CBS's Sunday Morning Segment on Race

This morning on CBS's Sunday Morning news show, Bill Whitaker did a segment on Obama and race. The segment did a minor historical comparison about the 1982 Governor of California Bradley that lost the election despite a strong lead in the polls, the so called "Bradley effect" suggesting that voters are secretly biased against minorities. (link at the bottom)

Personally, I felt this segment missed the point. The point that Bush appointed blacks to high level positions doesn't mean that he cares about the black community. I hope this picture of people post Hurricane Katrina outside of the Convention Center in New Orleans suffering is an accurate illustration about how Bush concerns himself with the urban poor. After all, while these people were suffering, Bush was celebrating John McCain's birthday with him, ironically enough, instead of doing his job.

Obama is the child of a white woman and black man. For his parents to be together and having children was a breakthrough in the late 1950s and early 1960s. To me, what Obama represents about race is America at its best, working through difficulties and learning to love each other. In relation to the election, Obama was able to take on and defeat Hillary Clinton in the primary despite all of the Clinton's connections and powerful political experience. Obama did this by going to the heart of the matter- Americans are hurting in the current political and economic conditions and want something different- change. In defeating Clinton, Obama stood for what is possible when America is at its best, a politician striking a chord with the electorate over issues that matter most. Obama is just as American as anyone else who is not a Native American Indian. Both of his parents came here at some point from somewhere else. What Obama has accomplished in his life, Harvard, Illinois Senator, U.S. Senator, is what is important about his background, not what color his skin is. What matters is what his service to the country can do for us, not the race of his parents. In my opinion, focusing on Obama's race is a step backwards, not forwards.

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/sunday/main3445.shtml