What part does racial identity play in your support of the presidential race?

1. 77

   Rodric29posted 12 years ago

   What part does racial identity play in your support of the presidential race?
   
   So many minorities I have encountered use race as a reason to support a candidate. Share your feelings about it and why.

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2. 71

   dashingscorpioposted 12 years ago

   I don't buy into the race reason for supporting a particular candidate.
   If President Obama were (a white Democrat) running against Herman Caine (a black Republican) I believe the white Democrat would get over 90% of the black vote! This would be true if Hilary Clinton was running against Herman Caine as well.
   Historically minorities, unions, and the poor have generally voted Democrat. By and large people generally vote along (party lines).
   Prior to President Obama winning the Democrat nomination in 2008 minorities had always voted for white candidates who were Democrats. The real question was; "Will white people vote for a black candidate?" They did. Which proves white Democrats stuck with their party as well.

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3. 68

   Michele Travisposted 12 years ago

   This year I think it will make a difference.  African Americans will vote for Obama. 
   The republicans put up fraud  billboards, in Ohio that told people that anyone who committed fraud would go to jail.  These billboards were put up in in places that most African Americans lived in.  I have even seen them since I live in Ohio.  They have angered the African Americans.  Ohio is also the state that Obama and Romney have visited over 80 times.  There have also been a lot of African Americans that have registered to vote for the first time.  Also, early voting by African-Americans is up by at least 17 percent in Ohio, one of the swing states.  In the history of the United states no republican has ever become the President, without Ohio.

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   1. 71

      dashingscorpioposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Do you believe that African Americans don't normally vote for the Democrat candidate? If (white) Democrat Hilary Clinton ran against the (black) Republican Herman Caine; Are you saying 90% of black people would vote Republican? Not likely.

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   2. 68

      Michele Travisposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      No, that is not what I said, this year they are angry at Mitt Romney.  Ohio is a swing state, we go back and forth.  A lot of them have not voted before.  But, I do think they would normally vote democrat. Guess we will find out.

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4. 81

   Attikosposted 12 years ago

   What role does racial identity play. Let me think a moment ... All right. In general, perhaps with an exception or two, I would prefer a president who is a member of the human race.

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5. 63

   Lisa HWposted 12 years ago

   Ordinarily, I'm not someone who would "vote Party" over anything else.  This time I "voted Party", not out of agreeing with everything the Party stands for, but out of selecting the least objectionable - to me - Party.  Race has never, and will never, be a factor for me; and if a woman ever runs neither will sex be a factor.  Religion might be a factor if I don't have the luxury of not allowing it to be.  Youth could be a factor for me (and by "youth", I mean I lean toward the life-learning/outlook/wisdom that can pick up steam once a person hits, say, fifty.  My impression of the person's character is a factor.  Who it is that I think is better for the country (or sometimes, the lesser of two evils in that "department") is a factor.  Whoever it is that I think will do the least damage is another factor.
   
   I'm White and a woman; so as a woman, I know very much what it's like to say anything about ignorance/bigotry aimed at women and have others say, "What ignorance/bigotry?  There's none in this day and age."  So, as a White person it's certainly not for me to have an opinion about what Black Americans may/may not have to deal with these days.  I do think, though, that based on all the people I've talked to (and they've pretty much been White people), those who have had "an issue" or "concerns" about the sitting President (before his election and now) have been more about the background a lot of people associate with his middle name and some childhood/family background - not his color (or "part-non-white-ness", which, to me, makes the "race accusation" that much more ridiculous because the man is - what? - half White anyway?
   
   When he was elected I hadn't voted for him, but the significance and importance of seeing someone "of color" finally elected President was not lost one me.  I wasn't thrilled to see him get in, but I was happy to see "the tradition" of a long line of nothing-but White men being President.  I was also happy to see that what looked to me like a circus act (or at least giant nightmare) ticket was not voted in (and that "circus-act/nightmare" was White).  Again, based on so many people I've talked to, I know I'm far from alone in my own priorities/preferences with regard to voting and the Race matter.

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6. 78

   Express10posted 12 years ago

   Good question! Race does not play a role in my support of any candidate. I vote on the issues that are important to me. I get irritated that some people are insistent upon voting for Obama simply because they are black. However, this works both ways. It's been my experience that more black people will own up to this, I've only had two brave white friends own up to it.
   
   Nevertheless, when I asked both black and white people over the years about their candidate's record or plans, NONE of them could articulate any solid plans or record of their favorite candidate! In addition, I don't like the bashing that Stacey Dash took as a black woman in her support of Mitt Romney, this is her RIGHT as an American just as all Americans have. Voters need to inform themselves, vote on the issues they care about, and avoid making elections a racial or popularity contest.

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7. 0

   JThomp42posted 12 years ago

   Race plays no issue who I support as a candidate. What plays the biggest part in my decision who to vote for is who I think will be the best candidate for the American people.

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8. 61

   duffsmomposted 12 years ago

   For me none at all. While I am a Republican and fairly conservative, I was thrilled and fascinated by our last election.  The history we were witnessing to see a black man and a woman vying for the Democratic nomination...it was great.  It was history.
   
   I do feel that our current president has not been the best choice, but it has nothing to do with his race, but rather his politics.

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   1. 68

      Michele Travisposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I agree with you on this comment.

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9. 58

   My2GreenBeansposted 12 years ago

   Should race play a role in politics? Should the color or lack of color – the color or lack of color of a person’s parents have any effect on how anyone votes? Nope. Does the fact that one person had ancestors living closer to the equator requiring more melanin to pigment the skin and protect them from the sun while another lived further away and had to selectively mutate so their skin could change to be paler and absorb vitamin D affect their ability to think, to act, to decide policy? Why does the genetic coding of skin melanin matter? It will not affect how I vote in this election or any other. Sadly, it will prompt some people to vote FOR or AGAINST a candidate based solely on a physical characteristic. When people can start to think and reflect upon issues and see how closely their own beliefs line up with the candidates running, then they can make an informed decision. The whole party system has become quite ridiculous anyway. Do not vote for a party only, certainly do not vote for skin color – vote for who you think will do the best job!

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10. 75

    Patrietteposted 12 years ago

    Race plays no part in my support of any given candidate. I focus in on the candidate's record and what's in the best interest of the country as a whole.

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