Faux Real

Washington D.C.: A recent poll of Americans show that the possibility of electing a white male president in 2008 grows more slim by the day. Americans indicate they are worried what kind of leadership a white man would bring to the table.

While most agree that white male candidates like John Edwards and Rudy Giuliani are “articulate” and “dress non-threateningly”, the responsibility of the office weighs heavily on the minds of voters.

“Don’t get me wrong, some of my best friends are white,” said Kevin Johnson of Indianapolis. “And my wife’s PTA has plenty of white folks. But as President? It’s just hard to avoid stereotypes.” Johnson added that in a time of war, a president’s toughness was a factor for voters. “What’s he going to do? Loosen his tie and roll up his sleeves? Men are too concerned about appearances for a position like Commander in Chief.”

Others point to the climbing rates of violence in the white community as a sign that a white leader might be a far reach, citing events like the PS3 shootouts at Best Buy and the Trail of Tears. Voters cited “bloodthirstiness”, “alcoholism”, “tendency to abusiveness”, and “Toby Keith” as central issues which concern them about white male candidates in the 2008 presidential election.

Some voters point to the prevalence of women in the political sphere who might bolster their husbands’ electoral chances. In recent election years, husbands have gone on the road to lend a softer side to their wives’ hard-hitting politics.

“I think if we’re going to have a white male leader, it’ll be helpful if he has a well-respected wife to make the road a little easier,” said Jack Fry of Louisville. “Which is why I support John Edwards - it’s not so much that I like his policies, but I love his wife. She’s a rock star.”

David Duke, a Louisiana-based activist, believes this trend is a sign of lingering racism. “Americans seem to believe that a white leader will exercise some form of political preference toward white people. That’s just ridiculous.”

“Listen, for forty years now, government has been almost exclusively in the hands of women, ” said Rex Troutman of the Men Eternally Want Lionization, or MEWL. “I don’t think it’s particularly sexist to point out that we may have sacrificed our white males on the altar of political correctness. Isn’t it time we had a white male leader?”

Andrea Harris of Chicago disagrees. “As a voter, I’m looking for something new, and barrier-breaking on the campaign trail is important for me. I’m just not sure the white men running this year are truly the best people for the job.”

(H/T Auguste and NPR here and here)

UPDATE: Additional reading.