Would We Still Back Barack Obama if He Were Married to a White Woman?

May 8th, 2012 - By Charing Ball

Source: michelleobamawatch.com

So I reread it and began to see what everyone was seeing that I didn’t. Here was a black man, who was reared by white folks, lived in lots of foreign lands outside of the United States (thus removed from the black community) and, dated mostly white women. Yup, now I understand why folks’ anxiety levels are up.  But if this was a GOP plan to derail his presidency, it is quite a dumb one.  President Obama could stand at a podium on national television and say “I Hate Black People” and 98 percent of black folks would still find some justification to support him.

In other words, black folks are just that emotionally connected Obama and more importantly what he symbolizes to let something as trivial as an ex-girlfriend shake that.  Plus, even after spending years chasing Becky, Obama ultimately settled down with a sister. But that doesn’t mean this story didn’t strike a nerve in the hearts of some, or else they wouldn’t have reacted as they did. So I ask again, what if he hadn’t married Michelle? What if Genevieve Cook was Genevieve Obama, would the black community continue to be the loyal constituency base or would he have even made it to the White House?

I believe that as a community, we are so starved for that public representation of a two-parent nucleus, which would defy the images of single parent households and the unmarriable black woman, that has been presented to us in the mainstream media. Therefore any and every image of that representation has to be protected at all cost – that includes the Smiths, The Carters and of course, the Obamas.  Likewise, it has been a long-time meme about the connection of black men’s ability to succeed, professionally and financially, and his relations to white women.  Comedians (ahem Chris Rock) joke about it, Jill Scott wrote frankly about it and many folks understand fully the hurt that comes with seeing someone of your own group give in to the “hierarchies of femininity” – as recently evident by the shitstorm over Usain Bolt’s new white girlfriend.

What stands out most about Barack is not only is he married to a black woman but he is the first black President and his wife (Michelle Obama) is the first black woman to hold the distinctive title of a First lady in the history of the United States of America. This status alone spits in the face of the thinking that Black women are a hindrance socially to a Black man’s ability to succeed in this country.  And politically it is paying off. According to a Kaiser Poll released late last year, about four in 10 black women say their overall impression of black women has improved because of Michelle Obama. This black first lady goes far with black women, who statistically speaking, are more likely to vote than black men.

Folks have long speculated that one of the major reasons former Congressman Harold Ford Jr. lost his senate race in Tennessee was because of his marriage to a white woman, which proved to be suspicious to some black voters. According to Danielle Belton, of The Black Snob,

“He’s safe. Boring. At times too conservative to even BE a Democrat. He’s more of a Blue Dog than anything. And while there are lots and lots of black people who are socially conservative, but liberal on justice and economic issues, Harold Ford Jr. has long left the world’s most nasty, self-loathing taste in people’s mouths. And having a white wife DOES NOT HELP HIM. This is just a reality. While most of the folks who hang out in Snob Blog country are pretty cosmopolitan in their thinking (I believe most of you just dislike Harold for being a crappy politician), we all know that there will be more than a few folks who will question his loyalties to the community and nothing raises a giant red flag to these folks like not marrying one of your own.”

Folks may try to refute it but Obama’s family, including his marriage to Michelle Obama, is a big part of his public and political identity. It’s evidenced by the number of “The First Black Family” photos being passed around social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, where we see daily affirmations in the comment section about their union being a perfect example of a strong black family. What that says is that despite our desire to transcend race in this country, black folks are still aware that everything we do is political – from our hair choices to how we are portrayed on television and yes, even who we marry. Michelle is probably Barack’s greatest asset in the black community. She probably helped him in 2008 when more black women came out to vote than black men and will probably help him again this coming election. Not saying that folks would totally have dismissed his candidacy but with a white girl named Becky on his arm, black folks probably would be more willing to scrutinize his actually policies and he might not have garnered the same level of enthusiasm among black voters.

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  • SK

    Wow, I’m a young white woman, and after reading I realized a few things about myself. 1.) I probably would’ve still voted for him, but Obama would not be such an awesome guy to me. 2.) There really is still a lot of racism in television. I guess because I’m not a black woman, I didn’t notice how black women are portrayed as single mothers or unmarriable a disproportionate amount. Michelle Obama is an amazing woman from what I’ve seen. She seems very warm, has done a lot to support her husband, but she has her own projects she’s working on too. She a perfect example of a wonderful woman. The Obama family is a perfect example of a family. And they’re black. Our first lady and first family make me feel good because I don’t feel afraid that I’m subconsciously racist. I also feel like I don’t have to feel that embarrassment at being born white, because I can feel like the USA is better than all that racist crap now (not totally, but it’s still a milestone). It also make me feel that I can overcome any of my obstacles as well. I don’t care, I’ll admit it, the Obama family’s race matters to me, and I like that they are African-American. And I don’t think that’s wrong.

  • George

    He wouldn’t have made it as a candidate married to a white woman in the first place.

