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[cdlamis]

IMO, I wasn't sure my parents would live to see the day that a black president was elected but I really thought that we would have a woman president first. So, in my own mind, this will be a truly historical day.

[icunurse]

Also the fact that he is the first black (or 1/2 black if that makes people feel better) candidate on a major ticket. Geraldine Ferraro already broke the ceiling for women to be a VP candidate and it was historic at that time.

So, it is already historic for Obama, it is still up to the polls to see if it can be historic for Palin. In the future, it would be historic for a woman to be a Pres candidate because it hasn't been done before. The next black candidate I doubt will be viewed with as much historic sentiment.

[LarsMal]

It doesn't make sense. He's 50% WHITE as well. .

Tell that to the racist people who won't vote for him BECAUSE he is black!

[kayte]

Per Wikipedia.......
Most African Americans are the descendants of captive Africans who survived the slavery era within the boundaries of the present United States, although some are — or are descended from — voluntary immigrants from Africa, the Caribbean, Central America, South America, or elsewhere.

While the above appears further dow in the definition --it begins with

African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa.[4]


I think that says it all--he certainly does qualify.

[brittone2]

I've seen lots of coverage saying this election will be historic no matter what happens...the first black President or the first woman VP.

I can tell you that I live in the south, on the border of where progressive meets conservative essentially. I've been out canvassing, making phone calls, etc. for Obama. In those instances (on rare occasions), as well as just in hearing everyday conversation at the store (more commonly), I flat out hear people say "they aren't voting for that (insert n-word)." They aren't shy about it, believe me. So while African Americans may be excited about Obama, there are plenty of white people that won't vote for Obama specifically because he's black.

I don't understand what people would like to call his race. It seems like a can't win situation to me, to be honest.

Since he didn't grow up dirt poor, does that matter? Would it be any different symbolically if he was an African American in a more traditional sense of the word if he grew up in an affluent household? Is it only historic if someone is AA but is of higher socioeconomic status? ETA: Only significant if AA and of lower socioecomic status? What counts as enough?

I think it is historic no matter what race we call him. He certainly had opportunities afforded to him, but he certainly has had to contend with challenges because of his racial background, whatever it is labeled. I see and hear the comments in my own backyard of NC.

edited to fix punctuation

[Laurel]

Race is a social construct. Obama is labled African-American because that is how society sees him and how he identifies himself, period.

As for blacks voting based his skin color alone, I find the suggestion both ignorant and offensive (and frankly a little "sour grapes" as well). Democrats generally get 80%-90% of the black vote, of course there is a little extra enthusiasm when such a historical candidate also runs on the ticket whose policies AA's prefer! FWIW, in the 2006 Maryland Senate race black conservative Michael Steele managed only 25% of the black vote.

ps. I think it is also difficult for blacks to vote for someone who opposed making Martin Luther King's birthday a federal holiday.

[malphy]

I could care less what color he is and I can see that both sides have their points.

I think they have never focused on the fact that he is BIRACIAL, instead, strategically probably a benefit to emphasize his "blackness".

But the real question is what does being black mean? Is it just your skin color or are people thinking of "blackness" as poor, urban, hip-hop gangsta? I know growing up in "the hood" if you were not from that environment you weren't truly black. If you lived in a good neighborhood and had money or good education you were considered a sellout.

Obama grew up in Hawaii, he is just as "white" as Mccain.

They are both POLITICIANS, which means they both do/say what is best for them to attain power and push their agendas.

[o_mom]

No, what I am saying is that it would be no more historic than having a WOMAN as Vice President. There is this big deal about "Our First Black President", but nothing about "Our First Female VP". It has nothing to do with slave history, etc. It doesn't make sense. He's 50% WHITE as well. The blacks want to identify with him, but he wasn't even raised in the same type of environment as many of the blacks who are voting for him and identifying with him.

I just don't think skin color should determine a president and I don't see how it is so "historic" if he is elected, but it's not a big deal if Palin becomes VP. That's all I'm saying.

Perhaps you just need to adjust your thinking. All those black voters are able to overcome their preconceived notions and vote for a half white man.

I think, however, what you will find is that all those black voters are able to identify with him in spite of his white mother and privileged upbringing because they know that none of it matters when he tries to hail a cab at night. Racism in this country tends to follow the 'one-drop' rule as PP pointed out.

As for which is more historic? I think either one would be historic, but Palin may be slightly less because Dan Qualye has already set a precedent.

[KBecks]

I am 1/16 or 1/32 descendant of a Mississippi freed slave.... I'm not sure how far back the mixing started, but my great grandfather was black and had dark skin and my great grandmother was "black" because she had mixed blood. It's all very confusing.


Obama is identified as black because it is a large voting block. His wife is black, and it works for him to identify as black. Most people would label him black on skin color? I don't know.

One drop does not apply to me, my grandfather moved North and jumped the line, his family is perceived as white. It's not one drop, it's just appearance.

[JTsMom]

Perhaps you just need to adjust your thinking. All those black voters are able to overcome their preconceived notions and vote for a half white man.

I think, however, what you will find is that all those black voters are able to identify with him in spite of his white mother and privileged upbringing because they know that none of it matters when he tries to hail a cab at night. Racism in this country tends to follow the 'one-drop' rule as PP pointed out.

As for which is more historic? I think either one would be historic, but Palin may be slightly less because Dan Qualye has already set a precedent.