Barry Dunham

[Senator Snowstalker]

Resenting how his father left him, a young Barack takes his mother's last name. He also ends up not minding the nickname "Barry", though his real name is still Barack. His middle name is still Hussein.

How does his performance in the 2008 election change, assuming he still goes into politics and gets the Democratic nomination?

[Assistant to the Regional Manager Cathcon]

Given the digging people like Hannity did in '08, I'd venture to guess that as soon "Barry" posed a real threat, stuff like this would come out anyway.

[Jerseyrules]

Given the digging people like Hannity did in '08, I'd venture to guess that as soon "Barry" posed a real threat, stuff like this would come out anyway.

[A Proud Republican]

I don't think it would take Hannity doing too much active "digging" if Mr. Dunham had a real shot in a General Election.

Unless he was actively trying to conceal his real name, and his father's name, it would be known by the public once be became nationally famous.

How much impact would it have on things when people started finding out? That depends.

[Jerseyrules]

Better yet, what if he was white?  Think about it.  Not to be racist, but would he be able to stir the pot as much if he were just another Harvard-bred middle-aged white man?  It wouldn't be impossible for an African-American and white couple to have a white child, but unlikely.  Anyway, just thought that would be interesting, and he mightn't be able to be viewed as too big of a "change.".  While not a critical part of his campaign, and while I don't subscribe to the whole "Obama wouldn't have won if he were white" theory, I do think it made an impact, garnering Barry 97% of the African-American vote.  While that vote is typically safe Dem, it might've affected outcomes in places with high African-American populations, such as Virginia and North Carolina.  Just wanted to hear people's thoughts regarding this.

[A Proud Republican]

Better yet, what if he was white?  Think about it.  Not to be racist, but would he be able to stir the pot as much if he were just another Harvard-bred middle-aged white man?

I doubt it. The idea of the First Black President helped him out a lot. To be honest, if the DP had really made the decision to put a white Harvard grad named Barry Dunham on the ticket with Joe Biden and run with it in '08, I think we would now be talking about President John McCain and the first female VP.

Either that, or we would have a President Dunham, elected by a much more slight margin. Who knows, really? Bush was increasingly unpopular, then, and that may have rubbed off on Republicans in general in the GE. It happened in '76 following Watergate.

Then, we have the distinct lack of experience on Mr. Dunham's part. In the Illinois legislature and in his U.S. Senate position, we would have the simple fact that he did very little that was productive while in office.

I don't think he could have pulled it off, to be perfectly honest. I believe the Democrats would have been compelled to choose somebody else, perhaps Clinton, to run.

[Jerseyrules]

Better yet, what if he was white?  Think about it.  Not to be racist, but would he be able to stir the pot as much if he were just another Harvard-bred middle-aged white man?

I doubt it. The idea of the First Black President helped him out a lot. To be honest, if the DP had really made the decision to put a white Harvard grad named Barry Dunham on the ticket with Joe Biden and run with it in '08, I think we would now be talking about President John McCain and the first female VP.

Either that, or we would have a President Dunham, elected by a much more slight margin. Who knows, really? Bush was increasingly unpopular, then, and that may have rubbed off on Republicans in general in the GE. It happened in '76 following Watergate.

Then, we have the distinct lack of experience on Mr. Dunham's part. In the Illinois legislature and in his U.S. Senate position, we would have the simple fact that he did very little that was productive while in office.

I don't think he could have pulled it off, to be perfectly honest. I believe the Democrats would have been compelled to choose somebody else, perhaps Clinton, to run.

Or [gags] Edwards

[A Proud Republican]

Or [gags] Edwards

Perhaps. Maybe even bring John Kerry back for a second round. Who knows? As it happens, they managed to get it done using a man who had effectively no record, no experience, and no talents in regards to politics apart from his ability to speak at length without saying anything truly meaningful.

If nothing else, it was a neat trick. I don't think a white guy named Barry Dunham could've done it.

[Jerseyrules]

Or [gags] Edwards

Perhaps. Maybe even bring John Kerry back for a second round. Who knows? As it happens, they managed to get it done using a man who had effectively no record, no experience, and no talents in regards to politics apart from his ability to speak at length without saying anything truly meaningful.

If nothing else, it was a neat trick. I don't think a white guy named Barry Dunham could've done it.

probably not.  Could a WASP male Gerard Ferraro have been Walter Mondale's running mate in 1984?  .  Or a Sam Palin have been McCain's in 08?  Or perhaps a white Colin Powell or Condi Rice have been quite as publicized as potential candidates, etc?  I like and respect all of these people very much, but it's true (and in Ferraro's case, admitted) that their minority status helped their national recognition; who ever wouldve heard of a certain governor by the name of Jim McGreevy had it not been for...well you know the rest

[politicus]

Or [gags] Edwards

Perhaps. Maybe even bring John Kerry back for a second round. Who knows? As it happens, they managed to get it done using a man who had effectively no record, no experience, and no talents in regards to politics apart from his ability to speak at length without saying anything truly meaningful.

If nothing else, it was a neat trick. I don't think a white guy named Barry Dunham could've done it.

probably not.  Could a WASP male Gerard Ferraro have been Walter Mondale's running mate in 1984?  .  Or a Sam Palin have been McCain's in 08?  Or perhaps a white Colin Powell or Condi Rice have been quite as publicized as potential candidates, etc?  I like and respect all of these people very much, but it's true (and in Ferraro's case, admitted) that their minority majority status helped their national recognition; who ever wouldve heard of a certain governor by the name of Jim McGreevy had it not been for...well you know the rest

Get it right

[Jerseyrules]

Or [gags] Edwards

Perhaps. Maybe even bring John Kerry back for a second round. Who knows? As it happens, they managed to get it done using a man who had effectively no record, no experience, and no talents in regards to politics apart from his ability to speak at length without saying anything truly meaningful.

If nothing else, it was a neat trick. I don't think a white guy named Barry Dunham could've done it.

probably not.  Could a WASP male Gerard Ferraro have been Walter Mondale's running mate in 1984?  .  Or a Sam Palin have been McCain's in 08?  Or perhaps a white Colin Powell or Condi Rice have been quite as publicized as potential candidates, etc?  I like and respect all of these people very much, but it's true (and in Ferraro's case, admitted) that their minority majority status helped their national recognition; who ever wouldve heard of a certain governor by the name of Jim McGreevy had it not been for...well you know the rest

Get it right

Politically, females are in the minority; now that I think about it, she was probably the first woman who could win in the U.S....