The Earliest Time for a Black President

[humder]

 What do you think was the earliest election it was possible for an African American to be elected President? When did America become tolerant enough?

[Countess Anya of the North Parish]

I think 2004. Yes we just had to figure out how to get the black community to vote. They never became "tolerant". They still hate it. And it will become stronger then ever if obama does bad in office. The whites will look at it like a racial thing. I mean that people will say that America failed even more cause there was a black person in office. I really hope he does well so segregation can be put behind us.

[minionofmidas]

I think 2004. Yes we just had to figure out how to get the black community to vote.

Not quite...

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Some of them. And then there's those with "misgivings" etc who still voted for Obama because, even for racists, there may be more important issues than race. And they're the ones that the following part of the post is mostly about:

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Of course, I'm still unconvinced an actual Black man could win election in the US today.

[Countess Anya of the North Parish]

Well ya see the ones that voted for him but did not like his color will only be ok with him till the problems are gone. Once he fixes things then color will become a problem.

[minionofmidas]

Yeah, I mostly agreed with you.

[Countess Anya of the North Parish]

I hope that one day someone hispanic runs just to test how racist people really are.

[humder]

 I'm looking forward to the day a Native American becomes President!

[Countess Anya of the North Parish]

I'm looking forward to the day a Native American becomes President!

That would be cool. Hey i want them to do the chief celebration for the native who becomes president. Ya know, instead of the inauguration.

[minionofmidas]

Sort of like they did for Evo Morales?

[Countess Anya of the North Parish]

Yah kind of. He looks like George lopez from a distance.

[Matt Damon™]

Not yet. Obama is of african descent but isn't the descendant of slaves with the resulting sociocultural baggage.

[humder]

Not yet. Obama is of african descent but isn't the descendant of slaves with the resulting sociocultural baggage.

The reaction of society is what matters. Obama would have been a slave, he would have been segregated, he would have been prosecuted by the KKK, he would have been subject to every day racism. It is not his background that is important, it is how society would have treated him in the past and today. I don't think racists treat mixed raced people more leniently. Being mixed race, Obama's parents would have been a huge issue in the past.

[Countess Anya of the North Parish]

yup but they will still judge him on the color of his skin.

[Matt Damon™]

Obama's african ancestry came from Kenya and not from Georgia. He's afro-american but not black in the usual context used in the US. The exotic factor gives him a free pass that a black candidate wouldn't get.

[humder]

Obama's african ancestry came from Kenya and not from Georgia. He's afro-american but not black in the usual context used in the US. The exotic factor gives him a free pass that a black candidate wouldn't get.

 So, racists only vote for black people as long as they have heritage from Africa and not America?

[Countess Anya of the North Parish]

Obama's african ancestry came from Kenya and not from Georgia. He's afro-american but not black in the usual context used in the US. The exotic factor gives him a free pass that a black candidate wouldn't get.

it does not work that way.

[Matt Damon™]

Yes it does.

[Matt Damon™]

Obama's african ancestry came from Kenya and not from Georgia. He's afro-american but not black in the usual context used in the US. The exotic factor gives him a free pass that a black candidate wouldn't get.

 So, racists only vote for black people as long as they have heritage from Africa and not America?

Obama is Light-skinned, lacking an accent, rich, not obviously 'ghetto/urban', etc. He's not the same as say Jesse Jackson Jr. or Harold ford.

[LanceMcSteel]

According to researcher's President Clinton's work in removing Crime and Welfare off the table was a boon for African American candidates. Crime and Welfare were racially tinged issues, and when Clinton removed them from the national discourse in the mid 1990's it reduced race as an undercurrent in American politics greatly.

As for my guess, ill say 2000.

[minionofmidas]

Obama's african ancestry came from Kenya and not from Georgia. He's afro-american but not black in the usual context used in the US. The exotic factor gives him a free pass that a black candidate wouldn't get.

 So, racists only vote for black people as long as they have heritage from Africa and not America?

Obama is Light-skinned, lacking an accent, rich, not obviously 'ghetto/urban', etc. He's not the same as say Jesse Jackson Jr. or Harold ford.

Either of whom is light-skinned, lacking an accent, and rich. Jackson is also not really "obviously 'ghetto/urban'' - what he is, though, is linked (via his father) to the Civil Rights era.

The exotic factor didn't give Obama a free pass, but it certainly helped. A lot.

[justfollowingtheelections]

I think America is ready for a Black president regardless of what his past is, as long as he's not a one-issue candidate.  Obama's blackness was not what defined him.  Jesse Jackson Jr.'s on the other hand does define him as that is the only issue he seems to care about.

[humder]

Obama's african ancestry came from Kenya and not from Georgia. He's afro-american but not black in the usual context used in the US. The exotic factor gives him a free pass that a black candidate wouldn't get.

 So, racists only vote for black people as long as they have heritage from Africa and not America?

Obama is Light-skinned, lacking an accent, rich, not obviously 'ghetto/urban', etc. He's not the same as say Jesse Jackson Jr. or Harold ford.

 Obama won by a large enough margin (7%) that I think it is safe to say he would have still won if he was darker skinned, had a stronger accent, etc.
 

[Rob]

I don't think racists treat mixed raced people more leniently.

Yep, that's the one-drop rule ("hypodescent," if you want to get all sociological about it)

[© tweed]

Straha gave the correct answer.  a traditionally "black" politician, with roots in the civil rights movement and a descendant of slaves, would have no chance nationally.

[Matt Damon™]

Agree. You'd need to wait until the boomers die off for one to have a chance.