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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
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 ANALYSIS 
22

Black President, Sure; Alabama Governor? We'll See

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(Newser) – In the post-Obama political landscape, a young congressman is attempting a feat perhaps more difficult than putting a black man in the White House, writes Robbie Brown in the New York Times. That would be putting a black man in the Alabama governor’s mansion. “Yes, it will be hard,” said Artur Davis, a four-term congressman and a star of last year’s Democratic convention. “But God has blessed us through that which is hard before.”

A thin field of candidates could help Davis, 41, who officially launches his campaign on Saturday. Still, victory in a majority white, GOP state will be exceedingly difficult. “Can a black man be elected governor in Alabama?” one analyst asked. “The cynical folks say no.” Davis can depend on some influential friends, including the daughter of segregationist governor George C. Wallace. “Alabama is ready,” said Peggy Wallace Kennedy. “I just don’t know if Alabama knows it.”

Rep. Artur Davis,D-Ala., shares a moment with Peggy Wallace-Kennedy, daughter of former Alabama Gov. George C. Wallace.
Rep. Artur Davis,D-Ala., shares a moment with Peggy Wallace-Kennedy, daughter of former Alabama Gov. George C. Wallace.   (AP Photo)
Rep. Artur Davis, D-Ala., announces his candidacy for governor in Montgomery.
Rep. Artur Davis, D-Ala., announces his candidacy for governor in Montgomery.   (AP Photo)
Artur Davis at the Democratic National Convention in Denver.
Artur Davis at the Democratic National Convention in Denver.   (AP Photo)
Rep. Artur Davis, D-Ala.
Rep. Artur Davis, D-Ala.   (AP Photo)
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22 comments
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RobN
Jun 4, 09 5:21 PM CDT
So if he doesn't win, it has to be racism? It couldn't be that a majority doesn't agree with his political views; it has to be ole jimbob hates them black folks. Well at least he's already got a built-in excuse; that certainly makes it easier. Reply
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IN RESPONSE:
MrsK
Jun 4, 09 5:28 PM CDT
Yup, if he loses it's all because of whitey.
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Robert_Dada
Jun 4, 09 5:32 PM CDT
I was going to call out MrsK for thinking that race couldn't be an issue in the South until I reminded myself she is a hateful bigot herself.
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RobN
Jun 4, 09 6:04 PM CDT
I'm not even saying race isn't an issue; just that it isn't always the paramount issue. His problem is going to be being a Democrat in what they're calling a majority GOP state, not his color. If he was a black republican going against a white democrat and couldn't win, then you're looking at a racism issue.
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IN RESPONSE:
anchower
Jun 4, 09 6:39 PM CDT
RobN, MrsK: Are you retarded? Why do you think the guy's a Democrat in the first place? It's because the GOP has no place for blacks (Michael Steele and the handful of other black Republicans notwithstanding). The Party of Lincoln long ago turned into the Party of the Southern Strategy, or, more candidly, the Party of Keeping Blacks in Their Place. Race and party go hand in hand in this country, and have at least since minorities got the vote. So yes, if Davis loses, it will be in great part due to racism--historical, if not current (though I seriously doubt that the citizens of a State who not only abided but abetted the re-enslavement of blacks up through World War II (yes, you read that right) have somehow magically recently come to love their black neighbors as themselves).
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