Thank you....I am a 40 year old, white woman, and I voted for Obama. I liked what he had to say, period. However, the following day, I felt left out. And, since folks want to label him, why is he considered African American, and not bi-racial? Anyway, the next 4 years should be interesting.

I am 38 and white I voted for Barack Obama. I consider him to be bi-racial. But most importantly, I consider him my new president. I look forward to seeing him in the white house. In fact, he went there today I just saw. Great sight!

I feel I need to answer Leslie Orr' question: Why is Obama labeled African American and not bi-racial? To answer your question from a technical viewpoint, Obama is a true or real "AFRICAN AMERICAN" because his father is African and his mother is American. Now getting back on point, for years, society has defined the black race as "one drop/ounce of black blood" makes the child black. Thus, Obama's father is black, which makes him black (defined by society). Unfortunately, this has come back to smack White America because Obama did make history and he will go down in our American History as the "first Black President."

I am truly sorry that other races felt left out. However, one must understand that this is a great day for Blacks...especially black little boys. For years our children have been told that they could be anything but a president. And now, PRESIDENT-ELECT Obama has changed that "little white LIE."

In the comments above, it was aksed why is he considered African American, and not bi-racial. Race is not various colors or nationalities. For mankind, there is but one race: the human race. To be bi-racial would mean that one is part human and part something else, like cat. Why is Obama not considered a man, with the emphasis weighing of the many great qualities that make him such a great man? He has never come across as someone who is going to favor and serve one group of people. Why should there be any descriptions that would suggest such a thing?

I came into the office November 5th to a very hostile atmosphere--silence, pursed lips, etc. It's like I've been blamed for Obama's victory just because I'm a person of color--yet they don't know for whom I voted. Someone (a stranger) said to my cousin, "I guess you're happy." She replied, "Well, I guess you're happy, too!" She was judged by the color of her skin and spoken to as if her side won. The whole country has a new president-elect. Yet there is still a great divide in many minds and for what, is beyond me.

I think his election is a victory for everyone in a number of ways.

1. He was the best candidate to lead our troubled nation and repair our standing globally.

2. This shows the world we as a people can select a leader based on qualifications regardless of race.

3. Because of item 2, we lead by example for other nations who may be narrow-minded thereby opening doors for them.

4. Hopefully, it will show corporate America the capacity non-caucasions can have in making them successful.

5. Maybe, just maybe, his success will be able to change the thinking of at least some of the bigoted Americans who dismiss the value of people who do not look like them.

Obama won because we all voted for him, white, black, whatever. He won because of his ideas, and the wish to change things. We all just have to realize that it will take a long time to undue what has been done in the past. I am a white voter who voted for him and I know many more. For that matter, I know some black voters who didn't, so I do not think this can be classified as a primary black vote. My uncle is a die hard Democrat, and an ex Minnesota State Democratic Senator, and he voted for him as well, as did many of my other family members.

Those are my thoughts exactly. I was also congradulated by my girlfriend who happens to be Puerto Rican.I was taken back when she did this as if it was only a victory for blacks.I explained to her that it was a victory for all people not just blacks and that she should be just as proud. After a lenthy discussion Iwas able to get through to her.

Of course Obama won because he's the better candidate. But the reason his race is being emphasized so much is because of the fact that no one thought america as a whole, and white america in particular, was ready for a non-white president. This is a victory for american democracy.

Leslie, You and many of my white college students have asked me the same question over the past week. My response has been, "Well, at the end of the day, that is how President elect Obama identifies himself-as an African American."

I voted for Barak Obama because he
is liberal, not for any other reason

I'm a 61 year old white woman and also a veteran of the anti-war movement and civil rights struggles of the 1960's. The election of this brilliant and humane individual to the presidency is such a huge and expansive victory for all human beings of good will that there is plenty of reason for rejoicing all around for a multitude of reasons. And one of the important reasons, looking back at the history that I have witnessed and in a small way been a part of, is that the dream Martin Luther King spoke of 45 years ago has in some measure been realized in our time. The fact that this is a special triumph for African Americans does not diminish in any way what a truly wonderful victory this is and promises to be for America and possibly the world.

I have no problem focusing on race it is a reality one should not to apologize for...Yes I am Black and proud of this moment to be pc now and pretend elsewise is a fiction ..

I find those who seek to discount the reality of Race in Obama's victory do a disservice to reality and the truth...

One can be both Black and American and proud both ways..

This was a win for America, not merely African Americans: America made a choice: courage vs. fear; the many vs. the few; the planet vs. moneyed interests; inclusion vs. exclusion; the Constitution vs. tyranny; intelligence vs. ignorance; the world of nations vs. isolationism; character vs. color. Obama is the best of all of us: white and black, idealist and pragmatist, youth and maturity. America won Tuesday night.

I am so glad to read this, I was thinking and saying the exact same sentiment. I think everyone should be proud that a majority of the nation listened to what was being said by both candidates and were able to make an informed, intellegant decision as individuals. After all isn't that what freedom of choice is. duh!!!

I agree 100% with the author's view. Whether intentional or not, the media managed to marginalize the importance of Barack Obama's victory by making it all about race. President-elect Obama is the right person at the right time to lead our country to the next level. He is NOT and will not be a Black President...he is and will be a visionary and talented President who happens to be Black.

