Obama and Palin: The Untouchables?

If everything else was equal except that she was a male, would Governor Sarah Palin been given serious considerations as a United States Vice Presidential candidate?

 

If everything else was equal except that he was a white rather than a black American, would Senator Obama been given serious consideration as a United States Presidential candidate?

 

When Geraldine Ferraro suggested that Obama could not have been selected the Democrat Presidential candidate if everything else was the same except that he was a white, not a black, man, she was labeled a racist.

 

Borrowing from Hans Christian Andersen the Emperor’s New Cloth”; and seeing through what is, or isn’t, politically correct, one must say that: If not for Obama’s black skin, and Palin’s being a woman, neither person would have likely been selected as a candidate for the two highest offices in the land, by a major United States political party.

 

As much as the media and politicians like to say that the election is about issues and policies, and not about race and gender, they are wrong. Race and gender play a major role in American politics, and will likely continue to do so for many years to com!

The Racial-Chasm:

Republican black-Americans, as few as they are, are faced with decisions regarding race versus issues, and political positions. This is not to say that someone the likes of Clarence Thomas is likely to endorse Barak Obama, but it is fair to assume that Condoleeza Rice will not run against the Senator fro Illinois.

When, after the Oprah Winfrey endorsement of Obama, and his strong showing in states with large black-American populations, over 90% of black-Americans voiced their intentions to vote for Obama, one must assume that many left political ideologies behind in favor of racial pride. There may be nothing wrong with having racial pride, but it is wrong that such a phenomenon exists.

Colin Powell, one of the most respected man in America, and supposedly for many years a friend of John McCain, may endorse Barak Obama; or so they were saying yesterday (8/13/2008) on CNN. Would it be wrong for General Powell to vote for Obama due to pride in a member of his race, or must he only vote based on political principals?

If we were pure of mind and never suffered from our own indiscretions, we could be expected to avoid acting from the heart, or based on emotions that may not be “for the betterment of the many at the expense of the few.” But since we are human, pride in race at the expense of ideology may not be either that uncommon, or even undesirable.

Most media outlets and many, many Americans, are trying to suggest that the 2008 United States Presidential election has nothing to do with race, are they right? Or, are we like ostriches hiding our heads in the sand, or like the Emperor’s subjects that would not admit that he was nude? Is disregarding what is happening regarding race in this election the epitome of hypocrisy?

After Barak Obama won the Iowa caucuses, and received the endorsement and blessing of Oprah Winfrey, it became tacitly “unacceptable” for black-Americans not to vote for Barak Obama. Why is it not a race issue when the poles suggest that well over 90% of black voter are expected to vote for Senator Obama?

Black-Americans, and most other “liberals,” would cry fowl, and complain of racism, if the poles showed that even if as few as 60% of whites will not vote for Obama; why doesn’t the 90% black for Obama does not constitute racism?

The Colin Powell vote is another issue. As respected as General Powell is, he may well decide not to vote for McCain due to his age, or perhaps for some other significant political disagreement; but appearances are bad, an endorsement, or even a vote for Obama will only serve to widen the racial chasm that already exist.