Why I knew racism would not hurt the Obama campaign

A lot was written and said about how American racism would hurt Obama's chance at getting to the oval office. Many people cited the Bradley effect as a reason Obama couldn't win.

However, last week I knew for sure Obama would win. How did I know? My Auntie Helen told me.

Auntie Helen turned 91 last week and when I called to wish her happy birthday, she told me she was voting for Obama.

A little background on Auntie Helen: She's Polish. She's Catholic. And she defines most people by their ethnic heritage and religious background (i.e. my Italian friend, the Jewish lady, etc.). She's not a racist. But she's also not politically correct. I'm sure if you're around my age, you have a grandparent or other relative who's like this (especially if you grew up in a defacto segregated area like metro Detroit - my hometown).

When Auntie Helen told me she was voting for Obama, she did NOT call him the black candidate - she called him the best candidate. That's when I knew.