Presidential RACE in BLACK and WHITE

No doubt about it, racism still exists in America. The question is how big of a factor it will be when deciding the outcome of this election. The interesting occurrence that is happening is that the party who is making the biggest deal about race is the one with the minority candidate. Today on the local Hallerin Hilton Hill show, Fatima Ali was interviewed after saying in an article she wrote that a John McCain victory would inspire an all out "race war."

I'll admit it has entered my mind. After watching the looting in the wake of the Rodney King verdict I have wondered what happens if it's a tight race hinging on a late reporting swing state like Florida. What happens in this scenario if McCain wins Florida? Do we have a nationwide race riot? It is not the politically correct thing to ask, but its fair game when we are talking about African American reporters like Ali predicting race wars over the possible defeat of a presidential candidate that attends a church whose preacher says "God Damn America" and stresses that a cultural war is already at hand between races in America.

So how are the polls playing out? Well, they are trending along the lines or race and age. The majority of whites are favoring McCain and the vast majority of blacks favoring Obama. In addition, the younger the voter the more likely they will vote for Obama. With this being said, polls are not always accurate when dealing with elections involving minorities.

Stephen D. Levitt, author of Freakonomics mentioned last night on Glen Beck's show that the polls are often problematic for minority candidates as people who do not wish to be viewed as racists, even over the phone, will claim they are voting for the minority candidate, only to pull the other lever at the ballot box. As you know, I have long made this same contention: whatever Obama's polling shows, take away 3 to 5 percent on election day.

No matter how you look at this election it's very naive to think race will not play a role. In a country that is constantly and consistently reminded of just how racist we all are, the fact that this presidential contest is so close dispels the extreme racism myth. Perhaps the racism that has been most prominently on display thus far has been of the reverse variety disguised as cultural pride and guarded by the doctrine of political correctness.