But there's another factor in all of this that I hadn't even considered, but when you ponder it, the demographics fit and the reality is obvious. There will be some who will choose Barack Obama because they were part of an educational system which taught them a person is the sum total of their essence, not simply a shell of their outward appearance. You know, that whole "all men are created equal," which really is, all other factors notwithstanding, the truth.
Kent Smith, a Democratic community organizer here in Cleveland and now an author, is as close to being a polling expert as a person is going to find. At a party this weekend at our friend Chris Butler's house, I took the opportunity to ask Kent a couple of important questions about the upcoming election.
First thing I wanted to know was, "Is Barack Obama as great as I think he is?" Kent answered without pause, "No, he is isn't." That was not the answer I was expecting from a man who's spent much of his free time canvassing neighborhoods and organizing voter drives in support of Obama. But, like many of the conservative pundits have shown us recently, even partisan politics needs a dose of reality from time to time.
Kent went on to explain that Obama, like all politicians, is still a politician. He will make promises he can't keep and do things that will not always work out and cautioned me to have realistic expectations, because, as he pointed out, we are in a real mess. Seeing how taken aback I was at his response, he did say there was indeed a silver lining: in the last 40 years Barack Obama is as close to the "real deal" as we can hope for, and that's something to be excited about. An honest answer, minus the sugar coating.
Eric and I asked him about how Ohio would do in the election and was there truly a "Bradley effect" to be concerned about. Kent said yes, absolutely, but that ultimately the Bradley effect could possibly be negated by something he called the "Brown vs. The Board of Education effect."
This, Smith explained, is the demographic change we will see slowly take place like a wave over our nation as the older baby boomers/greatest generation — to put it bluntly — die. I had asked how the pockets of "racially" confused voters in Ohio could adjust the current polls, and if the Mason-Dixon line was going to muck things up for Obama. Kent said it wasn't the Mason-Dixon line, but rather the ages of the voters that will decide the race.
Article comments
1 - Doug Hunter
Typical lib sold hook line and sinker on the race propaganda of the left. Race is indeed a powerful weapon in the hands of the ignorant. I hope this victory soothes your guilt.
2 - Dawn
Yes, very much so. I got to vote for a man of integrity, honesty and decency, who just so happened to be African-American. I feel pretty damn good.
3 - REMF(MCH)
Dawn;
Nice work, and justice prevailed. The right guy won. (smile)
Doug;
I agree, race IS indeed a powerful weapon in the hands of the ignorant, as your post attests.
4 - Ms. Know
The mainstream media illuminati played the Bradley Effect too much during this campaign, along with the left-wing illuminati, who did so silently. They made people feel if they didn't vote for Obama, they were racist.