Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

October 7, 2008 1:19:36 PM CDT

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

Is Obama Black or Biracial?

Posted Jun 10, 08 2:25 AM CDT in Politics 

(Newser) – Barack Obama is being widely hailed as the first black candidate to clinch a presidential nomination, but that's not entirely accurate, Jason Carroll writes for CNN. Obama, son of a black father and white mother, is actually biracial. He self-identifies as black, and some argue that by labeling him as such, "we are all ignoring a vital and legitimate side of his life," says Carroll.

"This is a debate that will continue as we watch the presidential race. It seems with an issue like this there's no right or wrong answer," Carroll writes, quoting a cultural commentator who noted that "it's a step in the right direction that we are even having this discussion."

Source CNN

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • What Makes Him Different Makes Him Scary

    Sep 29, 08 3:40 PM CDT
    What Makes Him Different Makes Him Scary Barack Obama’s revolutionary candidacy is in trouble, and the very things that make him a breath of fresh air are to blame, James Carroll writes in the Boston Globe. “Race, gender, and class define American identity, but Obama, just by being who he is, directly challenges the core assumptions that undergird each,” Carroll writes. And that makes voters, and supporters, nervous. More »

  • Just How Blue Is Michigan?

    Sep 6, 08 11:14 AM CDT
    Just How Blue Is Michigan? Michigan has gone blue in four out of the past five presidential elections, but the crucial state is anything but a lock for Barack Obama this year. The Wall Street Journal assesses a slew of factors—the state's highly charged racial politics, John McCain's good standing among GOP moderates and independents, Obama’s absence from the state primary, and his association with the disgraced mayor—and finds that the bellwether state's 17 electoral votes are very much in play. More »

  • Top Black Donors Emerge as New Force

    Aug 29, 08 7:27 AM CDT
    Top Black Donors Emerge as New Force Barack Obama's rise to the top of the Democratic Party has a special resonance for one group: African-American business leaders who, like the candidate, were among the first blacks to enter into all-white industries. As the New York Times reports, black lawyers, bankers, and corporate titans see in Obama an echo of their own climbs—and are expressing their excitement by raising millions for the campaign.
    More »

  • McCain Cleverly Made Race Factor: Emanuel

    Aug 27, 08 4:29 PM CDT
    McCain Cleverly Made Race Factor: Emanuel John McCain’s campaign managed to slip the issue of race into the presidential election, Democratic heavyweight Rahm Emanuel said today. “They got it through customs," Emanuel said at a Politico-hosted roundtable, characterizing the Republicans’ tactic of injecting race with reaction to a perceived offense by Barack Obama. "They did a good job bringing up a topic they wanted brought up,” Emanuel continued. More »

  • Yeah, She Made History—What About the Guy Who Won?

    Aug 27, 08 7:37 AM CDT
    Yeah, She Made History—What About the Guy Who Won? Last night's Hillaryfest was the culmination of a months-long homage to the New York senator's "historic" achievement of almost winning a major party's presidential nomination. But it's odd, notes Alessandra Stanley, that while an "also-ran" has made her candidacy a milestone, there's been little mention of the "arguably more remarkable breakthrough" of the man who actually won the primary.
    More »

This photo released by Obama for America shows Barack Obama, 10, and his father, also named Barack Obama. Obama Sr. left the family to study at Harvard when Barack was just 2, returning only once.   (AP Photo/Obama for America)
This undated photo released by Obama for America shows Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama's father, also named Barack Obama, and mother, Stanley Ann Dunham.   (AP Photo/Obama for America)
Barack Obama speaks at a town hall-style meeting at Virginia High School in Bristol, Va.   (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (
1
 of 4)

Tags

Barack Obama  • race  • racial diversity


Loading...

Premium Articles from HighBeam

Find more articles like this

Today's Most Popular

Loading...

Other Politics Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Newser gives you more news in less time. We search for the best and most important stories all over the web, read them for you, and deliver concise and sharp summaries—along with links to the full text. Newser provides a way to stay on top of an ever-expanding horizon of news and opinion—politics, sports, business, trends, technology, personalities, crimes, and controversies. Newser keeps you not just better informed, but, with our signature graphic interface and smart condensed format, more enjoyably informed.

Learn more »