I Want A Black President, There I've Said It!

Did that get your attention? I could have also entitled this diary: Here's  A Second Chance To March With Dr. King. For all those who were too young or otherwise unable to participate in the great events of the civil rights era, the chance to experience the struggle first hand is here. Literally here. Even on the pages of this liberal blogsite the scent of racism and countercharges is everywhere in the air. We're barely out of the voting blocks and the ethnic fur is flying. Perhaps we should take a leaf from Karl Rove's Swift Boat Playbook and in this case make a weakness into a strength...flip it!

For example, I'm looking forward to a member of black culture influencing our political debate by having the bully pulpit. Perhaps American society will benefit as it has from jazz, hip hop, and def comedy to name a few cultural contributions. Black culture and ethnicity represent as great an influence on this country as does Jewish for that matter and deserves the respect to be desired for its content rather than used as scapegoats or political targets.

I look forward to having black Barack Obama as our leader, I relish the possibility!

•  I agree n/t

  by The Bagof Health and Politics on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 09:58:42 PM PDT

•  I want a sane president of any color or gender

  I too relish the possibility of Obama.

  by science first on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 10:03:33 PM PDT

  •  I'd even go for half-sane

    as long as he or she is smart. Hearing your president speak should not be this painful.

    by not a cent on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 10:09:35 PM PDT

•  politically incorrect I know, but as a white male

  if edwards populism had a black face and breasts, with obama's speaking and hillary's political smarts - that would be a perfect candidate.

  by ETinKC on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 10:07:48 PM PDT

  •  You missed it

    Carole Mosely Braun ran in 2004.

    by johninPortland on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 11:46:02 PM PDT

•  I do not support Obama becaus of his rhetoric.

  I personally do not care if he is capable of delivering on any of his promises. What I see in Obama is a way to flip the establishment the bird.  Basically, a way to tell them to shape up or ship out because things are going to change in DC.  I do not see us achieving the same effect with Hillary.  No matter how hard they try to hide it, Hillary and Bill are globalists who have taken campaign funding from East Indian business interests.  They have nothing to gain by shaking up Washington.

  by ConcernedCitizenYouBet on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 10:14:23 PM PDT

  •  Interesting point..and one that should speak

    to many people.

    A vote for Clinton is saying "We lose, we give in" when it comes to change. I truly think that our country is ready for something other than the same old DLC line.

    by Morgan Sandlin on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 10:17:24 PM PDT

•  I want a woman president

  But mostly I want a president that will get us the hell out of raq.

  by anotherCt Dem on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 10:19:05 PM PDT

  •  interesting how that last part

    is so easily lost in the noise around these parts...

    by tony the American Mutt on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 10:21:51 PM PDT

•  I support Obama too...

  and I'm black. But, for some reason I meet very few black folks that feel so strong about having a black president as some women are about Hillary.

  Indeed, in polite conversations, I've NEVER heard a black person say it's time for a black president.

  Sure, it would be nice to have a president of color someday, but it's not everything.

  by General Sherman on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 10:40:48 PM PDT

  •  Give them another 50 years

    Different starting points. Where were blacks 50 years ago in terms of equality?  Where are they now?  And women?

    If we still haven't elected a black president in another 50 years, I think they may feel differently.

    by Free Spirit on Sat Jan 12, 2008 at 01:16:54 AM PDT

•  i suspect many folks just want

  a black president.

  by titotitotito on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 10:43:16 PM PDT

•  I want a President

  by army193 on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 10:45:12 PM PDT

•  Me too. I'm sick of racism.

  It was wonderful the way Larry Craig ended homophobia in Utah.

  by sgary on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 10:47:32 PM PDT

•  I'd like an Italian President... so should I vote

  for Rudy???

