Hi Randi,
I think most women or men will vote for the candidate they feel speaks to their heart and head. I can only speak for myself, but race and gender will not be a factor in my vote. I want a President to represent Democrats and Republicans alike. A strong presence as a leader and a grasp of what real Americans face each day. I don’t care if that’s a man or woman, or what race that would be.
Lorie Ann, Buellton, Calif.

Randi,
Yeah it was a very interesting primary in S.C. I hope that this whole race thing can be put to rest now and that we and you all can get back to the issues. Because honestly I don’t think it’s anyones business how someone else votes. If someone would rather vote by race, gender or religion then that is their right as an American. I would hope that everyone would vote on the issues though! Seeing as though we need to get this country turned back around in the right direction.

Cynthia, Covington, Ga.

I am disappointed with CNN reporting of the political and campaign issues. I am a retired 70 year old woman who watches CNN a lot. I did not like the reporting of Bill Clinton in the South Carolina primary. I noticed the word bashed a lot. Out of proportion to what what was said. This tells me that CNN is “headlining”.
My other comment is that the CNN staff reporting on the campaigns are not digging deep enough to really see what is going with the voters. I volunteer for Hillary Clinton phonebanks and recently had a long session calling people. One thing missing from CNN reporting is the senior female supporters of Hillary. All of the older women I spoke to were adamantly supporting Hillary. How come some of these views are not reported on? Because CNN does not look at the volunteers for Hillary campaign. I think they have a pulse on the campaign.

How about some coverage on the breakdown of supporters and not just your usual one of women, men, blacks, latinos. There is much more to this than you are reporting on.

G et into the depth and thick of this and don’t just report sound bites. Too bad because I am switching to Cspan.

Someone, please help me with the math that contends that Barack won South Carolina with only 24 percent of votes from White people. The contention of MSM is that Barack’s victory is not repeatable because, if only 24 percent of White voters are willing to vote for him, then he lacks sufficient support from White voters to win on February 5th.

I understood from the MSM that the vast majority of Black people in South Carolina are concentrated primarily in two specific counties. Yet, Barack Obama won every county in South Carolina except two. Tell me, how is it that Barack got more votes than the other two candidates in each and every one of the other counties, except two, and these counties were predominantly White but notwithstanding Barack only got 24 percent of the White vote. Maybe the real truth is that 24 percent of those who voted for Barack were White but substantially more than 24 percent of the White people who voted actually voted for Barack Obama. It is obvious that the pollsters are misreading or mistating their data.

Could it be that the real truth is that Barack won the majority of White votes in all of those other counties that were predominantly White? Can it be that those who continue to perpetuate the results of exit polls rather than the actual results of the voting are trying to mislead America about what actually happened in South Carolina. If Barack won every county but two in South Carolina, this must mean that he got a minimum of 34 percent of the vote in each and every one of those counties. Consider, also that John Edwards won only in the county of his birth, which appears to be a county that is not heavily populated. Think how many White voters it would require in the other county that Barack Obama lost in order to obtain the result that the MSM continues to pronounce as the truth of the facts.

I am no mathematician but, it seems practically impossible for the MSM’s claims to be true; we need you to call them on this and make them state the real facts of the South Carolina election results. We cannot let the Clintons nor the MSM misrepresent and spin the truth of the South Carolina win so as to mislead people into believing that Barack’s win was only a Black win. The facts appear to say something altogether different.

Due to the high turn-out of Black voters and their high support for Barack Obama, the percent of those who voted for Barack may have been 24 percent White; but Barack Obama undoubtedly got more than 24 percent of the White vote; and, it appears to me from the official results that he must have gotten more White votes than Hillary and Edwards in every county of South Carolina except two. If this is not true, then, somebody enlighten me.

Randi

I am a Canadian professional female in her 40’s and an avid political junkie and watching this election coverage really makes me wish I was an American and could vote.

I hope all Americans, male and female study what these candidates are really saying and also look outside on how much world relationships have to be healed.
Also, really understand how inside politics are conducted.

Hiliary is a brilliant woman but she probably didnt see this coming.

Barak Obama, in my opinion, is also a brilliant man but the difference is he listens.
I think, or I believe, he will do what he says he’s going to do and not be influenced by the corporate juggernauts lobbying for their issues.

