didn't know he was from Africa.

I wish people would refrain from using that label. Who in America is race pure? Not many. People don't refer to me as being Dutch-American.

[Apollo11]

18. If anyone can call themselves African-American, it is Barack Obama.

But that doesn't mean that he is somehow less than 100% American.

People also talk about Irish-American or Italian-American identities.

Barack Obama was born in the USA (which is not true of John McCain).

[L0oniX]

42. It's one thing to say that someone's ancestors are/were from some other country or continent...

and another thing to label or categorize someone by there mixture of blood lines. I hear this crap way too often from people, like you can tell what a person is going to be like by their racial makeup. ak: They are Irish American ...they drink a lot and believe in luck and imps or they are Italian American and they like spaghetti and play accordions and most likely have connections to or know someone in the mob. You get my drift?

[jeffrey_X]

29. not the same thing...

nigger << negro << colored << black << african american

it's called evolution. it's not a literal term in the sense that you think it is. try thinking outside the box.

[L0oniX]

43. Well then you can refer to me as being Dutch-American. Let's apply the labels to everyone in America

according to their blood lines. Oh and let's make room on the census forms for everyones mix too.

[MediaBabe]

33. Duh. You do realize his father is directly from Africa, don't you?

Obama is more "African-American" than 99% of the people who claim the designation.

[L0oniX]

41. If his father moved to the USA then his father would be an African_American I suppose.

I was talking about Obama, not his father...DUH. If you are born in US territory you are American ..period IMO. I realize that the partially racist US government says that if you have one drop of an African person in your blood, you are black. I say fuck that and fuck those who approve of that. Bottom line for me is that I condemn the racial labels placed on Americans as they only serve to divide us.

[iamthebandfanman]

16. thats how my grandma feels

and we live in kentucky.
that answer ur question?

[FrenchieCat]

17. This particular headline, as an AA myself, is quite offensive to me.......

I really don't like to read this kind of racist ass statement, no matter if others enjoy them regardless of what the body of the OP reads.

I'm sure that no Hillary supporter would welcome a headline that read "I really don't want to vote for a woman".

Maybe next time you can think of how even a headline can be hurtful to some of us.....regardless of the point that you are making. I'm not sure why there is so little sensitivity to those of us who are part of a group that have been oppressed for centuries and is being talked about in your headline.

[Aloha Spirit]

24. I agree, I didn't enjoy seeing this thread.

[bunnies]

28. Lets all close our eyes and racism will go away.

I cant believe what Im reading here.

[FrenchieCat]

40. A lot of "Americans" don't like Gay people......

Are you going to go and find those quotes and use them here as headlines?

It's not about closing eyes, it is about NOT echoing prejudicial sentiments just because someone has them.

It is more likely me that can't believe what I am reading here.

[bunnies]

25. It was a quote from the article.

And Im really not sure how to take your post. You're blaming me for something? Calling me insensitive to race issues?

Most of ancestors were slaughtered by the people who started this country. Im baffled and insulted by your post. I dont even know what to say.

[FrenchieCat]

39. So what? There are a lot of sentences in print everywhere......

Doesn't mean that I am going to be insensitive to others just because of that.

Your logic is very much like Hillary Clinton justifying her words by saying that she was quoting an article.

I do not feel like coming on this forum day after day being made to feel that my skin color is what is important about me, because it isn't. It is also not what should be important about Obama, no matter what "people say" and the fact that they are somewhere quoted doesn't give one a carte blanche to replicate it. One can always find quotes from dumbass people everywhere.

The fact that my White Mother and my Black Father conceived me should not in anyway be what makes me ineligible for any of what this country offers to its citizens, even if some people are of that view due to their inexplicable ignorances and prejudice....and so to have to read sentences that say exactly that about someone like me is quite offensive.

Because I don't come to this forum to be made feel "less than", just because "I am".

If I wrote a headline that offended you personally, based on something that you could not help, and you would point it out to me, I would apologize as my intent would not have been to offend anyone. It would not matter what my justifications were if you were reasonably offended.

It appears that you don't much care how I feel, and are more concerned with your own feelings.

[anonymous171]

19. Well, at least this kind of thing only happens en masse in red states.

[DeschutesRiver]

20. I am in Oregon

and as I've mentioned before - I know people here who firmly believe that black people have no business being in competition with them in any way, more less leading their country. They are no longer in the majority, which has whipped some of them up to a frenzy, not that anyone listens seriously to rants like that. It is the most stupid behavior you've ever seen adults engage in - there is absolutely nothing logical about their positions. It is almost sad to watch.

I've had enough contact with KY people to know this same mental disease infects a percentage of the people who live there as well. Heck, growing up while I was too young to read yet, those white folks only signs were still up, and quite a few of my people from Oklahoma had the same retarded beliefs. My parents sure did - and even as a young kid, I thought their opinions on race were whacked out. Told them so too. Made for lively days and nights at my house.

