Believe you me I don't think so. Indeed I absolutely believe that America was ready to vote for the Democratic ticket long before the holder of that ticket was decided. However the thing that is bothering me is the reporting subsequent to the US Election. All of it seems to revolve around the historical significance of the US's first ever black president. Soundbites are being gathered from (largely) black people and the ones that are being broadcast are very race-led - "we showed you", "we won out in the end".
Why does this worry me? Well I would like to think that Obama won because of his policies and his undoubted leadership skills. This most liberal, charismatic senator promises to put ‘Peace’ at the top of the agenda and get some sanity into the financial markets. He is truly a breath of fresh air - not because he is black. I wish the media could give a balanced conclusion in its reporting. Up until now I had been pretty impressed as to the standard and quality of reporting but as usual the UK media has slipped into pigeonholing stories. Obama won because he was black. Period. Old black people, young black people (who previously didn't vote) have flocked to the polls to get their man in.
It simply isn't true. I think if Obama had been white or indeed ugly he would still have won. The American public was simply sick of the Republican Government and its manifesto and when Obama came on the scene a promise of a better day with a better man at the helm made him utterly electable. What Obama has achieved is awesome. The World is a happier place for his election - but it is about him, his talent and his policies - not the colour of his skin. Let's hope his car doesn't get pulled on his way to his inauguration in DC in January!
I'd go one step further and suggest that Obama won despite the fact that he self identifies himself as black. A hippopotamus would have won against McCain.
Posted by: spoton | December 04, 2008 at 04:40 PM