Voters on: Barack Obama, Race, and the Election

Democratic Party Senator Barack Obama is on track to become the first African-American major party nominee for president of the United States. Polls show Obama currently leading his rival, Republican Party Senator John McCain. If the polls are borne out on election day, Obama would become the nation's first black president. But surveys cannot determine whether, in the privacy of the voting booth, Americans will ultimately make a decision based on race. In this feature series, VOA examines voter perceptions across the country and asks Americans if the United States is ready for a black president. VOA's Chris Simkins has our story.

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[FreedomInAmerica]

4 /4

"And it's not surprising, then, they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations,"

[OBAMAisHalfCaste]

Obama is the first Half-Caste biracial president not Black.

[HornyGamer6900]

Ok I'm whitt I'm going to ge and i live in australia but here is america's choices

They can chosee a dumb white guy and a stupid Nazi alaskan woman who cant stop her own 16 year old daughter from being pregnant OR a smart intellegent black american and a expirienced running mate.

Seems pretty simple VOTE FOR OBAMA

[bigbruthaman]

Oh, unlike other elections where blacks vote heavily for the Republican? Get real. We never vote Republican.

[amjns43]

The youth are the future of America. They are the ones that I believe will end this stupid, ignorant racism.

[CaptainBlackass]

it's unfortunate that race is a factor in this election when the "future of america as a nation" should be the first thing on people's minds.

[abovefilms]

there's no double standard. a lot of blacks are understandably voting for a qualified black candidate for president because that has NEVER been possible before. but tons of blacks have voted for whites over blacks. in fact, hillary was overwhelmingly supported by blacks over obama during the initial stages of the primaries.

[abovefilms]

who told u that if you don't vote obama you're racist? that's a new one....

[sidewnder001]

This is such bullcrap. Its going to be a racist vote because most of the black people wont give mccain a 2nd glance or look at his policies. This is going to be a racist vote as in black people for the most part only voting for obama.

[amsoho75gr]

if obama wins hopfuly it will put Al Sharpton the black equivalent of Richard Nixon and Pat Robertson out of Business