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Originally Posted By: bobby12
I think this is a big turning point in history where the US became a (for want of a better term) non-white country - black president, hispanics probably in the majority now? And how long before Spanish is the national language?



For sure it is a great thing - its about damn time too. I kinda thought an african american would be in power before a woman. I dunno why but just thought so.

Spanish wont ever be the national language - at least not while my father is alive...lol. I think we would do well for ourselves to make it a second language. Why wouldnt anybody want to learn another language?
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Some CCN guy last night was going on about how remarkable the election was because of the near complete absence of race as a determining factor for voters. He said this a couple of times, but he was really only referring to white voters. Black voters split something 94% for Obama and 4% against. If the whites had voted along race lines to that extent the World would be in uproar. Clearly there were some sections of the community that thought race was an important factor. Racism, like race, is obviously a very subjective concept.

 

GG, the silly thing is that he shares none of the common history of most African Americans. He is supported purely because of the color of his skin, a repugnant reason to vote for anyone.

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Originally Posted By: Hokkaidough
I don't know about the man enough but I do know that at least we have been spared McCain and more importantly that Palin character. For that, we should be thankful.



Yes Obama is definately the better choice, could you imagine if bush double McCain and I can't read Palin had of won, more bloody wars and problems.

Not sure if Obama can deliver though, only time will tell, but at least he has some fresh ideas and seems like he listens to the people. Let's hope he can sort out America, because it affects all of us not just the US.
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Originally Posted By: Rag-Doll
GG, the silly thing is that he shares none of the common history of most African Americans. He is supported purely because of the color of his skin, a repugnant reason to vote for anyone.


He's half "black", half "white" - does he identify himself as one or the other? Nope.

What of the white/Asian/Hispanic/Pacific Islander/other people who voted for him? Were they supporting him because he was black?
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I think he is charismatic and people are supporting him because he engages with his audience and is talking the talk. The fact that he is such an enigmatic figure and a man with colored skin makes him VERY atractive to minorities - they identify with him regardless of the the truth of his background.

 

People have automatic assumptions based on appearance referenced against thier preestablished schemata. So the Hispanics that have grown up along side African American battlers will identify them in Obama - regardless of the very different life experiences he has had.

 

You could see this in effect in the reverse in the ignorant white McCain supporters (not saying all McCain supporters were ignorant OR white, but just pointing out a sub group here)...one woman I recall at a rally telling McCain that she believed Obama 'was an Ay-Rab and a Muslim'. She did not KNOW the truth, or chose to not hear/read/accept the truth about his background - instead she placed him into a pre-establish schemata where people with names that sound like that are Arabic, Muslim and probably terrorists.

 

Whatever REASON they voted for him, they did. He is President. I hope he is effective in the role. And I hope he is kept safe - he is a man with young daughters to raise, as well as a country to run.

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Originally Posted By: Ezorisu
Originally Posted By: Rag-Doll
GG, the silly thing is that he shares none of the common history of most African Americans. He is supported purely because of the color of his skin, a repugnant reason to vote for anyone.


He's half "black", half "white" - does he identify himself as one or the other? Nope.

What of the white/Asian/Hispanic/Pacific Islander/other people who voted for him? Were they supporting him because he was black?



For some, the answer is probably yes. there is going to be a huge about written about why people voted for Obama and lots of digging into what it means. Some people I'm sure did vote for him because of his color - I mean, jeezus, people decide who they vote for based on all sorts of crazy and irrational reasons so this isn't different, just a bit hypocritcial. I reckon there were even people who voted for Obama out of a sense of history - here was a genuine contender to be the first black president. That naturally is going to draw support from some people.


I think I even saw some press commentary about how the media tended to favor Obama for largely the same reason - his story, the story of the first black president, made good copy and the notion became selffulling.


Interesting that Obama still only got 52% of the vote. There are some serious cultural divides in the US, it seems.
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Originally Posted By: Rag-Doll
Some people I'm sure did vote for him because of his color - I mean, jeezus, people decide who they vote for based on all sorts of crazy and irrational reasons so this isn't different, just a bit hypocritcial. I reckon there were even people who voted for Obama out of a sense of history - here was a genuine contender to be the first black president. That naturally is going to draw support from some people.


Particularly first time voters I would imagine. Those who have never before been motivated to bother to vote might have been inspired by these things to be a part of history and a new chapter...
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It reminds me a bit of when Diana died and everyone went to Buckingham Palace to lay flowers.

 

I asked my mum: 'Why are you going there? you have no interest in the royals and you didnt like Diana.'

 

Her response: 'Well, you know, everyone is going aren't they? its a big moment in history'

 

This is when I started to realise that importance of the snowball effect. Superficially it seemed like everyone was there to pay respects to Diana, when in fact most people are there to say they were there, or to gawp at what is going on. I can totally believe that this is what happened with Obama too. (Having said that, I do think he was genuinely a strong candidate.)

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Originally Posted By: Rag-Doll
Interesting that Obama still only got 52% of the vote. There are some serious cultural divides in the US, it seems.


True, but by that 52%, some of those divides are falling down. If everyone voted purely along racial lines (all black people voted for Barry, and all white people voted for McC), then he would have lost just based on population. It is good to see that at least a fair percentage of people voted for whom they believed in, and not for a candidate of their race.

It would have been nicer to have seen a larger margin!
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Originally Posted By: bobby12
This is when I started to realise that importance of the snowball effect. Superficially it seemed like everyone was there to pay respects to Diana, when in fact most people are there to say they were there, or to gawp at what is going on. I can totally believe that this is what happened with Obama too. (Having said that, I do think he was genuinely a strong candidate.)


Most definitely. This is true amongst the media, bloggers, people interviewed at rallys, etc. They all want to be seen and say their "I told you so's". It's the YouTube reaction video phenomenon - people want to somehow grasp at their moment in the spotlight by grabbing ahold of something in the popular spotlight.

Same thing happened on 11 Sept, Shuttle disaster #1 and #2.

...And yes, he won on his own merits!
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You know if Palin did make a run for it, she would surely be doomed. There are too many reasonable and intelligent people to let that particular nightmare come true. (Yes, I know we have had Bush, but we can't make the mistake again and again...)

 

Agree muchly with what you post up there Mamabear.

I do think if Obama would have been 'white', he would have trounced McCain even more.

Doesn't matter now though groovy

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  • 3 months later...

I just can't believe it.

 

Quote:
Sarah Palin’s teenage daughter angrily denounced reports today that she was to blame for breaking up with the father of her two-month-old son.

 

Bristol Palin, the daughter of last year’s controversial Republican vice-presidential candidate, responded after it emerged that she and her fiancé, Levi Johnston, had split up.

 

The news comes amid growing speculation over Mrs Palin’s presidential ambitions. The Alaska governor has not committed to running in 2012, but said recently that God will show her the way to a potential White House run.

 

Quote:
“She tells him he can’t take the baby to our house because she doesn’t want him around ‘white trash’. The worst part, Ms Johnston tells the magazine, is that Governor Palin supports her daughter’s treatment of Mr Johnston.
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  • 4 months later...

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