Obama

[bond_james_bond]

Do you think there will be a black President? I would think this would happen in a European country or Canada (which are more liberal) before it happens in the US.

 

[joelcairo]

Unlikely that there will be a black or a female pres for at least several years. The US just isn't progressive enough. Canada had Kim Campbell who was not exactly a poster girl touting the advantages of a female leader. Still, as ineffectual as she was, at least she didn't exhibit a lack of scruples like such "leaders" as Mulroney and Martin (two different parties but equally "strong" sense of ethics). Then again, maybe Kim wasn't in office long enough to become totally corrupt.

 

[Joe.t]

Are you crazy, there will never and I mean never be a black American president because we live in a racist society plain and simple.

 

[Juliana]

US Needs Radical Change By Any Means Necessary!

Yes it is possible Barack Obama will be next Afro American president!

America needs a change of how the outside world looks at US.

The Clintons and Bush's have been in the white house for the last 30 years, enough is enough!

I will cry with emotion and hope when he wins!

I am pregnant with hope for his victory!
Juliana

 

[monsieur]

cynics beware !

if obama wins NH tuesday, he might well be the democratic nominee. and against someone like huckabee, chances are we might have a first black president. iowa is a religiously conservative state that's 95% white and they chose him so... it's time for hope !

i'm more afraid of another lee harvey oswald than seeing obama lose...

 

[anon_vlad]

I listened to extracts from a debate between Clinton and Obama a couple of weeks ago and was entralled to hear, for the first time in years, eloquent humans discussing issues at an intellectual level; no ad hominem arguments, setting up straw men, or any other debating tricks.

I don't know where people got the idea to even consider for election someone of no more than average intelligence, work ethic and morals to lead a country. If I had been in the room when Bush first announced his candidacy for president my reaction would have been: "Are you kidding me?"

It is with sadness that I say that I think that it is unfortunate that Obama is black and Hillary a woman as those attributes will lower the probability for whoever among them becomes the Democratic candidate to beat the Republican nominee.

 

[Juliana]

Awesome.........

cynics beware !

if obama wins NH tuesday, he might well be the democratic nominee. and against someone like huckabee, chances are we might have a first black president. iowa is a religiously conservative state that's 95% white and they chose him so... it's time for hope !

Monsieur, i share your hopes with you, great!
Juliana

 

[Fred Zed]

Unlikely that there will be a black or a female pres for at least several years. The US just isn't progressive enough. Canada had Kim Campbell who was not exactly a poster girl touting the advantages of a female leader. Still, as ineffectual as she was, at least she didn't exhibit a lack of scruples like such "leaders" as Mulroney and Martin (two different parties but equally "strong" sense of ethics). Then again, maybe Kim wasn't in office long enough to become totally corrupt.

I think this time round he might just win the Democratic nomination.
That is quite possible. As for the Presidenncy, he is quite electable.
Maybe not this time round, but in another ~ 5 years ( he is only 46 ) he will have another opportunity to run again and his chances might be even better then.

 

[montreal_monk01]

Do you think there will be a black President? I would think this would happen in a European country or Canada (which are more liberal) before it happens in the US.

Having a black US president will be hard but it can be materialized given
several factors such as :

(1)the presence of an important pro black electorate in the major demographic areas. I know that being black does not necessarily means Pro-Barack, but this can help. Something is sure, he wont rely on the kkk and conservative pro white tendancies ;p
(2)His approach as that fresh new and immaculate politician may be appealing to an electorate that goes beyond the color of skin: lots of ppl who are fed up of the old fashion politicians may be seduced by Barack.
(3)The groupies of Oprah...lol...just kidding...
(4)His "preaching" demeanour ---the message of Hope-- may be annoying to some...but can be appealing to others.

But to be frank, I think that it's like in reality shows: we, color ppl, will always make couple of gains just to give the show an appearance of open mindness...but in the end, we all know how the scenario will be completed.

 

[korbel]

This election is an incredible social experiment.

If the Republican Party's campaign team and had only one strategy to choose, it would be divide and conquer : throw all its ammo at the most threatening white male candidate leaving only the black man and the white woman.
They couldn't care less about which one makes it to the Presidential race. There's no way Americans will vote en masse for a black man or a white woman.

The Democrats should spend tons of money making sure Americans will be getting another Bush Cheney time bomb.

