A few weeks ago, I wrote a column on race and the presidential race that called Barack Obama’s race the “wild card” in this year’s election. Basically, I said, there will be an element of the electorate that views him only through the prism of his skin color and that could — not will, but could — help determine the outcome.
The Princeton Packet picked it up, as well, leading to this letter to the editor:
I read with amusement and dismay the “Dispatches” column by Hank Kalet in Tuesday’s Packet (“Race and the presidential contest”).
His column ascribing racism to the failure of Obama to open up a bigger lead against John McCain might be more convincing were Obama actually an African-American as Mr. Kalet claims. Last time I looked Obama was biracial, just as are Tiger Woods and Derek Jeter, rather popular public personalities. Next time Mr Kalet may want to “Dispatch” a fact-checker before he launches a diatribe against racism and the November election.
John McCain, on the other hand, is old. His date of birth and appearance confirm this. When I ask my daughter’s friends why they won’t vote for him, I invariably am told, “He looks so old.” I await a column in The Packet on ageism in the presidential contest.
In November, when I and millions of others cast our votes for McCain, race will have nothing to do with it. Indeed, all things equal, I feel a bi-racial or multi-racial president would be quite desireable. Obama’s extraordinary inexperience, perceived arrogance and ultra-liberal political record are why I could never consider him as my November choice.
Nelson Obus
Princeton
Hmmm. First, as readers of the column know, I never said should Obama lose it will be because of racist McCain voters. There no doubt are some, possibly plenty, who are racist. But an Obama loss, if it happens, will be attributable to myriad factors, the same way that a McCain loss will be based on numerous questions.
But to ignore race — especially in the wake of the recent dust-up over who has injected it into the campaign — is to American history and American culture.
The Packet on Friday weighed in, reminding us as much:
True, a voter need hardly be a racist to prefer Sen. McCain to Sen. Obama for president. True also, pollsters and journalists are not mind readers. But the durability of racism is no figment of our imaginations, no matter what color the next president turns out to be.
Hank Kalet 