THE OTHER PRESIDENTIAL "RACE"

This isn't particularly surprising but despite Obama-mania, a recent NYT/CBS poll discovered, lo and behold, we still live in a racially divided society. One conclusion drawn here is that:

"Mr. Obama’s candidacy, while generating high levels of enthusiasm among black voters, is not seen by them as evidence of significant improvement in race relations."

The upside is that progressives don't have to be so paranoid. The fear had been that an Obama presidency would be treated as "proof" that racism is over but it seems that our fair nation is pretty much in the same place it was eight years ago when it comes to divergent opinions regarding race and privilege.

Some interesting political notes: Whites are on the fence around Obama but Blacks are pretty clear: McCain gets no love (a tiny 5% favorable rating compared to 57% unfavorable). I was doing some of the math here too: Whites favor McCain over Obama 46-37% (not including "undecided") but Obama leads McCain in the same poll by 45 to 39%. The only explanation is that even Whites are less enthused about Obama compared to other groups, Obama must be earning enough support from "everyone else" to take a decent lead over McCain at this point.

--O.W.