From Start To Finish, Race Is The Issue

It's been a roller coaster ride. For those of us who have been Obama supporters from Day One, it's been like being on the world's largest roller coaster after eating a chili dog from Atlanta's famed Varsity Restaurant. It's actually even worse.

First - we endured the looks of confusion on the faces of our friends and family, when we told them we were going to a meeting of Barack Obama volunteers. "Barack what?" was the most frequent response to such a pronouncement. A brief explanation of who Barack Obama was back then, almost always elicited the same response. "Girl, you crazy. This country not gon' vote fa no black man."

I can remember it like it was yesterday. Even my 77 year-old mother, turning up her nose at me in disgust over what she perceived as my colossal waste of time - the meetings, the phone calls, the organizing. She accused me of caring more about "that Borock O-bama" than I did her, my house, or my son. Or even my job. And yes, she was sure, with everything in her, that he had no chance of winning the nomination. No chance at all.

But the early supporters endured, all the way through Super Tuesday, when the people of Iowa, most of them white Americans sent a lightning bolt through the country by casting their ballots mostly for the junior Senator from Illinois. The news was a-buzz with the historic nature of what was perceived at the time as a Clinton upset, and everything began to change. Some of my brothers and sisters, my friends and family began to actually ask themselves, "could it really happen?"

But consequently, all manner of new ludicrousness began:

"The Clintons have always been there for black people - what do we know about this dude?"

"He's not black enough - he don't care about our issues!"

"A vote for him is a wasted vote!"

"He need to change his name if he wants to even have a chance!"

And my personal favorite..."I can't vote for that man, they might assassinate him!"

Black people were running into each other emotionally - we didn't know what to feel or what was coming next. And then the Obama campaign machine proved to us all that not only could he win the primary - he also had a chance - some chance, of winning the election.

How did they do it? In part, by almost completely playing down Senator Obama's race, and instead opting to highlight his skills as a uniter and change agent. He wowed us all black, white and brown, with his ability to help us see what was possible, and gave us all a reason to feel a hope that was so strong, that by the time the Reverend Jeremiah Wright flap reached it's climax, we had begun to believe that Senator Obama was uniquely qualified to help begin truly turning the battleship of racial bigotry in this country. It seemed that he might even have had what it took to help the white majority in this country better understand the black condition; why for some, an anger still boils just below the surface, as he did in his now historic speech from Philadelphia. And though it was a rough and rocky road, he made it through and we began to believe even more.

Then, of course, he fought hard and long to make it across the finish line to clinch the nomination. And before I knew it, all the nay-sayers were loudly celebrating, and proclaiming their disbelief over his accomplishment, and daring to believe that this country truly had crossed an important milestone. It was time to look ahead to the General Election, and so many of us had hope in our hearts, and a renewed belief in the progress we'd made as a nation.

More money raised than any campaign in history. A trip abroad that proved he is loved and admired by citizens of other nations in a way that is unprecedented in American politics. And an acceptance speech, given in Denver's Invesco Field, to over 84,000 supporters, all crowning achievements for a campaign that has been almost flawlessly executed, and that also by the way, stopped one of the most prolific political machines of our time dead in it's tracks.

And now that we are several weeks into the General Election, a daunting question is again beginning to take center stage amongst the pundits and nightly news media. A question that given the dire nature of our economy, the general distaste for the human and monetary costs of the war in Iraq, the record number of foreclosures, and the general and overriding belief that the nation is heading in the wrong direction, begs for an answer - is race the reason why Senator Obama is not at least 20 points ahead of John McCain in the polls?

I was at Invesco field when Senator Obama gave what was by all accounts an incredible speech. On the way out, as I followed the throng of people exiting the arena, I over heard a conversation between two white gentleman, who, after being suitably impressed by his speech and the flawless execution of the whole night, wondered aloud about the same thing:

"Man, that speech was amazing. That crowd was amazing. I don't understand why we're not up by 20 or 30 points in the polls", said the first gentleman.

"It's his race, pure and simple", said the second. "It's hard to believe, but there are still a lot of people out there that just won't vote for a black man."

I could feel tears well up in my eyes. Because it dawned on me at that moment that despite the crowds, despite the miraculous fund-raising, the inspirational and sometimes brilliantly instructional speeches - it might still in the end, come down to how many people in this country can set aside their irrational prejudices in order to do what's best for the nation. There are no two ways about it - the shockingly low difference in the candidates' poll numbers in my opinion, bears this out.

