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Will America put a Black Man in the White House?
January 7, 2008
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You may recall that in the 2003 Hollywood blockbuster The Fifth Element, the role of the President of the United States was played by Tommy "Tiny" Lister, who is black.
The movie’s director, Luc Besson, a white Frenchman, did not appear to want to push any particular political agenda with his casting choice, so this portrayal did not create any controversy.
At that time, who would’ve thought that just five years later, the idea of a black man as the next American President could become a reality?
Illinois Senator Barack Obama’s consistent good showing at public opinion polls and highly successful fund-raising efforts have prompted a number of observers to consider the real possibility of him winning not only the Democratic party ticket, but eventually the American Presidency.
He has steadfastly kept up pace with his closest Democratic rival, New York Senator Hillary Clinton, and has already enjoyed the first tangible boost to his campaign. His win in the Iowa caucus on January 3rd saw him take the lead over rivals Clinton and John Edwards. This endorsement is the first indication that the country might just be ready for a so-called ‘coloured’ President.
Although it’s been more than a century since the end of the American Civil War which pitted the Southern slave states against the Union, racial tensions have remained unresolved in the country. Slavery may have been abolished but racial discrimination, mandated by strict segregation of the races lasted in the US until as late as the early 1970s.
This historical legacy has thankfully not prevented black Americans from occupying important government posts as high up as in the US Congress, in presidential cabinets, and as head of the joint chiefs-of-staff. This is the first time however, a black man is vying for the nation’s top job.
Arguments exist that Obama could hardly be considered America’s first black President if he wins the November 3rd election. No less than national heroes like Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln are believed to be less than ‘pure white’. But what distinguishes them from Obama is none of them apparently acknowledged their black ancestry.
The result of the Iowa caucus might just simply be an early indication of voter preference that may not be sustained. But it also sends a very powerful message – that despite the predominantly white population of the state, the residents have shown that they are prepared to vote for a black man.
However, support in Iowa and public opinion polls in general, may not always be accurate. According to Washington DC-based Democratic pollster Michael Bocian, “people are often not willing to tell you that they hold views that would make them less likely to support a woman or an African-American.”
This view is also held by columnist at the Philadelphia Inquirer and political blogger Dick Polman, who adds that although an overwhelming majority of Americans who’ve been polled have said that they are ready for a black president, he’s not sure it reflects what these people truly feel.
“I don’t think they want to sound racist to the pollsters, so I think right now the percentage is well over 90% for everybody, but the actual percentage might actually be lower and you wouldn’t know that unless you got into the booth.”
Although no one can be blamed for assuming that Obama will be assured of the support of the black community in the US or that he would face the most resistance from the country’s white population, Bocian has observed an enduring trend in his research - that black women have tended to prefer Hillary Clinton over Obama.
“[Hillary] is leading with that demographic. Certainly, to the degree that people are voting along lines of identity, which is not the only way they vote by any stretch, African-American women have a conflicted situation where there’s a woman candidate and an African-American man.
Obama attracted the votes of both younger Americans and women in Iowa but because most of the voters there are white, it’s hard to measure the accuracy of this trend.
In contrast, reports have shown that Obama does not have the overwhelming support of the black community in the country. He’s been accused of ignoring the plight of America’s blacks and there’s also been some discomfort among black Americans about Obama’s direct connection to Africa through his Kenyan father. According to Austin-based Singaporean writer Janadas Devan, racial identity for many blacks is cultural and rooted in history, and it’s not Obama’s white mother who is the problem.
“What discomforts them is that African father – from Africa. Mr Obama may have married black. He may act black. But black Africans and African-Americans are not the same, African-Americans would say.”
Or perhaps black Americans feel betrayed by his reluctance to call attention to his ethnicity or to play up the prospect of him becoming the first black American president. This could alienate him from the blacks and cost him votes in the upcoming primaries and caucuses.
But beyond issues of ethnicity, Dr John Landreau, a committeeman for the Democratic Party in Philadelphia, feels that Obama’s charisma, intelligence, eloquence will not be enough to win him the Democratic nomination.
“I don’t think he’ll win this time. I think Hillary will win, probably…she seems to have the machine and the economic and political force, and the will, but he’s got a great future.”
Nevertheless if the result of the Iowa caucus is a sign of things to come, this future might just involve him sitting in the Oval Office.
Given the burden of history on modern American society, it’s heartening to note that if Barack Obama does not make it to the White House in the end, it’ll be due more to a lack of faith in his ability to lead the nation rather than the colour of his skin.
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