Did you see last night's Panorama? It was about Barack Obama and the likelihood of him becoming the next president of the USA. I remember being in Cape Cod just before the election of Clinton in '92, and every American I spoke to said that in the future they could imagine a black president over a female one.
But how times have changed. Hilary Clinton is immensely popular and unlike Obama, does't have to worry about whether she's white or black. For him this is really an issue. Whites love him because he is, as the programme said, white America's ideal black man, a non-threatening, straight-up, clean-cut, educated nice young man. Black people on the other hand think he's not black enough and not doing enough on black issues, like poverty. The black women they interviewed thought Hilary was the one for them.
Whether they get Obama or Clinton (Mrs), this will be an interesting campaign to watch.
2 comments:
The worrying thing is that the vast majority of Americans in the flyover states will be reluctant to vote for anyone who isn't white and male, thus guaranteeing the Republicans another four years in power. And the Democrats, fearing this, may chicken out of nominating either Obama or Clinton and opt for an inoffensive white male themselves.
This election really will be a test of how broad-minded America is.
Poor Barack Obama. Not the best post 9/11 name for a start and then he just can't please anyone. I have a sneaky hope that he wins.
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