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NYC Pol Highlights Interracial Marriage—and Wins

One historian sees it as a 'post-Obama' moment

By Harry Kimball,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 15, 2009 11:00 AM CDT
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(Newser) – Bill de Blasio's victory in the Democratic primary to be New York City's public advocate is a knock at the door of another racial hurdle. De Blasio’s wife is black, and his children interracial, a fact made clear in campaign ads and mailings. "For so long in American history, interracial couples went out of their way to keep their relationships out of the public eye that it’s remarkable to see them used in a campaign like this," one historian tells Politico. She sees it as a "post-Obama phenomenon."

Interracial marriage apparently remains a stigma in other parts of the country—look back to Harold Ford's Senate loss in Tennessee—and de Blasio came up against some opposition even in New York. A black councilman called his campaign materials an “insult to the black community,” and his opposition hoped voters would find the tactic “crass.” No dice: The calculation paid off. Except it’s not all calculation, de Blasio says. “This is literally who I am.”

Bill de Blasio.
Bill de Blasio.   (Getty Images)
De Blasio campaign literature.
De Blasio campaign literature.   (de Blasio campaign)
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We’re not in post-racial politics, but we’re in a politics of racial possibility. Our obligation is to keep pushing it, to keep trying all the permutations of it. - Bill de Blasio

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 15 comments
Snarfeh
Oct 20, 2009 7:58 AM CDT
Whoa be to the person by whom the offense comes? Does that mean the person needs to slow down in order to take offense, as in, whoa nellie, I'm being offended?
Shannonals
Oct 16, 2009 5:43 AM CDT
You have serious race issues yourself jamerican, as evidence of your past postings. The fact you posted that offensive trash above validates that you have no common sense.
JimW
Oct 16, 2009 4:06 AM CDT
It has always (well ALMOST always) been my belief that Men and Women are Not the same species, but are 2 completely different and compatible ones... well, USUALLY compatible... ;-)
Politics • US

 
New York City • campaign advertising • interracial marriage • President Obama • post-racial • political campaign • public office • Bill de Blasio • public advocate

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