It reminds me of one of the most amazing, and yet most chilling movies I've ever seen - "A Time To Kill". In it, Samuel L. Jackson, the father of a young girl, has to stand trial for murdering two white men who had brutally beat and raped his daughter, and left her for dead at the bottom of a lake. By some miracle, the girl was found and saved, but her womb had been destroyed, and she bore outward physical scars, and internal scars that would never go away.

Despite the brutal nature of the crime, Jackson's character was treated like a vigilante, an angry black man bent on exacting justice against the perpetrators of the horrible crime against his daughter; the white inhabitants of the small town gave hardly a thought to what the little girl had gone through, and wanted Samuel L. to fry for murdering the men who were clearly guilty, and clearly unrepetent. The anguish he must have felt at the thought of what was done to his daughter, the insanity it must have induced never entered most of the town's minds. Enter Matthew McConaughey.

Matthew McConaughey was Samuel L's defense attorney. Faced with a jury of all whites, from a southern town where racial disharmony was the norm, and working for a defendant who had in fact murdered the two men in question, the odds were against he and Samuel L. And it looked like it was all but over until he did something extraordinary.

If you saw the movie, you know what he did. He stepped up before the jury, and asked them to use their imaginations to invision the little black girl, as he told the anguished story of what she had endured at the hands of the perpetrators. He described every blow, every atrocity in graphic enough detail to paint a vivid, disturbing picture. And at the end of it all, he asked the jury to picture it, really picture it all - and then imagine that the girl was white.

I'm overcome by the need to do the same thing to the American people. I want to get a bull horn that will reach the rural areas of Pennsylvania, and Ohio, and the farms of Missouri. I want to implore them to imagine a man, who was a genius student, a graduate of Columbia University, who would go on to Harvard, graduate at the top of his class, become the president of the Harvard Law Review. Imagine that that man went on to become a constitutional scholar, and lecturer, and that rather than take the lucrative road to wealth and financial comfort for his family, chose instead to give himself over to a life of service as first an Illinois State Senator, and then a United States Senator. Imagine that this man, through his unique vision for the country, had inspired so many people, that he was literally called to service, and drafted to run for President of the United States. I want ALL of white America to picture it, really picture it all.

And then imagine that he's black.

Follow Patricia Wilson-Smith on Twitter: www.twitter.com/patwilsonsmith

Comments

[columbiagal]

I just found this blog incredibly moving. I am scared, but I still have hope. I live in Northern California in a red part of the state with lots of McCain yard signs. However, everywhere I go I see buttons and Obama bumper stickers. I was just in Wisconsin where I met lots of "over 65 white people" who are enthusiastic about Barack. I'm hoping, just hoping with all my heart, that we can overcome the hatred. It is so obvious that this man is what we need. We need inspiration and a steady hand. We just have to hope we can get out enough of the vote to counteract the horrible blot of racism in our country.

[Patrick McCabe]

It is a problem that will never go away. Bias because of cultural is more forgiveable. However, to have my vote canceled by another voter who is not free of pure racist motives is the devil in the details that no news organization discusses in theory.

The polls are frightening close while the environment of fear and misleading information is working to keep the status quo in power. Barack Obama still has to win by at least 10 percent points to overcome the "Bradley Effect" and fraud. That will be hard to do.

[Bruce Tenenbaum - Huffpost Blogger]

There is no doubt that the issue of race is holding Obama back. There is also no doubt that he is handling it as best as can be expected. As the victim of racism, there is little overt action he can take to change the minds of those who are predisposed against him. That is, other than to show through all of his actions and speeches that he is indeed the man who can get America back on its feet.

The rest of us, however, can tackle this issue head on. I discussed this myself in my blog here a day ago. Most people do not want to admit that this issue exists but it does and it won't go away just by ignoring it. We need to understand that for many people, especially those over 40, we're dealing with a lot of life experience and some pretty ingrained beliefs that need to be overcome. Whether we confront it directly or whether just being aware of it will lead us to taking an approach that might work, we need to be honest about what we're dealing with.

On the upside though, as others have said, Obama has come this far and is actually up in the polls. That says a lot about how far America has come and speaks loudly about his prospects.

[twiggy2]

wow, oh my god tears are in my eyes.

if only, for a moment,
we could, they could,
if only for a moment, in time.

God bless you and continue to inspire all you come in contact with - with the truth !
beautiful, wonderful, piece.!

mankind should have empathy. a charactristic barak displays.

