*IF* Obama loses, what would be the reaction...

[Keystone Phil]

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.

Yep, but I think they equate McCain with Bush more than most Americans do.  I doubt anyone will see a black leader in a western European country any time soon.

Yeah, I'd have a better shot at becoming Prime Minister of Italy as an American citizen at the age of 20 than a black man or woman does.

[TheGlobalizer]

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.

[The Man From G.O.P.]

It would mean the number of people voting against Obama because of his color was larger than thought, but probably still not as near as big as the group voting for him because he is black.

Dumbass statement. Only about 5-15% of blacks are voting for Obama because he is black. 80% of them vote default democrat regardless of who the candidate is and whether they are white,black,brown or albino. Don't believe me? Check out the exit poll results for the governor's race in Ohio and the senate race in MD in 2006. Now that leads to a movement of maybe maybe a point in the polls. But if the majority decides to vote against someone because of their race, they will make a whole lot more impact than a few blacks. Also note these "racist" blacks have never had a problem pulling the lever for a white person before, in fact they have done it till they were given the right to vote.

Are we saying 5+% of whites will be voting against Obama because he's black?

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

All I am saying is that isolationism ain't gonna work. We need to trade with the world, goods and ideas. We can't just be the bullies and decide who we are going to bomb when we feel like it. If we can't at least get world opinion on our side, we are probably doing the wrong thing. Believe it or not most people in this world are hardworking, decent people. When we were attacked on 9/11 they stood up and supported us. They supported us when we went into Afghanistan to take out the real culprits, but we squandered that support and trust by invading an innocent nation.

and, all I am saying is that I don't care what non-Americans think about the leader Americans choose to lead them.

[Barack Hussian YO MAMA!!!!]

I assume he'd concede and we would go on business as usual.

no, if Obama loses by 2004 margin or less, expect court challenges in every state McCain carries by %.  That means you could have multiple 2000 replaying in OH, VA, FL, etc, etc.

Obama would have to lose the popular vote by >3% for him to concede.

In any case, if Obama loses, Sharpton and JJackson are right back in the driver's seat leading marches in every major city, and a much larger percentage of blacks would be converting to Islam.

McCain winning in an upset would set back race relations 30-35 years, to the days of the Black Panthers.

WTF?

[Workers' Friend]

Europe - Not that happy, but no major dilemmas.

African Americans - Complaining, but not as violent if Obama won and was killed.

MSNBC - Explosion

[Person Man]

Oh. I am sure they will be a gratuitous amount of violence. Its too soon to tell if this will be the end of America, and perhaps the world, as we know it.

[Sam Spade]

Oh. I am sure they will be a gratuitous amount of violence. Its too soon to tell if this will be the end of America, and perhaps the world, as we know it.

lol

[Person Man]

Oh. I am sure they will be a gratuitous amount of violence. Its too soon to tell if this will be the end of America, and perhaps the world, as we know it.

lol

Well, think about it, there will be a lot of people who are feeling betreyed. Let me just put it this way- Evil usually only prevails when good men do not act. The evil will be the loss of racial unity in this country and national reconciliation will be what good men will do.

[Sbane]

It would mean the number of people voting against Obama because of his color was larger than thought, but probably still not as near as big as the group voting for him because he is black.

Dumbass statement. Only about 5-15% of blacks are voting for Obama because he is black. 80% of them vote default democrat regardless of who the candidate is and whether they are white,black,brown or albino. Don't believe me? Check out the exit poll results for the governor's race in Ohio and the senate race in MD in 2006. Now that leads to a movement of maybe maybe a point in the polls. But if the majority decides to vote against someone because of their race, they will make a whole lot more impact than a few blacks. Also note these "racist" blacks have never had a problem pulling the lever for a white person before, in fact they have done it till they were given the right to vote.

Are we saying 5+% of whites will be voting against Obama because he's black?

I guess we will find out on election day. I just think its funny it is considered racist for a black person to want a black president. Most of these people would have had no problem if it was Hillary, they would have still voted for her. They just want Obama more. And it seems like black republicans are now choosing to vote for Obama as well. So the problem squarely lies with the republicans.

[War on Want]

Europe: The average European's opinion of America is lowered even further and I am sure that there would be lots of pressure on european leaders to work together less with us. There would be much more popularity with a foriegn policy platform that had little cooperation with America.

African Americans?
Obviously extreme amounts of anger, that would show itself in large protests and some innercity riots. The Black community would probably radicalize itself more and become even more strongly aligned with the Democratic Party while some extreme radicals become fringe Socialists.
I would expect the recession and tough economic conditions to make the last part of this happen and for animosity between Blacks, poor Whites(which will grow in size as a population pretty quickly) and Hispanics to grow very quickly.

[Person Man]

Europe: The average European's opinion of America is lowered even further and I am sure that there would be lots of pressure on european leaders to work together less with us. There would be much more popularity with a foriegn policy platform that had little cooperation with America.

African Americans?
Obviously extreme amounts of anger, that would show itself in large protests and some innercity riots. The Black community would probably radicalize itself more and become even more strongly aligned with the Democratic Party while some extreme radicals become fringe Socialists.
I would expect the recession and tough economic conditions to make the last part of this happen and for animosity between Blacks, poor Whites(which will grow in size as a population pretty quickly) and Hispanics to grow very quickly.

