Today on World Have Your Say on the BBC radio the topic will be whether America is ready for a black president (Obama).

It sounded like an interesting topic to comment on so I'll probably be on at some point during the discussion.

My points, and feel free to add some in the comments:

1. Obama is not a traditional black candidate that entered the political process through the civil rights movement like Jackson or Sharpton which makes him less of a "black candidate" and more likely to talk about topics of broader interest to the American people.
   
2. His absence of a record, except for on popular things like opposition to the war, is a good thing.
   
3. His likely Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, will have more hate directed at her because she's a Clinton, than he will because he's black.
   
4. His likely Republican opponent, John McCain, is going to own this surge, and people will likely hate him for it, besides, as noted earlier, McCain has no great love from or for Evangelicals.
   
5. He's all an all around great candidate, he had coat-tails as a Senator-elect, he's charismatic, and smart, and has a great life story.
   
6. If people criticize anything it will be his name (which will get old fast), and his muslim background - even though he is now a Christian.
   

What do people think?

**Update**

They didn't use me today. Oh well. It's always a fun show.

Labels: 2008 presidential race, Barack Obama, World Have Your Say