As a moderate who is trying to decide between Obama and McCain, this hysteria over Obama’s clinching of the Democratic nomination really disturbs me.
Time and again, I hear people who question whether Obama is the best candidate labelled racists. If he were to be elected in November, what is going to happen to America? What happens when Obama makes a mistake? Will every criticism set off a round of rancorous racial politics? Do I really want to put my country, and myself, through this?
Those Obama supporters who are quick to throw labels around need to think again. Their actions could have an effect that is the opposite of what they intend.

My boyfriend and I were talking about this last night. I was telling him that White people, especially from the Right often misunderstand Obama as a presidential candidate and think that we think he is some Messiah. The reason why we have such hope for him and such admiration is because his candidacy shows how much America has possibly changed.
People, especially non-white people, see him being the nominee as showing that there is a bit of hope in the world, that perhaps the finges of our society will really have a voice. Us, as whities don’t really understand how significant this victory is, how much of a miracle to others it is. Maybe saying that Obama should be in the Bible is going a bit too far but it represents how much the oppressed people in our society have been yearning for, for a while now. And that’s change. Of course, you’re not really going to get that with McCain, he’s a crusty old white man, a continuation of Bush policy.

Gee, do you think Rev. Jackson might be prone to hyperbole?

Rev. Jackson, Rev. Jackson, Rev. Jackson you do like to exaggerate.

And if Obama loses they are going to look really stupid. Of course the Obamanites tend to look really stupid now…

“It’s easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven”
“If they right eye offend thee, pluck it out.”
Hmmm…a tradition of hyperbole, perhaps.
And no, he doesn’t rate a place in the Bible. But you don’t even acknowledge a place in the history books, for the first black man to be the Democratic front-runner for President of the United States. Even Jackson, a previous candidate himself, sees the historical significance of that.
You know, just because you disagree with his politics, doesn’t mean you couldn’t demonstrate the modicum of perception and wisdom necessary to recognize the historicity of this campaign, or its deep significant to black Americans.
Nothing makes Christ less attractive than Christians, sadly.

Chance, you sound like you might be one of these peope who looks down on their own race, because they think it makes them better. Well, I can assure you that your racist views of white people are mostly unfounded. How do you know what other “understand”? You don’t, but you make blanket statements, because it what non-whites want to hear. Its actually pretty pathetic.
Another chapter in the bible? You people have lost it.

“messiah, messiah, messiah” – michele’s canned attack #1
“Those of you who complain that the whole messiah shtick is just an evil Republican rebranding effort might want to keep in mind that we are only quoting Democrats and the MSM.”
ok, michele, where did rev. jackson say “messiah” or that obama is the messiah? come on, you’re quoting democrats here… you’re not putting words in their mouth, are you? liar. despicable liar.
“It’s not our fault that people are over the top in their rhetoric.”
nope, but it’s your fault that you lie and misrepresent what people actually say just to support your silly little notions.
“What do you expect us to do, ignore it?”
not at all. we expect you to be truthful.
“It’s absolutely amazing to me that people don’t see that they are blaspheming God with their worship of this guy.”
hm… honoring, appreciating, respecting… not exactly worship… not exactly blasphemy.
“They really might want to take a step back and rethink their rhetoric and all the hope that they are investing in a politician who is no different from any other politician.”
if he’s no different, then how about you vote for him, come november, eh sweetie?
“…the MSM (which is the publicity arm of the DNC — talk about party hacks!)” – michele’s baseless canned attack #2
*yawn*

Charles “And if Obama loses they are going to look really stupid. Of course the Obamanites tend to look really stupid now…”
Well if Obama looses he still might be crying for four years, so it is likely he’s right either way.

