Election showed nonwhite voters' growing power

by: Salaam

Sat Nov 08, 2008 at 22:21:32 PM EST

Sen. Barack Obama attracted tremendous support from African Americans, Latinos and Asian Americans, and the strong turnout among black and Latino voters in key battleground states helped push him to victory, exit polls show.

The prominent participation of nonwhite voters - and their preference for Obama - is a demonstration of the increasing electoral strength of a multicultural America, a potency that will grow in coming years, analysts say.

Political analysts are studying exit polls and voter turnout data from Tuesday's election and beginning to discern who voted where and for whom.

While Obama attracted more support from white voters than did Sen. John Kerry in 2004, he garnered just 43 percent of the white vote while drawing almost all black voters and 2 out of 3 Asian and Latino voters, according to CNN exit polls.

"The playing field of presidential politics has changed," said David Bositis, senior research associate at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, a research center in Washington focused on the African American electorate. "There was a great deal of discontent with the state of the country and the economy; that was a big part of it. But this was a historic occasion with Obama being the first black major-party nominee."

Obama inspired African Americans to vote in record numbers this year, and analysts believe that will continue as more closely contested elections in Southern states are likely to keep black voters engaged. And the growing political muscle of Latino and Asian voters signals that, after decades of robust immigration, immigrants and their children and grandchildren are becoming full participants in the American political process.

All three groups turned away from the Republican Party definitively this year.

"That's something that should be very concerning to the Republican Party: They are losing support from both Asians and Latinos, the fastest growing population groups in the country," said Karthick Ramakrishnan, a professor of political science at UC Riverside.

If Republicans can't regain their appeal to those groups, they might become a party of white voters in an increasingly minor role, said several analysts.

Story here.

Blacks keep high hopes on down low

by: Salaam

Tue Nov 04, 2008 at 18:46:13 PM EST

What follows is an email that was circulating through inboxes of some black professionals in the Baltimore area.

Good Morning My People:

After watching the final debate the other night, it dawned on me that Obama could actually win this thing. If that happens, there will be a lot of people (some of our co-workers included) who will be afraid that an Obama presidency will usher in the end of days. They'll be watching us on November 5th (the day after the election) for signs of the end times.

To keep the peace and keep a lot of folks from getting nervous, I think we should develop a list of acceptable celebrations and behaviors we should probably avoid -- at least for the first few days:

No crying, hugging or shouting "Thank you, Lord" -- at least not in public

No high-fives -- at least not unless the area is clear and there are no witnesses

No laughing at the McCain/Palin supporters

No calling in sick on November 5th. They'll get nervous if too many of us don't show up.

We're allowed to give each other knowing winks or nods in passing. Just try to keep from grinning too hard.

No singing loudly. We've come this Far By Faith (it will be acceptable to hum softly)

No bringing of barbeque ribs or fried chicken for lunch in the company lunchroom for at least a week (no chittlings at all ... this may make us seem too ethnic)

No leaving Kool-aid packages at the water fountain (this might be a sign that poor folks might be getting a break through)

No Cupid Shuffle during breaks (this could indicate a little too much excitement)

Please no Moving on Up music (we are going to try to remain humble)

No doing the George Jefferson dance (unless you're in your office with the door closed)

Please try not to yell "BOOOO YAH!"

Just in case you're wondering, doing the Running Man, cabbage patch, or a back handspring on the highway is 100% okay.

If I've missed anything feel free to add to the list. I just want to make sure we're all on the same page when Obama brings this thing home on November 4th.

Now go get your early vote on and let's make this thing happen!!!

[name withheld]

Tom Schaller, the blogger who posted this, has these observations:

But what's most interesting about this email is the underyling worry that, even once all the votes are counted, blacks still ought to mute their enthusiasms somewhat. Throughout Obama's historic run, black America has been very careful not to celebrate prematurely: Lips have been sealed or bitten; giddiness or anticipation systematically suppressed. As for high-profile black leaders like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton? They have been so invisible I kept waiting to find their faces on milk cartons. And I can't tell you how many black colleagues and friends -- and I'm talking educated professionals -- simply refused to admit to themselves until very late in the campaign that, as the email says, Obama "could actually win this thing." Given their electoral experience, rife as it is with disheartening tales of disenfranchisement (one need only go back to the 2000 bogus felon purge in Florida), African Americans of course have cause to be very, very wary.

But those doubts are fading, that wariness slowly giving way to elation and, tomorrow, maybe even some demonstrative public celebrations ... some of which may spill over to a watercooler near you. To which I say: Let's all join in. I like to BOOO-YEA as much as the next guy.

Story here.