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Topic: Do you think that uneducated African-Americans will vote for Barack Obama simply because he is mixed-race?

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1

marlon07

Do you think that uneducated African-Americans will vote for Barack Obama simply because he is mixed-race?

2

I don't think that you can ever say "simply" why people vote for a certain candidate. Certainly, the idea and the image of a black president (though, as you correctly point out, Obama is mixed race rather than black) fires the imagination of much of the black community, not least because of the marker it would put down for progress in the relatively short time since segregation was abolished.

But George W. Bush is also one of America's least popular presidents, and Obama will likely gain many votes simply by representing the party that isn't Bush's. Moreover, any voters who strongly dislike the idea of a McCain or Palin presidency or vice-presidency might similarly choose to vote for the opposing party.

The point I'm making is simply that people don't necessarily vote for a candidate's policies, personalities or ideas, but might vote AGAINST the opposing candidate's policy, personality or idea. And any one voter could vote for Obama for a huge mixture of reasons.

But, in premise, Obama's ethnicity will certainly win him some support among the black community, despite any political position he holds - though exactly how much is difficult to say.

Will some African-Americans (and I don't think education really makes much difference here!) vote for Obama because he is mixed-race? Yes. Will it be simply because he is mixed-race? Less likely.

3

rlendensky

Looking back on the election I would unfortunately say yes. Though Barack Obama was expected to receive a heavy majority of African American votes, he received and absolutely disproportionately large majority of African American votes. Yes some could say that this is solely attributed to the fact that African American voters tend to lean towards the Democratic side anyway, Barack Obama received 94 percent of African American votes, this disproportionate majority doesw show that not necessarily uneducated African Americans but even some educated African Americans voted for Senator Barack Obama simply because he is of a mixed race.

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