# The First Black President

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-black-president/204221>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [September 27, 2003, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-black-president/204221 "2003-09-27T23:09:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 1

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**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\
**Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-black-president/204221/1 "2003-09-27T23:09:24Z")

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Other than Bill Clinton of course! 🙂

It will naturally happen one day, just like there will be a female president someday.

But the house favorite for the first female president is clear.

I was wondering who people would put money on as the first black Commander in Chief?

Watching Capitol Gang, I’d put money on Tenn. Congressman Harold Ford. I think he is a star in the making. If he can get into the Senate (hard for a DEM in the South), he will run for the top office someday. As a young man, he has time for the racial divide in the nation to narrow.

Powell had the best shot. I think if he had run in 2000 (as a DEM), he would have been President.

Also, to keep the debate up, I was wondering what factors a black candidate possess to be electable in a country that is still  
racially divided.

I offer a few possibilities:

1. Wasn’t part of the Civil Rights Movement. May be tied to it indirectly, but rose to prominence through other career paths. I think middle America is uncomfortable with the civil rights movement despite believing in Equal Rights.
2. Moderate DEM. Someone who can appeal to the moderates in a general election.
3. A good speaker. This is my LEAST favorite, because I finding it VERY condescending when someone says a black man is “very well spoken.” (SEE Chris Rock’s comedy). Yet, I think it would be important. Even people with bigotry in their heart could say “He’s different.”
4. Not a Minister. I think this is true of all candidates, but I notice a large amount of black politicians are also ministers.  
One I wonder about, and please note this question makes me uncomfortable: would Americans be more likely to vote for a light skinned black man over a darker skin black person?

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