Are American People Ready For A Black President?

Last week, as Senator Barack Obama won the Democratic Party presidential nomination and the former first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton bowed out of the race, the American presidential politics has opened up a new chapter. For the first time in American history, we see a realistic possibility for a black man to become this country’s president.

Are American People Ready For A Black President?

If the last 18 months of tight campaign within Democratic Party has a clue, we will have to wonder the following questions:

Who voted for Obama because of his skin color?
Who voted for Obama because they hate Clinton?
Who voted for Obama because they believe, compared with Clinton, Obama will be a weaker rival for John McCain in the presidential election?

It has been reported that supporters of Senator Obama have most been young people who are eager for changes. Obama satisfied those desires by posting as an agent for changes. It is reported that Obama also took advantage those less sophiscated minds by providing little contents in this promises.

But this strategy of over promising is not new. Sixteen years ago, a young governor from a small southern state successfully used this strategy to capture the hearts of millions of Americans. That man was the former president William Jefferson Clinton, the husband of Senator Hillary Clinton. Many news analysts say Hillary’s team miss-managed the campaign. They did not. Her strategy was to repeat her husband success and her team executed her strategy faithfully. The only problem was that her opponent outdid her on her own blueprint.

Many others voted for Obama for his skin color. Bill Clinton was the most pro-black president in the United States history. Hillary hoped that she could inherit her husband reputation, but she was wrong. As soon as the black voters saw a candidate of their own color, they changed their minds. Hillary’s campaign could not have done anything in this regard. Race is still a dark and dirty secret in American life. Skin color matters.

Road for Obama will be anything but a smooth one. All those issues that Obama managed to escape unscathed will be opened up again as the right wing conservative forces will join force to fight their new rival. The majority people in this country are still white. Whether this majority is ready to accept a black president remains to be tested.

Obama has been an inspirational speaker to preach the converted. When it comes to the majority of middle road American, he will have to come out with a lot more details. The more details he gets, the more people he will alienate and the less his campaign will look glamorous.

As an Asian American, white guilt has no place in my thought. If back makes up 10 percent of the U.S population, the odd of electing a black individual is 10 percent. The chance will stay the same in each election. ‘It is time’ is never a sufficient argument. The goal of a presidential election is to find the best person to lead this county. The Presidency is not a welfare program. It is better for a black presidential candidate to emerge from someone who has been naturally established himself/herself by serving prominent leadership positions, such as General Powell and Secretary Rice. A successful President will be the one who is free from campaign presures.

I predict Senator McCain will collect the majority of votes in the November national election. He will turn out to be an acceptable candidate. McCain came off the Republican primary virtually unscathed. Many of his rivals committed political suicides. (An example would be the one time untouchable Mr. 911 Rudy Juliani.) The prolonged Democratic primary also helped McCain since Obama and Hillary have deeply wounded each other. Luck is important. Often, being the right man at the right spot is all it takes to win. Within the Republican Party, a few ultra right wingers, who had been disappointed at McCain’s compromising senate serving record, will again rally behind McCain once they see their other choice is a black man with an ultra liberal mind.

I personally would prefer to vote on the Demotic line. McCain is going to get my vote this time. Compared with the past two presidents, McCain is a true American hero. He served this country loyally and honestly. His patriotism is beyond doubt. He will be a suitable symbol for the highest office of this country.

This year’s Democratic primary will be remembered for a long time. It is the first time in American history that a black and a woman citizen become so close to the presidency. This year will be the beginning year of a new ear. Both Obama and Clinton have made their footprints in the American presidential history. Forward looking, both will continue to be active as prominent political figures. United States of America will remain an envy of the world for a long time. May God richly bless this land and its people!