I live in SoCal which is widely a Democratic and Obama town.
And while I am not 100% decided on who I'm going to vote for, (the more I learn about Palin the less I like her,) I'm pretty much leaning towards the Republicans.
Here is the thing though: When I discuss politics with my friends, the Obama supporters, they INSIST that if OBAMA is not elected President, the
only reason is because he's black.
And it's impossible to argue with them. They refuse to believe there is any other reason, other than his skin color, that might prevent him from being elected.
And while I have a very smart group of friends whose opinions I usually respect and appreciate, comments like that make me want to smack them in head. And no matter how rational an argument that I make about other reasons that make him the less desirable choice, they refuse to accept any other logic other than, "If he doesn't get elected, it's because he's black."
I don't think their doing it consciously. I honestly think they are so caught up in what they think is right for the country that they imagine that anyone who doesn't agree with them must be racist. It's actually a pretty obnoxious point of view. As if any other white democrat with Obama's position, experience, etc. would be a shoe in. That no one would vote Republican with a unbeatable candidate like Obama.
I'm not surprised for one second that the media is going to start playing that card and is going to blame a loss (if there is one) on race. Personally, I don't think most people in 2008 give a rats ass about race. Sure there are some pockets of true racists in this country, but those people would also never vote for a catholic (Kennedy), etc.
If I don't vote for Obama, it will have nothing to do with his skin color. It will be because I don't believe in his foreign policy, tax plan, bigger government, etc.