“Of course the Obamanites tend to look really stupid now…”
i think you mean “of course all the morons who voted for bush tend to look really stupid now.” it’s a hoot to see what idiots get out of their beater trucks with their W04 stickers fading from their back windows.
Gallup: Obama takes lead over McCain, 48%-42%

Gallup is never accurate, it has something to do with the way they set up their sampling procedure. And if Obama only has a 2% margin over McCain NOW outside the margin of error, by November he can be expected to be down by at least 10. At this point, in a normal election year, we would expect McCain to be at least 5 to 10 points down outside the margin of error (=/-4%)given the nature of the campaign thus far and the fact that the Republicans have fallen through the floor of the outhouse. The fact that McCain is not that far down, in fact virtually dead even, (and we aren’t even looking at the electoral map which has McCain ahead) means that Obama, in spite of the mandate of heaven that his supporters think that he has, is in serious trouble.
McCain has one serious advantage over Obama that no one is talking about. The Democrats are going to hold Congress and the public really likes divided government. One party holding both Congress and the Presidency is always a recipe for disaster.
The only issue that matters this election is the economy. And thus far neither candidate has done a very good job of addressing it in a way that the voters find believable. Unless Obama comes up with a strategy that sounds good (it does not have to work, it just has to sound good to the voters) the demographics will defeat him. He cannot bring in enough new voters in his target groups to give him more than one state and McCain can easily match that.
Now, if we factor in the “bleech phenomenon” when voters just get tired of seeing a candidate’s face and tune him out, Obama’s celebrity status can become a major drawback by November. The last thing a candidate wants is for the voters to say, “Oh, no, not HIM again.” and change the channel or pop in a dvd.

If there’s any one good thing that’s come from this election cycle, it’s bringing Black liberation theology to the same light cast on white racism since Birth of a Nation. Racism is racism, and the statement quoted here is at best idiotic–and I’m writing as someone who did vote and will vote for Obama. I take Reverend Wright at his word when he said of the man he’s known for 20 years, he’s just a politician. It’s a politician I want to vote for, neither a devil nor the hero of the added chapter of the Bible.

One other comment. Hating Obama–or hating Michelle McGinty–is not in any way equivalent to loving God. My guess, however, is there will be at least one post angrily contradicting this assertion.

“McCain has one serious advantage over Obama that no one is talking about. The Democrats are going to hold Congress and the public really likes divided government. One party holding both Congress and the Presidency is always a recipe for disaster.”
except that you’re not considering that people are disgusted that government has gotten NOTHING done, because when republicans ruled all, they did nothing of worth to the common people, and since democrats have had the slim majority in congress, bush has vetoed nearly every worthwhile piece of legislation.
this is one case where i think your logic will fail. that said, i honestly hope that congress will continue to do its job of checks-and-balances and not the rubber stamp that it has been for the bush presidency.
“He cannot bring in enough new voters in his target groups to give him more than one state and McCain can easily match that.”
i’d like to know where you get your statics. because the sources i watch have an entirely different story.
“Gallup is never accurate… And if Obama only has a 2% margin over McCain NOW outside the margin of error, by November he can be expected to be down by at least 10.”
by what measure and by what evidence? did you polish your crystal ball for that one? polls are never a prediction of the future. i just thought it interesting to see where people are today (by the way, i agree that no single poll is accurate however, for whatever it’s worth, rasmussen had obama at 50 and mccain at 44 on the same day and they have a history of right-wing bias).

Yeah, you’re right about the bible, except the chapter’s already been written. It’s the chapter about the anti-Christ’s arrival. And Obama fits all the criteria. You will regret one day that you brought this demon to power. In my view, it’s the best thing that could happen. Once and for all it’s time to get rid of the two greatest evils in the world today -Islam and liberalism.

latisha, freak much? i sure wouldn’t mind seeing the quick death of fundamentalism (of all religions) and conservatism, but i somewhat savor their slow whithering death even more.
fundie christian conservatives have some whack-nut ideas of the world. whatever will you do when obama fails to usher in the “end times” and armageddon? will you drink the spiked punch? there’s a fundamentalist muslim for you out there somewhere, a match made in heaven on earth.
i truly feel sorry for you.

“It’s the chapter about the anti-Christ’s arrival. And Obama fits all the criteria.”
Quoting a frequent contributer on this blog : “You’re going to be disappointed when he turns out to be a regular politician.” ;^)