--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: During the 2008 presidential campaign…" description: "\"During the 2008 presidential campaign, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid marveled at the electability of Barack Obama because, unlike previous black ca..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d44/monica-crowley-7194_barack_during-the-2008-presidential-campaign-se_1526266.jpg" --- # During the 2008 presidential campaign, Senate Majority… ![“During the 2008 presidential campaign, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid marveled at the electability of Barack Obama because, unlike previous black candidates, Mr. Obama was 'light-skinned' and lacked a 'Negro dialect.'” quote by Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d44/monica-crowley-7194_barack_during-the-2008-presidential-campaign-se_1526266.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d44/monica-crowley-7194_barack_during-the-2008-presidential-campaign-se_1526266.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d44/monica-crowley-7194_barack_during-the-2008-presidential-campaign-se_1526266.jpg) > “During the 2008 presidential campaign, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid marveled at the electability of Barack Obama because, unlike previous black candidates, Mr. Obama was 'light-skinned' and lacked a 'Negro dialect.'” [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that Obama’s perceived electability was linked to his appearance and speech, implying bias toward lighter skin and standard American English. **In simple terms:** Electability tied to skin tone and accent. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge racial and linguistic bias. Themes race media politics bias representation Mood critical analytical Type observational political When to use this quote - campaign analysis - media reporting - voter perception - candidate image Key Concepts colorism linguistic prejudice electoral strategy Questions to Reflect On - How do media narratives shape candidate viability? - What impact does colorism have on political representation? A Different Perspective The statement reduces a complex political landscape to superficial traits, ignoring policy and competence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Barack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barack/) [Barack obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barack-obama/) [Because](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because/) [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Black Candidates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-candidates-4236736/) [Campaign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/campaign/) [Candidates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candidates/) [Dialect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dialect/) [Harry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harry/) [Harry Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harry-reid-239540/) [Lacked Negro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lacked-negro-5652309/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Majority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/majority/) [Mr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mr/) [Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obama/) [Obama Unlike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obama-unlike-4846970/) [Presidential](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presidential/) [Presidential campaign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presidential-campaign/) [Previous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/previous/) [Reid Marveled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reid-marveled-5652310/) [Senate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/senate/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Unlike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unlike/) ## Related quotes > [Why is it always liberals who seem so genuinely, overtly surprised when black candidates are viable candidates, and in their surprise, evoke old, damaging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-katharine-ham/why-is-it-always-liberals-who-seem-so-genuinely-overtly-surprised/) [Mary Katharine Ham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-katharine-ham/) > [For the last five years, we have been presented with the idea that Barack Obama is superhuman. Barack Obama is unlike any of us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/for-the-last-five-years-we-have-been-presented-with-the-idea-that/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The point of a presidential campaign is to put the candidate through the ringer: to force him to get banged up by his opponents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/the-point-of-a-presidential-campaign-is-to-put-the-candidate-through/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [I think it's interesting that people like Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi said that the Tea Party was dead and they weren't influential and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-pavlich/i-think-it-s-interesting-that-people-like-harry-reid-and-nancy-pelosi/) [Katie Pavlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-pavlich/) > [I'm hoping that we're not getting to Second Amendment remedies. I hope the vote will be the cure for the Harry Reid problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharron-angle/i-m-hoping-that-we-re-not-getting-to-second-amendment-remedies-i-hope/) [Sharron Angle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharron-angle/) > [Democratic Senator Harry Reid is expected to make a full recovery after he was exercising with a resistance band that snapped, causing him to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-fallon/democratic-senator-harry-reid-is-expected-to-make-a-full-recovery/) [Jimmy Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-fallon/) > [Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid likes to reminisce about being an amateur boxer. But his Senate tenure has often looked like an endless rope-a-dope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-melber/senate-majority-leader-harry-reid-likes-to-reminisce-about-being-an/) [Ari Melber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-melber/) > [I am running because I love my country and Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama are ruining it. It is time to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-ashjian/i-am-running-because-i-love-my-country-and-harry-reid-nancy-pelosi/) [Scott Ashjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-ashjian/) > [And