Can Barack Obama Transcend Race?

There were a number of skeptics when Senator Barack Obama threw his hat into the ring to become one of the Democratic Party's candidates for President of the United States.

It wasn't that he was the first African-American to ever want to be nominated. Democrats Shirley Chisolm, Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton have all entered their names for consideration in the past and Republican Alan Keyes has vied for a position as his party's nominee. The problem is that none of these individuals was ever really taken seriously or even given the possibility of winning, especially since they marginalized many Americans. Automatically, it was assumed by many that Obama would end up being perceived similarly and his candidacy was not looked upon soberly, at the start.

Obviously, things have changed dramatically and Barack Obama is now the first African-America with a real chance of earning his party's nomination as their official candidate for President of the United States.

Why?

One reason is that the American voters are ready to make a change, after years of voting in "old school" politicians who make big promises, but offer few results. They are, quite simply, wary of Washington insiders who have grown oblivious to what the public wants. Obama is a new, fresh face, who hasn't been there long enough to be sullied and corrupted by power and this makes him desirable.

Another reason is that he is charismatic. Bill Clinton was charming, but Obama is inspiring, kind of "Kennedy-esque" in the way he draws people into his vision for change. He has garnered support across cultural, racial and generational lines, just as John Kennedy and especially Bobby Kennedy did and revived excitement in people who had just about given up hoping for a viable politician anymore.

He is attractive. Let's be real. We still tend to judge by appearances. Obama is a handsome man and he is youthful. Youthful voters and even older ones are drawn to younger, more energetic individuals and, like JFK, he still has two small children.

Perhaps, even the fact that he is biracial works in his favor, since he cannot easily be put into some standard ethnic "box."

Obama seems to have done something no other African-American has done, by seemingly transcending race, so that his character, personality and capability are what voters are looking at more, instead of his ethnicity.

There are, however, some Americans who still do see race as a factor and racism still prevails in some parts of the country and in within some circles. They are never going to support or vote for a non-white candidate and are not particularly happy that Barack Obama is being considered seriously. These folks are more likely to either vote for a Republican or to vote for Hillary Clinton as a way of sabotaging Barack Obama.

Whether their resistance will end up spoiling Obama's hopes or whether this country, as a whole, can rise about looking at race and see the character of the man, instead, remains to be seen.

By: Ezriela Devereux
Published: 02/09/08