Actually, in spite of the exit polls, the numbers are that much different, when broken down racially and demographically, as they were when Clinton won his second term.

Issues? What issues? The way it looks to most Americans, the issues of import during a presidential campaign soon take a back seat to more pressing issues once the man is the Oval Office. Left is left and Right is right and always the twain shall meet once the election is over.

So character and personality become important, to everyone. I think Reagan was a great president but it wasn’t just his stand on the issues that made him so. He was presidential. Even those who opposed him, like McCain, can see that. And I think that was why he won. He looks and sounds and acts ‘presidential’. (In spite of his ears )

Besides. he is not the first black president; he’s the first bi-racial and multicultural president.

Catherine, I agree with what you said about McCain. Great concession speech. And Obama was very gracious in return. I wonder if there might be a place in Obama’s cabinet for McCain. Like Secretary of Defense, maybe?

The money is ridiculous. But so is the amount of money that many corporate executives, movie stars and pro athletes spend. If people want to give it to them then what are you going to do?

But you make a good point; not that I would vote for Nadir or Kucinic or Paul but it would be nice to hear what they have to say, nice to see them in a debate or two. Special interest groups, big business and the media choose our candidates for us.

As far as your analogy goes (people voting for McCain because he is white) there is a difference. There is a double standard. Sometimes there is good support for a double standard. I think in this case there certainly is.

I like Obama. I didn’t vote for him. But I didn’t vote for McCain either. That being said, I don’t know if the political differences between Obama and McCain are as significant as the fact that a black man has been elected as president almost 150 years after the Civil War. It is momentous and historical.

Sounds like you want a bit more government control. Maybe we should require that that the tv, radio and newspaper campaign ads for ALL the candidates running be equivalent and paid for by the state at prearranged prices?

Now as far as your charge of racism goes; if the candidate had been someone who was running on a racist ticket - “vote for me because I am black” - and had no other things to redeem him to the black electorate who voted for him - then I think you would have a stronger point. Obama is not the first black man to run for the presidency. He captured a greater percentage of the entire electorate, not just African Americans. In comparison what a few people said to exit pollers is irrelevant. (And often B.S.). This was in no way a racist election. If anything it transcended race in many ways.