Michelle Obama: Self Doubt Makes Blacks Hesitant to Back Obama

http://www.breitbart.tv/?p=7951

"I'm completely confident: black America will wake up, and get . But what we're dealing with in the black community is just the natural fear of possibility...You know, there's always that doubt in the back of the minds of people of color. People who've been oppressed and haven't been given real opportunities. That you never really believe. That you believe that somehow, someone is better than you. You know, deep down inside, you doubt whether you can do it, because that's all you've been told, is 'no, wait.'"

MIKA BRZEZINSKI: The polls are showing your husband is trailing Hillary by 46% to 37% in the African-American community. What's going on here?

MICHELLE OBAMA: First of all, I think that that's not going to hold. I'm completely confident: black America will wake up, and get . But what we're dealing with in the black community is just the natural fear of possibility. You know, when I look at my life, the stuff that we're seeing in these polls has played out my whole life. You know, always been told by somebody that I'm not ready, that I can't do something, my scores weren't high enough. You know, there's always that doubt in the back of the minds of people of color. People who've been oppressed and haven't been given real opportunities. That you never really believe. That you believe that somehow, someone is better than you. You know, deep down inside, you doubt whether you can do it, because that's all you've been told, is "no, wait." That's all you hear, and you hear it from people who love you. Not because they don't care about you, but bcause they're afraid. They're afraid that something might happen.

BRZEZINSKI: It's interesting that you say that, excuse me. Because a stewardess yesterday, a 52-year old African-American, and I asked her if she was interested in Barack Obama, if she would vote for him. And she said, like this, she said: "I don't think so, because he probably can't win, because he's black."

OBAMA: That's right. That's the psyschology that's going on in our heads, in our souls, and I understand it. I know where it comes from, and I think that it's one of the horrible legacies of racism and discrimination and oppression.

Just sayin'....

the race card? Thanks.

It is not a weakness or character flaw to vote for someone other than Obama, for African-Americans or anyone else.

People vote for who they want to vote for. That's sort of the point of voting.

I could see how this could be offensive to many blacks.

I am black and understand exactly what she is saying - and agree with her. There are many people in our community who feel the way she describes.

reflecting on their own self-worth?

I like Kucinich because he and I share many views. I do not, however, want Kucinich to get the nomination. My life experience and understanding of America tells me that Kucinich would be a very weak candidate, because most Americans would not like his views.

That's not self-hatred, self-doubt or anything like that. I have made a reasoned judgment based on education and life experience that OTHER people would not be likely to elect Kucininch.

The black voters cited in articles like these are not saying anything about themselves, they are saying something about OTHER people... primarily white people.

It would be racial self-doubt to say, "I don't think a black person like me is up to the job of president."

It isn't self-doubt to say, "white people are not going to elect a a black man president." That's an observation or theroy about white people. It may be right, it may be wrong. But it doesn't reflect poorly on the abilities of black people. I'm just seeing people analyzing politics the way we all analyze politics.

I think much of the "self-doubt" that she's referring to is not whether black folk believe we are inherently inferior but that, no matter how good we are or how hard we try, we will never measure up because the deck is stacked against us. I believe that's what Michelle Obama is referring to.

I have heard many black people, some in my own family, say they either won't vote for him or that they hope he doesn't win - not because they don't like him or want him to be president - but because they truly fear that he will never be given a fair shot or that he will actually be in physical danger.

It's a very complicated situation, something very new for our community.

that much of this is affected by the sense of "collective pride" and "collective guilt" that the black community has always had. Much of this has been imposed upon us over the decades, but it still exists.

It's the reason that black people all over the country danced in the streets when Joe Louis beat Max Schmelling. It's the reason that we root for Venus and Serena and Tiger - not that we don't like white people, but that we are so proud when one of our own does well.

Collective shame has also been foisted on us. It's the reason that Tim Russert feels it's perfectly ok to grill Al Sharpton about something that Louis Farrakhan said and that black communities across the country collectively cringed when the DC Snipers turned out to be black.

So I think that many of us also feel the same about Obama - we feel enormous pride for him, but also fear for him. And many of us are also afraid that if he tries and fails, it means that we ALL have tried and failed and that it will be harder for the rest of us.

