--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If Obama was a white man, he would not be…" description: "\"If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position,\" — Geraldine Ferraro" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad3/geraldine-ferraro-10050_ifs_if-obama-was-a-white-man-he-would-not-be_2582093.jpg" --- # If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position, ![“If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position,” quote by Geraldine Ferraro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad3/geraldine-ferraro-10050_ifs_if-obama-was-a-white-man-he-would-not-be_2582093.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad3/geraldine-ferraro-10050_ifs_if-obama-was-a-white-man-he-would-not-be_2582093.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad3/geraldine-ferraro-10050_ifs_if-obama-was-a-white-man-he-would-not-be_2582093.jpg) > “If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position,” [Geraldine Ferraro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-ferraro/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Racial identity influences political opportunities, highlighting systemic bias. **In simple terms:** Race affects political chances. Key Takeaway Address systemic bias for fairness. Themes politics race inequality Mood concerned analytical Type critical observational When to use this quote - election campaigns - policy advocacy - diversity training Key Concepts sociology political science Questions to Reflect On - How can we create equitable political pathways? - What role does merit play? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on race may ignore other factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Man Position](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-position-1037141/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Obama White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obama-white-1732070/) [Position](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/position/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white/) [White man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-man/) ## Related quotes > [If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman, he would not be in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-ferraro/if-obama-was-a-white-man-he-would-not-be-in-this-position-and-if-he/) [Geraldine Ferraro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-ferraro/) > [Any negro who occupies a position that was given to him by the white man, if you analyze his function, his function never enables…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/any-negro-who-occupies-a-position-that-was-given-to-him-by-the-white/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The ties between the Obama White House and the hip-hop community are genuine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ta-nehisi-coates/the-ties-between-the-obama-white-house-and-the-hip-hop-community-are/) [Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ta-nehisi-coates/) > [If Obama was white, he’d be up by 17 points.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-baldwin/if-obama-was-white-he-d-be-up-by-17-points/) [Alec Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-baldwin/) > [“A man in my position can't afford to be made to look ridiculous!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-puzo/a-man-in-my-position-can-t-afford-to-be-made-to-look-ridiculous/) [Mario Puzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-puzo/) > [“Every man's position on Earth is restricted to the distance he can walk.' -- "The Last Trump”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/every-man-s-position-on-earth-is-restricted-to-the-distance-he-can/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [Your man should never put you in a position where you feel you have to compete with another woman. If he does...LEAVE. You deserve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-man-should-never-put-you-in-a-position-where-you-feel-you-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“...no one can afford not to be a man. No position can compensate for coming face to face with a robot when you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/no-one-can-afford-not-to-be-a-man-no-position-can-compensate-for/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [If you put a woman in a man's position, she will be more efficient, but no more kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/if-you-put-a-woman-in-a-man-s-position-she-will-be-more-efficient-but/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [If I told you, you might be forced to lie about it. Not that you aren't really good at it, but why put an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/if-i-told-you-you-might-be-forced-to-lie-about-it-not-that-you-aren-t/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [“As a brand, the Obama White House’s identity is probably closest to Starbucks: hip, progressive, approachable —a small luxury you can feel good about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/as-a-brand-the-obama-white-house-s-identity-is-probably-closest-to/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [The first thing I ever heard about Barack Obama was that he had a white mother and a black father. Interestingly, the person who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelby-steele/the-first-thing-i-ever-heard-about-barack-obama-was-that-he-had-a/) [Shelby Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelby-steele/) > [As a man of colour, I've spent my life asking people to see me for who I am. With Obama in the White House,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-fishburne/as-a-man-of-colour-i-ve-spent-my-life-asking-people-to-see-me-for-who/) [Laurence Fishburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-fishburne/) > [If President Barack Obama had not been in the White House, we would not have the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/if-president-barack-obama-had-not-been-in-the-white-house-we-would/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [How do you, on the one hand, not object to Hillary Clinton being elected, and then, on the other hand, tell people, "Elect me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/how-do-you-on-the-one-hand-not-object-to-hillary-clinton-being/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) ## More by Geraldine Ferraro > [the Republicans love to say that the Democratic Party is ruled by 'special interests.' But when pressed to name these 'special interests,' the usual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-ferraro/the-republicans-love-to-say-that-the-democratic-party-is-ruled-by/) [Geraldine Ferraro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-ferraro/) > [You don't go through a bloodbath like this and then walk away from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-ferraro/you-don-t-go-through-a-bloodbath-like-this-and-then-walk-away-from-it/) [Geraldine