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

[pupbayer]

But the 1st AA president is so much more dramatic sounding than the 44th white president. Why isn't he being called the 1st bi-racial or 1st multi-racial president? Why does he feel the need to choose sides?

[hilaritee]

because as a muti racial person it is his right to, as you so simply put it, "choose sides". his choice, if he acutally made one, would have been quite complicated, difficult and hard earned. above all it would have been a personal one and not one for others to judge.

[Rose52]

One also has to acknowledge that he is perceived as a black man. In many respects, the choice was made for him.

[eden4barack08]

No, it's not his right and he doesn't have a choice! Society chose for him. They said he looks black, he is black ,period!

[goldnchyl]

It's the endemic nature of racism in this country. Let Obama go to any interview, seminar, press engagement, whatever, and say that he is a white man. How do you think that'll go over? Unfortunately people of mixed heritage (which is really most of us here) are forced by mores of this society to choose.

[mlaiuppa]

He's not choosing sides.

Others are labeling him.

[laire]

pupbayer, first of all he choose to consider himself AA . In America in 1850 he would have been a slave he might have been in the house but he would been a slave. If these was 1950 he would have gone to a segregated school for blacks as well. Every black person in America can play the game of i'm a piece of this or that etc. I'm a black man but I have european blood native American blood etc. I'm a darker skin black man but mother is very light skin black women and I could of come out as light or lighter then obama. Its not about sounding more dramatic its about reality in this country. The people he is trying to win over are white people so yes he is going to show nothing but his white family in the commerical that's the smart move. When he walks down the street people don't look at him and say his white. No, I think they usually say there is a black guy.

[Faithtoo]

He is not choosing to be either black or white.

I think we're all losing sight of why the ads are running. A constant complaint in this campaign season is that people don't know Obama. He's too new to the scene and people feel they don't know who he really is. Well, if this is really the case wouldn't the publication of videos explaining his background be the perfect way to let people know who he is??????

What are we expecting him to put in his ads, pretend families that are not his???? Who should he show if not the people who actually raised him? If he did not know his father why in the world would you expect a picture of him in an ad????

Let's be real people. Even with Obama's family pictured in these ads everyone still knows that he is a black man. He said himself that he did not choose to be either black or white, it was and is chosen for him everyday that he lives. I think it was Halle Barry's mother who placed her in front of a mirror as a child and told her that in spite of the fact that she did not see a color when she looked at her daughter, what Halle saw is the mirror is what the world would see...a black woman... and she must live her life with that in mind.

Again, Obama didn't choose, Halle didn't choose....we chose for them!

[NYed]

He's black because white "massa" said if you have a drop of black blood YOU ARE TAINTED. Sadly, not only racists whites still buy this nonsense, but most blacks agree to it. Alot of blacks are still mentally wearing the chains of slavery.

[OliverTwist]

I suggested to someone that they simply insist that their child was white and mock the racist system of labeling people as colored if they have even a drop of "black blood" (????? what is black blood anyway ?????).

They thought I was crazy.

They are probably right.

You might as well call people "blue eyes" and "not blue eyes" - works almost as well.

We haven't gotten so far from physiognomy as we might imagine.

[MoeB]

Well, I'd argue as a black man, that the reason so many blacks consider bi-racial people to be black is because of how they get treated. Take Tiger Woods. He's black, asian, white, and who knows what else. Yet, when these country club folk made jokes about him, they were BLACK jokes...you all remember the one about fried chicken. Lenny Kravitz never denied his white heritage, yet apparently when it is time for him to catch a cab in New York, cabbies deny his white heritage in favor of his black heritage. Bi-racial people notice things like this...so then, as opposed to running from their black heritage, they embrace it more than their white heritage. I'm not saying it is right or wrong, but that's how it is.

[Genisa]

My mother is black and my father is white. I've always identified myself as black and not because I'm "mentally wearing the chains of slavery", but rather I'm proud of my culture.

[Daly]

Come on Man, get real
Majority of bi-racial black & whatever are in the eyes of the world considered BLACK.

Tiger woods does not consider himself black however the world view and speaks of him as a black man.

Derek Jeter does not say he is a black ball player; that is done for him.

Haley Barry is never promoted as bi-racial. These people are playing the cards dealt.

You can name any bi-racial black person from a skin tone of Jeter to Obama and beyond they are considered by the world to be BLACK.

