Europe -- split reaction. I was surprised when I was in Italy this summer how quickly discussions of Obama's candidacy was reduced to race. The hand-holders will be pissed.
Yet, at the same time, their polls show Obama absolutely destroying McCain.
But when the topic turns to race do they talk about him being black as a bad thing? I think many in Europe and the world still think we are a very racist nation. It may be true in part but overall I think we are pretty tolerant, and more so than the "enlightened" europeans.
In my personal experience, we are far more tolerant about race than Europeans are.
Look at the treatment of the Roma in Italy, MENA Muslims in France and the Netherlands, historic treatment of Turks in Germany, etc. Purely race-related violence occurs in Europe with some regularity.
There's a plank in your eye.
(but, yes, there's certainly a splinter in ours).
