You don’t live in the United States, do you?
You know, I’m just about to start a thread on whether Richardson is White or not.
Are Italians White? Irish? Puerto Ricans? Spaniards? Is it because he may have some native in him? Because his parents or grandparents spoke Spanish? I didn’t know being Hispanic made you not white. I’m so confused!
You don’t live in the United States, do you? In case you don’t know, his mother, María Luisa López-Collada Márquez, is a Mexican native.
It isn’t worth much, but by skin color I’m white, but I almost always chose “other” on the various forms that would ask for race. I never really liked the question being asked and as an Italian I always felt I was not “White” as in “White Bread”. I guess I was just being silly though.
I think Richardson will be OK with those that subconsciously need to be appeased with a white guy on the ticket and yet he will still appeal to the Hispanic voters.
Jim
Being Mexican and being white are not mutually exclusive.
I know that. I was referring to how we view race in the U.S., from a non-scientific viewpoint, which is why it’s being discussed in this thread in terms of the election and how the electorate will see him.
Is there really anyone who’s so racist they wouldn’t vote for a black man with a Latino running mate but who’s not so racist that they wouldn’t vote for a black man with a white running mate? I’d think if they could deal with the fact that the president wasn’t a white guy, the VP’s race wouldn’t be such a big deal.
See, that’s the part I need explained to me. Why would the electorate not see him as white? There are black Mexicans and Indian Mexicans-- and white ones too.
I do see a whole lot of Mexican hatred these days. And, as it has always been, the darker your skin, the more they hate on you. Right here on my liberal corner of the world (NY) there are people named Gomez and Hernandez who bitch about the ‘dirty Mexicans’ who hang out on corners early in the morning waiting for landscaping or construction work.
Wow, total highjack! We now return you to your regularly scheduled Obama VP thread. . …
Biggirl, check your PMs.
Never met a white gal named María Luisa López-Collada Márquez, though.
I’d be happy to participate if you opened a thread on this, it’s a pretty sticky issue around here.
ETA:
Because he’s not white, he’s Hispanic, which, in this area, usually entails having both Spanish and Native backgrounds. Native people aren’t considered white.
Seriously, WTF? Those are quite common Castillian surnames. Take a trip to Mexico and tell us that you don’t see ‘white’ people there. Hell, go to Spain if you’re still not convinced…
Pretty much, if you are going by looks alone (btw, to respond to something said up thread…afaik there IS no scientific definition of ‘race’…it’s pretty much a construct. We are all simply humans…some of which happen to have funny white skin while others of us more fortunate have nice tans :)).
Though Richardson looks Hispanic enough, not all people of Hispanic blood are dark skinned. Myself, my skin is dark and my hair is black, but my eyes are green…a couple of Spaniards in the wood pile for sure.
I think Richardson is a good choice because he doesn’t sound Hispanic…and I think that whites won’t be threatened (though why in gods name they should be is beyond me). He’s VERY good at blending in wherever he goes and I think he’ll make an excellent choice for VP for Obama.
Besides, he will certainly bring in Hispanics who would otherwise not vote for Obama I think. He’s pretty popular here in New Mexico and I think generally well regarded in the Hispanic community. That should offset the fact that McCain is also generally well regarded in the Hispanic community (plus he has the old guy look that a lot of Hispanics like)…and perhaps also change the mind of some of my more stupid brethren and sisteren concerning voting for a black guy.
It can be hoped anyway, though considering some of my own family I’m not exactly sanguine about it at this point…
-XT
Ted Strickland out of Ohio
How about this as a hijack for all of the Richardsonites
Obama calls Richardson and offers the VP position. Richardson says that he would rather not be the John Edwards of New Mexico and instead focus on beating McCain in 2012.
Who is the second choice?
It would be odd of Richardson to burn his bridges with the Clintons by endorsing Obama and then say he has other priorities in 2012.
Somebody upthread asked what Sebelius has done for Obama, but I think she’s been one of his oldest and staunchest supporters. Richardson’s endorsement may have been a big one, but it came only after he had a long time to decide which way the wind was blowing.