As to your Q on why he isn't being call first bi/multi-racial - presiden - Corporate media sees black as negative and they want to keep reminding you of that fact; I do not recall Obama ever saying he has choosen a side; in fact he said he had family members in enough ethnic groups to be like the United Nations just like most of us; we have no problem saying part irish, italian, russian and french - that is because that person is considered in America today as white. BUT if it were part african, italian, russian and french - America says that black guy.

[TheMastadon]

Jeter is black?

[BEHM777]

To be fair, I understand what he was trying to say, as clumsily as it was said. Nothing to get excited about, unless you can see into his heart and see a nefarious purpose that I am unaware of.

[jimmy2001]

yeah i think i understand the statement as well and i have to agree... because Obama grew up with his white mother and white grandparents one would have to assume that he had more exposure to their culture... i don't see the problem here.

[Daly]

Yyes & no; Obama was lovely brought up by his white grand parents and mom but I am sure once he left that loving home he was always considered different. I know a kid that is bi-racial yet adopted into a white family.
At home and around friends there are no issues however his dad was angry because the 10 year old kid was getting noise from the other non black kids on his basketball team. No matter how loving his parents are that kid will get the hate from time to time from both whites and blacks.
The good thing about Obama ethnicity is everyone tells their child that they can grow up to be president - until this election... the kids would not see themselves reflected in any president. Now, bi-racial, black and darker skin, and ethnic name kids see that they too can really have a shot.

[OliverTwist]

I don't know if I understand what he was trying to say.

I don't particularly like the idea of being more or less white or black based on upbringing.

White and black are colors right?

If not then maybe we should expand the idea and talk about people having a silver hertigage or a gold heritage or a diamond heritage or carboard box heritage.

Nah.

The best thing is to say what you mean as best you can and that's what he should have done.

[clearthinker2008]

BEHM777...why don't you explain to the rest of us what he was trying to say?

[Underthematrix]

Sen. Obama is bi-racial. True he was raised by his white mother and white grandparents. He presents his life as he lived it. His half sister that he grew up with is also Asian and white. What's the big deal? I don't care whether he's more or less white or black. He's got my money and my vote and that's really all that matters.

[Trogenhorse]

I have to say this media is turning itself into knots trying to find SOMETHING to say. BO is what he says he is. I like him as a candidate and that's it. Many will dislike him because he's black, others because he's not black enough.

With so many nations poised against ours when do you think we might start working on REAL issues?

[pupbayer]

Anytime he wants to come out and start talking about issues instead of just repeating campaign slogans and attacking his opponent. I thought he was going to "control" this campaign. I guess he is. That's why the media is turning itself into knots trying to find SOMETHING to say.

[shothot]

Trogen, you get it!! Possibly you might help others who don't. How long are we going to talk about skin color, when Americans are constantly confirming what Herman Goering stated. in short, Fear is po-wer-ful !!!

[Ides]

So if you're raised by white people, you're white by definition? Huh, no wonder white people don't get the rest of us.

[diogeron]

Who cares? What about the fact that the WP and the rest of the media are giving McCain a pass on his hypocrisy on the issue of Obama opting out of federal funding when he promised to do so and then took out a loan based on that promise? Where the hell are these guys and why do they genuflect at the altar of McCain?

[pupbayer]

McCain IS taking public funding.

[zanzig]

Doesn't it make you long for Steve Martin's The Jerk to be played repeatedly until these fools get it?

[PATina]

hahahahaha... thanks for the suggestion. I hadn't thought of that movie in years. Loved it !!!!!!

[TiffanyHusseinBanned]

With the exceptions of Gene Robinson and Milbank, the WP doesn't like O very much.

[sandtats]

Ain't that the truth! To offer a bit of balance, the WaPo's Mr. Robinson had a great column today on this very issue...Obama, race and the nation's perception of him.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/23/AR2008062301831.html?nav=emailpage

[DebofMD]

E.J. Dionne is very fair with Barack. He's cool.

[gnostic19]

who cares...big deal. We are a bunch of uber-sensitive saps.

[hoodrat]

Long for the day when I'm labeled as a man - period. Assumptions be damned, and fuck the pigeonholing. Good or evil should be the ONLY measuring stick when judging a fellow human. We ALL fall into either catagory.

[Syco]

good luck with that

[BigBen]

on the contrary we all fall into both categories; incidentally judge not that you be not judged

[Xspackle]

It's depressing as hell to hear people who are supposed to be relatively intelligent engaging in this sort of mindless claptrap.

I've never understood the obsession with parsing various degrees of blackness (but then again, I'm white... as far as I know....)