Ferraro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-ferraro/) > [Personal religious convictions have no place in political campaigns or in dictating public policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-ferraro/personal-religious-convictions-have-no-place-in-political-campaigns/) [Geraldine Ferraro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-ferraro/) > [I am the first to admit that were I not a woman, I would not have been the vice-presidential nominee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-ferraro/i-am-the-first-to-admit-that-were-i-not-a-woman-i-would-not-have-been/) [Geraldine Ferraro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-ferraro/) > [But I do think its necessary to have debates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-ferraro/but-i-do-think-its-necessary-to-have-debates/) [Geraldine Ferraro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-ferraro/) > [And it was, it was not beating George Bush, believe it or not, the bottom line as far as I was concerned was introducing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-ferraro/and-it-was-it-was-not-beating-george-bush-believe-it-or-not-the/) [Geraldine Ferraro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-ferraro/) > [I have been extremely lucky; I am a person who is currently living with a cancer that is under control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-ferraro/i-have-been-extremely-lucky-i-am-a-person-who-is-currently-living/) [Geraldine Ferraro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-ferraro/) > [I'd call it a new version of voodoo economics, but I'm afraid that would give witch doctors a bad name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-ferraro/i-d-call-it-a-new-version-of-voodoo-economics-but-i-m-afraid-that/) [Geraldine Ferraro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-ferraro/) > [A wise man once said, 'Every one of us is given the gift of life, and what a strange gift it is. If it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-ferraro/a-wise-man-once-said-every-one-of-us-is-given-the-gift-of-life-and/) [Geraldine Ferraro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-ferraro/) > [I don't consider myself a survivor; that's someone who has gone through something terrible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-ferraro/i-don-t-consider-myself-a-survivor-that-s-someone-who-has-gone/) [Geraldine Ferraro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-ferraro/) > [We've chosen the path to equality, don't let them turn us around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-ferraro/we-ve-chosen-the-path-to-equality-don-t-let-them-turn-us-around/) [Geraldine Ferraro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-ferraro/) > [See that's a goal that I think it's very good in the debate to find out who the person is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-ferraro/see-that-s-a-goal-that-i-think-it-s-very-good-in-the-debate-to-find/) [Geraldine Ferraro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-ferraro/) > [Every time a woman runs, women win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-ferraro/every-time-a-woman-runs-women-win/) [Geraldine Ferraro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-ferraro/) > [If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman, he would not be in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-ferraro/if-obama-was-a-white-man-he-would-not-be-in-this-position-and-if-he/) [Geraldine Ferraro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-ferraro/) > [Well of course Bush got Kentucky, because it's a Republican city.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-ferraro/well-of-course-bush-got-kentucky-because-it-s-a-republican-city/) [Geraldine Ferraro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-ferraro/) [Explore all 68 Geraldine Ferraro quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-ferraro/) ## More Ifs quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [Histories never conclude; they just pause their prose. Their stories are, if they are truthful, untidy affairs, resistant to windings-up and sortings-out. They beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/histories-never-conclude-they-just-pause-their-prose-their-stories/) [Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/) > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Many individuals spend a considerable portion of their lifetimes in terror of one imagined catastrophe or another. The classic is that your immortal soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/many-individuals-spend-a-considerable-portion-of-their-lifetimes-in/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/) [Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/) > [If I don't have pressure, I don't function.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferran-adria/if-i-don-t-have-pressure-i-don-t-function/) [Ferran Adria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferran-adria/) > [If you restore a car, and you're making money, then you're doing it wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/if-you-restore-a-car-and-you-re-making-money-then-you-re-doing-it/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-sarabhai/but-we-are-convinced-that-if-we-are-to-play-a-meaningful-role/) [Vikram Sarabhai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-sarabhai/) > [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) [Browse all 94,303 Ifs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position,", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Geraldine Ferraro" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-ferraro/if-obama-was-a-white-man-he-would-not-be-in-this-position/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ifs" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-ferraro/if-obama-was-a-white-man-he-would-not-be-in-this-position/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad3/geraldine-ferraro-10050_ifs_if-obama-was-a-white-man-he-would-not-be_2582093.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad3/geraldine-ferraro-10050_ifs_if-obama-was-a-white-man-he-would-not-be_2582093.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad3/geraldine-ferraro-10050_ifs_if-obama-was-a-white-man-he-would-not-be_2582093.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position,” — Geraldine Ferraro", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Geraldine Ferraro", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-ferraro/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If Obama was a white man,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-ferraro/if-obama-was-a-white-man-he-would-not-be-in-this-position/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-ferraro/if-obama-was-a-white-man-he-would-not-be-in-this-position/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```