I’ve been to Mexico, and met quite a few “white” people there. However, since the way the Spaniards set up shop, if you will, was a lot different than the way the English and other nations who set up colonies did. From what I understand, Coronado and his men came through and populated themselves with the women of the area in greater numbers than with women they brought with them (hence the surnames). And although you’ll find white Mexicans, 99.9% of all Mexicans and Hispanics I’ve met in both northern and southern New Mexico have not been white. It’s an interesting topic, though; I’m considering starting a thread about it if **Biggirl **doesn’t.
I beg you, please start a separate thread. I’m here looking for VP ideas.
I think if Richardson says no or would rather get a cabinet spot, that the Obam campaign will probably focus on someone who can help them win one of the big, blue collar swing states like Ohio or Pennsylvania – someone like Rendel or Baye or, hey, here’s a crazy idea, the Congressman from Ohio’s 10th district with the hot wife. he’s got some executive experience as the mayor of Cleveland. Of course, he would make it the most lefty ticket ever, but what the hell, if he can help deliver Ohio…
From Spain, you say? Damn the Spaniards and their fiendish Iberian machinations! Let us go forth and bathe the hills of the Antilles in their treacherous blood! REMEMBER THE MAINE!
…oh, wait, it’s not 1898? Nevermind.
(…yeah, I’m a big fan of Richardson as well. I agree, if he’s not the pick for VP, he at least needs to be in a position to influence our foreign policy. He at least has experience negotiating, something the current administration doesn’t seem to have any interest in. “Bill Richardson: well, maybe he WON’T nuke Iran, whaddya think?”)
Well, he’d be the president. For sure, Hillary Clinton as vice-president would have an influence on the administration, but the president can choose which role his vice-president plays.
Well, I haven’t followed the campain that closely (I’m not in the US after all), but isn’t the idea that Obama incarnates “change” while the Clintons are just dirty politicians like all others held mostly by Obama’s fans? The idea of an Obama/Clinton ticket isn’t to convince Obama’s supporters, it’s intended to attract Clinton’s supporters and people who aren’t entirely convinced by Obama.
I’ve heard of this, but I’ve also heard of a fair number of people who would vote for Clinton but not Obama. So there are potentially people who would vote Democratic in the case of an Obama/Clinton ticket, but not otherwise.
Of course, if there is something that none of Obama, Clinton and McCain have, it’s executive experience. So to those who suggest Obama choose a governor as running mate, maybe Richardson or Sebelius, your point is well-taken.
Sebelius would be a fine choice and might even pull Kansas over. She attract some Clintonistas and fits Obama’s storyline as she knows how to win over Republicans and Independents. Articulate.
Still Obama will have a very hard time pulling off Florida and without that he really needs to rely on winning Pennsylvania, Ohio, or both. As much as I have no love lost for Rendell he could deliver there and do much to heal the rift in the party at the same time. That is a hard calculus to dismiss. Strickland is a similar calculation. Neither really fit his storyline much other than reaching across the party divide.
Nunn could help provide the conservative reassurance, swing voter appeal, and the Southern White male factor all in one package.
Bredesen too compliments the storyline and brings Southern White male into the equation.
Sherrod Brown. Could help in Ohio but doesn’t help appeal to the center overall. His gun control positions would hurt in the South in particular. Plus agreed that we really do not want to give up a Senator unless we have to. Jim Webb too.
And I just don’t see Richardson. New Mexico is not at too big of a risk, and he hardly helped with Hispanics in the primary while running the risk of a “too brown” ticket. Good resume but that’s it.
I could see a military man maybe.
Clinton … I don’t think so. Her appeal to her base is at too great a cost to Obama’s storyline and the amount that her being on the ticket will energize the opposition.
But overall it seems a choice between Sebelius’s fit with his storyline and her appeal to females and the need to win battleground states while reaching to another element of the Clinton base. But time will tell.