The 800 pound gorilla in the room.

October 3, 6:30 PMTampa Politics ExaminerJim Stillman

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In the election coming up next month, each major party has an 800 pound gorilla in the room, not explicitly mentioned, not spoken about in “polite company” and pointedly either ignored or minimized.

But the beasts exist nonetheless and have a significant role in determining who will be our President over the next 4 or 8 years, what will be our economic condition, which civil rights and liberties will be torn from us, whether we will precipitously enter another war and, most important, what we will announce to ourselves and the world of our basic values.

Pretty important stuff

The Democrat gorilla (Shush, he’s black, a Muslim, a terrorist)

It is no secret to those familiar with these pages and other sites for which I write, that I support Barack Obama’s quest for the presidency. While both Senator McCain and he share attributes of patriotism, decency, morality and such, the former brings with him too many of the policies of the Bush administration for my comfort. Moreover, again from my point of view, another Republican presidency would shift the Supreme Court further to the Right and endanger freedoms and rights I hold precious.

There are problems facing Senator Obama that are not the result of rational thought; they are, instead, the product of prejudice and sheer ignorance. There are also serious issues that are facing John McCain, similar in that they are not spoken of; they are the 800 pound gorillas that everyone ignores!

This article explores Barack Obama’s gorilla.

Senator Obama should win the election, if not handily then at least by a respectable margin. There is no question that he is well qualified, will have advisors who match my personal (and therefore correct) social and political views. Yet I am concerned that many liberal-progressives, traditional Democrats and, independent and moderate voters may either not vote or hold their noses and vote for Senator McCain.

During the primary season, the exit polling consistently had greater numbers for Senator Obama that the actual results. Why? Because in the privacy of the voting booth, a number of voters will not cast their votes for an African-American or a person perceived, falsely, as Muslim. They will be ashamed to admit the prejudice or try and justify it, but the damage will be done.

As to the first issue, that of Senator Obama’s race, there is an obvious reluctance to openly admit the prejudice. A comprehensive series of reports by the Pew Research Center issued a few months ago found that respondents state that Senator Obama’s “inexperience” weighs more heavily in determination of voter preference than does race, 42% as opposed to 22%. It should be noted, however, that “inexperience” can be cited with no acknowledgement of prejudice.
Further studies by the Pew Center indicate that African-Americans are more likely to state that race will play a significant role in the election. The numbers are in the 25% to 35% range but the diminishing polling advantage to Senator Obama worries me.

Whereas racial prejudice is not readily admitted, another factor remains on the table, the continuing and enduring belief that Barack Obama is Muslim.

The Pew Center report notes that the false belief that Senator Obama is Muslim is durable and non-partisan.
The incorrect perception that the Democratic presidential candidate adheres to the Muslim faith or to another non-Christian faith has remained remarkably constant over the course of the 2008 election campaign. The belief that Barack Obama is Muslim, however, appears to have virtually no effect on Republican voters -- who support McCain in any case. But Democrats who share the misperception are significantly less likely to support Obama.

What is worrisome is that a remarkable number of people state that they have little or no knowledge about Senator Obama’s policies, beliefs and programs. There has been a continuous and consistent effort by reporters and commentators on Fox News to suggest that the Illinois Senator has outlandish positions, Bill O’Reilly still calls him a Muslim, and a meaningful portion of the public is buying it.

Those of us who spend too much time watching cable news including Fox and reading all flavors of newspapers and magazines will find the admitted unfamiliarity with the real issues impossible to accept. The real danger is that, in lieu of any real information, the voters will fall back upon prejudices that are unworthy of this country.

We have to confront the gorilla and make it go away.