A sixth-grader probably knows more than this reporter and the idiot questioner. Everyone of us --- EVERY. ONE. OF. US -- is a mish-mosh of 40,000 years of genetic mixing. Sex is very popular, and we humans have been gettin' it on with anyone who's available for 2,000 generations and more.

Obama has always appealed to me because he can draw on his own experience and his own struggles with a mixed cultural and racial identity to be a role model for a nation that's obviously lost it's frickin' mind over the essentially meaningless concept of race. The more we learn about DNA and our genetic heritages, the more quaint these old racial hangups sound.

I'm really, really tired of those who's low-rent hangups are cluttering up the bandwidth. I'm referring to the subjects of this story, mainly. I can't believe Weissman spoke this way. He may have not meant anything by it, but he just sounds ignorant. Ignorant. As in D-U-M-B.

[christieZ]

Well stated! Thank you.

[CGrace]

It is a great ad. As far as being more white than black as said by the reporter, I doubt if Senator Obama sees that when he looks in the mirror. But, with all that said, I am a white woman who has been a big supporter of his since his speech at the convention in 2004. It's not because he's half black or half white, it's the man. He is truly inspirational and this country needs to be lifted up again.

[DanniD]

"As far as being more white than black as said by the reporter, I doubt if Senator Obama sees that when he looks in the mirror."

And I doubt that what you said is true because Obama looks a whole lot like his mother's father. Which is not a bad thing by any means, this is just an observation that the MSM chooses to ignore. ;-)

[Daly]

Obama looks just like his mom imho

[latino327]

People.....I have been meaning to say this for a long time. Regardless of who raised Obama, he has always walked this earth as a black man--because that is what people see when they look at him. Without him saying a word, or before he gets to explain his family history, a regular person off the street would look at him and probably assume that he is black. That automatically means that he is treated as a black person. Some people who don't see race, or those that treat people equally regardless of differences, would interact and treat him like any other human being on this planet. But I'm sure he has experienced racism solely because of his skin color, or hair texture, or physical features. That alone gives him a different perspective on life.

[Daly]

Exactly

[kas70]

Thank you!

[nonconformist2]

This is utterly ridiculous. BHO is biracial. So am I (half Indian and half white). BHO is both. He doesn't have to choose! Race Mixing. It's the future. Get used to it!

[DanniD]

It's the future? Hell, it's our HISTORY!!

Ever since the first Africans were brought to this country in chains, there has been Race Mixing!!!

[nonconformist2]

I am referring to race mixing by choice. Of course, your point is a valid one.

[rowzeer]

I do believe that mixing is the future. A lot of people I know have married outside their race, including my brother. It's nothing unusual any more. It's odd that some people still don't get it.

[heal57]

There's not many pictures of Senator Obama's father because he left Obama and his Mom when obama was two years old. I wish the media would grow up and stop trying to bring race into everything. Senator Obama is bi-racial. Every American can be proud of him, no matter what their race is. This white-black thing is meant to stir up people and pull them apart. We have to rise above the fray and remember 'we are all one'. 90% of Amricans have no problem voting for an African American candidate. This is a very big deal, believe me. I'm 63 years old and I remember when it was not that way. Let's all be Americans and ignore the race baiting pathetic media stories.

Independent Wman for Obama '08

[kellygrrrl]

so let me get this straight: once an African-American gets a post-grad degree, they forfeit their "black"

wow!

[jemiltd]

This is more insidious nonsense that comes from people who have issues with the hue of the skin. The only thing that makes one skin lighter or darker than another is the amount of melanin one's body has. I hate to break it to those who are uninformed or in denial, but at least one-third of those who check the Anglo-American box on the job application/census/ have some heritage of color and African descent. I am Irish/Cherokee/African and my grandfather used to "pass" when he needed to go to the bathroom while traveling. What I want to know is: what is "white" and what is "black"? Is it culture, is it education, is it just because people need to have something that they can use to believe that they are better than? If one was to use culture and education, I would be considered "what"? I like a very diverse number of things, from many cultures. I don't fit anyone's stereotype, nor do many, many people I know. Just as I don't believe that the majority of Anglos are spoken for by the minority who hide behind their computers or microphones or whatever, making hatefilled, minimizing comments in some weak attempt at leveling , I would hope that thinking, conscious people would begin to do whatever is necessary to stop the madness because there is no such thing as being more "white" than "black". There is however the posibility of being more inhuman than human.

[Knowledgeseeker]

What is wrong with people In America? I'm really getting tired of this race thing