if you like 14.4 percent unemployment, if you like the fact that 70 percent of home mortgages in Nevada are underwater, then stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cornyn/and-if-you-like-14-4-percent-unemployment-if-you-like-the-fact-that/) [John Cornyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cornyn/) > [I've never seen anything so abhorrent in my life as Harry Reid. He's an equal opportunity basher. He goes after everybody, and I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-perino/i-ve-never-seen-anything-so-abhorrent-in-my-life-as-harry-reid-he-s/) [Dana Perino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-perino/) > [Harry Reid's accusation that President Bush is playing politics with national security may earn him the title of hypocrite-in-chief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracey-schmitt/harry-reid-s-accusation-that-president-bush-is-playing-politics-with/) [Tracey Schmitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracey-schmitt/) > [I think it is very good for the country, for the world, and especially for the Democrats that Harry Reid is retiring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-perino/i-think-it-is-very-good-for-the-country-for-the-world-and-especially/) [Dana Perino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-perino/) > [If we can take Harry Reid out, we can take our country back. I'm not here to preach to the choir. I'm here to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharron-angle/if-we-can-take-harry-reid-out-we-can-take-our-country-back-i-m-not/) [Sharron Angle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharron-angle/) > [I am a pretty level-headed person, but that person, Harry Reid, has been the most destructive entity in Washington when it comes to civility.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-perino/i-am-a-pretty-level-headed-person-but-that-person-harry-reid-has-been/) [Dana Perino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-perino/) > [Were anyone wondering how Sen. Harry Reid intended to manage life in the minority, it took one day of the 114th Congress to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberley-strassel/were-anyone-wondering-how-sen-harry-reid-intended-to-manage-life-in/) [Kimberley Strassel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberley-strassel/) ## More by Monica Crowley > [Bill Clinton is a classic, old-school Southern pragmatic Democrat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/bill-clinton-is-a-classic-old-school-southern-pragmatic-democrat/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [Of course there are individual racists in America. Sadly that's true. And sadly that will always be true. It's true in this country, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/of-course-there-are-individual-racists-in-america-sadly-that-s-true/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [The man who was known as 'no drama Obama' during the campaign has given us nothing but depleting and infuriating drama since he arrived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/the-man-who-was-known-as-no-drama-obama-during-the-campaign-has-given/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [The point of a presidential campaign is to put the candidate through the ringer: to force him to get banged up by his opponents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/the-point-of-a-presidential-campaign-is-to-put-the-candidate-through/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [When you talk about presidents, loyalty is a great thing until it becomes a bad thing. Witness once again Watergate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/when-you-talk-about-presidents-loyalty-is-a-great-thing-until-it/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [I think the Republican Party is supposed to be the party of less government intrusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/i-think-the-republican-party-is-supposed-to-be-the-party-of-less/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [True equality means holding everyone accountable in the same way, regardless of race, gender, faith, ethnicity - or political ideology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/true-equality-means-holding-everyone-accountable-in-the-same-way/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [When I'm debating others, whether it's Eleanor Clift or Bob Beckel, you're still in a fierce debate mode, but you're also on best behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/when-i-m-debating-others-whether-it-s-eleanor-clift-or-bob-beckel-you/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [I think the American people believe in stopping and preventing terrorism pretty much at any cost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/i-think-the-american-people-believe-in-stopping-and-preventing/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [Germany was beaten after World War I, but it didn't take long for it to rise again as a much more malignant threat. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/germany-was-beaten-after-world-war-i-but-it-didn-t-take-long-for-it/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [Oh absolutely. Look they hate all conservatives but they have a special kind of loathing for women conservatives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/oh-absolutely-look-they-hate-all-conservatives-but-they-have-a/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [We need the ability to buy healthcare insurance across state lines that would increase competition and drive down cost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/we-need-the-ability-to-buy-healthcare-insurance-across-state-lines/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [It is an abuse of power, when you are President of the United States, to use the White House to single out a single…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/it-is-an-abuse-of-power-when-you-are-president-of-the-united-states/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [If the government controls your health care, the government controls you. Obamacare was never about health care. It was about government power, dependency, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/if-the-government-controls-your-health-care-the-government-controls/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [From 2002 to the end of his presidency, George W. Bush routinely was accused by the Left of 'creating chaos:' chaos in Iraq, chaos…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/from-2002-to-the-end-of-his-presidency-george-w-bush-routinely-was/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) [Explore all 93 Monica Crowley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) ## More Barack quotes > [ I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect \[Donald Trump\], or then-president \[Barack Obama\]. But it's - I'm very clear.