What are your thoughts on a candidate drawing votes on race/gender?
What are your thoughts on a candidate drawing votes based solely/mainly on his/her race or gender?
Before you go off the deep end and say you are voting for someone for other reasons, please step back and re-read the question. I am not asking who you are voting for or what other reasons you have for voting for someone. I want to know your personal thoughts on someone who uses this as their main or sole criterion for their vote. It is well documented that there are those who are life-long Republicans are "seriously considering" supporting Mr. Obama because he is black and so are they. There were certainly women who supported Ms. Clinton because she was a woman. Both sets of supporters have justified their positions by claiming it is "historic." By definition, any election is "historic." Do you take these people seriously when forming your own opinions or does it detract for you? Do you feel that using race or gender as a platform is a form of reverse discrimination?
Anonymous2008-06-17T05:45:39Z
Favorite Answer
I think it is going to happen and there is nothing that can be done about it. I personally would not vote for someone because they are white like me. I am going to vote for the "best" person no matter what color, sex or race. But the rest of the world will never be like that.
I think it would be wrong to vote soley from skin color or gender. But i do not have a problem with it being one of the reasons. If you are Black and like what obama has to say about his policies.. then yea vote Obama. If your a woman and liked what Clinton had to say.. then sure you were voting for Clinton. People usually give the vote to someone they can associate with more. I see nothing wrong with that so long as they agree with that persons politics.
It's bull$hit Obama is half white and was raised like a white kid..... but for as many people that vote for him because he thinks he's black there are probably just as many that won't vote for him because they think he's black or muslim (West VA). Race should not even be mentioned in elections but it's a huge tool that can be used so it will be.
I for one just hope people realize before Nov. 8th that this isn't a popularity contest and actually start looking at what resumes we have being brought to the table because it's basically a college intern vs. a CEO as far as experience is concerned.
They did not use their race or gender as a platform. Sure, some people may vote for them because of race or gender, but how is that any different than the last 200+ years when we were all forced to vote based on race and gender, the qualifier by white and male. I don't blame someone for wanting to vote for the black or female candidate, just like I don't blame people for not voting for the young candidate. However, I do think there is no excuse for not voting for the black candidate because he is black, or the female candidate because she is a woman. But the truth is, all three of the candidates drew votes because of race and sex. It is sad, but it is true. Imagine seeing only black presidents for the last couple hundred years, and then suddenly seeing a chance to see a face like yours up there, wouldn't you be tempted to vote for him.
It's not very bright to vote for race or gender, yet all Obama supporters claim to be so bright.
Obama is not the right person for the job. If I want a smooth operator who can read a teleprompter I will find a third year acting student....he is not what we need.