Jonathan Weisman, Washington Post Reporter: Obama "Much More White Than Black"

During an online chat Monday at WashingtonPost.com, Washington Post Congressional Reporter Jonathan Weisman said that Barack Obama is "much more white than black." The comment came as part of an answer to a question asking why a recent Obama ad, seen below, was "playing up his white family." Obama's mother was white and his father, who he was not close to growing up, was black.

The full question and answer:

Alexandria, Va.: Obama's new ad (which plays a lot in Alexandria) shows pictures of his mother and grandparents, playing up his white family. Until now he's been "African American"; now suddenly he's a white Midwesterner? During the primary Hillary was criticized for changing her image too many times. Won't Obama be criticized for doing the same thing?

Jonathan Weisman: I haven't heard that criticism, but it is striking. Not a single picture of his father. Now, that really is consistent with his upbringing. He really did not become immersed in black American culture until he left college and went to Chicago. The great irony is that he is much more white than black, beyond skin color.

Watch the ad in question below:

Read the entire WashingtonPost.com Q&A here.

Comments

[arvay]

We really need better science education in this country.

The racial terms "black" and "white" are sociological, not biological. In other words, they are terms that live in the minds of the observers. Black and white changes in Latin America, for example, compared to the US Anglo-Saxon "one drop of blood" definition.

When you think about how a "light-skinned black person" can be different from a "mixed race" person, you can see the nonsense.

A genetic examination of Barack Obama would reveal genes from both Europe and America. Maybe from Asia also, we don't have that information.

But the key point is that all of his genes -- and all of the rest of us -- go back to a small band of people who originated in East Africa. The latest research suggests we're all the descendants of about two thousand people. That's more like an extended family.

This month's National Geographic (this is not a plug, I don't work for Nat Geo) has an excellent article on our common origins.

Sociology doesn't change overnight, so we can expect these "black" and "white" terms to live on for a while.

Maybe all of this will have a god outcome, that people will see that "mixed race" "black" or "white" can all be referring to the same person, that these terms can't be defined any way that makes real sense.

[Stevie57]

This is so silly.....
Barack is not "playing up" his white family, he's talking about his background; the people who raised him. He can hardly claim to be culturally influenced by a man who left when he was two, and a culture he only visited a couple of times.
And besides, what has that got to do with anything.
Poor fellow, for the rightwingers he's too black, and for the leftwingers he's too white !
The only thing that really matters is that he's not George Bush or John McCain.
Get a grip !

[08POL]

Agreed!

[JanSP1971]

BRAVO
For Obama haters he's damned if he is he's damned if he isn't. Sen. Obama has always talked about his mother and grandparents that raised him, why is this new to anyone. He is showing the American people who he is, where he comes from. Sen. Obama is an AMERICAN first and last, not white or black, AMERICAN. What a wonderful President he is going to be, a true AMERICAN we can all be proud of and stand beside. An AMERICAN the world has been waiting for.

[Heru1]

But he could be genetically and spiritually influenced by him. And obviously he was culturally influenced by the African American culture he adopted.

[ksjohnso]

It is funny reading about people trying to categorize someone just so that they can feel comfortable with that person. Obama is both black and white, like millions of people in the United States and across the world. He has worked out his racial identity for himself, and it is not our problem because we don't understand it. His racial identity should not be a brand.

[VOTER]

Gee, I thought Senator Obama is an American!

[justobserve]

Obama doesn't "change his story many times". He has always been a biracial person but people put emphasis on his blackness so he is now talking about his white family who in fact is the constant in his life. He hardly knows his black father. Obama himself doesn't play the black card but always portrayed himself as just an American who despite all the struggles can achieve what he wants in this country. That is the good thing about America.

[GravitonX]

I've always heard Obama say that he is Black, African-American, despite his upbringing. Is he lying?

[qdog112]

I think Barack is leaving his "race" up to us. It's all about how he is perceived. I think he introduced us to himself by using the example of who the cab driver sees when he's hailing a cab.

It's not about what he calls himself - it's what he is seen to be. Somebody once said "TO BE or NOT TO BE..."

[Pennsylvanianne]

He is probably following the old "one-drop" tradition of considering anyone with one drop of African blood black. Someday I hope people in this country just drop the notion of race altogether. It's ridiculous.

[Heru1]

his white family is dead. His living wife and children are Black. How dare you call his identity a black card. Stop your white racism.

[MyAudacity]

His White Grandma is alive and well in Hawaii

[Roxanna]

Why do people keep bringing up Black and White ....
Why can't they not just move beyond to a Person????