He’s got to bend to some pressure I am sure, but I think his integrity is a key factor.

Who do you think will surround themselves with the right people to make them stronger?

All I know is, today I am with South Carolina.

Leanna

Randi,

I am a white woman and will vote for Obama on February 5th. Because I am white, no one will question my motives for supporting Senator Obama. It is patently unfair for anyone to question the motives of the African American community for voting for Senator Obama or anyone else. This is a discussion that needs to end because it only brings out the ugliest in all of us.

After Senator Obama’s win in South Carolina, I have a new outlook on this country’s future. I have looked at others with a feeling that we might have a leader that cares about all of us–White, Black, Red and Blue. Please don’t let that be taken away from me by pushing the race issue anymore.

Randi,

It seems that your question was fair and relevant after all.

The controversy over your report reminded me of the joke Stephen Colbert tells of not “noticing color.” Race will remain to be a factor during this primary election no matter how much people hope that it will not be. I think you stirred up so much controversy not because you were wrong, but because you touched a nerve. Some people are uncomfortable having to face the fact that they might indeed be making choices based on race.

I think your mistake, and you aren’t the only one, is that you were not more specific in your questioning. You should have asked voters what issues they were most interested in and why they favored one candidate’s position over the other. Instead, most anchors and reporters let voters, Black and White, get away with generalities like being “inspired” and wanting “change.”

During Anderson’s interview with Faye Wattleton last week she said that people may say that they vote on the issues, but they see the issues through the filter of their experiences and race plays a part in that. She is so right.

I don’t believe race or gender can, or will be ignored in this campaign. I think there may be a few voters who can put gender and race aside, but in general, men, both Black and White, will question the ability of a woman to be president and some Whites will not vote for a Black president, but it is also true that Black voters would like to see someone of their race in the White House.

It is interesting to note that when the media got the New Hampshire vote wrong they blamed White voters for lying to them, but you were criticized even for suggesting that Black voters might consider voting according to race. That looks like double standards to me.

I wish we did not “notice color,” but we do, and we need to learn to respect one another irrespective of that difference.

Your report was excellent and I hope you will continue to follow this issue. It will be interesting to see where the numbers fall on Super Tuesday.

Jo Ann
North Royalton, Ohio

Randi,
I believe that the media in this country has given this election a black eye by consistently feeding the race and gender hype in the Democratic caucus and primaries. I am an American and I am not concerned with race or gender in this election. I am concerned that ,for the last seven years, my life and the lives of my fellow Americans has been in the hands of a inexperienced president and the annihilation of the middle class in America. I am concerned about jobs, the US economy and its nosedive into recession. I am concerned that my county went to war based on lies and greed. We need to get back to the real issues. We need experienced honest leadership in our government to turn America around.
Jan, Pahrump Nevada

I think the results in South Carolina are a reflection of what America wants on a whole, not just what African Americans want. Americans don’t want to watch a re-run for the next 4-8 years. They want a new episode. Hillary and Bill are a re-run. Been there, done that. It’s not about black and white, male or female; It’s about old and new. It’s a wave of hope. Let’s not miss the opportunity.

Ayanna
Atlanta, GA

I find it insulting when Bill Clinton suggested that Senator Obama won South Carolina because he is black just as Jesse Jackson won SC primaries in 1984 and 1988. These kinds of comments are highly inappropriate and nasty. These are the type of tactics Karl Rove would use. Hillary’s injection of racial politics and prejudice in California is divisive, despicable and highly offensive. Her campaign’s odious assertion that Latinos will not vote for a black man is an insult to Latinos. Latinos have voted for black candidates in Illinois, New York and California. Hillary and her husband who has lost his stature as a statesman are using the race card again to inject division and hatred in California. Her strategy to divide and conquer is getting tired and will not do the Democrats any good in November. My early suspicions are getting proven of her consistent lack of her character. I personally would not vote for a candidate like the Clintons who will say or do anything to get elected even using the race card to their advantage. As a Democrat I will vote for a candidate who inspires, who looks to the future and who brings hope to all Americans irrespective of race and color. Hillary has lost my vote and the votes of my circle of friends and relatives. I cannot support a candidate who lies, distorts and misrepresents facts. Her consistent lack of character is something that matters most to me as a voter because this election is about inspiration, trust and character.