  Obviously not.  

  by inHI on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 10:48:44 PM PDT

  •  I'd like a half Pygmy and half Inuit Prez

    Preferably handicapped and transgendered.

    by johninPortland on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 11:49:06 PM PDT

    •  This is Sick and Tasteless....

      by serrano on Sat Jan 12, 2008 at 01:02:00 AM PDT

    •  That's not funny.

      by rserven on Sat Jan 12, 2008 at 01:42:58 PM PDT

•  I too relish an Obama Presidency

  But not because he's black.  It's because he's incredibly brilliant, practical, post-partisan, and progressive.  It's because of what he stands for and how he leads.  I'm told that as a white baby boomer woman I'm supposed to choose a particular candidate.  No way.  I go my own way and choose the best person.  It'll be historic if we get what we are fighting for, and that's terrific.  But mainly we need a true leader who can heal the divisions.  I believe Barack Obama is that leader.

  by SlowNomad on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 10:50:33 PM PDT

•  I respect your reason. Part of the reason I

  will vote for Hillary is because she would be the first woman president.

  It's not the only reason, not the most important reason, though.

  by Joelarama on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 11:21:24 PM PDT

•  Where'd you get the idea

  Obama is "black"? You can say, by the same stereotyping, that he is "white". To pigeonhole him as black is racist. He is neither, and culturally does not fit into your racial stereotyping. Obama is a super achieving American. He is person that looks beyond race, as many who post here, should.

  But if you really want to do that, then help restore New Orleans, where Jazz was born, and where the exchange of racial and cultural ideas has been going on for centuries. Oh yes, and ask all the candidates what they have already done to help the city.
  

  by azureblue on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 11:26:54 PM PDT

  •  Can we just ease up on calling everything racist?

    Jeez. He's black. He's white.

    Call him what you want. For all intent and purposes, he's a black candidate. Just as a half black, half white person in the south used to be discriminated against. If people are racist, he'll qualify.

    by NY Writer on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 11:29:29 PM PDT

•  I like Hillary but would also like a black pres.

  Hmmmmm. They used to call her husband the black president. Does that make her an honorary black?

  I agree it would be very cool having a black president. I hope to see Obama there in my lifetime--though HRC gets my vote in the NY primary

  by NY Writer on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 11:28:02 PM PDT

•  I'd love to see a black president

  I'm focused on issues and ideology more than exterior appearances, so I support Edwards.

  I'd love either a black president, or a female president. But the progressive Edwards speaks to my issues. I'd rather see thousands of disenfranchised blacks and underpaid women get a better deal with Edwards' policies than simply support a symbolic presidency.

  But I will be fine with any of them. I just hope that whoever gets into the White House takes action to get something done.

  The hour is getting late.

  by ZhenRen on Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 11:56:44 PM PDT

•  When I find

  A person of color, male or female, who speaks to the issues I think important such as fighting corporate greed, I'll be happy to vote for him / her. Until then I'm supporting the one who talks to my issues: John Edwards.

  by palpatine316 on Sat Jan 12, 2008 at 05:39:49 AM PDT

•  I want an American president...one who stands for

  "We the people" and not "We the Corporations"!

  by Temmoku on Sat Jan 12, 2008 at 06:29:43 AM PDT

•  Amongst many other reasons...

  ....why I support Obama, the fact that he'd be the first black President would be appealing. It would be a middle finger to every racist idiot in the country.

  by metal prophet on Sat Jan 12, 2008 at 08:16:19 AM PDT

  •  Every racist idiot in this country

    Would include my Dad (and me, if you read any of that Coffee with Dad stuff) I'm not a racist but apparently I am.

    He's voting for Obama. I too would like to give a GREAT big middle finger to a lot of Bushies, and racist idiots.

    I would like to do that too.

    by Rosebuddear on Sun Jan 13, 2008 at 09:49:06 AM PDT

    •  That's pretty wacky

      But on second thought, it's not entirely wacky. My neighbor, a white guy, who ranted about how interracial relationships are "not right," is planning on voting for whomever the Democrats nominate, though he favors Clinton over Obama. And I'm sort of reminded of this story about former Rep. Dan Glickman (D-KS), who is Jewish. He had this voter come up to him and say "I think your people killed our Lord Jesus Christ, but you're doing a good job in Washington, so you have my vote."

      by metal prophet on Sun Jan 13, 2008 at 06:04:45 PM PDT