But I also think that if he wins, it will be like Joe Louis beating Max Schmelling - and black folk will feel such pride across the country that the world will never ever again be the same.

I agree with everything you say, but want to respond to this:

"So I think that many of us also feel the same about Obama - we feel enormous pride for him, but also fear for him. And many of us are also afraid that if he tries and fails, it means that we ALL have tried and failed and that it will be harder for the rest of us."

In many ways, we shouldn't feel this way because that "failure" thing has already happened, passed, and we're living through it. Can there ever have been a bigger failure than than Condi Rice? The first black woman Secretary of State. Ugh. And look at what a disappointment Colin Powell has been. I don't think Obama can fail as miserably as they have, that pressure should be off of him. They have tried and failed, and yet, he's the hope, not just of blacks, but of many. Their failures have not in any way stained him. I think we've come a long way just to be able to say that. But I don't claim them - Rice, Thomas, Powell. They don't represent me, and never have, and never will. So maybe that's why we're still thinking of Obama as "the first." The worst has already happened, and "we" can overcome it.

Then again, maybe the pressure is now doubled... following those disasters, he almost has to succeed.

Hmm, I think I contradicted myself. :)

But I don't know many black people who feel either pride or shame in Condi Rice - she has never really identified with our community and, as such, I don't think many black folk feel any special sense of connection to her.

but I don't see that people wouldn't support Obama because of the fear. I could be wrong.

to several of my mom's elderly women friends who just can't adjust to the idea of a woman president. And it has nothing to do with Hillary Clinton - they would have a hard time supporting any woman. (I haven't run across any middle aged or younger women with this mindset.)

...or if you even wanted anybody to answer it. But no. Not all black people have that fear. But many do. The longer a family has been held back, the further back disappointed hopes go - I'm speaking generations - the more rooted that fear becomes until it evolves into a defense mechanism. There's nothing more soul-crushing than disappointed hopes. It's hard to break that cycle, even today. But it's certainly not universal, and certainly not something that can't be overcome.

On the other hand, and paradoxically, there's no ethnic group more doggedly insistent that they will show up and vote if it kills 'em. Look at 2004. In the rain, for hours. Hope springs eternal, LOL.

She's too smart to make such a broad generalization.

they shouldn't accuse Michele Obama of playing the race card when she responds to the analysis.

Since she seems to think that the media and contributors aren't giving her husband a fair shake because he's a white man . . .

I'm not black but I don't think Obama should cont on the vote of blacks any more than Hillary can count on women voters.

Black people are just like every one else. They aren't going to vote for a black just because he is black. They have the sense and for sight to know that they want a president who can do things for them, who has the intelligent and savvy to run this country. And if they think a white woman, or a white man could do a better job they'll vote for them. And if Mitchell thinks just because Obama is black and black people should waste their vote on him she as nutty as Obama.

This is a perfect example of what I and others here have been talking about. It's perfectly ok for the media to conduct a poll about whether black people will vote for Obama. We hear not a peep from anyone criticizing them for "playing the race card" or assuming that black people should vote for a black candidate just because he's black. It's perefectly ok for the media to continually analyze such polls, without a complaint from anyone. It's perfectly ok for journalists to ask Michelle Obama what the poll says about black voters. But when she responds with HER view of black voters, SHE's playing the race card.

This entire country is one big deck of race cards and much of what we do and say every day is cloaked within the concepts of race. It's just that it's SO pervasive that the majority rarely ever has to do or say anything about it. But when the minority responds to the situation, THEY are accused of playing the race card.

I agree with you about black voters. We are just as savvy as any other voter and select our candidates based on knowledgeable assessments. The problem, however, is that so much of Obama's race has been analyzed within a racial prism, with much discussion and polling about how black voters are approaching the contest. It is the media that should be taken to task for this obsession, not Michelle Obama.

Welcome to 1962!

They've been up since the break of dawn and Obama's pandering to an "ex-gay" clown ain't the most inspiring of messages.

We are not stupid.

I've known some who are.

If you've been bitten by a snake over and over and over again, it's not stupid to be wary of picking up something that looks just like a snake, even if it's just a stick. You may be wrong, but you're certainly not stupid.

watch this short video:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=17fEy0q6yqc