Americans Fail To Heal Racial Divide
By Ima Tuele, of New York Times
America had the opportunity yesterday to heal the racial divide in this country, but elected instead to cling to the divisive politics of the past.
America could have elected a young, articulate and vibrant black man to become the 44th President of the United States. Instead, it was business as usual as white voters overwhelmingly chose a doddering old white John McCain over the younger and more inspiring Barack Obama.
While Obama brought vitality to the campaign, inspiring millions of new young and black voters, white voters turned their back on Hope and Change for the future, chosing instead to support the status quo. Obama earned more than 95 percent of the vote from black voters, the racism of white voters was more than his campaign could overcome. Obama could convince only 40 percent of white women and 35 percent of white men to support his candidacy.
The 2008 Presidential Campaign was marred with racial overtones as McCain and his surrogates consistently questioned Sen Obama's qualification to be president. Their assertions that he lacked experiece was seen by most thinking Americans as code word for "black." Nearly every criticism leveled against Sen Obama by the McCain campaign was seen as racial in nature.
Although Sen Obama was clearly superior on nearly every issue, he was simply unable to overcome McCains overtures to the racists who would vote against Sen Obama merely because of his skin color.
"The results of this election is a clear indication of the racism that is still prevelent among whites in this country today," said the Rev Jeremiah Wright. "Some might say 'God bless America' but not me," he added. Interviewed for the first time after months in seclusion, the Rev Wright spoke from the steps of his modest $10 million home in a Chicago suburb.
White majorities in most states allowed McCain to win the popular vote in 42 states, although Sen Obama would only lose the popular vote nationally by a count of 54-41, a mere 5 million votes. Sen Obama was hurt as well by votes siphoned off by Ralph Nader, Cynthia McKinney and Bob Barr, who combined to claim nearly five percent of the vote.
In a candid, and unscripted interview following his consession speech, Sen Obama said, "Umm, uhh, I guess, umm, uhhh, I will be, uhhh, returning to the Senate, uhhh, where, ummm, I mean, ummm, I guess I will, uhhh, well, I guess I will try, ummm, to find the key, uhhh, to my office. Uhh, I think, ummm I think it's somewhere, uhhh in the Senate, you know, ummm, the Dirkson building....I think."
...spot on!