Race issue will fade by November, Roy Romer says
By Berny Morson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Originally published 03:58 p.m., May 16, 2008
Updated 05:32 p.m., May 16, 2008
Photo by Judy DeHaas
Former Colorado Gov. Roy Romer.
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Americans will "get over" the race issue long before the November presidential election, former Gov. Roy Romer said Friday.
Romer, a superdelegate to the Democratic National Convention, announced on Tuesday that his vote will go to Barack Obama.
"I'm confident that they (voters) are going to eventually get over the issue of what color this man is, what his racial characteristics are," Romer said. "The reason being this nation really respects talent, and this is a very talented man.
"They want someone to be an effective president, and they've got a president now that they are totally disappointed in on a daily basis."
Romer said Obama has the ability to "rise to a higher level of understanding and analysis of the problem and a higher level of reconciliation."
That was the case when Obama confronted the racial issue following disclosure that his former pastor had made extremist comments, Romer said.
"It was an elevating discussion (of race)," Romer said of the speech Obama delivered in Philadelphia. "This country needs to face that squarely."
National Public Radio broadcast racist comments by several white voters who rejected Obama in the West Virginia primary on Tuesday.
"There are some," Romer said of those voters. "But I think as the campaign unfolds and as they get to know Obama, I think they will begin to see, this man is a pragmatic wise man who has good judgment and I can support him. There are going to be a few who won't."
Obama has had "some wild stuff" thrown at him in the race so far.
"I've been a candidate many times. Never did it occur in my campaign what my minister was saying," Romer said.
morsonb@RockyMountainNews.com
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May 16, 2008
5:42 p.m.
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samsmargolis writes:
"I'm confident that they (voters) are going to eventually get over the issue of what color this man is,"
OK, Woy Womer, you wascally weasel, what color is this man? Mike Littwin needs some guidance....