Randi,

If we’re going to talk about race and gender, let’s talk about the glass ceiling for women and the 77 cents women earn for every dollar men earn. Let’s talk about racism in the criminal justice system, the achievement gap in schools, and the harms and benefits of affirmative action. This discussion of race and gender in the current political campaign has become a thing of the media, a story spun to make the election more interesting to certain viewers. I personally think it adds nothing positive to the campaign. Reporting on a speech is one thing. Analyzing it to excess is another.

The world hasn’t come to a stop because of the US election. How about reporting on the news from Iraq and Pakistan and Afghanistan and Kenya?

Barbara, Culver City, CA

I thought your coverage of the south carolina democratic elections was the worse reporting I have seen. All of the commentators were so happy that obama had won that they could not be impartial in their evaluation of the results. I have always admired Anderson Cooper and his reporting style but you have joined the other very liberal press in basing the Clintons and praising obama.
I don’t think I will watch your coverage of election results if you cannot be impartial

Randi,
The whole concept of “race vs gender” is flawed, and just because you’ve gotten a lot of feedback (negative and positive) doesn’t mean you should continue.

Let’s focus on the actual issues… or how about devoting some airtime to Iraq or Afghanistan - when’s the last time AC360 covered any news from that part of the word?

Katie, Long Beach, CA

Randy
first of all im latin im from mexico, and about voting for race or gender, thats a really big deal, and like everyone think this is the most important desition that everyone can make in the united states area, but at the same time its pretty easy whose gonna win to know that i think most of the people in the us wants a really big change in our country, want’s more freedom, more order in every single way, better education in the public schools, and the list goes on and on, but the desition is on our hands, who wants a better country, me, and you?…

I find it insulting when Bill Clinton suggested that Senator Obama won South Carolina because he is black just as Jesse Jackson won SC primaries in 1984 and 1988. These kinds of comments are highly inappropriate and nasty. These are the type of tactics Karl Rove would use. Hillary’s injection of racial politics and prejudice in California is divisive, despicable and highly offensive. Her campaign’s odious assertion that Latinos will not vote for a black man is an insult to Latinos. Latinos have voted for black candidates in Illinois, New York and California. Hillary and her husband who has lost his stature as a statesman are using the race card again to inject division and hatred in California. Her strategy to divide and conquer is getting tired and will not do the Democrats any good in November. My early suspicions are getting proven of her consistent lack of character. I personally would not vote for a candidate like Clinton who will say or do anything to get elected even using the race card to their advantage. As a Democrat I will vote for a candidate who inspires, who looks to the future and who brings hope to all Americans irrespective of race and color. Hillary has lost my vote and the votes of my circle of friends and relatives. I cannot support a candidate who lies, distorts and misrepresents facts. Her consistent lack of character is something that matters most to me as a voter because this election is about inspiration, trust and character.

I was supposed to vote absentee Saturday for McCain, but trip preparations for next weekend took precedence. I’ll go before I fly out. I probably should hear both debates and the candidate’s rhetoric once more anyway.

People can say what they want. If a woman who believed politically what I believe was running, I’d vote for her because she’s a woman. We tend to organize and see things from a different perspective than men (look at the research on women vs. men in authority positions over the years). We’re not superior or inferior. We just use different gifts and talents to get things accomplished. I don’t think that’s a bad thing for our nation. A change in DC might be nice actually. However, Hillary comes attached with Bill and policies I will never agree are healthy for this nation. That is why I won’t vote for her.

I do believe women voted by race and gender. It’s human nature to do so. Some, like me, will go beyond to look at issues. Apparently this weekend, many seemed to not do that. I know you took a lot of flak for the story. But please continue to cover this. It’s worth the griping from people. And honestly, if McCain doesn’t get the nomination and Hillary does, I may have to rethink this whole thing through, give up on some of the idealism, and vote for the woman with the former president husband. Because she is the next most qualified after McCain to run this country as far as I’m concerned, liberal or not.

