I’ve seen some newspaper articles and editorials that confidently express the thought that America is full of people who would not vote for Barack Obama because he identifies himself as black. During the primary season both American Democrats and Republicans were supposedly racist. Now that Obama has triumphed among the Democrats, the “silent majority” of racists are supposedly exclusively Republican.
I’ve traveled extensively around the U.S. recently and talked to people about the election. Here are some of the states that I’ved visited: Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Maine, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Many of the folks with whom I’ved talked are union members and gun owners, exactly the kind of angry white men whom journalist accuse of being secretly racist.
The only thing negative about Obama related to his race that I have heard anyone say is that he has benefitted from race-based admissions policies at universities and from various other race-based preferences. Some folks weren’t intending to vote for Obama, but it was because of his perceived mediocrity and proposed policies, not his race. The same people spoke highly of Condoleezza Rice, if she happened to come up in conversation, and admired her accomplishments and intelligence.
I don’t think that these folks were being guarded in their conversation, as I heard some people express negative stereotypes about Jews (controlling the economy, being cheap (somewhat contradictory; if Jews have all of the nation’s money, why would they need to conserve it?)) and some very harsh opinions about other groups, depending on their political slant.
Has anyone reading this blog actually heard an American voter say “I will not vote for Obama because he is black” or “I do not think that a black person should be elected to high political office in the U.S.”?
Yes. I have relatives in the rural Midwest that are quite racist. Now, most of them are solidly Republican, so they weren’t going to vote for the Democratic candidate, anyway. But one of them is a staunch Democrat, and I have heard him say that he will not vote for Obama because he is black. (He can’t stand McCain, either, so I think he’s planning to stay home.)
Yes. A voter I am related to by marriage said he would not vote for Barack because he was “sort of scary.” Pressed, he admitted there was nothing concrete, and it was clear that he was not scared of a former president of the Harvard Law Review, but scared of someone that was darker than him.
“”The first person I encountered was like, ‘I’ll never vote for a black person,’ ” recalled Ross, who is white and just turned 20. “People just weren’t receptive.”
For all the hope and excitement Obama’s candidacy is generating, some of his field workers, phone-bank volunteers and campaign surrogates are encountering a raw racism and hostility that have gone *largely unnoticed — and unreported* — this election season. Doors have been slammed in their faces. They’ve been called racially derogatory names (including the white volunteers). And they’ve endured malicious rants and ugly stereotyping from people who can’t fathom that the senator from Illinois could become the first African American president.” [emph. added]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/12/AR2008051203014_pf.html
“”He don’t belong in political office. Blacks don’t belong in political office. He ought to be shot,” suspect Nathan Johnson, 32, told area television station CBS4 in a jailhouse interview yesterday after his arrest.”
The woman told a federal agent the three men called Mr. Obama a “n—–r” and that they “could not believe how close he (Obama) was to becoming president.””
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=0a154176-117c-45b5-8a3e-63e248d8412b
““East of Lexington she’ll carry seventy per cent of the primary vote,” he said. Kentucky votes on May 20. “She could win the general election in Kentucky.” I asked about Obama. “Obama couldn’t win.”
Why not?
“Race,” Patrick said matter-of-factly. “I’ve talked to people—a woman who was chair of county elections last year, she said she wouldn’t vote for a black man.” Patrick said he wouldn’t vote for Obama either.
Why not?
“Race. I really don’t want an African-American as President. Race.””
“Everyone knows that race is a factor in Obama’s low vote among older whites, though reporters say that no one will admit it personally. In Eastern Kentucky, people (and not just J. K. Patrick) admit it personally, without hesitation or apology.”
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/georgepacker/2008/04/the-race-in-eas.html
” Instead of beginning with analysis, let’s begin with some sad facts; When Kentucky Representative Ben Chandler endorsed Barack Obama, over 500 phone calls flooded his office, the vast majority of them using the word “nigger.”
Chandler’s aides (who were white) went home shaken, crying, in utter disbelief. They didn’t think racism still existed.
Now. Sugarcoat it all you want. Call it “Appalachian culture” call it whatever you want, but make no mistake about it, it is racism.”
http://www.salon.com/opinion/walsh/election_2008/2008/05/24/current_racism/
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10 minutes with Google.
Philip: Have you considered that you may have fallen prey to confirmation bias? You seem to like bucking the conventional wisdom, and the conventional wisdom here says racism will be a factor.
I had a conversation with a friend a couple weeks ago about this. I mentioned my frustration with the media’s love affair with Obama and how they keep raising these false allegations of racism. I read conservative journals and listen to the radio occasionally and only see or hear Obama criticized for his politics. Many even express admiration for our nation that we have nominated a black man at this level. I wondered aloud where all these racists the media have apparently found happen to be.
