Is America ready for a black or a woman president?
OBAMA: I absolutely think America is ready for either. Stereotypes and prejudices still exist in American society, and for the highest office in the land a female or African-American candidate would, at the outset, confront some additional hurdles to show that they were qualified and competent. But what I’ve found is that the American people–once they get to know you–are going to judge you on your individual character. Whatever the flaws in the process, people get a fairly accurate read by the end of the campaign. I’ve watched how crowds react to you. Why are you striking a chord? It’s hard to stand outside yourself. Some of it is that. I’ve become representative of the American people’s desire to turn the page and get beyond some of the harsh, sharply partisan politics that has ruled over the last 10 years. You think this is generational? Our politics has very much been grounded in debates over the ’60s. There’s the ’60s, the backlash against the ’60s, the counter-backlash within th