[papapj]

My wife sure writes a MEAN article, doesn't she....I LOVE YOU BABY!

[steinem68]

Patricia...I feel for you...as I feel for women and men in general...being a white woman, we have always needed the message of equality, of equal education, equal pay, equal insurance, health-care, etc. etc etc...don't get me wrong...it is certain that the first black man to run for President will be highly questioned, under a billion microscopes., will be ridiculed and hammered all along the way.....but that does not mean it won't happen.
What I see to be the real issues are the overwhelmingly more poor, more jobless, less educated and all possibilities that used to exist under the Clinton era, long vanished. Sure Obama is black, but that means zero compared to the people who are now homeless and hungry that used to have steady jobs, by the way and now we are at 10,000 foreclosures a day.
I believe Americans have finally understood that they have been lied to and corrupt governments have not only continued but flourished, year after year.
I have known more people who have said that they will leave this country for another if McCain-Palin should ever get in....the vote is what I worry about and clean counting after "the chads"...ah yes...think under the hood, my dear....that's the only thing that cannot be seen.
Keep the faith...black is of little concern...­particular­ly when the minds and hearts are supreme.

[HonestAbbie]

I am a 64 year old black female who believed as your mother believes. My favored choice was
Hliary and I still believe that she would have made a fabulous president. I also believed that she
would have picked Obama as V.P. We older women just know from experience the way of the
world and we would rather go with people who have proven themselves to be for us. Barack had
and still has so much to surmount.

Barack then could have walked into the Presidency after 8 years and NO ONE COULD HAVE SAID NAY
had he taken the Vice President role. He had the right to reach for top but it is a long long reach being
a black man.

It was a mistake to go along with the press and choose someone other than Hillary. The Repubs
wanted to discredit her so then they could knee cap Obama and get him out of the way.

I am for Obama now as I am a Democrat but I think he will have to fight hard and call on every young
person he knows to help.

I PRAY THAT BARACK AND THE DEMOCRATS WILL PREVAIL.

[twiggy2]

granny, the truth always prevails

pray much for his safety and that of his family - God bless you and yours !

[WilliamL]

I will vote for BO because he is a Democrat not because of his race.

At this time, this country needs a change of party leadership. It is my fear that on Nov. 5, it will be recognized that as much as BO trully concerns himself with the well being of this country that his concern about himself being president was greater than his concern of electing a Democrat to the presidency.

Consider if you will the role that Florida and Michigan played in this nomination process. Eliminating those two states from the process changed the dynamics of the entire process. This was significant on a number of levels.

If there was one thing BO failed to recognized and perhaps was a bit blinded by his own optomism and hope was that simply fact that this country is not as color blind as he and some think it is. There is plenty of racism on all sides of the spectrum.

Having lived in the deep south twice, I am very aware of the vulgar and inhumane treatment of African Americans. I am also very aware that the Native American population still live were rounded up and shot like animals.

Until people start recongnizing themselves as Americans first and for the sake of this conversation, Democrats, it will be impossible to over come all the issues associated with race, gender, and class.

These issues for Democrats will be especially difficult to confront if they continue to loose elections.

[LaurelBee]

Patricia, thank you for your article. I am a young, white female and it disgusts me when I think about how many people will likely choose the wrong person this November because of their racist, ignorant views. How can we not vote for the person and the views that truly look out for the greater good? Obama MUST win. We need him.

But, what can we do? I worry that these ignorant people will never learn. I worry they will remain close-minded for the rest of their lives. I pray every day that Obama wins. But, I'm worried.

[dianhow]

I'm a 65 year old white woman, and I and my husband will vote for Obama. McCain has sold out to the right to get their votes.. MCCain has voted many many times against regulations for banks & lenders. Now her pretends to be a " born again ' regulator. Let's not fall for his lies.
Deregulation was the major cause of this financial crisis. Consumers no longer have laws that protect them. Republicans took most of them away. They only help their base.. which is huge corporations, CEO's,, Wall Street and lobbyists. McCain has had 10 -15 lobbyists on his campaign staff. McCain has voted no 18 x on an increase in the minimum wage, voted no on the GI bill to help Vets get further education. Check his record. It's not pro middle class at all.
So many voters are not informed on these facts. Campaign Ads and 30 seconds spots on the media do not tell the story.

[scared4ALL]

Yes but many racists don't vote.

I know because I come from a large family on both sides of many ignorant/racists. They are waking up finnaly.

Polls are a different story. We can't go by those.

When good people hear truth, they recognize it.

