I don't have a "candidate" yet. However, ^^^ sounds like the thinking when Jindal (Gov-Elect, LA) ran against Blanco. I didn't think he would win even after his "experience". It's a new day and he won. Maybe his "lack" of experience is what the White House/ politics in general needs. :confused: We are/ will be coming off of George W. Bush, so anyone should serve the country better than him. :smirk:

I feel that this is a strong point for Obama - his lack of political baggage (favors, alliances, scandal, etc.).

Any thoughts on a potential running mate for him ?
<< Being optimistic and hope I'm not jumping the gun :D

/hijack
It's funny you mention Jindal. He looked like a deer caught in the headlights for all his commericials.
/end hijack

Some people I've talked haven't decided between Obama and Clinton, but said they're more likely to vote for Obama because they didn't want another Clinton administration.

How electable is Obama? If he wins the democratic nomination, will he be able to win the election? Regardless of how he has done or does in the caucuses or primaries, can he realistically win the electorate votes to become the next President of the US?

I don't have a candidate; just something I thought about while hearing a discussion on the radio this morning.

Your thoughts?

You know I was like no way until Iowa, simply because the record voter turnout. The fact that he carried that state really surpirsed me, and even though it is a small state I truly believe the big ticket states like California, New York and Florida could possibly carry him over. Its all the other smaller states and Texas that could possibly keep him back.

Whatever the case lets pause to enjoy the history. :) A Black man or a woman may possibly be our next president, I would have gone to the grave never expecting that in my lifetime.

Was it TJMS? Tom Joyner & Cheryl Underwood did a really funny commentary this morning. Cheryl was saying we should "play dumb" when it came to Obama to make sure he wins.

But, to answer your question I think him winning the Iowa caucus justified some of the media hype. I'm just thinking back to Howard Dean who had young adult support and media hype, but the campaign faultered. (On a side note...Dean did teach the Dems how to use new media to raise money). New Hampshire is the next test to see if Obama can continue the momentum and pull in the independant voters. He has to at least come in second.

His fundraising strength will keep him in the race, and if he is the Democratic nominee that will give him a fighting chance from a media buying standpoint. It shouldn't be about money, but that's now a big part of it. On the issues I think he'll stand his ground against the Republican nominee.

No. It was our local "home team" morning show.

Is anyone else listening to NPR right now? One of the topics was why blacks have been relunctant to support him (siting how major mainstream black orgs such as the NAACP, etc. have not came out publicly to support him).

One reason (I believe it was Clarence Paige that stated this) given was that blacks were waiting to see if he was truly "a black leader" (Jesse Jackson-esque) or that we were still enamored
with the Clinton administration (hoping that Hilary will bring the same type of admin).

What do you guys think?

I think that's lazy thinking on Clarence Page's part. Iowal and N.H. are two of the whitest states in the nation, so there hasn't been much chance yet for Af-Am voters to actually "show support."

Also, Af-Ams are pragmatic voters, who, if anything, may be waiting to see how white voters wrestle with themselves in determining whether they are truly ready to support a Black man for president in what may be a close election in November. (I say close becuase if a true social/moderate emergeson the Republican side (Huckabee? maybe McCain) they'll draw the attention of a good number of Af-Am voters.)

Basically, it's worth observing whether Obama will have true crossover appeal. Have Iowa and New Hampshire shown Black voters that Obama is "palatable" enough :rolleyes: to white voters? Who knows?

As far as the NAACP, I think they're shown themselves to be politically irrelevant for several years now, and think fewer and fewer people take their "cues" from them. I don't.

I hear you on that. Even if he is not elected president but wins the Democratic nomination, that is history in itself. Maybe when my baby son (now 10 years old) becomes president, he won't be the first Black to do so ;)

On CNN they were discussing how many Blacks have been reluctatnt to support Obama because they feared he was not electable, and decided to support Hillary Clinton instead. I agree with this to be hnest I felt the same way, and I hate to believe I was part of this group but partially I was. :confused:

I think he proved back at the 2004 convention that he doesn't have to be limited to being "a black leader." Tavis Smiley always mentions about Obama that Hilary wouldn't even be a contender if Obama had similar polling numbers of black voters that Jesse had in '88. Honestly, I feel Obama is more electable because he appeals to a wide range of voters, which is needed when it comes to being president. No black candidate is going to be elected just by having the black vote (i.e. Al Sharpton).

Even though Hillary won the NH primary, statistically, it was a dead heat. They both received the same number of delegates (9). The popular vote was won by a margin of less than 3 percentage points; less than 8,000 votes out of almost 280,000 cast. Unlike the Republican race where there was a clear winner by over 5 percentage points. (Source: CNN.com with 96% of precincts reporting)

Bob Johnson criticizes Obama
 

By PHILIP ELLIOTT, Associated Press Writer

COLUMBIA, S.C. - One of Hillary Rodham Clinton's most prominent black supporters said Sunday he was insulted by the characterization by rival Barack Obama's presidential campaign of her remarks about the civil rights movement.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080114/...linton_johnson

While Bob Johnson is a brilliant businessman, I have little respect for him as a leader of Black America because he is responsible for that travesty called BET.