[Rjmartinelli]

Because they still profit off of spreading divisive language and imagery.

It's the same reason that so many men and women in the music industry try to propagate and glorify a gangster lifestyle. It's because it makes them money.

As long as we allow people to profit off of creating and keeping alive assumed "racial" divisions, we will still have this problem in the United States.

[LJMinOKC]

Factually, Obama is "biracial" ... The rest of his background just does not really matter as to figuring out if he is more one race than another. The wonderful thing about this, HE IS BOTH RACES. I believe anyone, especially in this election campaign, who talks race is ignorant -- Barack Obama will make a very competent president ... John McCain -- anyway you paint him color wise, WILL NOT! And y'know what ... I think people are getting color blind right now! Our country will make us all proud when we wake up November 5 to putting Barack Obama in the White House!

[MoeB]

Agreed for the most part, LJM. I would like to state that I don't think people are getting color BLIND, we still see color, always will, but people are realizing that it doesn't really make much of a difference (and if that's what you meant by "colorblind", then my apologies) in terms of the individual.

I think the most spectacular thing about this election is the fact that younger voters have been behind this guy from the beginning! Not only that, but younger people are far more involved than any election I've seen (I'm only 30, but cut me some slack). To me, I think that fact is really being overlooked by the media. Based on the past 7+ years, younger people want to take this country in a totally different direction, with a completely fresh face...and most importantly, they believe in him enough to become active in the political process! Which is why you see so many parents who switched to "team Obama" based solely on discussions with their children. Diversity DOES work, and the younger generations are the proof in the puddin'.

[MemphisBuffalo]

So what parts is he saying are black and which are white? What is he saying in the percentage 60 40 or 70 30? What makes him qualified to make such an evaluation?

[allonfla]

The white part is what got him here - that's what that guy believes I'm sure.

[crusty]

I guess it depends on what "parts" you are referring to?

[stringer]

Here's an idea: if you're white quit telling black people what is and isn't black.

I've found this the safest way to operate. You're not black, hence you wouldn't know. It might make perfect sense in your head, but that doesn't mean you should continue thinking let alone saying it aloud.

Anymore than a man should tell a woman what is or isn't feminine or anyone who is not a white male should tell white males what it's like to be a white man.

Make your comments, submit your thesis, point out problems in whatever community you'd like. But don't try to tell people who are something that you are not, what they are and are not. Period. This is beyond your level of expertise. No matter how smart you are. You simply do NOT have the experience. So drop it.

[Highwind]

Thank You. I completely agree. If you aren't apart of that race then you have no idea what's like to be part of that race. Blacks have been saying it for years.

[clearthinker2008]

Agreed.

[KBR]

Thanks I also agree. Its infuriating in this day and age to see how many White people continue to think that most Black people in the U.S. are like the stereotypical images they are flooded with on TV, in the movies, or portrayed in the news. When a non stereotypical image sneaks through like the Cosby show its exceptional. I actually had a White coworker tell me once that the Cosby show represented a fantasy - a type of Black family that did not exist when in fact I lived in a neighborhood full of Cosby-like Black families and was part of one myself. I was appalled! There are tons of well educated, intelligent, successful Black people in this country. Yet so many non Blacks continue to only see us in the way they want to and have been conditioned to see us. Poor, ignorant, uneducated etc. etc., and remain oblivious to the millions of us who don't conform to that image. In that regard Barack Obama acts no differently than tons of other Black folks in this country.

[JBCinSD]

I disagree. I am white and have no idea what "white" means, let alone "black". You are saying that, aside from skin color which is also along a continuum, some basic set of values or actions defines a race. Your statement is no less racist than his.

[euthman]

But if we can't even come to an agreement as to who is black and who is white, how are we to know which individuals are to be granted automatic credibility by virtue of being black? Perhaps we should accept or reject another's argument based on presentation of facts, rather than on the alleged race or other privileged status claimed by the arguer.

Naah! That would be stupid. ;)

[Heru1]

perhaps you should accept who Obama says he is, a Black man. Or does that sound too much like right?

[Dendera]

Deep down, in the secret parts of them they don't want the world to see, some white people cannot stand the idea that a black or brown person can achieve anything. So they have to start insisting that this achieving black/brown person (be it Obama, Oprah, Tiger Woods, Halle Berry) is "not really black" afterall. Because, "we all know" blackness and browness precludes anyone from real achievement, so the achievement is being done by his "white side" and that way whites can confirm the fiction that they are the super race.

Many a facist/racist dictator would be proud of such thinking.

[kas70]

Exactly. I cannot tell you how many times my white "friends" have told me "but you're not *really* black", "I don't mean *you*", "you're different" etc. It's extremely insulting and ticks me off.