Hello My Dingaling,

Don't bet on it. The problem with Obama and Clinton respectively is perceived lack of experience for the first and a liberal agenda for the second. Whether these perceptions are true or not, few are concerned one is black and one is a woman. Bias against race and gender is more likely to be from Republicans than Democrats, and much less among the general population than you seem to think.

Wrong,

Korbel

 

[mark_sab]

what a waste of money...

it is another presidential election year. a country (we the people) that refuses to help the poor and lets people freeze and starve and allows natural disasters and illness to wipe people off the face of the earth prefers to spend its money on a massive election that will be decided more by who holds the most money than who has the best chance to be an effective president.

why dont they just all go on you tube with there message to the people for free every day?

i would vote for that...

 

[korbel]

I disagree. I think Democrats are more racist than Republicans.

Republicans believe that black people (and anyone for that matter) should be free to adopt whatever political beliefs they choose, based on their own experience, education, and personal beliefs.

Democrats on the other hand, tend to believe that black people should follow the political beliefs of the liberal white elite of the Democratic party. They treat blacks who fail to follow the party line as "Uncle Toms."

People like Clarence Thomas, Colin Powell and Condeleeza Rice can testify to what it's like to be a black person in America who really thinks for himself or herself.

Hello CaptR

Do you know the history of the Republican Party during the Civil Rights Era? No, it doesn't seem so. Even Ralph Reed co-founder of the "Christian Coalition, I read two of his books, admits the Republican Party has been on the wrong side of social issues and that most certainly includes the blocking of civil rights for African Americans. Just because they come late to the realization that racism is not good for the party and have made some amends doesn't mean they are suddenly without racism. The proof is Democrats stood and stand for civil rights. As for Thomas, it has always been too bad the Republicans couldn't find a more more qualified Conservative African American instead of this Supreme Court farce.

Toodles,

Korbel

 

[korbel]

If you want to talk about history...it was the (northern) Republicans who led America against the (southern) Democrats into a civil war to set the slaves free. For the next 100 years after the Civil War it was segregatioist southern Democrats who did the most to block the civil rights of blacks in the US.

Hello CaptRenault,

Uh...NO! Totally false. You are stepping into my arena now my friend and you seem to have bought into the end result of the war as it`s purpose, which is a common mistake. Lincoln`s utmost priority at all costs was to save the Union...freeing the slaves was something he came to believe was necessary. It definitely was not the purpose of the war, and if you look into the Draft Riots of 1863 in New York you can read about what many so-called Northern Republican folks thought about fighting to free the slaves.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln_on_slavery#Colonization

In the September 18, 1858 debate, Lincoln said: "I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races - that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of making voters or jurors of Negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality. And in as much as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race." [10]

Lincoln made it clear that the North was fighting the war to preserve the Union. On August 22, 1862, just a few weeks before signing the Proclamation and after a draft of it was on his desk, he wrote a letter in response to an editorial by Horace Greeley of the New York Tribune which had urged complete abolition:

"I would save the Union. I would save it the shortest way under the Constitution. The sooner the national authority can be restored; the nearer the Union will be "the Union as it was." If there be those who would not save the Union, unless they could at the same time save slavery, I do not agree with them. If there be those who would not save the Union unless they could at the same time destroy slavery, I do not agree with them. My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union. I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause. I shall try to correct errors when shown to be errors; and I shall adopt new views so fast as they shall appear to be true views." The fact is Lincoln came to believe freeing the slaves had become necessary. Before the war any thought of doing this involved sending freed slaves back to Africa, a position called Colonization which he believed in "throughout his presidency".

The fact is that both parties are very different from what they were back in 1861. Many of the things Lincoln did were very "radical"...certainly a long way from Republicans of today. Both parties are very different today and barely resemble what they were 147 years ago.

Toodles,

Korbel

 

[bond_james_bond]

I think Obama Girl should be President!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKsoXHYICqU

Or at least, an SP in Montreal!

 

[korbel]

You feel free to stereotype Republicans as more likely to be biased against blacks and women but you don`t like it when I point out that southern Democrats have a long history of racism (not to mention that blue-collar, northern Democrats in cities like Boston are not exactly the most tolerant, enlightened Americans). So I`ll stop the stereotyping when you do.

BTW, I`ve lived in the south for the last 25 years, so I already know that white southerners, whether Democrat or Republican, are no more racist than other Americans.

