The Science of Communicating & Marketing Your Business

What if Obama was the one that had been banging on that Oval Office door for the last 6 Presidential elections but couldn't bust through that glass ceiling, instead of entering national politics only a couple of years ago?

What if people were questioning Obama's ability to lead because of his color instead of questioning McCain's ability to lead because of his age?

What if McCain worshipped in a place that promulgated discrimination?

What if Obama had been a prisoner of war for 6 years, refusing early release (offered due to his father's influence) and submitting to extensive, serving and sacrificing for his country, while McCain had Harvard Law Review on his resume?

My guess, we'd be getting emails just like this one talking about racism in America. That's the convenient thing about comparing someone who is defined as caucasian to someone who is defined as a minority. Every opportunity, every benefit, conferred to the caucasian can be called out as racism. We're really going to turn on McCain because he adopted a child?

Thank God we live in a country where an African American can run for President without being marginalized as a civil rights candidate (a la Jesse Jackson 20 years ago), and the candidates themselves can debate political issues of the day, defend themselves and attach each other, without this racial card being played up front and center.

How many times in the last 40 years have the polls shown such disparity in support for the Democratic candidate and the Republican candidate without either candidate being an encumbant? The poll numbers are shockingly not close and the disparity is evidence of a lack of racism in America, not the existence of the same. You'll note none of those questions target political issues. Hopefully someday the email's author will be evolved as the electorate, and consider more than a candidate's skin color, pedigree, and eloquence in choosing a candidate.

Here's something else to look for in the election. Surveys and polls will typically have some error in them because, among other reasons, people frequently give the answer they think will result in approval. Thus, if I am standing with a group of people with whom I want to be accepted and who have declared they are voting for Obama and they ask me who I will vote for, I will also say Obama to gain acceptance in this group. The same sort of approval-seeking lies occur in surveys. However, once I get in the voting booth, though, I vote without the need to gain acceptance - I vote for my preferred candidate.

What may prove interesting in this election is whether a material section of American voters, larger than normal, responded to surveys in favor of Obama to avoid being cast as/losing approval for appearing racist. Open racism may appear in surveys, but veiled racism, racially biased individuals who do not see themselves as such, will not show themselves until Election Day.

What if 90% of whites vote for McCain? Will that be viewed as racism?

Liberal pub, NY Times reports several states saw more than 90% of blacks voting for Obama and more than 56% of white women voting for Hillary during the primaries. I guess we have already seen plenty of racism and sexism this election year. Hopefully the Republicans can vote unimpeded by skin color.