Quote Originally Posted by Aemilius Paulus View Post
How true, most of his appeal rest on the colour of his skin... Would Obama be chosen as a candidate if not because of his colour? Heck no. He would not have rose so high in the first place, before he got nominated either, if he was white. But that is politics - so nothing to grumble about here. It is not as if the business of politics even pretends to be fair and balanced (God, how FOX butchered that slogan... just like "maverick" and Sarah Palin)
Yes, I think he would have been chosen, regardless. He is very bright, a fine orator and spoke movingly to the spirit of the times. The great compliment to the American electorate from his election was that race didn't play too much a part in it, either positive or negative.

Not to mention that the Clinton campaign bungled quite a lot out of sheer arrogance - as did McCain.

He was an inspirational candidate for an electorate that wanted to hear some good things about their future. Now he's a president that needs to deliver. This is the same for anyone - aspiration is always more fun than practice.

Now, I might not disagree if you argued that he got the Peace prize because of his colour. That is the kind of empty-handed, paternalistic gesture at which we Europeans are terrifically good.