Will America get a black President

[bounty hunter]

Personally, I think it's more likely that that I'll bed the string quartet, but I hope I'm wrong.

I get the feeling that America is stil a deeply 'racist' society and that the Republicans could field a Racoon against Barak Obama and still get to the Whitehouse.

A black US president would be a turning point for the states and the world.  It would bring a fresh outlook to world politics.  It's  shame that in 2008 the colour of the president's skin be an issue; but we have to accept that it is.

What do others think?

[naxos]

...or maybe not so different.

Even today he was grandstanding on the news threatening Iran and proclaiming undying support for Israel, never mind all the tensions that causes in the area and the world.

A friend at our Chicago office is very involved with current affairs and says she has never heard anyone refer to his colour. Not once. Perhaps his (photogenically-pale) blackness is that "elephant in the room" Wogan referred to about Andy Abrahams, post Eurovision... or maybe Americans are more integrated than our own prejudices can accept?

But even given all that, I still can't help but think: a 300 million population and the best they can come up with is Obama, Clinton and McCain?

[chocadmin]

I get the feeling that if it were mccain vs clinton it'd be an easy clinton win. Apparently americans know very little about obama (15% thought he was a muslim) so perhaps something the republicans will exploit to try and get mccain in.

[paulham]

I certainly think he will struggle for votes in all the southern states.
[Senator Obama has lost eight of the past 15 primaries.

He has been defeated in some states by devastating margins - he was trounced two to one by Hillary Clinton in West Virginia and Puerto Rico. ]
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7434740.stm
[one recent opinion poll suggested 15% of Americans still believe - astonishingly - that he is a Muslim, despite the problems caused by his former - Christian - pastor.

That is why in a recent RealClearPolitics poll of polls, Obama tied with Republican John McCain at 46%. ]
A 71 year old white guy or a 46 year old mixed race guy.
What do they dislike the most over there? Age or colour or am I too simplistic in my question?

EDIT: sorry to repeat your post Chocadmin, I just thought it shows Joe Public's general lack of awareness of issues that will affect them to a large degree.

[bounty hunter]

Naxos, I didn't hear the Israel/Iran speech.  I would be dissapointed if he was taking a right wing line in that area, but maybe he was just 'being a politician'.  Saying, 'The Iranians are not all bad' and 'Israel really ought to show more respect to the Palestinians',  would probably appear too radical.. After all, he has to win over the American public.

Paulham, in what sense is Obama mixed 'race'?

[paulham]

Yes, Bounty. the terminology is flawed but half-caste is not a phrase I particularly like to use. Your choice would be?

[loulou]

a little bit of everything.lol

[bounty hunter]

I think Afro-European is good.  It's easy to understand and fairly accurate scientifically. 

I agree half-caste is as bad as coloured.  In some respects, the shade is irrelevant.  There comes a point where some one is eith black or not.

In the deep south of the USA in the earlier part of the 20th Century, there was an arpartheid system known as the 8th part rule.  This meant that anyone with apparently one black great grandparent was considered 'black' and hence discriminated against.  Fortunately, we've moved on a bit.

[smurfboy]

Or have we if we're arguing about whether 'mixed race' or 'Afro-European' is the most appropriate term?

I hope Obama wins, but that's mainly because I don't want to see another Republican US government. I'd have preferred to see Hillary get the nomination though.

[chocadmin]

I agree, although is Hilary going for the oval office just to revenge on Bill by employing some attractive male intern......

[bounty hunter]

Or have we if we're arguing about whether 'mixed race' or 'Afro-European' is the most appropriate term?

I hope Obama wins, but that's mainly because I don't want to see another Republican US government. I'd have preferred to see Hillary get the nomination though.

Yes, we have certainly moved on in terms of discrimination.  However, we continue to have a problem with the perception of skin tone and of the classification of people as a result.

The description 'black' is purely arbitrary, it doesn't actually mean anything and clearly also leads to semantic issues too, as we have discussed above.  What is also arbitrary is using skin tone as a marker or means of distinguishing one group from another.

It makes no more sense to call someone 'black' as it does to call them 'crusty' or 'relatively tall'. 

[paulham]

I think this guy might disagree.

[bounty hunter]

And he is?