not racial! why should obama get special attention because of his skin color?

He is not even a black man. He is biracial. His father is not even a black American. He is from Kenya. He is getting special attention because people associate him with black America. Would people have been just excited if Spanish American or Arab American had won? NO...and people wonder why we have racism. I turn on CNN and there are all these black children singing and dancing praises of Obama. Would that ever happen to Bush? Or Kennedy? NO....and people wonder why we have racism. I don't want to hear that it is because of slavery. Blacks were not the only ones enslaved. Educated blacks know that. I am turned off because an awful lot of people voted for him because they think of him as black not because he shares their values.

I agree 100%. People tell me everyday that they did not vote for him bc he was black but bc of what they "know" he can do. Well I myself did not vote for him and I can not change the fact that he is in the White house either. I just hope he does all that he promises. Being raised in the National Guard people everyday say that war will last at least another year. Obama says different. SO Obama, bring our soldiers HOME!!!

I think that the extra attention was actually brought on by the 24 media coverage. Just imagine seeing his picture in all TV channels everyday and reading stories about him online 24 hours a day. That kind of attention is something that only the media can bring on. From the start of the campaign, the media had painted a nice picture of Obama and that picture stuck. Yes, the color of his skin may have something to do with the extra attention too but without the help of the media, I doubt if he could ever be this popular.

It shouldnt matter what his skin color is. By all means he should not get any special privileges for being black or of mixed race. The big deal is that this is the first black president in my lifetime and everyone elses in here. I voted on someone who will help get us americans out of this mess. Not just on someones skin color. I voted for obama because I felt that he would do this country some good.

when it comes to electing a president, they should keep thier appearance scert, till after ... so people can actually focus on the issuses of the matter, not how old or what color or how the person looks... geeze america's so super ficial

that is sooo true... people say we moved on from a black and white world, but if we really had then his skin color wouldnt matter the least bit. the truth is its probably always gonna be like that, people getting mertis for things they shouldnot beacuse of the constant reminder of the past, and guilts... and not only with race. o

He really should not. But I think that this idea that America needs a black president has been going on for some time. If you watch American tv dramas it seems that even if the bad guy is black, he has a moral reason for his choice while those of other colors are just mean and terrible. I think it started with Sidney Portier refusing to act in any movies that showed black people in a bad light. So after years of watching these, the assumption is anyone who is part sub Saharan African can save the world. I would have preferred a president chosen for his views and his qualifications rather than he was an eloquent speaker and charismatic.

Well first of all I didn't vote for him because he was black and neither did the others that I know that voted for him. Also I think that there was a bigger turn out with voters this year because (yeah some aren't gonna like this answer)some did not want to see Palin get near the white house. There you have it. Say what you well there is a lot that didn't and that is a fact. Truthfully I had never voted as I always felt I was voting for the less evil. This time I did and watched all the debates, investigated on line and came up with my own opinions and went from there. In fact when you vote, it is just a personal opinion like everything else.

I think for many people skin colour matter. I happy that it does not matter to you. But when it matters a lot for many people, he'll get all the more attention.

I was all about getting Obama elected, volunteered my time, bumper all in stickers and bothering my friends about it, 24 hour news and now I just cannot stand to watch the news. Dont get me wrong, I love Obama and what he stands for but I just see so much need and work to be done that I do not want to hear about all these glory stories and only interested in seeing someone capable of getting many long overdue tasks done! If anything I sympathize with Obama because I think he does not see color but is very aware that there is those who think in terms of color and it must put alot of pressure over his head for those who think that Obama is 'there' President and want things done their way because of their color. I did see Obama playing some ball and I found that very impressive like man, here this kid is all grown up with such a balanced background and he could of very well become an NBA Player, he's that ambitious but no he became our President and I just think thats inspiring because it shows our young kids that they can attain the goals they strive for.

i agree with you, they never went through this much trouble for anyone else, but someone told me with the terrious thing happening, it's just in case if something does happen they can get around dc faster. i live right outside of dc and it will be a mess around here for sure.

He's a man, not a 'god' either, like some people want to make him out to be. The party gets started on the 20th-let's see how many people still wanna dance with him when the confetti is swept away from the streets. The novelty of his background will wear off when hard, cold reality seeps in.

He shouldn't get special attention because of his skin color , but really its a pretty big deal. First black president. Its a big step for a country that once thought these people weren't good enough to drink out of the same fountains as them. A really big step for the democrat party. The party of slavery, and segregation, and now the party of the first black president. Its a pretty big deal, no matter how you feel about Obama himself.

Frankly speaking ,in my opinion he is getting praise and adulations not because of his skin colour but because of this fact that in the history of America ,he is the first black president .May be after him if somebody else who would be of african origin contest the elections,he might not get as much importance and attention as he has got

He's mulatto jesus. Its weird. Everyone is so psyched about him and all this "change" he's gonna bring even though he is the least experienced President ever elected. He hasn't proven anything other than he has socialist ambitions.

Unfortunatly I don't think race will ever NOT be an issue. I do honestly believe that one of the main reasons he won was because he was black. It's obvious by the fact that this past November saw the biggest turn out in voters, especially amongst the young and minority groups. It's very sad that he got the office because of his color and not because of his politics. People should be making informed choices before hitting the polls, and I think the only information many voters cared about was age vs skin color. Before that it was gender vs skin color. Did anyone really listen to what Hilary or Obama had to say or were they just thinking "Do I want a woman president, or a black one?"

I agree with you. I also think there is something kind of creepy about him. I didnt vote for him. I dont think he's going to change anything like he said he promised.

The Democratic race was all about breaking through the glass ceiling. Whether they had nominated Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton, either way it would have been an historical win for them....assuming Hillary would have won. The thing is that I worry about the reasons a lot of people did vote for him. Not because of the color of his skin (although that is reason enough for concern) but because there really are people in this country who see him as the Second Coming. My boss' son is a Libertarian. He attended a rally for Joe Biden dressed in a white tunic and robes with a crown made of twigs holding a sign (in jest, unfortunately many people did not take it as such) which proclaimed Obama to be the Messiah. People literally approached him and thanked him for having the faith and devotion needed to make his statement in such a public manner. WHAT?! You people really believe this?! That's what scares me the most. That, and we should have been paying a lot closer attention to Biden's political agendas because there has already been one assassination attempt and I seriously doubt, given that he is black or he is of mixed race and he is Muslim and idealistic and young........ that they (the attempts) are not going to stop after the inauguration. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people in this country who will judge him, and hate him, based on the color of his skin, the religion he follows (especially because these same people associate 9/11 with Muslims as a group....rather than with specific radical groups), or his ideals.