Randi:
To capsulate the prediction of a few may not be the most accurate measurement of where a certain group or bloc may be voting. The complexity of individual tastes and issues has to be addressed as well. I believe this is why the results of the primaries are so unpredictable.

For example, those who are losing their home because of the subprime mortgage mess (homeowners) compared to those who are losing their jobs because of the subprime mortgage mess (construction workers) may be on the opposite spectrum. The security and nurture of a home versus making a living. Both are facing disgraceful occurrences.

To place a race or gender into a slot is too broad; the specific individual “concerns or issues” may be swaying the vote.

Again I want to say this on this blog. We are Americans, not black, white, brown, or indifferent! This is what America is about. In America, we give equal opportunity to everyone. Regardless or race, religion, age(for the most part). Deal with it, act like it, and stop causing dramam about it!

The race/gender issue will go away when the talking heads on the evening news stop making it an issue. It amazes me everynight how anchors will do storys or pieces on how race shouldn’t be an issue. If you’re doing a piece on how race or gender shouldn’t be an issue, then race and gender are obvisouly an issue.

I think, unfortunately, that it was about race trumping gender. It is no mistake that , historically, African-American men got the vote before women, and I think the same thing will happen in this democratic primary season. It doesn’t matter what Hillary Clinton does, she is damned if she is this; she is damned if she is that.

If everyone votes on the issues in this primary, I think there will be a shift to Obama in other states as well.

I really don’t like hearing all this talk about black women voting their race over their gender. Could it be they just looked at the issues and concluded Obama will do a better job?

When does the media ever accuse white males of voting their race or gender over the issues important to them?

Hi Randi! I decided to try what you did at my local salon and got quite a different response. It turns out that I live in a Republican district. There were no Hillary or Obama supporters and I even heard some derogatory comments against both. One said she knew we would be attacked by terrorists if a Democrat got into office. My district sent out a sample ballot that was filled in. Voters were urged to take the ballet with them to the polls and vote the same way. They must think that people are stupid or can’t think for themselves. Apparently we are to vote for Giuliani. Oops, I already voted.

Much has been made of the fact that Hillary has contacts amongst many Washington insiders. In fact there are two ways to look at this. You should know how to walk the walk and talk the talk! And WHO to talk to to get things done. Why is this OK if you are a guy but a detriment if you are female. Her ability to be a player is an asset. Would you prefer she not associate with the folks that control Washington? she’s likely to get a lot accomplished for us that way. And as for who injected race into the campaign, it was Obama who brought Oprah on board to quote MLK’s speech. It was Obama’s wife who visited black churches to Use Mlk’s dream. Lets face it all politicians use what ever they can to get votes.Obama and his wife had a race card in their deck and they used it. And It worked. This is America and race matters to a lot of folks on both side of the question and you are delusional if you think not. Race and women’s issues are REAL ISSUES! just as much as the environment and economy and war. Are you really convinced that all those black voters that voted for Obama didn’t notice he was black! At least they were honest and not trying to tell the world it made absolutely no difference to them!

Race vs. gender again? Can’t CNN let this go or does it like trying to create an issue that isn’t there? Obama won simply because the people thought he was a better candidate.

I have to say I’ve been disappointed in the CNN coverage of the campaign on the SC primary. Everyone but Obama got coverage on the specifics of how they say they would deal with the issues of this campaign. Obama has been praised nonstop for his soaring rhetoric and inspiriational speeches but not much is said about the specifics of his platform except on Saturday when one of the political panel said Obama could stay with the inspirational speeches and not go into specifics. So it will be like buying a pig in a poke. CNN’s biases are showing and its a very disappointing sight.

