I'm Curious as to why America Isn't Ready...

Because the majority of american voters are senior citizens. They are stead fast in their beliefs. They were raised different. Heck, in their lifetime black men and women couldn't even VOTE now they are running for the most important office in this country. No one says it because god forbid they sound racist or sexist. But that is what it comes down to. America isn't ready because there are too many people in America that are still living from times when these two types of people were segregated or are secretly holding onto the beliefs and values of their fathers and their fathers before them but are too afraid to speak out. Thankfully Obama and Clinton are doing enough on their own to lose the majority vote. But oh no! Who does that leave these quiet sexist racists to vote for? A republican? But I'm a registered democrat. Oh no! I CAN'T vote for a REPUBLICAN! Someone call Ross Perot and tell him he needs to run for president this election. He will save many of our elderly from having strokes on their way to the voting booths. Before every other poster to this discussion JUMPS on my butt for this comment I am a republican and that is why I'm not voting for Clinton or Obama or any other democrat. But will someone let me know when John Kerry runs again. Then I will care.

I'm sure that we will probably hear that it was because of race or gender that Barack or Hillary lost, but in the end I don't think it is really that big of an issue. Sure, there will be those who wont vote for them because of their race/gender, but there are also those who will vote for no other reason.

The fact that a woman and a Black man are being taken seriously as candidates means that America is ready. Whether these particular candidates are able to win the White House or not, that is a completely different question. I know for myself, there are a lot of women and people of many races I'd consider voting for. I wouldn't support either of these two socialist, freedom hating candidates though. I love our Constitution too much to inflict them on it. On the other hand, I do know that our Constitution is strong enough to survive them.

I know I certainly think we're ready and I think the reason nobody gives a reason why we're NOT ready is because they don't have a reason. Gee, does that make sense to anyone but me...lol...? Also, I could understand this reasoning if the white males who have run things throughout our entire history had done a perfect job! Annie

First, let me say that I would absolutely vote for a woman or a black person for president if I thought that they were the best candidate. I don't like Hillary, and I don't like Barack. I think that a lot of people Say they would, but when it comes down to it, we have a secret ballot and they can vote privately for whomever they choose. They say they would vote for Hillary or Barack because it is a social stigma to publicly admit prejudice. But the number of people who in reality would vote for a woman or a black person is probably much lower than we think. The main reason for that is probably because it's hard to let go of ideas and beliefs, and it's hard to stray away from the comfortable, the way we are used to, the way things have always been done. In other words, while people claim to be liberal and open minded, I think many of them are closet conservatives in some ways. Having a woman or a black president is a change, and that scares some people. It is uncharted territory, so to speak, and that is taking a risk.

Well skinnychick and i hope that's not how you view yourself,but anyways!by the way is that you in your picture on here?YOU ARE SKINNY IF THAT'S YOU!just kidding,I happen to think America is ready for a more experience,battle hardened,not so right wing as bush was,but more importantly,fiscally responsible president,who is strong!white,black or mccain doesn't matter!Obama is too much to the left,likes to please everyone,too dreamy,like a socialist,too concern about what people thinks about him,changes too much too often,says the beginning of this race he was against the war,but the second time bush was in office he voted to stay in irag,by the way does anybody have proof of OBAMA being against the war the first time around?because that kind of talk at that time was no no!because if he did vote against the war publicly as he is saying,he would have be booted out of congress so fast ,look at what the dixie chicks had to go through and they are white!because of their vote against the war,maybe OBAMA VOTED AGAINST THE WAR IN HIS SLEEP!because i have the documary of the dixie chicks,and man america was burning their albums and telling them not to come home etc..but OBAMA was voting against the war and nothing?no obama hate mail,no public backlash?come on give me a break!atleast HILLARY being a patriot of this nation realized that she may not have liked a war,but she still had to back up the president in a time of attack by the worse terrorist's attack on America's soil and obama said during the debate his first response would be to talk to our enemies!talk?when the world tradecentre was under attack the president waited for 10 mins listening to school children knowing fully well that people were being killed as he sat there and listened,and that inaction may have helped the terrorist to fly another plane into the same building because george w bush should have put the war jets on full alert or something instead he did nothing just like obama would because he believes in talking to our enemies!and if osama bin laden is listening to obama's we will negoiate first attitude we all know who he is voting for!right?john mccain we all know where he is on this issue!these are presidenial decisions that obama clearly can't be allowed to make!

I think people are ready to a degree, and not to a degree. Many people with out even realizing it will follow a more traditional ideal, most people in general will stick with what they are used to even if they may not be particualarlly happy with with what they are used to So often people will not get out of a rut, or feel more comfortable with sticking to the status quo, This has changed, over time, and there are those who make changes in their lives with out drastic measures or circumstancs forcing them to. However over all in general most people will feel more comfortable in their rut, than they would trying something new. It is why it took so long for more women to become doctors. Even say in the 50's as in 1950's this was not a common thing to find women in the medical profession. Elizabeth Blackwell gradutated Medical school first in her class in 1849, yet an hundred years after that people still scoffed at the idea of a woman doctor. I find it reassuring that less people are stunned about Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama are running, than say years ago when Jesse Jackson and Geradine Ferraro ran for president and vice president. While there was alot of positive things said, over all it was generally accepted that they would NOT win. Even those who I knew as die hard democrats seemed to feel it was not going to happen. yet for years they have been talking about Hilary Clinton running for President. So times have changed, mind sets have changed, the question is going to be have they changed enough? The fact that these two candidates are getting most of the democratic votes tells me that they have. We no longer have all white male jury panal, no longer restrict the post of judge to just men, or just white men, woman and men of various races have been senators, congresswoman, and other positions of leadership. Margret Thatcher was the Prime Minister of England for years. So is the country ready? yes will it happen? maybe. For me the question isn't so much is the country ready, as it is will those who feel the need to change things have enough faith to get out there and vote? Since the past two elections have shown so many people that their votes don't matter, that they can rig the election and get away with it, I think this may cause many to be less likely to vote, So yes I think people are ready, for the most part the kind of bias, that would limit which positions people can hold is not going on.

Personally I AM ready for a black president or a woman president or even a black woman president. What I'm not ready for is either Clinton or Obama as president. Both are career politicians well versed at playing the game. Unfortunately, the name of the game is to fool the American population into believing this is a democracy and we have a say in government. Everyone realizes the career politicians say one thing to be elected then do another once in office. What most don't really seem to understand is why. The goal of these politicians is to placate the public while keeping the real power in the top 1% income bracket while the other 99% of us go on blindly like sheep to the slaughter with absolutely no real representation in Washington. It's wonderful we have a two party system in the United States, that's one more party than Nazi Germany or Communist Russia had but don't fool yourself into believing it's true. The Democrats and Republicans may appear to constantly fight and bicker but they work hand in hand with the goal of keeping their filthy rich puppet masters in control of all of us! Vote for Hillary, vote for Barrack, vote for MacCain, it makes no difference. The REAL power will remain where it has been, behind the scenes in the wallets of a handful of CEOs that run a few of the world's largest multi-billion dollar multi-national conglomerate corporations. You can disagree with me all you want, call me a crazy conspirorist, call me a nutcase but it's not going to change how the world is run no matter who you vote for. The only thing that will change this mess we've allowed in the world is for the majority of us to wake up and realize what is REALLY going on then take back the power we've given to the most corrupt individuals among us.

i don't think we're "not ready" - I think we don't want someone like hillary who is corrupt & dishonest...people who are voting for her don't realize what kind of shenanigans she's pulled... type in "reasons not to vote for hillary clinton" to start seeing some of the facts about her that educated people are aware of...but most people voting know nothing about... people who know nothing about politics and haven't taken the time to carefull research the facts should not vote