So my thoughts - in the real world, I don't spend time with reason resistant people like this, of any color (whites who bitch about blacks; blacks who bitch about whites; blacks who bitch about Asians; whites who bitch about latinos...). If I can't escape the racist talk, I start delivering my own opinions about it, until they leave.

If there are people voting based on pigment, I don't care about the results - because people who vote based on pigment first are backwards - don't care if it is white v. black, or a latino who picks latinos first based on their pigment. Pigment phobias are a plague on the earth. When I was young, I sought to change minds and hearts about this issue - because it never made a lick of sense to me. As an older women, true, I will still try to change hearts that seem willing to embrace a change; however, those who are esp. resistant I avoid. Because the world as they define it in the USA is going away - and if racists of any color want to keep on hanging out together, I'd prefer they do so and stay out of polite company.

A victory claimed by Hillary Clinton, based on her pandering to pigment challenged people, is something she should be embarassed about - at least if she had any good ambitions other than polluted personal ones. Imagine the thrill of a victory based on appealing to people's weaknesses, bias, and stupidity on economic matters. Wow, I am like so jealous..

[Thrill]

30. You're going to find people like that every where

[rucky]

45. Because of people like that...

and for people like us, I can't wait for Obama to be president.

[Aloha Spirit]

27. " I'm not ready for a woman president,even tho I am a woman."

Just to even out the gloom, here's a quote from WSAZ in Charleston, WV:

"I'm not ready for a woman president,even tho I am a woman. Plus Mr. Clinton is doing all the work, as if she doesn't know her job."

margretta lee
May 10, 2008 at 11:24 PM

[bunnies]

31. So what? SOME people feel that way.

I can accept that and not be pissed off at YOU for posting it. Is that supposed to affect ME in some way because I'm female? I'm sorry. It doesnt.

[BlooInBloo]

32. It's hilarious watching white folks deny this....

EDIT: And the typical way to do it these days is for them to say "oh it's just a few - there's a few everywhere".

It's a wonderful lie they use - aimed at nothing more than letting the common racism continue unabated.

[stillcool]

35. I think that the race issue...

has been exploited since the get go. I have become more aware of the latent racism that exists...how could I not? Yet I have a hard time believing that the majority of Americans share the sentiment. When one voter expounds on his racist attitudes it gets press, regardless of how many others living on his same street do not share those views. Perception equals reality, and those creating our collective reality are hell bent to push this perception. It all reminds me of Julius Streicher.

[BlooInBloo]

36. I have no such difficulty. I see and hear how white folks act when it's only white folks around.

It's funny.

[LizW]

34. The supposed quote in the subject line is made up.

Folks, read this article carefully. The pollster in the quoted paragraphs did not say this, although some have jumped to the conclusion that he did. This is a made up quote by some random man, relating what he thinks some random woman thinks.

Using this "quote" in the OP is inflammatory and misleading. Yes, there are probably people in every state who feel this way, but NO ONE quoted in the article said they did.

It is slanderous, hurtful and counterproductive to paint the people of WV and KY as racist rednecks and hillbillies because some of them don't wish to vote for Obama.

This tactic of calling anyone who doesn't vote for Obama a racist is sure to backfire.

[stillcool]

37. and yet who is doing this?

who is promoting the 'fact' that 'hard working, blue collar, uneducated white voters' will not vote for Senator Obama? And this is why Senator Obama is 'unelectable'. I don't believe the voters of West Virginia are any different than the people of my state, but someone sure wants me to believe the entire state does not like black people.

[BlooInBloo]

38. It's just not clear if some people are deliberately lying, or if they're too stupid to google it...

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/192341.php

"I've talked to people--a woman who was chair of county elections last year, she said she wouldn't vote for a black man," J.K. Patrick told Packer. And he won't either. "I really don't want an African-American as President ... I thought about it. I think he would put too many minorities in positions over the white race. That's my opinion. After 1964, you saw what the South did ... There's a lot of white people that just wouldn't vote for a colored person. Especially older people."

[Help_I_Live_In_Idaho]

46. I Want The Black Guy

Two of my neighbors in Idaho are racists - they are everywhere. I can't wait for Obama to be president just to watch these racist morons walk around with crap in their pants and I can rub it in their faces.

Screw all racists, screw the far-right, screw all the bible thumping hate mongering self ritious bastards

[BlooInBloo]

47. I like your attitude. :)

[Help_I_Live_In_Idaho]

51. Thank You

Read my post on privitization in Idaho

[SoCalDem]

48. So they should just vote for Mccain..

and continue to wonder where all the mountain-tops went..oh wait.. the rubble is clogging all their waterways..that's where they are :eyes: