Conversation of the Week LXV: Does the Obama Presidency Show Problems Other Ethnic Candidates Will Face?

November 4, 2013
Written by Manny Otiko in
National Collegiate Dialogue
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The Obama presidency, in addition to making history, may indicate the challenges other minority candidates may face pre and post in future presidential elections.
The Obama presidency, in addition to making history, may indicate the challenges other minority candidates may face pre and post in future presidential elections. Photo Credit: govbooktalk.gpo.gov

Is the Obama presidency an example of the kind of problems other ethnic candidates could face in future races for President of the United States, pre and post election?

Barack Obama has certainly blazed a path for other hopeful minorities. Julie Weise, a professor of Latino history at the University of Oregon, said Obama came out of nowhere to win the presidency, so it is possible for another minority candidate to do the same. Weise is also author of a soon to be released book called "Corazon De Dixie," about Mexican immigration to the South since 1910.

"I think it proved it can be done in a primary," she said. "Now, we know it's possible."

Weise said that Obama succeeded because his message showed that he was not interested in addressing past grievances. This appealed to white America.

"I wasn't surprised," she said. "I thought if a minority was president it would be after the civil rights generation."

Weise said the Obama presidency is an example of the kind of problems another minority candidate would face. Weise said that most of the opposition to Obama has come from the fact that he comes from a non-white, immigrant background. His opponent have asked question such as "Is he loyal to America?" and "Was he born in America?"

"Latino candidates will face the same questions," Weise said. An Asian American candidate would also face the same problems. "Asian Americans have a long history of being considered non American," Weise said. However she said the right Latino candidate with a nationalistic message could win the presidency. "The electorate has shown they can overcome this issue," Weise said,

Weise added that the growing Latino population would be pivotal in future elections. However, Latinos are predominantly Democrats because of the anti-immigrant rhetoric coming out of the GOP.

"The Republicans have managed to create a Latino vote," Weise said. "The harder the GOP goes to the right, the easier it will be for Democrats to win national elections."

Weise added that Republican views such as all Latinos are a drain of society, they are not "real Americans" and "these people are taking over," have turned many Latino voters off.

"The GOP has turned immigration into a debate on Latinos," Weise said.

Weise predicts that there will be an alliance between black and Latino voters. Although the media loves to talk about the problems between blacks and Latinos, Weise says the groups have often come together to support candidates like former Los Angeles mayor Tom Bradley.

"Latinos were incredibly supportive of Obama," Weise said. She expects that African-Americans will return that support to a Latino candidate.

Professor Julie Weise bio.

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Comments

Obamas Election

Submitted by STBONF2013-14 on

I think the fact that Obama was able to be elected and then that the people chose to reelect him speaks a lot for the state of the country right now. It says that there are more people who are not racist than people who are in the United States. That being said it is hard to believe that racism as a system still exists even if we are able to elect people of minorities and work towards combating racism

I completely agree with what

Submitted by STBONF2013-09 on

I completely agree with what was said in the article. I think that as time goes by, we are going to see more and more "minority" public office holders. The GOP is mostly made up of a shrinking constituency: white, male voters. And as long as they refuse to address issues like immigration, something that is a huge topic and will be a even greater one in the future, I think that the Republican party may well be on the way out.

I completely agree with what

Submitted by STBONF2013-09 on

I completely agree with what was said in the article. I think that as time goes by, we are going to see more and more "minority" public office holders. The GOP is mostly made up of a shrinking constituency: white, male voters. And as long as they refuse to address issues like immigration, something that is a huge topic and will be a even greater one in the future, I think that the Republican party may well be on the way out.

Obama Paved the Way

Submitted by STBONF2013-02 on

Obama persevered and was re-elected despite all the accusations that were made against him. People questioned whether or not her was born in America and if he was Muslim. Yet, he managed to get re-elected. I believe that Obama's success story conveys to Americans that it is possible to fight against oppression and to succeed. Therefore, I think that Obama's election into office made it a bit easier for politicians of color to be elected into office.

Ethnic Normalization

Submitted by CSULBF2013-04 on

Obama has definitely paved the way for future minority leaders. I do not think that ethnic candidates would face the same problems that Obama had to endure. Overtime, ethnic races in the United States will become the new majorities; therefore, certain speculations against future ethnic leaders will not even be acknowledged. The election first Black president, Obama, allowed people to not fear the leadership of an ethnic candidate. Eventually, the idea of an ethnic President will become normalized across the nation, and race will not have such a huge affect in the election

Minorities as president

Submitted by STBONF2013-22 on

I do believe that Obama has paved a new path for immigrants but I also believe that every minority group will have to face their own personal struggles and issues. I think it will be especially hard for the minorities that don't look like the "typical" American such as asians. Like with Obama they will question their "Americaness" and their loyalty to the country.

Race and politics

Submitted by STBONF2013-26 on

Even though it is the 21st century, there is still a lot of racism and segregation present today in America; thus, no matter what any non-white politician will find it more difficult to have a successful political career. However, this does not mean it is impossible. It will just be more difficult to get people's attention.
Likewise, why does the media portray the Republicans as anti-immigration? That is not true at all. Republicans simply believe it is not fair for any illegal immigrants no matter their race to live in this country and use all the resources provided by the government without paying taxes.

Progress

Submitted by STBONF2013-16 on

I agree with the article in that there has been so much progress in this nation that a man that is African-American can hold arguably one of the most powerful seats in the world. The fact that he was able to be elected president after centuries of white men holding the position says something as well. However, I do feel as though the nation must open its mind up a little more because there is a startling increase of minorities in America and this will only continue if these increasing minorities aren't heard and represented, then America loses something precious in the end.

Agreed

Submitted by PARKS2014-16 on

I do agree with the point that there is an increase of different ethnic people in America, and this i personally think is because they now seek the promise of a better future, and to an international as myself there is talk outside the boundaries of America for a better and promising future. and that is why the number of immigrants increases daily. the sooner Americans come to terms with this fact, the better it will become for everyone to get along and work together to building a better America.

false hope

Submitted by STBONF2013-14 on

I think that obamas surge to the prime political position in the country give false hope in an end to racism. It merely leads to a different type of racism where we can expect anyone to "pull up their bootstraps" and become succesful which is simply not the reality

President Obama has proven to

Submitted by PARKS2014-16 on

President Obama has proven to the minority Americans and all Americans at large that it is possible to achieve anything if you set your mind into it. The mere fact that a black president gave so much hope to families around America. But like all presidents before him, Obama has faced some difficult decisions and obstacles, but because he is of a different ethnic group than the usual white Americans then his obstacles seem to be heightened to a not so necessary degree that it paints a picture of a not so successful president. But if we go into records from the past we can see that there are other presidents that have done much worse and have not come under the same criticism. But the real question is how soon are Americans ready to accept another president from a different ethnicity ?

I don't know why they

Submitted by PARKF2014-09 on

I don't know why they consider Obama is minority because we are all the majority it doesn't matter what color you have. However, it shows racism still exist big time since Obama got the presidency.