My friend snapped back at me and said, “There are plenty of people that will not vote for Obama just because he’s black.” This friend does teach at a snooty private school full of your typical right-wing rich kids, so she sees most issues through that foggy lens. However, she never said she’s talked to someone who claims they’ll do what she accused them of doing.
Having not traveled as far and wide lately as you have, I do live in Tennessee. I’m in a blue county, but work and play in the red county next door. I have yet to hear anyone condemn Obama for his race, or even get close to questioning his ability based on race. Ironically, in a NY Times article recently, the author criticized all those racist white voters in one paragraph and in the next wrote nonchalantly about black voters voting for Obama simply because he is black, as if that’s just what one should expect them to do.
I thought I should mention that I am aware of the Bradley Effect, and that there are likely some people who have a racist bias which will affect their vote no matter what they think or say they will do. My complaint is that this suspicion is reported as provable news and used to magnify race as an issue in the first place.
I have never heard anyone say they will not vote for Obama because he is black. I have heard (on local talk radio, not in person) people say they are voting for him because he’s black.
I’ve heard it quite a few times. Not so much where I live, Brooklyn, but I was down in Charleston SC and overheard some people talking about it in a Whole Foods of all places. They were amped up to begin with that it was CNN rather than Foxnews on the TV, and they ostensible issue was that he was a muslim. It was comical to me listening, but I got the feeling that it was unintended. It was only one overheard conversation, so I agree that representing that as a major issue is inaccurate. No one I know cares about race in a overtly negative way — though growing up in this PC world I doubt that people are honest, and I be surprised to be involved in a non-guarded conversation about race. Its like answering “Do these jeans make me look fat?” there’s a right answer and a wrong answer independent of the facts or your opinion. But then I live in a metropolis, and the people who do care are excited by it.
Also, I’m not Jewish so I’m not very sensitive to such things, but if you feel that someone is an extraordinary hoarder there’s no contradiction between both having a lot of money and being really cheap.
Canvassing for Obama in rural NC I have ran into a few. My mother who still lives in WV hears it from some of her friends.
Gwern: Thanks for the newspaper reports. I was more interested in hearing from non-journalists (i.e., my readers) because that’s a perspective that I can’t get with Google News.
I keep reading that America is full of racists, but the primary results seem to suggest otherwise and my personal experience with redneck gun nuts also suggests otherwise.
Here are a couple of examples I’ve heard of or encountered lately.
A colleague of mine had dinner with friends and friends of friends last weekend. A number of these people told her in plain language that they would not for Obama because he is black.
Most of my neighbors that I have spoken to have expressed negative opinions about Obama. His race is not always explicitly mentioned. However, one guy mentioned his father, who is a business owner and had black employees. He told us that some of those blacks were actually good, hard-working employees. However, still on the topic of Obama, this guy felt a need to mention the fact that he doesn’t like welfare programs that tax him to give money to people who don’t work. He didn’t mention any specific Obama. It sounded like he just assumes that Obama would increase welfare spending.
Another neighbor specifically said that he thought that “Condoleezza Rice is a stupid n***er.” He also didn’t say that would vote against Obama because he is black, but I think that that would be safe assumption.
Trust me, Philip, racism is alive and well in America.
Closest I’ve heard was “We elected a black man as governor of this state (Massachusetts) and look at what a mess he is.” Of course, you’d have to believe that all black politicians are interchangeable to agree with that logic…
I have a friend who kept insisting that he likes McCain because of lower taxes for his family. When I showed him that he would save more under Obama’s plan he got real angry and said no way he is voting for a monkey. He is 34, white, MBA. I believe he became racist during college when he lived in mostly black urban neighborhood.
Poll: Obama Faring Poorly Among Racists
http://www.borowitzreport.com/article.aspx?ID=6922
I am black and one of my closest friends is white. The reality is that there is racism all over this country. This is sad. I hate that we have to raise our kids in such a world. I love everyone of all races. I am voting for the man that is best for the job. Honestly I don’t know Obama or McCain so I have no idea what either of them will do. Know that when we bleed we all bleed red. I am no better than anyone and no one is better than me! Get over it I live in Tennessee and I know some of my white friends parents and grandparents will not vote for Obama because he is black but he is half black and half white???? I feel like the media and these political analysts are always dowing Obama no matter what, saying that his wife looks angry lol……. this is crazy. Let’s be honest there is no way that Michelle Obama could have paraded a 17 year old child on stage that was pregnant. Racism is alive but it will not stop me!
I guess my friend, mentioned above, is not that strong of a racist. Sarah Palin managed to turn him democrat, albeit reluctant. Sad yet funny that some people are OK being thought of racist but not stupid.
Living in New Orleans, we have met many folks who will be voting for McCain, but none of them have said “I can’t vote for Obama because he’s black.” I have only heard about Obama’s blackness from McCain voters in the northeastern states. To this youngster from Bleeding Kansas, I can’t help but wonder if perhaps the South is expanding faster than the North because the South is more progressive.