by Michael Martinez
LAS VEGAS—Half a dozen people interviewed outside the convention hall of Tuesday night’s Democratic debate said the recent back-and-forth over race between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama won't have any influence on their voting.
“It’s sad. It’s 2008. You would (think) it wouldn’t matter,” said Shannon Willis, 21, a Las Vegas waitress who was among Obama supporters rallying outside the Cashman Complex. “Race shouldn’t be an issue.”
“It shouldn’t even be mentioned,” said Janet Mizban, 35, a commercial loan broker from Aliso Viejo, Calif., who traveled to Las Vegas to support Obama.
“People are going to say whatever, they’re going to find something to say about anybody,” said Sabrina Akinkuoye (ok sp), 21, a University of Nevada at Las Vegas hospitality management student. “I mean, it’s 2008. It’s time for a change.”
Obama supporter Howard Love, 65, the recently retired director of the Urban League of Arkansas, said he traveled from Little Rock this week to support the Illinois senator.
“I think this whole race thing – I don’t know what it is. For the people who did the sit-ins and got our heads cracked in, we know it was a significant event when the Civil Rights Acts was signed,” Love said, who participated in sit-in in the 1960s at lunch counters where blacks were prohibited in the 1960s. “Lyndon Johnson did sign the Civil Rights Act. It culminated a long hard struggle with a lot of bloodshed.”
Two Clinton supporters also dismissed the race discussion and said it would have no bearing on their vote. The two women said they planned to vote for Clinton in Saturday’s caucuses.
“It’s a media, trumped-up event,” said Laurel Barry, 51, a Las Vegas attorney. “So please stop it. It’s a 24-hour news thing that has nothing else to say.”
“It’s not worth worrying about,” said her friend, a 65-year-old retired airline company administrator.
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Comments
Race doesn't matter? You're kidding, right? The Michigan exit interviews showed that 70 percent of blacks who voted said they preferred Obama. Hillary and Bill stepped in it with their comments this past week. Another place where exit
interviews showed Hillary taking a huge hit was with independents in Michigan.
Whoever was the guy named "Uncommitted" did remarkably well.
Posted by: Shantel | January 15, 2008 10:04 PM
"Agreement outside debate: race doesn't matter"
Can you hear me now, Paulo?
OBAMA 08!!!
Posted by: John E | January 15, 2008 10:14 PM
Democrats Debate in Las Vegas
Who Won the MSNBC Democratic Debate in Las Vegas?
http://www.youpolls.com/details.asp?pid=1548
.
Posted by: PaulM | January 15, 2008 10:15 PM
I don't think the people outside of the debate were saying that race didn't matter; they were saying it SHOULDN'T matter.
Those are two completely different things.
Race should NEVER have mattered. But it has since the beginning and we're not yet at a point were it doesn't.
You'll know when race DOESN'T matter when you have more than one BLACK U.S. Senator and ONE TOKEN Supreme Court Justice and a smattering of black congressmen from predominantly black districts and more than a smattering of black state representatives from predominantly black districts and more than... how many black governors are there anyway. One, two? Probably none today.
No. Unfortunately, as much as race SHOULDN'T matter, you'd have to be a moron to think that it DOESN'T. And the voters - even those interviewed above - know that it does.
Posted by: Bud McFarlin | January 15, 2008 10:39 PM
OF COURSE when asked by the media, Democrats (who are hung up on racial identity) are going to say that race doesn't matter.
Everyone knows this--except the reporter.
Posted by: Bruce | January 15, 2008 11:12 PM
Swamp world: for Democrats (or at least the half dozen Democrats they talked to), race doesn't matter.
Real world: the DNN exit poll of Democrats in Michigan showed that white Democrats voted 63% for Hillary Clinton, but African-Americans voted 68% uncommitted (i.e., Obama).
Posted by: Bruce | January 15, 2008 11:23 PM
I'm so glad this race thing is over regarding Barack, Hillary and M.L.K.jr.
If it kept going on, we'd soon hear how Robert F. Kennedy(D) ordered the F.B.I. to illegally wiretap King's telephone....and that might take away from Joseph Kennedy's(D) propaganda commercials praising socialist dictator Hugo Chavez.
Paulo
Posted by: Paulo | January 16, 2008 12:36 AM
It's McCain and Romney in a dead heat. Two Gitmo Mitt not to be outdone by McCain's hundred years of splendor in Iraq. Jeff has toned down his swagger since Willard spiked the tires of the straight-talk express in Michigan, but he'll be back talkin' smack in no time. Bruce is still looking for demons to chase, bless his tortured soul.
The Swamp neighborhood is more colorful than the cast of characters on "The Burbs"...or one and the same:
Conspiracy theorist, Art Weingartner, is bruce:
Art: Now they know that we know that they know that we know.
Mark Rumsfield is Jerry White:
Mark Rumsfield: Walter. I know you're in there. That scum-sucking, barking rat of yours has just taken his last dump on my lawn. I find one more- just one- and I'm gonna catch him and staple his ass shut.
Dr. Werner Klopeck is Crazy John Devola:
Dr. Werner Klopek: You saw one of my skulls, didn't you? Oh yes, I know you did. It belonged to a neighbor of yours. The name was Knapp. We took the house from them. I offered to buy it but you know how old people are, they grow so attached to things
God, I love The Swamp!!
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/poll-tracker.htm
Posted by: dt | January 16, 2008 2:49 AM
OF COURSE when asked by the media, Democrats (who are hung up on racial identity) are going to say that race doesn't matter.
Everyone knows this--except the reporter.
Posted by: Bruce | January 15, 2008 11:12 PM
Spoken by a man so hung up on religious identity that he's said he'd be terrified if a woman wearing a hijab moved into his neighborhood.
Posted by: Luke | January 16, 2008 8:03 AM
Shantel....Didn't you get the memo? If you think playing the race card will help Obama...you're wrong. I lean towards Obama, but if this becomes an in your face Jesse Jackson deal, I and I'm sure many others will get turned off. If you wish to support and help Obama....stick to the real issues.
Posted by: bill r. | January 16, 2008 10:30 AM
At least three lies about me in one sentence, "Luke"--a new record for the tin foil leftists who post their vitriol here.
Posted by: Bruce | January 16, 2008 12:39 PM
Many people don't want to live around Muslims???
Wonder why that would be, seeing as how it was crazed Presbyterians who took down the World Trade Center on 9/11. And it was hooded white Catholics who detonated the bombs in London. And it was suit-wearing Episcopalians who blew up those trains in Madrid. And look how peacefully Israelis coexist with their Muslim neighbors....
The BAD news in the above article is that nearly 2/3 of Americans are so cowed by the PC police and PC prejudices that they're afraid to express common sense reservations about Muslims.
Posted by: Bruce | January 4, 2008 4:57 PM
No lies Bruce, just your own deep fear and bigotry.
Posted by: Luke | January 16, 2008 3:31 PM
No lies Bruce, just your own deep fear and bigotry.
Posted by: Luke | January 16, 2008 3:31 PM
I guess the other two lies must be about him being a man, and he doesn't live in a neighborhood.
Posted by: bill r. | January 16, 2008 4:25 PM