Hello CaptRenault,

Let`s put one fact here that points to the heart of the matter. Whom do African Americans feel most comfortable voting for. Let`s see...since they statistically vote 80-90% Democrat, and usually 88% Democrat in general elections since the early 60s at least, you have the answer. Now racism certainly isn`t the only reason that happens. There are many reasons. But with such a disporportion in the voting percentages it is fair to say African Americans are overwhelmingly more comfortable with Democrats and perceived racism in the Republican Party anywhere certainly has something to do with it. It`s even more amazing since Republicans have placed the likes of Rice, Powell, and that farce Thomas in the highest positions in the land and African Americans still vote Democrat in the same percentages. So the facts of life clearly indicate the truth of the matter.

Reality and fact,

Korbel

PS

What achievements does Thomas have that could ever measure up to Thurgood Marshall`s successful fight for Civil Rights in Brown v. Board of Education...one of the most significant court successes in the history of the U.S. Right...NOTHING! Now enjoy your Coke. (Yeah...I know the Coke shot is totally cheap and unworthy...but I couldn`t resist).

 

[korbel]

People like Clarence Thomas, Colin Powell and Condeleeza Rice can testify to what it's like to be a black person in America who really thinks for himself or herself.

Hello CaptRenault,

Now this is funny. Thomas has towed the Conservative line to the letter. Rice from every report seems to mimic Bush almost perfectly. Powell resigned largely because he disagreed with Rumsfeld and others and was no longer considered a "team player".

So the fact that black people vote Democratic most of the time proves that Republicans are racist?

Please point out where I said this. Do you understand the word "perceived"? It doesn't mean proof. Your distortion is ridiculous! If you call that logic or reasoning then you need a dictionary...and a lot of rethinking.

No...it would indicate African Americans seem to feel that way...about the Republican Party policy makers at least, not necessarily Republicans in general. That's all. The first time I mentioned anything relating to "racism" I said:"bias against race and gender is more likely to be from Republicans than Democrats. "More likely" does not mean either party is racist. That was your first distortion, and you seem to be unable to avid this habit.

Look, I am going to stop this since it is clearly going nowhere. Much of what you infer about what I said is pure garbage. If this is your way then it is a waste of time to exchange words with you on such matters. Clearly you are going to put your words into my mouth regardless of what I say, so this is pointless. Go on with your hyperbole if you will. I am OUT of this thread...or at least I have no wish to continue exchanging with you.

Cheerio,

Korbel

PS

I see you had no reply to your mistake about the original goal of the Civil War, and you fail to acknowledge the great importance of Brown v The Board of Education. Check your history carefully if you will.

 

[montreal_monk01]

It's over my friend Barack..It's over!

I think it's the beginning of the end for my dear Barack -> my heart is with him, but if you've watched the latest post-Iowa debate between the democrat candidates, you've surely noticed that we have now a "rejuvenated " Hilary. Gents, this woman is now ready as ever
and experience is talking for her: she knows what opportunity to seize/what issue to fix/what heart to seduce ..in order to come back and win it all.
Have you noticed how she brillantly took note of the concerns that she was a cold woman? Now, just watch her brillantly unfold her magic: she will play it cool with her electorate, show you the most human face no politician could have impersonate better than her.
Remember that the only gap between her and final victory was just her image: people never doubted of her ability to run the US. People just found her cold!
Guess what: she knows how to play it cool (after all, wasn't Bill Clinton good at this? So for Hilary it was just a matter of sharing some kinky tricks with
hubby under the sheets..lol) and she will!

As to you, my dear Barack, I like you. You are a breeze of fresh air. I do not believe in your Hope babbling since it's always easy to hope when you are not at the head of the state facing the effective harsh realities of governing....but hey, you are different in your approach and I like that. Unfortunately, you know better than me that the US will never ever elect a president who has the wrong color of skin.
Their big lobbying circles, the deep heart of the USA, the ones with the big bucks, the big corporations...they will always stand conservative enough to make this never happening. But again, I like you and as a democrat you'll always have my warmest vote.
Your book "The audacity of hope" is shinning on my office desk because no matter the finality of things, you seduced me with your spirit of chance...you seduced me with your spirit of audacity!

 

[montreal_monk01]

Want an alternative to current presidential candidates?

Gents,
Quite funny. You may probably have runned through this, but just in case:
http://www.jeffdunham.com/walter.php
Enjoy!