This may stir up some drama, re:election 08

AWD

So I was having a conversation with a family member about the election. We were discussing how we are ready for this election to be over with blah blah blah and who we thought was going to win. Anyone I said I think Obama will win and he said no b/c even though some they say they will vote Obama once they get in the polls behind closed doors he thinks the racists part will come out in some and they will vote differently then they say. He was by no means saying everyone is racist, he was just stating that there are some people out there that are, and he thinks alot of people will change their minds behind closed doors. What do you think? I feel like our society has come a long ways over the past several years when it comes to the color of ones skin, and now days it won't make a difference like it would of say, 20 years ago. I think it's pretty sad that one would say well I'm voting Obama in public then once no one is looking vote differently due to his race. I mean if you aren't voting for someone b/c of their skin color just say it don't hide it! The same goes for McCain.Oh just a side note,  This person I was talking to is older (say 50-60) and I don't think older people are as "open" to change or something new as the younger generation.

DandR

I've actually heard the same theory as your family member, so I don't think this was his original thoughts.  I think it does happen as well. 

KrisBriMcBunny

I never thought my parents were racists until I talked to my dad about the election....He said he wont vote for Obama because he's middle eastern muslim.  I was so shocked and pissed too....I basically called my dad a racists and left.  Politics is off limits with my family and with dh....it just gets too heated.

Racism is alive & kicking still!  Its a rotten shame!

JOEBunny

I have always voted republican for president before, but I will not be this time.  I am basing my decision in part on age and religious discrimination.  I think John McCain is too old to become a president for the 1st time.  I think Sara Palin is too religious to be able to properly represent my views without letting her religious preferences override my right to seperation of church and state.

So some people may be racist, but I am going to stick with age and religious discrimination myself.

eclaires

It's called the Bradley Effect.  There have been studies done on this and in several elections (smaller, more local then presidential races), the African-American candidate was ahead in the polls but lost on election day.

I don't know that the actual feeling of these people is necessarily racist - from what I've read about the Bradley Effect, it is that when put on the spot, by a pollster, they are worried they will come across or be thought of as racist if they say they aren't voting for the AA candidate, even if their reasoning for not voting for the candidate is not race-based at all.

I've also read that there are some people who think that Obama's lead is actually larger than the polls reflect due to an anti-Bradley effect - basically the opposite.  People are afraid to admit that they are voting for an AA candidate.  

I will say that I think the anti-Bradley effect theory is complete and utter crap.  But I guess I could just be naive and think that people would never want to come off as racist or be afraid to admit that they are voting for an AA man.

juniper19

What he describes is called the Bradley Effect (after an LA race for mayor in which it was predicted the black candidate would win based on the polling data, but the white guy won).  Most statiticians believe that the Bradley Effect is not an issue in the polling in this campaign and so the polls can be taken at face value.

Brewster

It doesn't really make sense to me.  If I was racist and didn't want to vote for Obama, I'd just say I was voting for McCain.  No one would say I was racist for voting for M, unless I specified my reason otherwise.

eclaires

Also, I should add - the Bradley effect is probably a combination of people not wanting to be seen as racist and people actually being racist and wanting to hide it.  Not just one or the other.

cbidt*sgirl

the issue of racism changing or deciding an impulse vote is a theory being bounced around by political pundits and media all over the place.  the typical theory is that racism will be a deciding factor for those who remain undecided at this point and while i think it is sad, i think it is true.  racism remains a part of our culture sadly - it is more evident in some places than others - but it is still there.