Was door knocking again this weekend - I joking refer to the campaign as my aerobics program - when I had a door knock that just made my hair stand on end.
This guy was an Independent and he was fairly conservative but looks at both parties (face it, that is the swing vote in Colorado).
We discussed Anna's campaign, the local politics and then the presidential race. The money quote came after he said, "I'm not making a decision on Obama until after he announces his VP".
I asked why?
He said he had just finished his biannual family reunion. Half the family had flown in from the hill country of Kentucky and Tennessee and were talking politics. He said they were all waiting for the same thing - Obama's VP pick. Why?
Because all of them figured the VP would be President within the first two years of the term. They figured there was no chance some redneck wouldn't kill the first (Black) president.
My jaw dropped. This guy was sitting here talking to someone he had never met before saying straight out he was waiting to see if Barack's VP was someone he would vote for a president because he expected this person to become president. NO hesitation, no stammering, no expression of shame that this could be the state of affairs in America.
It was the most astounding thing I had ever heard.
Has anyone else been hearing this meme? I didn't have a response except to say that the Secret Service will sure do everything they can to keep this from happening and that I am incredibly disappointed this can be a motivation from someone in this day and age.
It does seem to me that this is very much a 60 and over point of view - the post-racial America is certainly not evident in a significant portion of the early boomer generation.
It makes me sad and mad and thankful that these voices will not determine the election. But it should be the motivation from young voters to ensure that this thinking does not control this election - and it will if young voters fail to turn out.
Update
A number of comments have reflected on memories of violence versus race as the underpinning. The only response I can give is that the parenthetical (Black) was to indicate I had removed the single word I won't use that categorically indicated it was racially based.