Dear Editor,
I am pleased to learn that F Skinner liked my ball by ball commentary on the U.S Presidential primaries as noted in his letter captioned “Not all Guyanese Americans vote Democratic” (08.03.06).
As Skinner noted, some months ago, I felt that the Presidential election was a cake walk for the Democrats who would retake the White House after seven disastrous years of Republican control. Clearly, that is no longer the case. Polls are now showing a close contest in November between the Republican nominee John McCain and either Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton who are fighting to become the nominee. My own analysis of the electoral votes show the Republican John McCain winning by a landslide because he would win states that normally would have been “safe” in the Democratic column while holding on to all of the Republican states. That could change because the election is still some nine months away and as a pollster I know opinions and views do not remain constant.
The Democrats are deeply divided, failing to rally behind one candidate. I had felt that Clinton would have wrapped up the nomination very early but she faced a tough battle against Obama who now leads her in delegates who will choose the nominee at the July convention in Colorado. My analysis showed and polls confirmed up to December that Clinton would beat any of the Republican candidates for the Presidency. But now a variety of polls show McCain tied with or beating either Obama or Clinton. I still feel Clinton would beat McCain. But she faces an uphill battle to wrest the Democratic nomination from Obama.
With regards to Skinner’s query on whether I will still vote for “the White gal”, I was committed early to Clinton and my voting is not and never was motivated by race. I hope she becomes the candidate because I feel, against the findings of several polls and views of political pundits, she has a better chance than Obama of winning the Presidency. So far in the contest, more voters prefer Clinton while more delegates prefer Obama; I will support the nominee unless McCain can win me over with better programmess that will benefit immigrants and minorities.
With regards to whether all African Guyanese are not Democrats, as best as I found from my discussion with and interviews of African Guyanese, most are Democrats and virtually all were Clinton supporters prior to Iowa. Skinner intoned he is a Conservative, presumably a Republican. To borrow his phrase, will he vote for his party and “the White man” or abandon the Republicans and vote the “Black guy”?
Several of my African American colleagues who were Clinton backers jumped ship after Obama won the opening contest in Iowa and came very close to knocking out Clinton in New Hampshire and subsequent victories. They were excited about a Black becoming President and I see nothing wrong in such a natural feeling. A female Black Bajan told me she does not think America will elect either a Black or a Woman as President. I hope she is wrong. Both Obama and Clinton are outstanding candidates. I recently went to a reception organized by Antiguans in Manhattan and a black female asked me who I am supporting in the Presidential race. She was disappointed when I replied I want a woman President. She replied: “Black people have been oppressed for too long. It is our time now baby”. I have a problem with people supporting Obama based on racial affinity.
Obama is not running as a Black candidate. He is a Black (one of the most qualified among the candidates) running for President and most of his support (voting as well as financial) comes from Whites. Many Indian Americans, although not many Indo-Guyanese, also back him. We must, therefore, see him as “a colorless” candidate.
As much as I understand and relate to feelings of Black racial pride, I support the position of my Congressman Greg Meeks and Harlem Congressman Charlie Rangel. We are not walking away from the “White gal”. As Rangel said, “We cannot walk away from someone who we took out on a date”. Clinton is not completely out as yet. She still has a chance and I hope she repeats her husband’s performance as “the comeback kid”.
Yours faithfully,
Vishnu Bisram
