From the WSJ:
Riki Frank, 44, a graphic artist and stay-at-home dad from Auburn, Wash., leans toward Sen. Obama, but hesitates because of his personal background.
"I'm a white-bread American. I was raised in Iowa. I got the Midwestern work ethic," says Mr. Frank. "He's a black man. His name -- is unique. It's definitely not a Catholic name. He's kind of way off the pattern of the norm of what I grew up with. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Just because I can't relate to the person doesn't mean it's a bad thing."
The danger for Mr. Obama is that blank spaces in Americans' understanding could be filled in by rumor or misinformation -- the kind that holds, incorrectly, that he's a Muslim rather than a Christian, or that he refuses to salute the American flag.
That challenge is reflected in the views of Beth Brotherton, 43, of Taylorville, Ill., an attorney now staying home to care for her four children. She leans Democratic, but is uncomfortable with Sen. Obama. "I don't want to find out after he's elected that he's got some kind of Islamic connection. I don't think that's true, but you never know," she said.
"I just don't think we're ready for a black president," says Donna Bender, 62, of Oshkosh, Wis., a retired credit clerk and registered Democrat. "I'm prejudiced."
I just want to record this here, now, in case Obama isn't elected in November, and people start asking me, "Wait how the fuck could this happen?"
Also, I want to find every civics teacher these people ever had, and scream my bloody head off.
Riki Frank, 44, a graphic artist and stay-at-home dad from Auburn, Wash., leans toward Sen. Obama, but hesitates because of his personal background.
"I'm a white-bread American. I was raised in Iowa. I got the Midwestern work ethic," says Mr. Frank. "He's a black man. His name -- is unique. It's definitely not a Catholic name. He's kind of way off the pattern of the norm of what I grew up with. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Just because I can't relate to the person doesn't mean it's a bad thing."
The danger for Mr. Obama is that blank spaces in Americans' understanding could be filled in by rumor or misinformation -- the kind that holds, incorrectly, that he's a Muslim rather than a Christian, or that he refuses to salute the American flag.
That challenge is reflected in the views of Beth Brotherton, 43, of Taylorville, Ill., an attorney now staying home to care for her four children. She leans Democratic, but is uncomfortable with Sen. Obama. "I don't want to find out after he's elected that he's got some kind of Islamic connection. I don't think that's true, but you never know," she said.
"I just don't think we're ready for a black president," says Donna Bender, 62, of Oshkosh, Wis., a retired credit clerk and registered Democrat. "I'm prejudiced."
I just want to record this here, now, in case Obama isn't elected in November, and people start asking me, "Wait how the fuck could this happen?"
Also, I want to find every civics teacher these people ever had, and scream my bloody head off.
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