Slate: Racism the Only Possible Reason for Obama Loss

To say something positive: Jacob Weisberg is admirably forthright and direct about what most liberals are dishonestly passive-aggressive about.

But, that aside, it's all downhill from there.

If Obama Loses: Racism is the only reason McCain might beat him.

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If it makes you feel better, you can rationalize Obama's missing 10-point lead on the basis of Clintonite sulkiness, his slowness in responding to attacks, or the concern that Obama may be too handsome, brilliant, and cool to be elected. But let's be honest: If you break the numbers down, the reason Obama isn't ahead right now is that he trails badly among one group, older white voters. He does so for a simple reason: the color of his skin.

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Many have discoursed on what an Obama victory could mean for America. We would finally be able to see our legacy of slavery, segregation, and racism in the rearview mirror. Our kids would grow up thinking of prejudice as a nonfactor in their lives. The rest of the world would embrace a less fearful and more open post-post-9/11 America. But does it not follow that an Obama defeat would signify the opposite? If Obama loses, our children will grow up thinking of equal opportunity as a myth. His defeat would say that when handed a perfect opportunity to put the worst part of our history behind us, we chose not to. In this event, the world's judgment will be severe and inescapable: The United States had its day but, in the end, couldn't put its own self-interest ahead of its crazy irrationality over race.

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You may or may not agree with Obama's policy prescriptions, but they are, by and large, serious attempts to deal with the biggest issues we face: a failing health care system, oil dependency, income stagnation, and climate change. To the rest of the world, a rejection of the promise he represents wouldn't just be an odd choice by the United States. It would be taken for what it would be: sign and symptom of a nation's historical decline.

Um, I don't agree with them. Any of them, pretty much. Why would I vote for a leftwing platform now when I've consistently rejected the same platform when announced by white men?

Let's be more accurate here, Jacob: Race and only race would be the reason for a hypothetical Obama victory.

Thanks to Slublog.

posted by Ace at 12:11 PM

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