In 2008, Americans went to the polls and elected the first President of {visible} color.

[No Elephants]

Regardless of what President Obama has done or not done, I am grateful that voters finally broke that barrier.

Are we in a post-racial era? No, not IMO, anyway.

But, it was a barrier that needed breaking, just as all barrier to equal human rights need breaking.

I look forward to the first female President, the first President of Puerto Rican, Mexican or Cuban descent, the first President of far Eastern descent and the first gay President, among others.

(And I hope nary a one of them is a Republican.)

[lbrtbell]

1. Why not a woman?

I'm not referring to HRC, but it is rather telling that people would rather see a man of any race be President, than a woman.

This country truly hates its women. :(

[No Elephants]

2. I posted that I was looking forward to the first female President.

I don't think your comment can be separated from the election of 2008You cannot really say that people will elect a man of any color--which did not happen until 2008, when Hillary was the only woman running--and then say your comment does not have to do with Hillary.

As to why Obama was nominated in 2008, instead of a woman, I can speak only for myself. For me, it very much had to do with HRC and all the Clinton baggage, both her own and Bubba's, and nothing to do with her gender (or Obama's color).

I believe in broken barriers, aka equal rights for all humans, but don't believe in identity politics.

I would not vote for or against a candidate because of genitalia or skin color or ethnic origin. (I am not going to add religion, because I might hold belonging to, say, some flakey satanic cult, against someone. Besides, people can control which religion they follow. No one can control the way that he or she is born.)


In 2007, I wanted an election about issues and, most of all, I wanted a Democrat to win. (I really did think at the time that a Democratic victory would mean a dramatic change. Lord knows, I thought we needed a dramatic change.

And so, I made a judgment about which Democrat had the best chance of winning the general: Gravel, Kucinich, Biden, Dodd, Obama or Hillary. And, near the end of November 2007, I made my first donation to Barack Obama's campaign and never looked back--until after he was elected.

My 20007 choice had everything to do with my politics and my perception of which candidate was likeliest to win the general election, and nothing whatever to do with genitalia or race.

However, I will never forget Hillary's "hard working white people" remark or the other racial games that were played during that primary, either. They were not the reason for my choice, as they occurred after I had chosen Obama. However, if I had supported her, I would have been appalled that I had donated to that.

[lbrtbell]

3. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't an HRC supporter

I was an Obama supporter. Sorry I didn't make that clear. :)

What I meant was, society still puts women at the bottom of every discussion of people who still haven't gotten full respect/rights. :(