# Is a black POTUS really an issue? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 4, 2008, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-black-potus-really-an-issue/432312 "2008-01-04T20:53:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2008, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-black-potus-really-an-issue/432312/61 "2008-01-09T03:57:42Z")
[QUOTE=Quartz] [Here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=9331566&postcount=21) I asked if the appearance of Morgan Freeman (a black actor for those who haven’t seen him) as POTUS in films may have pre-neutralised the issue of Obama’s blackness. **Acsenray** suggested that the topic was worthy of a seperate thread, so here it is. What do Dopers think? [/QUOTE] The issue is not that Obama is black. The issue is that he is unqualified for the office. His skin color has nothing to do with it. ---
**Author:** ![Danalan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@Danalan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danalan)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2008, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-black-potus-really-an-issue/432312/62 "2008-01-09T04:17:03Z")
According to [this site](http://www.computerhealth.org/ebook/5blkpres.htm), it wasn’t too much of an issue for the first five black presidents. None of them openly acknowledged being black, but there is some interesting evidence regarding racial ancestry of Jefferson, Jackson, Lincoln, Harding, and Coolidge. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2008, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-black-potus-really-an-issue/432312/63 "2008-01-09T04:48:31Z")
[QUOTE=Clothahump] The issue is not that Obama is black. The issue is that he is unqualified for the office. His skin color has nothing to do with it. [/QUOTE] This shakes me to my core, but with the caveat “at this time,” I agree. BO would be a fantastic candidate with a solid (non-campaigning) term or two in the Senate and four or eight years of life and solid accomplishments on a national scale. But now isn’t the time for him, and he’s somewhat disturbed me by moving for the presidency so quickly. Pay some dues, man! ---
**Author:** ![Gozu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gozu/32/6615_2.png) [@Gozu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2008, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-black-potus-really-an-issue/432312/64 "2008-01-09T05:39:56Z")
[QUOTE=smiling bandit] As for the main point here, were I a Democrat, I’d vote for him. As it is, there are only two Republicans (Guiliani and Thompson) I can ethically vote for at this point, and no Democrats. [/QUOTE] Thompson seems dead. That leaves you with rudy 911 gi911ulia911n911i. I feel for you 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2008, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-black-potus-really-an-issue/432312/65 "2008-01-09T22:47:09Z")
[QUOTE=Clothahump] The issue is not that Obama is black. The issue is that he is unqualified for the office. His skin color has nothing to do with it. [/QUOTE] Meh. So who’s “qualified” – Richardson, because he was a governor? The POTUS we’ve got **now** was a governor, and he ain’t qualified. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2008, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-black-potus-really-an-issue/432312/66 "2008-01-09T23:10:38Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] Meh. So who’s “qualified” – Richardson, because he was a governor? The POTUS we’ve got **now** was a governor, and he ain’t qualified. [/QUOTE] After 7 years AS POTUS, he’s still not qualified… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-black-potus-really-an-issue/432312.md?page=3)