So, long reccesions, race wars and isolationism is in our future? Perphaps we are heading the way of the old Soviet Union as economic weakness, foreign policy collapsed and intensified intranational conflicts create an environment where the country could simply break up. Perhaps we will lose heavily urbanized states, clusters of black counties and the larger Indian Reservations in the break-up.

[MarkWarner08]

This questions, as others have noted, is built on a flawed premise. Obama is not going to lead by 5% in the pre-election polls and lose on election day. Even Bradley's pollster said that the guv race was even by election day. The mystical Bradley Effect isn't going to matter if Obama is up by 5.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

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).

[specific_name]

europe would flip out...which.would.make my day

Oh yeah because being hated in the world is working out just great for us. Man you republicans have no idea what kind of world we are about to live in. This is a new globalized world and it wouldn't be a good idea to throw up a giant middle finger to them by voting for Mccain. Voting for him would make all our foreign policy issues 10 times harder to resolve. I am not saying it's fair but that's what happens when a president from your party fukcs up our relationship with the world. Now everybody overseas thinks republicans are evil or something.

oh boy. stop right there. so we need to elect whoever Europe wants as US president because they'll be all angwee with us?

This is my country, if the Germans or the Brits don't like it; frankly they can go  off for all I care, they don't have a vote or a say in our business. Globalization or not.

[longtimelurker]

A record low (well, since the 70's) percentage of African-Americans voting in the 2010 midterm elections, and probably in the 2012 election.  In the short term, many African-Americans will simply choose to stop participating in the political process, thinking it futile.

[Person Man]

europe would flip out...which.would.make my day

Oh yeah because being hated in the world is working out just great for us. Man you republicans have no idea what kind of world we are about to live in. This is a new globalized world and it wouldn't be a good idea to throw up a giant middle finger to them by voting for Mccain. Voting for him would make all our foreign policy issues 10 times harder to resolve. I am not saying it's fair but that's what happens when a president from your party fukcs up our relationship with the world. Now everybody overseas thinks republicans are evil or something.

oh boy. stop right there. so we need to elect whoever Europe wants as US president because they'll be all angwee with us?

This is my country, if the Germans or the Brits don't like it; frankly they can go  off for all I care, they don't have a vote or a say in our business. Globalization or not.

Maybe this will make us more like Europe. The reason why Europe is GENERALLY center-left is because of the many years of racial and religious wars they have had to undergo.

[J. J.]

europe would flip out...which.would.make my day

Oh yeah because being hated in the world is working out just great for us. Man you republicans have no idea what kind of world we are about to live in. This is a new globalized world and it wouldn't be a good idea to throw up a giant middle finger to them by voting for Mccain. Voting for him would make all our foreign policy issues 10 times harder to resolve. I am not saying it's fair but that's what happens when a president from your party fukcs up our relationship with the world. Now everybody overseas thinks republicans are evil or something.

oh boy. stop right there. so we need to elect whoever Europe wants as US president because they'll be all angwee with us?

This is my country, if the Germans or the Brits don't like it; frankly they can go  off for all I care, they don't have a vote or a say in our business. Globalization or not.

Maybe this will make us more like Europe. The reason why Europe is GENERALLY center-left is because of the many years of racial and religious wars they have had to undergo.

[cough]The Holocaust[cough]

[phk]

It would mean the number of people voting against Obama because of his color was larger than thought, but probably still not as near as big as the group voting for him because he is black.

Dumbass statement. Only about 5-15% of blacks are voting for Obama because he is black. 80% of them vote default democrat regardless of who the candidate is and whether they are white,black,brown or albino. Don't believe me? Check out the exit poll results for the governor's race in Ohio and the senate race in MD in 2006. Now that leads to a movement of maybe maybe a point in the polls. But if the majority decides to vote against someone because of their race, they will make a whole lot more impact than a few blacks. Also note these "racist" blacks have never had a problem pulling the lever for a white person before, in fact they have done it till they were given the right to vote.

Are we saying 5+% of whites will be voting against Obama because he's black?

I guess we will find out on election day. I just think its funny it is considered racist for a black person to want a black president. Most of these people would have had no problem if it was Hillary, they would have still voted for her. They just want Obama more. And it seems like black republicans are now choosing to vote for Obama as well. So the problem squarely lies with the republicans.

Hillary would have been the GOP's shot to win 1/3 of Blacks.

[CultureKing]

Major rioting in the cities, the likes this country has never seen. Not by just blacks either, I feel like the radical left would be in the streets as well, especially after three close elections where they had lost.

[Keystone Phil]

Major rioting in the cities, the likes this country has never seen. Not by just blacks either, I feel like the radical left would be in the streets as well, especially after three close elections where they had lost.

Thanks for then handing us at least the next three elections.

[J. J.]

Major rioting in the cities, the likes this country has never seen. Not by just blacks either, I feel like the radical left would be in the streets as well, especially after three close elections where they had lost.

That sounds like fear tactics on the part of the Democrats:  Elect Obama or blacks and liberals will riot.

I think, if that were to happen, six hours later, half my neighborhood would be huddled behind me, begging me to protect them from the "Angry Caucasian Horde" in their pickup trucks, with their shotguns,  Gretchen Wilson''s Redneck Woman blaring from their CD players, that was about to descend on North Philadelphia. 

(I'm actually slightly more scared of that than I am of Black people.)

Keep up the ethnic stereotypes folks; it's going into post election "A pox on both your segregated houses" thread.