Assume he's the candidate, which looks more likely now than ever.


There's no question that it will become filthy very soon, and OF COURSE race will come into play like hell.


So...what kind of strategies do you think the Republicans will employ against him?

I dispute your first premise, but assuming it is true, I doubt it happens. Assuming McCain is the nominee, I don't see him benefiting from attacking Obama on race. That will simply cauterize support around Obama.

Since there has been no evidence of racism amongst the Republican candidates, why do you argue, in bad faith, that there will be?

Since there has been no evidence of racism amongst the Republican candidates, why do you argue, in bad faith, that there will be?

Assume he's the candidate, which looks more likely now than ever.


There's no question that it will become filthy very soon, and OF COURSE race will come into play like hell.


So...what kind of strategies do you think the Republicans will employ against him?

The Politics Of Obama's Past Cocaine Use
by: Douglas Burns
Thursday (12/06) at 15:57 PM

When Barack Obama speaks frankly about his youthful drug use in a generic sense on the campaign trail here, voters often respond positively to the Illinois Democrat's straightforward handling of the personal failing. In fact, many see it as revealing a canyon-sized difference between Obama's Generation X candor and the equivocation of Baby Boomers like the Clintons on such matters.
That said, when polls are examined more closely, and the question is posed to voters not on drugs generally but specifically on cocaine (which Obama admitted to using in his best-selling memior,"Dreams From My Father," by noting that he did "maybe a little blow when you could afford it.") the results show some potential vulnerabilities for the senator.

His Democratic opponents haven't seized this issue a in high-profile way. But Republican presidential Mitt Romney has challenged Obama on the drug angle, perhaps presaging a general-election strategy, while two western Iowa conservative Republicans see the issue as having no traction and being fraught with tripwires for their party if mishandled.

"I think it's important for us not to go into details about the weaknesses and our own failings as young people for the concern that we open kids thinking that it's OK for them," Romney said.
What will be facinating to watch is whether Americans' views on cocaine will play out in the election booths as a defining factor or anything close to that. If it does, that could spell trouble for Obama.

A survey of 1,010 adults conducted by Scripps Howard News Service and Ohio University finds many Americans voice concerns about candidates who've used cocaine.

Adults in the survey were equally troubled over prospects of a president who tried cocaine in his youth, something Sen. Barack Obama has admitted. Only 34 percent said they think most Americans would accept this while 58 percent said it would not be acceptable.

In a New York Times poll in June, 74 percent of respondents said they did not think most people they know would vote for a presidential candidate who has ever used cocaine.

"In the few polls that explicitly ask about cocaine use in a presidential candidate (as opposed to the softer more generic 'Drug Use,')" says one Washington, D.C. insider, "Seventy-four percent say cocaine use makes a person unfit to be president. It's the highest negative apart from 'no government experience.' Put differently, never in the history of the presidency has a front runner openly admitted to using cocaine. So now that Obama is talking about the drug use more often, I am absolutely certain it's because he and his team know that the cocaine issue is going to roar forward. It will be a major issue if he is the nominee.The GOP will ride it hard and he is trying to inoculate."

On the ground here in western Iowa, the co-chairman of the Carroll County Republican Party, John Werden, a county attorney who has handled many cocaine-related cases, says Obama's admission should not be disqualifying. What's more, Werden has a different take on the Obama drug question than Romney, the candidate the long-time western Iowa prosecutor is supporting in the Iowa caucuses.

"As a father and a prosecutor I'm not willing to write off anyone for good public service because of bad things they've done in the past," Werden said.

This doesn't mean Werden doesn't find Obama's drug admissions troubling in one respect. In working with people addicted to drugs, Werden said, there are always concerns that they will grasp on to comments from successful, high-profile people about use and abuse to justify their own actions.

"In an indirect way, it absolves them and in some circles encourages drug usage," Werden said.

Well, apparently according to BKB, if black people endorse you and support you, then therefore you are unfit for office.

That's according to more than just him. Good thing it's not the sixties any more.

Yeah, like Clinton supporters!

Hmm... Isn't that like HALF of the democrats?

I didn't say anything about Clinton supporters, and most of them certainly aren't racist, any more than Obama supporters are sexist.

The goals of those who want to eliminate racism and sexism is for people to be judged on their own merits and not based on their race or sex.

Hey, Munk, are you a Republican, the party who has not had a woman or black candidate for President yet? Just checking.

Oh wow! 2 candidates in one year that are either black/a woman must mean that you guys LOVE being different!

Too bad the REPUBLICANS had the FIRST woman who ran for office of President.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Chase_Smith

Eat it.

Oh wow! 2 candidates in one year that are either black/a woman must mean that you guys LOVE being different!

Too bad the REPUBLICANS had the FIRST woman who ran for office of President.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Chase_Smith

Eat it.

The goals of those who want to eliminate racism and sexism is for people to be judged on their own merits and not based on their race or sex.

Hey, Munk, are you a Republican, the party who has not had a woman or black candidate for President yet? Just checking.

Do you want a cookie for that?

He prefers macadamia nut.