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-that-by-the-president-elect/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [We know the candidate Barack Obama, what he was like - the anti-war government nig... America was a source for division around the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/we-know-the-candidate-barack-obama-what-he-was-like-the-anti-war/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [We're in more wars today under Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton than under George W. Bush or Ronald Reagan. Yet they tell you that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-re-in-more-wars-today-under-barack-obama-and-hillary-clinton-than/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I can tell you who's planning terroris attacks. The leaders of ISIL. And I can tell you where they're at. They're in Raqqa, Syria.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-can-tell-you-who-s-planning-terroris-attacks-the-leaders-of-isil/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [ The president \[Barack Obama\] asked for a commitment of, I think, 100,000 jobs for veterans and military spouses over the next couple of years.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/the-president-barack-obama-asked-for-a-commitment-of-i-think-100-000/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [The big story today, Barack Obama was accused of insulting Sarah Palin when he criticized Republican policies by saying, you can put lipstick on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/the-big-story-today-barack-obama-was-accused-of-insulting-sarah-palin/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [ I think the president's \[Barack Obama\] position has been very clear on Syria. He wants more aggressive, he's put the Special Ops on the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-williams/i-think-the-president-s-barack-obama-position-has-been-very-clear-on/) [Juan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-williams/) > [ It cannot be an American fight. And I think what the president \[Barack Obama\] has consistently said - which I agree with - is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/it-cannot-be-an-american-fight-and-i-think-what-the-president-barack/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [It doesn't matter to me where Barack Obama goes. If he wants to go to Hawaii because it's his home state, fine! Hunky-dory. Plastic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/it-doesn-t-matter-to-me-where-barack-obama-goes-if-he-wants-to-go-to/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [ It wasn't \[Barack\] Obama per se; it was the feeling on the ground; it was seeing an old black woman in a wheelchair being… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/it-wasn-t-barack-obama-per-se-it-was-the-feeling-on-the-ground-it-was/) [Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/) > [I don't think that we really know a whole lot about Barack Obama at all that you would really call distinctive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-mcwhorter/i-don-t-think-that-we-really-know-a-whole-lot-about-barack-obama-at/) [John H. McWhorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-mcwhorter/) > [Just like Barack Obama, my views on gay marriage have evolved, and now I am a reluctant groom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/just-like-barack-obama-my-views-on-gay-marriage-have-evolved-and-now/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [I think President Barack Obama has been an extraordinarily successful president, and that this period will record that with a bunch of exclamation points.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-sunstein/i-think-president-barack-obama-has-been-an-extraordinarily-successful/) [Cass Sunstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-sunstein/) > [The archives recall not one single incriminating incident, not one drunken escapade, not one reported affair, not one spat with a team-mate or reporter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-atherton/the-archives-recall-not-one-single-incriminating-incident-not-one/) [Michael Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-atherton/) > [In public, Barack Obama's giving the simple version of his beliefs for the mass public. In private, he can discuss it at a really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-chait/in-public-barack-obama-s-giving-the-simple-version-of-his-beliefs-for/) [Jonathan Chait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-chait/) [Browse all 1,672 Barack quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barack/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "During the 2008 presidential campaign, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid marveled at the electability of Barack Obama because, unlike previous black candidates, Mr. Obama was 'light-skinned' and lacked a 'Negro dialect.'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Monica Crowley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/during-the-2008-presidential-campaign-senate-majority-leader-harry/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Barack" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/during-the-2008-presidential-campaign-senate-majority-leader-harry/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d44/monica-crowley-7194_barack_during-the-2008-presidential-campaign-se_1526266.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d44/monica-crowley-7194_barack_during-the-2008-presidential-campaign-se_1526266.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d44/monica-crowley-7194_barack_during-the-2008-presidential-campaign-se_1526266.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“During the 2008 presidential campaign, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid marveled at the electability of…” — Monica Crowley", "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": "Monica Crowley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "During the 2008 presidential campaign, Senate...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/during-the-2008-presidential-campaign-senate-majority-leader-harry/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/during-the-2008-presidential-campaign-senate-majority-leader-harry/#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 } } ] } ```