Posted on 09/22/2006 9:58:09 AM PDT by SirLinksalot
The Color of His Skin
Imagine him white.
Barack Obama, that is. Amidst all the glowing talk about the possibility of his becoming America's first black president in 2008, it's an interesting thought experiment to imagine whether Mr. Obama would elicit this swooning buzz if he were white.
That is, let's imagine a white guy with all of Mr. Obama's pluses: crinkly smile, sincere concern for the little man, fine speech a couple of years ago about bringing the nation together, a certain charisma, wrote a touching autobiography. Let's call him Barrett O'Leary.
I do not think Mr. O'Leary would be touted a year-and-change into his Senate appointment as a presidential possibility. No knock on Mr. Obama intended, mind you. For all we know, he could have the genius for national statesmanship of a Disraeli. The point is that we don't know yet. Like any new senator, Mr. Obama has been quietly learning his way around the byzantine procedures of Senate lawmaking.
The key factor that galvanizes people around the idea of Obama for president is, quite simply, that he is black. Other things about him don't hurt, but that's all — they are not the deciding factor. Take away Mr. Obama's race and he's some relatively anonymous rookie. Barrett O'Leary, even if as cute and articulate as Mr. Obama, would have to wait at least another four years, and possibly six or seven, before being considered as a possible commander in chief.
What gives people a jolt in their gut about the idea of President Obama is the idea that it would be a ringing symbol that racism no longer rules our land. President Obama might be, for instance, a substitute for that national apology for slavery that some consider so urgent.
(Excerpt) Read more at nysun.com ...
And then there's the question what if his mama hadn't named him after looking in her bowl of alphabet soup.
I thought Bill Clinton was our first Black President.
He'd be Dan Quayle. By the way, the only parent I have seen supporting him is his White Mother. I wonder if she ever got kicked out of a Kwaanza celebration?
Or ugly?
In one word, NO.
I think they're talking about the kind of blackness that doesn't wash off.
A year and some change and he has already done more and probably attended more days than J"Effing"Kerry has in his entire senate career.
But that just makes him adequate(i.e. attending and doing his job) and not Presidential material. Way to soon to say he has what it takes.
Or short? Or fat? Or short, fat, and ugly?
He's a socialist, what else matters?
Wait until the Washington Post digs into his past and finds out that he's part Jewish...
... oh wait, he's a democrat...
... nevermind
Why are they making this about color? Thomas Sowell isn't white either and I'd vote for him in a heartbeat!
Were Obama all white, he'd be considered a skinny smooth-talking albeit slow-witted guy who looks somewhat like a chimp.
He confused Josh Belton for John Bolton during Bolton's confirmation hearings. That's all I need to know that he's a lightweight.
President Obama might be, for instance, a substitute for that national apology for slavery that some consider so urgent.As President he might make that apology. On behalf of all of his. Directed towards all African-Americans. Including himself.
It will be a Grand Statement of Self-Referential Regret, such as the world has never seen. Almost worth electing him for. (Or maybe not.)
He would be laughed out of politics.
He's a better speaker than Dan.
The Dems would just treat him as a young JFK/RFK-- smart and idealistic and charismatic.
Or short?
I saw him on CNN speaking in Iowa the other day. Compared to the other people in the Dem Race he appears to be much more exciting.
He is young, not bad looking, has a great story etc
What is the difference between him and John Edwards in reality
Since he has no control over that, it is not his fault and I decline to hold it against him. But his socialist positions are another matter!
That's pretty much how they describe the current president over at DU, except the smooth-talking part.
The whole point of the article is that Obama is being touted as "presidential material" by liberals and the media only because of his skin color.
It would be hard to write an article about that reality without mentioning Obama's skin color.
In reference to international relations, he has virtually NO experience and I doubt anyone overseas would seriously set down across the table from him.
He's a socialist Rat pig. The Rats are the only ones that give a Rats ass if he's 'black'.
Yes because he is incredibly PC.
He's like that on the Senate floor also
Oh, you mean a used car salesman.
If he were white he'd be a complete non-entity. He certainly wouldn't be a Senator and even if he were, his complete lack of accomplishments would preclude any talk of the White House. He's a big nothing.
How can it be an apology for slavery to elect a man whose ancestors weren't slaves? They are African immigrants. I say elect Ken Blackwell to set the record straight--that the Republican party has always been the party of free blacks, and it is time to set them free once again from Democrat institutions that enslave them, this time, the welfare state and quota systems. Democrats gave blacks first slavery, then Jim Crow, poll taxes and segregation, then welfare, ghettos and unwed motherhood. Republicans existed to end slavery, and once they did, they gave blacks freedom, and said here you go, now use it. Dems took that freedom away again as soon as they had the power. So, remind me now, why do blacks vote 90 percent Democrat?
Because his whole career IS about color. Nobody would notice the guy if he were a white man.
Thomas Sowell wouldn't be "black enough" for some people....like the article says.
IOW, if a black person is a Republican, that makes them "not black enough".
Post 9/11, I doubt anyone named Obama would be considered regardless of race.
"...the only parent I have seen supporting him is his White Mother."
Where's his daddy? Do we know?
Clinton's blackness doesn't wash off.
Obama, for all the shilling the media will do for him, is a pretty hard left. The MSM thinks it can put its person in as President with their propaganda, as they did with Clinton in 1992. They don't have that power anymore.
If the Dems were serious about a black President, they would have told Harold Ford to stay in the House and give him a committee chairmanship for visibility.
Yeah, we had quite a discussion here with our liberal friends winding up displeased, to say the least >>> http://www.network54.com/Forum/243655/thread/1137530908/last-1138808492/Clinton+Slams+Bush%2C+White+House+in+Harlem
Excellent question...
NO.........NO...A THOUSAND TIMES, NO!!!
Is America ready for a president with a muslim name?
President Barack Hussein Obama?
The "color of his skin" makes him bulletproof!! You could never criticize him for anything!!
Not if Hillary has anything to do with it.
He's a "safe Negro".
If he looked like Idi Amin, we wouldn't even be having this discussion.
"What hypocrites these liberals be."
Aside from the obvious immaturity of it, I have no objection to anyone comparing a politician to a chimp, unless that person is also an evolution-denier, in which case they are hypocritical. My opinion is we all have chimpish characteristics.
He wouldn't but we need to be careful about making the same mistake with Condi Rice. I've commented several times that nobody on here would be talking her up were it not for the color of her skin.
[and with just 4 more steps, we can somehow connect him to Kevin Bacon]...;]
Oh darn, I thought it was an Irish name Barach O'Bama
"By the way, the only parent I have seen supporting him is his White Mother."
Since she's dead, that's quite a feat.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.