[kenja]

exactly

[Trollstakeyourmeds]

I hope that you verbalize that frustration to them. The only way people know for sure, that some things said are hurtful, is to inform them. I am half of an interracial relationship, and I must admit, I say things to my S.O. and he says things to me, affectionately I might add, that if other black OR white folk were to overhear, say in a restaurant, would probably make them cringe. We have been together for twelve years, so we proceed by our own set of rules. But at least, we're both intelligent enough not to say the same type of things to others of the opposite race.

[GravitonX]

Don't forget that it is his "white" genes that gives him all his exceptional qualities. LOL

[clearthinker2008]

Great post, point on. You said what I tried and couldn't articulate properly because I'm feeling a little exasperated right now.

[iswideopen]

People, I could care less what color anybody is; IT'S THE ECONOMY STUPID! Any more questions? He has my vote and my monetary contributions.

[NoahVail]

Well, sure, but he's not as white as say, Don Imus.

[mediamarv]

Another reason why the WaPo is so, so relevant in today's world.

[jetgirl]

It's basically true. That's why I never got all the flap about the typical white person gaffe. He grew up in a typical white person house. It's not about playing up anything at all. He grew up with a white family. Shocking.

[clearthinker2008]

...and that still doesn't make him any less African American. Even still, what does that mean. What do you think goes on in those black homes that are so different that grows up in a white home. THIS IS AMERICA and he grow up in an American home (except when he lived in Indonesia).

[Jasel]

I love how non-blacks love to start claiming mixed blacks and bi-racial blacks as one or part of their own when they're extremely successful or they become famous. You see this with Obama, Woods, Hines Ward, etc. If Barack Obama was Joe Blow from Idaho or a janitor in Chicago with the same upbringing, you wouldn't see any white people saying "wow, that janitor is so much more white than black." As far as they'd be concerned, he's black. Like multi-racial blacks are something you can just discard to the black community in damn near every walk of life in this country and then pick and choose which ones impress you enough to wind up on the "white list." Race relations, like everything else in America, are a joke. And Americans sit around wondering why everyone around the world thinks we're so damn stupid.

[kas70]

Well said and so true.

[1099]

I don't sit around wondering why the rest of the world thinks we're so damn stupid.

This is the greatest country in the world bar none.

[Jasel]

American arrogance is one of the main reasons this country is headed in the wrong direction. Which 81% of American's seem to feel. This country is not the greatest. Not the worst, but obviously not the greatest. As soon as American's start admitting our serious problems, economic and social, then we can start turning this country in a different direction.

But if all American's are going to do is sit around lying to themselves about how "We're the greatest" while we slowly flush ourselves down the toilet and everyone else laughs at us, then I think we're doomed to an eternity of patting ourselves on the back. Which is one thing Americans are EXTREMELY good at.

[allonfla]

SOOOOOOO true!

[court99]

As a black woman, I don't agree with this at all. This is not non-blacks claiming mixed/bi-racial blacks as their own when they are successful. This is about human beings recognizing who they are and considering all of their parts. No one "claimed" Tiger Woods. He said that he was "Caublanasian" (sp?) because HE didn't want to ignore any part of his racial heritage. Barack Obama is seen by society as black, however he was raised by the Caucasian side of his family. No external person is telling Barack that he needs to be mixed....B­arack is saying that I have lived in this country as a black man, but was raised by my white family. There is nothing wrong with that at all and it is very true. Black people need to stop looking at this as people trying to take away successful black people by saying they aren't black. No one should be asked to deny any part of their heritage.

[Jasel]

If Obama was not running for president white people would be calling him black, black people would call him black, and even Obama himself says he considers and calls himself black right now. No one said he had to deny any part of his heritage. I'm talking about all the NON-Blacks out there who never have a thing to say about biracial blacks "being part white or more white then black" but suddenly you have one running for the President of the United States, and these white people can't stop bringing up his white side. Are non-blacks ever accepting of your average run of the mill biracial blacks?? Of course not. I'm just pointing out the hypocrisy.

And Tiger Woods is basically BWC (Black when convenient) as far as I'm concerned. And if you read about Tiger Wood's life it's quite obvious he has some hangups about his black blood. Which is fine with me, it's his life and his blood. This guy has bounced back and forth between being black and "Caublanasian" depending on his career status. When he first started and was getting known he had no issue being the "black guy winnin the white man's sport" because he was a novelty. When he started to get established that's when he became "Caublanasian", got himself a nice blonde white wife, and started defending every racist comment made about him.