Good day/evening, while reading through my e-mails I came across this e-mail and realize that he is the better person for the job. The question should be, all these years of being ran into the ground by the republicans, hey why not a new and fresh look in the white house. Who knows, he may make the difference needed to get this country going in the right direction.

Thank you for reading my comments.

Sincerely,

Wayne

Change like we've never known before...it's full of hope and awe and of things only imagined before. At a time when we are maybe even closer to a second more devestating depression than we may realize and in the midst two endless wars. We have finally grown tried enough of the old and fearful tales of our white fathers, the same fathers and leaders paralyzed by their own fear and disinterest of people not like themselves, these priviledged and disconnected leaders of our now recent past. Mr. Obama winning the election renewed my faith in what it means to me to be an American, to be able to come together as a people united, not divided. Thank God for Barack Obama, and for the millions of people who stood up and peacefully changed our nation's course, one people regardless of race, color, gender, religious preference, or national origin. Diversity? Yes! we need it now more than ever...as we look to our new leader with hope and an understanding that there is much work to be done.

I couldn't agree with you more, Daryl! After this historic election this past Tuesday, I was beaming for the remainder of the week. I was a huge supporter of President-Elect Obama long before he was really known in the mainstream. I voted for him because his values were aligned with mine. Black or white, I would have supported him. I think his victory is not just for blacks, but for all Americans, even white folks like myself. I am sure there are many Americans who feel the same way. To discount his victory as simply a success for blacks, and not the entire country, discredits the votes of so many sensible Americans that saw President-Elect Obama as the best choice.

I was intrigued by a story NBC Nightly News ran. They noted that, if you segment out each voter category individually, i.e. young voters, white voters, black voters, latinos, over 65, etc, Barack Obama would have lost a couple of different states with each segment out of the mix, but he STILL would have one the election. No one segment helped push him over the top! This is the real story about just how far we have come as a county. I hope that this is only the beginning of a beautiful shift toward becoming a more inclusive and accepting nation.

I was 21 in 1969 and have voted in every presidential election since then. I find it very interesting that no one has ever asked the question "Is this candidate a victory only for whites?" Mr. Obama has made it quite clear that he is President of the United States of America, not for a portion of its citizens. I feel we are spending far more time and energy on this topic than necessary. Just think if this same amount of concern was placed on the economy, two wars and education; we would be a lot further ahead. Get over the race aspect, it's not that serious.

Barack Obama was elected President running on a platform that emphasized the irrelevance of "Red" and "Blue" states vs. the UNITED States of America. The MSM focused on the racial aspects of the victory because race/racism/ racial identity is still the "elephant" in our nation's living room. We (of all races) have yet to develop the maturity and language needed to have a meaningful dialogue on the subject.

Thus, while we (rightly in my view) castigated McCain/Palin for not dealing with the issues, the discussion continued about Obama's Blackness, or lack of it, or degree of it, or percentage of it!

Even Blacks who know that in America "one drop makes you whole" got involved in the discussion. Whites talked about Obama being "half white" while knowing that, in America, a White woman can give birth to a Black child, but a Black woman could never give birth to a White child.

Issues of race/racism/ racial identity are alive and well and living in America. That Barack Obama's election my well lead to a dialogue that could begin to put those issues behind us is "significant".

That Barack Obama applied techniques to the campaign process here-to-fore used only by community organizers, exploited the internet in his campaign better than anyone ever, basically rewrote the calculus on campaign financing, ran in the primary against a candidate seemingly poised for coronation, ran against candidates in the general election who raised questions about his experience/religion/patriotism/connection to terrorism/birth place, etc, and yet as a Democrat won 51% of the vote IS the point!

Obama focused on the issues of the people--all the people--of the United States. Obama never made the presidential race a 'racial' issue; it was politics. Nothing more, nothing less. That may be why he was elected. Why is the media and non-supporters making it a racial issue?

Hi Leslie,

You shouldn't feel left out because of the extensive, an justifiable celebration, by African Americans. The celebration was about YOU! African Americans were celebrating that fact that white americans, like you, listened to what Barack had to SAY, and HOW he said it, rather than how he looked. I too, congratulate and celebrate you. Also, Barack is "black". Statistically, there are very few African Americans who have no white or other ethnicity in their make-up. So what difference does the % make? Isn't the thought of that even more ridiculous than the label ("black" or "white")itself? We are black because you can SEE it in us. That is the bond that we share, our color. It's not a definition that African Americans created, it was white americans that created it. We don't abandon it when one of us does well,...because we certainly cannot when one of us doesn't.

As, an African American I am more proud of the fact that some people in America can look beyond the color of a person's skin color, and look at the quality of their character. I see progress, but in the South, I feel we still have a ways to go. I am a christian, and I am around people from different ethnic groups, which includes Whites. This time around, sorry to say I actually witnessed racism coming from my White christian friends. My friends said they were against Obama because of their values/beliefs and being conservative, but does those values have to include racism? I read in the bible that having respectful persons is a sin. I think some of them need to read the bible more closely, it says "to love thy neighbor as yourself," not love your neighbor because he has the same skin color.

Of course Obama won because he's the better candidate. But the reason his race is being emphasized so much is because of the fact that no one thought america as a whole, and white america in particular, was ready for a non-white president. This is a victory for american democracy.