What Chance Does Barack Obama Have Of Becoming President?

I watched a Panorama documentary the evening before last, about Barack Obama's attempt at becoming the first black US president. Well, I say black, but actually he's mixed race. The unfortunate thing for him though, is that people will still see him as black.

He comes across as a charming, articulate and most of all, conscientious man. A man who cares. All perfectly good attributes to have in a potential president, but I'm pretty sure it wont be enough to win over the majority of white America.

A political psychologist had this to say about Obama, and I found it quite interesting:

Obama is "every white person's fantasy of what they'd like a black man to be.


He's thoughtful, he's articulate, he's handsome, he doesn't fit any of the stereotypes of the dangerous dark skinned black male that people see every day on television,"

I couldn't help but think that this stereotype of the "dangerous, dark skinned black male" could also be one of the reasons why the black hero isn't popular amongst white romance readers. Sorry, I digress...

Apparently, no American president has ever won the election, without getting the Louisiana vote, (erm, or something like that) so the documentary makers went to America's deep south to see what the people there thought of Obama. The reception was not great. The blacks didn't know what to make of him, and the whites seemed to be saying hell no. I think one of the people they interviewed actually called him Barack Osama. (Although the guy in question was sporting a shaven head, built like a brick sh*thouse, tattoos everywhere, and looked like he hadn't washed in quite a while though, so I'm not sure he was ever gonna say anything positive about Obama. Judgmental? Moi? Never in a month of puffs.)

They also interviewed a black Louisianan (is that right?) woman, and she said her vote was going to Hillary.

The documentary makers also visited Jena, in light of Obama's emphasis on a United America, rather than a black/white America. There was a lot made of the fact that he didn't attend a rally organised by black campaigners, who were protesting against the imprisonment of The Jena Six. A black man trying to run a race-neutral presidential campaign can't afford to be seen rallying with other black folks, unfortunately.

Jesse Jackson was there of course, and gave his thoughts on Obama's style of campaigning. He wasn't particularly complimentary, and seemed to contradict himself somewhat. Nothing new there.

Obama was described as a man before his time, and others lamented that America had not yet reached the stage, where a black man could run for presidency, and have a realistic shot at winning it. A sentiment shared by a cyber pal who I spoke to recently.

I liked Obama, I really did. I mean what's not to like? He's handsome, (don't tell me that doesn't make a difference to somebody somewhere) he's well turned out, and he knows how to give a rousing speech. He struck me as somebody I could sit down with, and have a really good chin-wag.

The problem for Obama as far as I can tell though, seems to be that the black folks think he's not black enough, and the white folks think he's too black. Poor sod, he's got no effing chance. Maybe in a hundred years time he may have had a shot.

Oh by the way, they interviewed a woman from the deep south, who was clearly way below the poverty line, and initially, I felt a great deal of sympathy for her, (as any decent person would) until the documentary makers revealed that she was a single woman who had eight kids. My sympathy died on the spot.

You know what, if you know you can't afford to feed your kids, then it would have been a good idea to either go on the pill, or make sure you use an effing condom. Or even better, keep your effing legs closed. Having eight kids when you have no way of looking after them, is beyond selfish and irresponsible. Why couldn't she at least stop at four?

Aaargghhh!