I know it's easier to believe that Obama won based on race than to believe that the country rejected your philosophy, but frankly I don't think Obama could have won just for being a black man. Jesse Jackson wasn't ever able to even become the Democrats' Candidate. And I doubt if the same people who voted for Obama would have voted for Colin Powell. While I was very pleased and excited at first to see that the Dems had chosen a black man, by the end, I was simply desparetaly praying that for the sake of my own stocks and shares that Americans would turn their backs on the neo-con philosophy that has caused this financial crisis. I know many of you on JU will disagree with the idea that Bush's economic policies have been the problem, but I'm sorry I don't buy your idea that you were the victims of racism. Obama's colour may have inspired people more than if Obama had had white skin (which was a genetic possibility of course given the colour of his mother's family), but they chose him because they didn't believe that America was headed in the right direction any more. Obama came across as one of the most intelligent, confident and competent people to run for office. He reminds me a lot of our PM, Kevin Rudd, though Obama is a better public speaker. People said that Rudd was too inexperienced, though they couldn't use the excuse that he won just because he was black, because of course he is white.

This is rare for me to say of an American President, but if he ran for office here and if he had 2 white parents, I'd vote for him. Pure and simple. Particularly if was running against McCain and palin, who I have to be frank with you are some of the worst candidates ever put up by the Right wing. I know you guys probably still iked them. But even my hard core right wing friends said they couldn't believe what bad candidates McCain and Palin were

Actually it was a democratic initiative and obama was well involved with it. It is called sub-par mortgages and "affordable housing". Bush, btw, tried to regulate it in 2003 and failed. Mccain tried in 2005 and failed. The democrats blocked it every time with the chants of "housing is never a bad investment" and "the affordable housing initiative has helped many underpriviliged minorities own a home". (which they then lost).

An aussie eh? you are paying an aweful lot of attention to US politics all things considered. There are some very significant issues australia is facing right now.

Your economy is affecting us a lot atm. We could argue til the cows came home about what caused the crisis and I doubt you or I would be convinced of each other's economic arguments, but my main point is that no matter whether you believe they're right, American voters voted for the reasons I stated above and the Republicans were not the victims oif racism

ZYup that seems to be the opinion of the Masses. BUT WRONGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!

What gets me is the LIBERALS have no problem with wites NOT voting for Omama because he is black but refuse to accept Blacks voting for him because he is black... now there is some serious denial.

I did NOT SAY HE WON BECAUSE HE IS BLACK, i SAID blacks voted for him because he is black.

Who said he won based on race? I didn't see a single person post that. If you honestly believe that a great many people didn't vote for him solely because he is black you have your head in the sand.  No, that isn't why he won, but it is a fact just the same. I've heard far too many people say it, and know it to be true. I've seen people being interviewed who plainly stated that's why they voted for him.

Jackson is a bad example as there are a great many blacks who despise the man and are embarassed by him. But it is true that Obama wouldn't have won based solely upon the minority vote.

As for the economics issue, I'd suggest you go back and look up exactly who it was that started the sub-prime mortgages in the first place and who kept it going, unregulated, for all this time. Here's a hint, it wasn't Republicans.

I don't think there is any denying that race was a contributing factor in electing Obama; for some because of his race, for some in spiteof his race.

What's missing in the discussion is the underlying theme now that he has been elected and for some was a subconcious force born of the desire to see a black president.

That was the belief/feeling/hope that his election would somehow show that we, as a nation, had moved on from our racial past and were ready to embrace the color-blind society that so many have wanted and desired as far back as MLK if not further.

But the truth is that symbolism doesn't change the racial overtones and categorizations that we as Americans are bombarded with and more to the point indoctrinated with throughout our lives.

From Government mandates to Media to Business and, to some extent, even to Parents and Teachers, we are constantly reminded of the divisions of race in all areas from designating to which racial category one belongs on an employment/credit application or census form to which jobs, loans, or educational opportunities are to be alloted to each particular race and how many of each a particular school or employer may accept.

It is, IMO, due to this indoctrination that 40 some odd years after the recognition that all people should be 'treated according to the content of their character rather than the color of their skin' the election of Obama can only still be seen as a 'start'.

Only when we can get to a point where racial categorization is not a political and social way of life can we look at a media report the day after a Black President is elected and see the headline 'Best Man Won!' instead of 'Black Man Won!'.

I couldn't agree more.

Damn it Mason how many times have I asked you not to confuse LIBERALS with the truth?

This comment is worthy of an article on its own!!! wonderful insightful thinking!!!

I see once again we agree, Imagine that?

This seems just as vague as the 'hope and change' answer.  In this election, 'hope and change' was little more than 'not George Bush,' despite the fact he wasn't running, and the subconscious desire to get the milestone of electing a black president over and done with (well described, Picto), to get rid of the racist label once and for all ('course, it won't happen).  Mind you, this gestalt had to affect only 3-4% of voters to get him elected.

I may expound on this line of thought and do just that. Thanks, MM