So here it is. Not that most of you don't know so let's tell others.

The only votes McPalin get are racists & super greedy rich. Maybe some ignorant who aren't paying attention.

Don't be offended by the word, ignorant. It only means void facts. Ignorant can learn but stupid can't.

All thinking & decent people, rich, poor & middle class can save this nation by not voting 4 those 2 cons. Even Warren Buffet, one of the richest men in the world is behind Obama & so should we all be.

Help get people 2 vote.

Write & make copies of what you want to say 2 persuade acquaintances, friends & loved ones 2 vote Obama. Place in envelopes 2 give them. Maybe even strangers, huh?

Maybe there are others we'd like 2 see in The White House, like Ron Paul, but unfortunately none are electable. Voting for them will only take away from keeping McCain from being elected.

Here's a great way 2 get them 2 wake up, register & vote>>>

Michael Moore's Slacker Uprising

http://slackeruprising.com/download/

He offers it free to all.

Please forward this & donate, We can't afford not to. Our children & future generations, depend on us all.

https://donate.barackobama.com/page/contribute/main

[Skua]

I wish I thought that that McConaughey thing would work outside a movie (or novel).

There are some - a fair number - of white people who won't vote for Senator Obama because he's Black, and know it. I think we can do without them.

The problem is, though, there are a lot more white people who won't vote for Senator Obama because of all sorts of other things they believe or fear about him - and in fact they wouldn't believe or suspect these things if he were white. Would they suspect he were Muslim if he were white? Would they suspect he were the antichrist if he were white? If he were a white candidate with a controversial preacher - someone in the Assemblies of God, to pull a denomination out of the air at random - would anyone think he hated America? Would anyone think his wife looked angry and so on? (And, conversely, would the various personal problems of the McCain and Palin families matter so little if they were NOT white?)

All these things could be gotten over if this stratum could really be convinced that a win by Senator Obama would make their lives materially better. But can they be convinced of this? Or will they pretty much think that their lives are going to get worse no matter who gets in? And, by the way, would they be wrong?

[evangelicalatheist]

Patricia, Very good post - well thought-out and VERY well written! But......as a suburban white, I cannot know what it is to grow up as a black man, and can only assume to offer an opinion. The main-stream media AND the republican party WANT it to be about race. Both the MSM and the republicans pander to fear, ignorance, and intolerance, which, to my mind, is the basis of all racism. I agree that Barak's STRENGTH is that he has NOT used race as an issue - but watch during and after the various debates how the other side will be hollering "race-card", sexism, and "values" - that's ALL they have to run on.

I think the polls are close because of this pandering and also because the American people, basically, FEAR change. A white bigot is NOT going to vote for Obama; no matter WHAT the issue. A bigot will even vote against his, or her, own self-interest because of their bigotry. Please FORGET them! I think it is evident, at this point, that they are NOT in the majority.

Even the ignorants among us know that "somethin's gotta give". Imagine how refreshing it will be to have an intelligent, constitutional scholar in the White House - AND a Democratic Congress willing to back his policies! The choice offered to the jurors in "A Time to Kill" was: Imagine it were YOU and do what's RIGHT!

OBAMA '08

[STR8M8]

We preach freedom around the world, and we mean it, and we cherish our freedom here at home, but are we to say to the world, and much more importantly, to each other that this is a land of the free except for the Negroes; that we have no second-class citizens except Negroes; that we have no class or caste system, no ghettoes, no master race except with respect to Negroes?

In the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal.. . . We must deal with the world as it is, and not as it might have been had the history of the last eighteen years been different.

And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.

My fellow citizens of the world, ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man."

Godspeed, and may God's hand guide us all to a rebirth of freedom,

Chitty

[vsdaddy]

I may be an Obama supporter but lets be honest. From the looks of things right now, the only reason McCain is not 20 points up is because of race--not white bias, but black. When 95% of blacks will be voting for Obama there is no other explanation except race. Obama needs to do a lot more to educate the voters as to why he should be president. He is obviously failing to do that. Too bad.

[Waltb31]

Fully 92% of Blacks voted for Bill Clinton twice. Was that because of race too?

