Over the past three to four decades - intensifying over the past few years - the Republicans have clearly shown that they care much more about their political opponents to fail than about their country to succeed.
Most of the rank and file Democrats want power because they want to change a whole range of laws to improve the quality of life for as many people as possible to make their country (and the world) a better place, a more perfect union.
In order to change laws, you need power, you need majorities - therefore you need to win elections.
Most Republicans (with fewer and fewer exceptions) want power, because they either want to shove their fundamentalistic world view everyone down the throats (or even trigger Armageddon, if they are Dominionists) or want to make tons of money for themselves and/or their "friends" in big business. Or a combination of these two goals.
They are not interested in what is best for the country. They are only interested in what is best for themselves and the top 1%.
The GOP is hooked on power. Not just regular power of leading the administration and/or congress for a few years if they have won an election fair and square.
They want unlimited power. They want to get rid of everything and everyone standing in their way - at all costs.
Of course they want this black guy removed from the White House. But I dare to claim the main reason why the GOP hates the current President so intensively is NOT because of the color of his skin.
Republicans hate Mr. Obama because - gasp - he is NOT a Republican!
Republicans hate the President because he is a DEMOCRAT, who might bring some progressive change to the country. At the very least he is a major obstacle to total Republican control so the GOP can't rush every crazy right-wing proposal into law.
If the GOP had a conservative Republican President sitting in the White House, who just happened to be black (let's say even someone like Clarence Thomas or Allen West), they would defend him - and not attack him - every day, because a Republican in the White House would advance their GOP agenda including - but not limited to - shuffling even more money into the bags of the top 1% and installing more guys like Roberts and Alito on the Supreme Court.
I bet most Republicans don't really fear or hate a black guy (or a Latino, or a woman) in the White House.
They loathe a Democrat in the White House.
They fear even more a 2-term-Democrat in the White House (who could bring several new judges on the Supreme Court if he has the opportunity to do so)
But most of all they fear a real progressive Democrat sitting in the Oval Office who is not only campaigning as a progressive but also willing and able to govern as a progressive and could be able to shift the Overton window dramatically to the left which would doom the GOP for decades to come.
The GOP simply can't allow that to happen by any means.
Therefore the GOP is furiously trying to block every inch of progress everywhere they can and in every way they can, including downright lying about their opponents, corrupting much of the media and actively supressing the vote by any legal - and sometimes not so legal - means.
While racism of course still is a significant factor in some segments of the population and especially at the Republican base, the big-business GOP leadership simply can't allow a Democratic President of any skin color to succeed.
Maybe some of their tactic would change a bit, but I'm 100% sure the GOP would attack and obstruct a white male Democrat at least as intensively as they are doing now with President Obama if they would perceive that white male Democrat as a major political danger for them.
A President Wellstone, a President Dean, a President Grayson or a President Warren would certainly not have a single day without facing 100% obstruction by the GOP.
Although these progressive Democrats don't happen to be black or brown or Hispanic!
By the way:
If GOPers see a realistic chance to chip away a small but significant percentage of black votes from the Democratic Party, they will give any telegenic black Republican who is not completely bat-shit insane and able to utter more than two straight sentences without falling flat on their face as much media exposure as they can.
Democrats, mark my words: Prepare to see someone like Rep-elect Mia Love getting a lot of air time in the lead up to the next elections, maybe even a prime time slot at the GOP convention.
That would be the final proof that the GOP does not hate Obama primarily because he is black, but because he currently is their main obstacle in their quest to enrich the top 1% even more and to move the nation even further to the far right.