Annie Kate
Birminigham AL

i am embarrassed and ashamed of being a minority at this time in american history. A time when we let a politician such as barrack Obama and fox news with the help of cnn news manipulate the african american people of this country. i challenge anyone in the news media to point out a solid response to a policy question given by barrack obama. before this week, by the way he starting to sound like hillary clinton and Edward’s. the media seems to be in love with the way he throw out the word hope but never anything of substance. if the media chose to truly examine most of his speeches i am sure it will be reported widely of the all to absent substance. the media will also see that it was barrack obama who hoodwinked us into a race war in a state where he knew it would energize his base. by acting so astonished that no bill would be passed without approval of a president. kudos to him for being the perfect politician using hot-button words such as hope and incorporating speeches and catch phrases from other famous inspirational speakers. it is very disenfranchising and frankly he should be put under the microscope just as clinton and every one else is. barrack obama claims not to want a racial race for the presidency, only when it benefits him. please stop being cowards stop insulting minorities and treat him like an american do not marginlize him by touching him with kids gloves.

anderson, it is very clear that you treat obama different than the other candidates… You never ask any questions of obama or clinton about immigration
or the war..you asked good questions of romney and mccain but didn’t ask anything like that of obama… I think cnn ,all programs treat obama differently than the republican candidates…. Why not ask of obama some tough questions .about health care,immigration, and the war,..

Anderson, You announced a few minutes ago that Hillary Clinton wont be speaking for reasons unknown. After all of the coverage cnn has spent on the Kennedy endorsement(all positive about Obama, and all negative about her, do you people there at cnn need to have it explained to you? I don’t think so! I am loosing confidence in cnn! What ever happened Unbiased reporting? You people have forgotten.

With a less than 30% approval rating, who the…cares what the senates Teddy Kennedy endorses. The polls today say that 53% of the people do not care and 28% think it is a negative having his endorsement. Why are you not reporting the truth? Why have you not made the facts available instead of making it look like it is something that means Obama is qualified. “Change” is not Teddy Kennedy. and old- one of the oldest- machines in Washington DC. This is sick. Your PR sounds like Obama is “channelling” a John Kennedy spirt……..this is just PR and belongs in the river with Teddy Kennedys’ bagage and don’t forget what ultimately happened to JFK as well as how his personal life was exposed. There is a long time until the true tests and until then you do not know what will be Obama’s history so please - at least try and be fair and honest.

Give me a break. You PR guys are making this Obama seem like a ‘christlike” reborn JFK. He is a man who has an ability to speak pretty - If you listen there is nothing he says that is meaningful. I keep trying to find a reason to like this guy. He isn’t appealing to me, he has no substance beyond the PR you are giving him, and he has a long time out there where he can make some really bad mistakes. There are already some photographs and some witnesses that have a lot to say about his days doing drugs and women. When he enters the national scene, it is going to all come out. I know people in the republican party that have files on him that they are just waiting to release. So please, take it a little easier. The guy is not Jesus Christ reborn.

OK I’m ready for OBAMA but I think in some ways the last few days have been a positive for both candidates. Bill is a very astute politician, He knows how the press is, he knows how the republicans are and he knows how anything derogotory about a non-white person will be taken as a racial slur whether intended or not. Yet both he and Hillary insinuated things that were racist. Of all the things she could have called REsco she called him a slum lord. Of all things Bill made a seemingly derogotory remark about Jessie Jackson. Not smart things. Yet has everybody forgotten who the real enemyy is. George Bush has made our country into a laughingstock! If Bush didnt make me so sick He would be funny. I am white southern and Christian but for the last few years that has been a curse in terms of my politics. I am begging pleading praying and crying for change. I need Hillary to win. I would be grateful thankful and blessed if both candidates would stop this stupidity form a coalition and spend every minute of every day working together to erase the bigotry hatred and stupidity of the last 8 years. Ibelieve in Hillary’s smarts first and heart second. I believe in Obama’s heart and spirit first and his political smarts secondary. I fear another 4 years of Republican insanity. Thank you and God bless the democratic Party.

I tell you what, let’s just put all of this gender, race, religion and the like in a nutshell. Let all blacks vote for Obama, all women vote for Clinton, and everything else over “papersack brown” vote for everybody else. Forget about the issues and how this country can become great again. Then let’s see how united the United States will be.

Looking at the numbers don’t necessarily tell the story. No one will actually know for sure, but it is misleading to suggest that the choice was between color or gender for Black women. To do so suggests that that is the only difference between the candidates. There is a difference in their philosophy and their politics. It is bad enough when politicians treat voters as so simplistic, but it is worse when the media treats voters and viewers as so simple minded. If people want change in the way government is run, they also want a change in how government views the governed. We do not fit into easy groups. Maybe the coverage should stop dividing us and creating lines.