Race, Gender, Electability and Paranoia

Maybe you've already done this, but go to www.implicit.harvard.edu and take the implicit association test on race, or on the political candidates for that matter.

Research shows that most of us make implicit associations and judgments about race, gender and all sorts of other things with no conscious awareness of those associations and judgments. In fact, those implicit associations often contradict the views that we consciously hold concerning those subjects.

The way I see it, both Hillary and Obama suffer a big handicap in terms of electability, not only because of outright bias, but because of the effect of implicit associations. I'm not saying this is a reason to vote for or against either one, it's just a fact. Presidential elections usually turn on the independent voters -- who almost by definition have little or no say in primaries. So what the hell relevance do primary elections have anyway?

But it does make me wonder . . .

There are some really decent candidates for the democratic nomination, as least as judged by traditional standards. (I'm a real lefty and don't have much interest in "traditional" candidates). I mean look at Biden, Richardson, Dodd -- these are people of substance, experience and achievement. But from the beginning it's been the Hillary and Obama show, even though neither one has any notable experience or other qualification for the Presidency. Everybody else has been deemed a "second tier" candidate right from the get go. (Note: no such first tier, second tier system when it comes to reporting on the Republicans. Why is that?)

At one level, it seems pretty plain that Hillary and Obama have been elevated to chosen status because they make the best story. The first woman president or the first (ahem, half) Black president. News = entertainment, and therefore the MSM naturally pushes the most entertaining story as the most newsworthy. But is there something more going on? All the polls show that Edwards beats all Republican candidates by huge margins, while some races are close with either Clinton or Obama. You know the Republicans would much rather have Clinton or Obama to run against. What with the outright bigots, the implicit association effect, and the votes that Republicans are able to steal, I can't say that either Clinton or Obama is a shoe-in.

So I'm wondering, have Obama and Clinton been shoved down our throats for the very reason that they might be the least electable, that if the Republicans are going to have any chance in 2008, it's with one of those two running?

weight it the #1 source of discrimination.

Overweight people are ALL thought to be lazy and stupid.

This plays into other demographics: the poor are more likely to be overweight and black women have a very high obesity rate, so, many people lay the 'fat people are stupid' label on other demographics.

My opinion is that it appeals to people as a soft and easy way to announce that "racism is over" in America. The truth is, a Black president will end racism in America the way Black cops have ended racism in law enforcement: i.e. not at all. I think this is one of the reasons why Republicans are salivating over an Obama presidency. I can already hear the hate radio hosts: "Can we finally stop talking about racism now! I don't ever want to hear about how hard it is for 'the black man' again!"

I think that our first black president needs to be deeply concerned about labor rights, civil rights, and so forth. S/he should hold the civil rights movement sacred, not mock the movements of the 60s and 70s. S/he shouldn't tell black youth to 'pull up their pants' in order to get applause from a white audience.

Call me nuts, but I'd vote for Sharpton in a heartbeat, but I won't vote for Obama. I want to win this election based on a real change for America, not on a referendum on whether or not America is ready for a black president (for whatever reason.)

I want out of Iraq, an end to Chicago-Style corporatism. I want real change, not symbolic change.

beat the GOP.

This is MSM strategy--Set the table for the Weakened GOP to
hold the Presidency.