[STR8M8]

VS: A few facts :

1992 CLINTON BUSH

African American Women 87% 8%
White Women 41% 41%
African American Men 78% 13%
White Men 37% 40%

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

2000 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

AFRICAN AMERICANS (millions)

Female Population 13.36%
Registered Female Voters 8.93%
Actual Female Voters 7.59%
Male Population 10.77%
Registered Male Voters 6.42%
Actual Male Voters 5.32%

1984 Walter Mondale 90% Ronald Reagan 9%
1988 Michael Dukakis 90% George H.W. Bush 10%
1992 Bill Clinton 83% George H.W. Bush 10%
1996 Bill Clinton 84% Bob Dole 12%
2000 Al Gore 90% George W. Bush 9%

THE PRESIDENTIAL VOTE %s
% of
1992
total
vote 3-party vote
1992 1996
Social group Clinton Bush Perot Clinton Dole Perot
Total vote 43 37 19 49 41 8
10% Black 83 10 7 84 12 4
3% Jewish 80 11 9 78 16 3 Source: Voter News Service exit polls.

Even if were 95%, WHITE nominees consistently received the same-- and blacks gave Clinton 2 wins -- and JFK, his. Talk whay you know.

You've got it totally backwards; the reason OBAMA is not up by 20 is because of people who unknowingly harbor subconscious sentiments that won't admit acknowledgement. If Obama were white, this contest would be finis.

You have it half-right: Obama/Biden. Unconcsious cultural assimilation reigns unchallenged.

Chitty

[STR8M8]

I will leave you with a few words from JFK:

"Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans, born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage, and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed

only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger... [none] of us would exchange places with any other people or ...generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it, and the glow from the fire can truly light the world.



Chitty

[STR8M8]

The heart of the question is whether all Americans are to be afforded equal rights and equal opportunities, whether we are going to treat our fellow Americans as we want to be treated. If an American, because his skin is dark, cannot eat lunch in a restaurant open to the public, if he cannot send his children to the best public school available, if he cannot vote for the public officials who represent him, if, in short, he cannot enjoy the full and free life which all of us want, then who among us would be content to have the color of his skin changed and stand in his place? Who among us would then be content with the counsels of patience and delay?


Chitty

[mattycb]

Patricia, I feel the urgency in your post and I too wish that Barack were running in a color blind society. The only point I think you miss is:

First, a good portion of this country cannot identify with an Ivy League educated constitutional law professor turned senator, white or black. You see, that is one of our problems. The country has been dumbed down to believe that their President must be someone who can barbecue spare ribs and have a beer with them. Intellect, talent, and a deep informed social perspective do not impress a good portion of America.

Second, we make a big mistake to associate Barack's characteristics with being white. Your piece implies that all these great characteristics conjure up the image of a white man in people's minds. We need to move beyond racially identifying characteristics like intellect as white. We also cannot deny that Barack is who he is partly because he is black. It has informed his perspective to some degree. I would not want a white Obama simply because it would not be Obama. You cannot separate his background from his social view. It is part of what makes him special.

And there is where the real problem lies. It is not that we need to have America recognize all these "white characteristics" in Obama. We need America to embrace ALL of Obama, including his blackness.

[Cowboylove]

The bad news is, Obama has a huge Racial GH8urdle to overcome. The good news is, it looks like he is going to do it.

The most amazing thing about this race is a black candidate is not only viable but has consistently been in the lead. America will make itself proud when it elects the first black president. As the southern great-grandson of a plantation owner, nothing will give me greater pleasure than to vote for a black man who I know is wiser and better equipped to handle the Twenty-First century problems facing this nation than any white man i know. He has my vote as well as my financial support.

The South may surprise many people in the fall. I predict Obama will do far better in the South than anyone can imagine. People in the end will not extend the last eight years of lies and deception for four more years of the same. No matter how bigoted you are, you won't be able to pull that trigger!

[childrenfirst]

It's a shame that in this day and age we even have to talk about such things as race or gender in any campaign, but we do. I was raised in the South as a Christian and had to battle friends and family over race issues most of my life. Fortunately, they've all come around to the light and it's nice to know old dogs can learn new tricks. I said long ago that a black man would be president before a woman in this country, because I feel the bigotry towards a woman is worse, judging by the Judeo-Christian history of men in power. I'm sorry it's that way, but at least the man we're going to elect understands he plight of women (unlike McCain who has shown his contempt for women many times over the years). I know there are still those out there who wouldn't vote for either a black man or a woman because of fear and ignorance. What a day it will be when they figure out what a great man Obama is and how much he cares about the human condition. His race may be a factor now, but I hope it erases a lot of the fears that people have over his years in the White House. I'm going to see him tomorrow and can't wait. I live in Florida and we need him more than most. It'll be interesting to see who comes out for his rally.