the post-racial world

Obama Doesn’t Need You, White Men

Unless you’re young! But older white men — forget it. At least that’s what President Obama himself says in a new video released by the DNC, in which he rallies his supporters for the 2010 elections. “It will be up to each of you,” Obama says directly into the camera, “to make sure that the young people, African Americans, Latinos, and women who powered our victory in 2008 stand together once again.” Maybe these are the most important demographic groups for the Democrats this year, but by mentioning basically everyone except for white men, it sounds like … Obama doesn’t really care about the support of white men. (Also, Asian-Americans might feel kind of slighted.)

This seems like a strange message to send to a group that’s already fleeing to the Tea Party movement in response to the Obama presidency. Here’s another reason for you to look warily at Obama, white guys! And besides, white men did help push Obama to victory in 2008 — he received 41 percent of the white male vote, which is the highest percentage for a Democratic presidential candidate in twenty years, and a four-point boost over John Kerry’s 2004 share. As white men accounted for over a third of all votes cast in 2008, that 4 percent boost mattered.

Obama seeks to ‘reconnect…young people, African-Americans, Latinos, and women’ for 2010 [Ben Smith/Politico]

Obama Doesn’t Need You, White Men