Maybe, I would not doubt that Obama captures the "we will help fix racial inequality with this vote" demographic. However, that usually is reflected in the polls (the Bradley effect) not in the voting booth, so there IS something different about this guy (even if its not necessarily the difference that he claims for himself).

As for the social pressure, I think it must be particularly strong on African Americans, but I think you are absolutely incorrect when you claim that Obamabots think that white voters for Hillary are automatically racist. I think people have claimed that Hillary has adopted race-baiting and racially divisive tactics, and people naturally assume that Hillary is winning the vote of people who are anti-black racists (just like most would admit that Obama has most likely won the votes of anti-white racists)

But I have not read on this board people claim that all Hillary Supporters automatically racist.

I don't know if you've noticed, but in the blogging world, people do get nasty. I disagree with the tone, I think it is unhealthy, but I think that TPM has been particularly calm compared to other boards (see MyDD or HuPo).

For what its worth, I would mention that many of Hillary's voters are particularly strident for her due to her gender and one can write similar things about claims made by her more loudmouthed supporters that you make about the more obnoxious Obama suppoters.

"Voters are voting for Obama" for all sorts of reasons based upon their individually perceived needs and desires, and upon their individual views of the national scene and public discourse.

Kathy,

I just read your previous posts, and discovered that you are a big time Hillary backer.

No need to reply to my previous post. I understand that you are just trying to stir up the racial divide just like Hillary is doing.

David Duke to Hillary Clinton:

"You had me at White Americans."

Hillary's blatant race baiting is starting to cost the Clintons big time.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/10/opinion/10herbert.html?_r=2&hp=&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print

Let me ask you dear,

Are some voters voting Obama because he is their best choice?

Maybe you think that only those voting Hillary are choosing for the right reasons. That posture doesn't show any depth of thinking.

Triangulation is old news, is more like self-strungulation. You can stop now, it won't get you anywhere.

The post says "some" -- and not "all".

When I viewed Tom Hanks's endorsement of Obama, there was references to America's historical record with blacks.

In a recent MSNBC, Edwards was asked by an African American if he thought that Hillary Clinton believes that Obama can't win because he's black. Edwards assured his interlocutor that he was sure Hillary thought that Obama could also win but that she also felt that she was the better candidate. Edwards seemed to be caught in a doublespeak and it was probably due to the dangerous explosiveness of this issue.

It seems to me that any time a person looks analytically at the voting results and expresses the idea that the wobbly segment of the Democratic party would be better secured by Hillary Clinton, he risks getting pegged as racist.

If you're an African American and you support Clinton, you may have been called an "Uncle Tom".

Out of all of the things I have read online and heard from people this is one I haven't heard much at all. I think it may have been mentioned on one site, or maybe it is my inner psychi some where.

But the voting situation with Obama and Hillary Clinton isn't "Uncle Tomish" at all. And their for we(anyone who really understands the term) wouldn't be used in that fashion.

You would more than likely(amongst the 40 and under crowd) hear "sellout" over Uncle Tom, but both are a stretch. We as a people usually understand that you like who you like. It is the WHY you like who you like that is the real test. So without knowing the "WHY" those "would be black voters" actually vote for Hillary, we normally would not label them with such a racial slur. Its the kind of thing that starts a physical fight, and deservingly so. You just don't call someone that unless you have absolute proof that they had sold us out, sold their soul,or had lost complete respect for themselves.
As an example: African Americans that are racists to other African-Americans. In the south this was was much more apparent(possibly still is, I dont know) back in the early 90's.

Back to my point, I think this thought process is being perpetuated by the media and getting into some of our heads as a "possibility". As I dont really think many, if any black people of sound mind would unjustly use the term in this particular case.

Those that would are what I would coin as "crazy black people"(Id love to welcome them into my world, but its usually a lost cause, and THEY are many times the ACTUAL "Uncle Tom"). I turn them off in my mind like I turn Rush Limbaugh....I don't even hear that man anymore.

Case in point, crazy people don't matter in the real world we all live in.

If you're white and you support Clinton, you may have been accused of being racist.

Started by those close to Hillary Clinton(imo), and perpetuated by her herself and the media.

It is completely wrong and incorrect to label a white person(or any of us, aside from "crazy" people) as racist just because he/she likes Hillary Clinton, we all have our reasons, for everything in life(except crazy people), it is the WHY that matters.