  • FoolishU

    People have nothing else better to do. That’s the reason the US is a mess today. Grow UP!!! Every

  • Fakeer Raheem

    The issue of whether or not to support President Obama if he were married to a white woman is really unfair, because his mother and grand-mother is/were white women.  Therefore, he is used to being in the arms of and held by a white woman; and, as the son of a white woman, who he holds in high esteem, I am surprised that he isn’t married to a white woman! 
    Bi-racial (African American) men are quite often drawn to white women for the very reasons I stated earlier. In other words, it’s natural. This argument is usually so one sided, it’s pathetic.  Seldom is the issue of ‘black’ women and ‘white’ men given the same scrutiny; and, even then, the African American women are applauded for getting someone with bank; which is another racist myth/stereotype.
    All ‘white’ men are not rich; some are as broke as any brutha/brudda man around.
    I heard a famous comedian say (about the stupidity of racism): ‘We had better learn to get along with each other and come together before it’s too late…..because we are the only ones left who speak English’.

  • Ifuaskme2

    Love how Blacks vote for President. High expectations indeed!

    • http://profile.yahoo.com/RP7XWSIVF6RGOHIP7KGPNQLNQE ann

      Your implication is insulting. No question was asked of Blacks when both candidates were white. However, because this President happens to be Black this had to be the ONLY qualifying reason for Black people to vote for him. Disgusting.

      I was for HIllary long before I was for Barack. According to your reasoning I must have only been for Hillary because she and I are both women. You’re an idiot!

      • Ifuaskme2

        So tell me thang, what was Hilary’s record before she ran for President? Face the facts. This election brought out more minorities to the voting booth than ANY election prior (Clinton included). Of course they voted for him based on color. Why? Because no one knew a damn thing about him before that election. And if they did, they didn’t care. Get off your soapbox and face the truth. I’ll be the idiot who told it like it is.

  • Wisdom

    NO. Black America (and white America) wouldn’t have backed him to the same degree had he some white woman on his arm. There would be many implications, most already mentioned in the comments. 

    I also agree its surprising that the son of a white woman married Black. That is very rare. Typically they are more comfortable with white women. After all, that’s the had that rocked the cradle and there’s heavy implications in that too.

    • http://profile.yahoo.com/RP7XWSIVF6RGOHIP7KGPNQLNQE ann

      Very nice. I haven’t heard or read that saying in a very long time: “The hand that rocks the cradle, rules the world.”

      Not all Black men with white mothers marry white women, because believe it or not, not all white women are “good” mothers. If that were the case you would not have so many white kids taking guns to school and killing other students, serial killers, or sexual deviants. It pisses me off this narrative that white women are some how better parents than Black women, when the truth is financial stability is the advantage in parenting. If more Black women had the werewithal to remain home and be hands on mothers without the stress of bringing in a living wage paycheck things would turn around for Black families.

  • Guest

    Black people probably wouldn’t support him as much,but he would’ve still been elected. The mostly white electoral college got Obama into the White House, not black people. Their support helped, but it wasn’t a decisive factor.

  • Guest

    Black people probably wouldn’t support him as much,but he would’ve still been elected. The mostly white electoral college got Obama into the White House, not black people. Their support helped, but it wasn’t a decisive factor.

    • Veherndo

      The question posed was specifically about African American support NOT the mostly white electoral college. However, I will respond for both with a resounding NO. We are too biased as a society and race to find this acceptable in a President. Neither African Americans nor the white populace would have supported or elected President Obama if his wife were white. You can choose to believe otherwise and I have a nice bridge I would like to sell you along with some oceanfront property in Arizona.

    • http://profile.yahoo.com/RP7XWSIVF6RGOHIP7KGPNQLNQE ann

      What? Who are you trying to convince with your deliberate insult? You’re trying to down play the contribution of Blacks, even in this? smh. You are disgusting and it explains why you signed in as a guest and not as yourself.

      Trying to appear reasonable while slapping down any notion that our contribution was irrelevant and negligible, at best.

      There are more than 40 MILLION BLACK AMERICANS in America. Of, the Blacks that voted President Obama received 98% of the vote. Please don’t tell US that our votes did not matter.

      White people voted for him, yes, but THEY DID NOT ELECT HIM ON THEIR OWN. You self-conscious white people are always needing to seek an advantage over Blacks by slapping them down with back handed comments.

      Please go work on yourself.

  • Jus’ Sayin’

    1) Every college educated brother who went to an ivy league school has had a white woman; and usually more than 1;
    2) If he had married Ms. Cook, his life trajectory would have changed, and that person woyld not be the Barack that we now know;and to directly answer the question3) HELL TO THE NAW

  • LuckyDucky

    He would not have made it to the white house, that’s for sure.

  • Gimmeabreak78

    One of the things I admired about President Obama after having read “Dreams From My Father” is that he was very deliberate in choosing his identity because he realized that one wasn’t just handed to him.  While many people properly credit Michelle Obama for being a wonderful black woman in his life, I was also struck by how his Kenyan sister Auma, was portrayed as very wise, sophisticated, elegant, and observant in the book.  In other words, long before Barack Obama knew what a Michelle Obama was, he had already seen and been around beautiful black women whom he respected and could make him think.

    I think Barack’s story would have been entirely different if he had married a white woman.  For one thing, I don’t see him attending Jeremiah Wright’s church with a white wife.  For another thing, there is no way he would have been elected President with a white wife.  Too many black and white people would have been uncomfortable with that because it plays on long-held racial fears and resentments. 

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1151775473 Sharonda Penn

    That’s a really good question…..I think we all know the answer to that question.

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