I am constantly baffled by this myself.

Because that would be the race he identifies with. He doesn't look Caucasian.

He definitely appears African American and/or Black, and while he does have a mixed ancestry, he can be said to be black, or even African African American.

I think that is an excellent question. Here's my thinking on that..if someone has one small smidgen..a teensy eensy tiny bit..of non-white "blood" (how ridiculous is that, anyway?) the person is considered to be that..so if Barack were 1/100 African American, there are those who would still call him "black". He refers to himself as mulatto. I think the whole thing is manufactured and ridiculous. We are all one race..we all started from the same source..we are all brothers and sisters..there is no difference. Whether you are religious or not, we are one. So all of this superficial segregating based on skin color is absurd! Happy Thursday! :) ((hugs))

He is alien.

Good question. My wife is half black and half white. She can put what ever race she feels fit to put at the time. If she wants to be white she can put white if she wants to be black she can put black. Same goes for our daughter who is only 25% black. She could also mark other if she wants. On a side not A friend of mine told me one day that he found out he was no longer black. When I asked how he said well My mom is Columbian and his dad is Panemanian. Both are black. For years he filled out that he was black and then one day he checked black and in Italics next to it, it said non hispanic so now even though he is black as midnight he has to put hispanic for that specific form.

He will get more votes if he's considered black. He probably wouldn't do well with the conservative white population so the media that is supportive of him will "paint him black" in order to garnish the votes of minorities. It's a political game, one of many they play. It's interesting that McCain isn't being painted "white" to garnish more votes. Politics are really depressing. Hahaha!

In America, he's black enough. I believe Thomas Jefferson's sex slave, Sally Hemmings, was only quarter black. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sally_Hemmings

Obama considers himself to be African American, throughout his life and political career, he has always identified himself as being AA and has faced the same struggles that blacks in this country have always faced. He is of mixed heritage, but he mostly identifies with the part of himself that is black. Hiya T!

We say he's African American because HE chooses to identify with being African American.

Cause its cool to be black. People assume your funny, you can dance better, have a large penis, affirmative action, you talk in ebonics, and plus you get the race card. If he was caucasian he was just be some weird looking dude.

Baraka Obama's mother was a caucasian--as we all know by now, but it's quite clear that Mr.Obama doesn't have caucasia features. In addition, whites in this country decided hundred of years ago that if you had in your system just one drop of blood from a black person you're automatically "black"; which it brings me to question: Is it every caucasian in this country 100% certain that there isn't in their system any "blackness"? Those DNA are full of surprises.

I think it's simply that if you looked at him and knew nothing about him, you would assume he was black. We are visual creatures.

Sweet T, they don't for the same reasons no one else does, society sees the color of your skin, and that's as far as it goes ~ So going with darker part is easier, because you don't have to explain, or prove your white.

Sweet T, Obama is considered bi-racial not Multiracial.

I think this is an interesting question - although it has no bearing on my vote. I'm mulatto (black and white) and very much identify with being mixed. I, personally, would correct someone if they were to call me one or the other. I think it's easier for the media to go by the 'one drop' rule..... as a society we like to be able to clearly label people and well, Obama being mixed just might be too confusing for some. As for how Obama identifies himself, from what I read, I think there was a time when he clearly identified more with his African side, but I would like to believe that now he embraces ALL of himself and enjoys the unique perspective that comes with being mixed.

Glad you think The savior Obama is the answer. every ones Taxes are going to increase dramatically, especially the mid to low income people. The wealthy folks can afford the increase but how about the low income and people that are on a fixed income. some people in this worlds history believes that taking from those whom work hard to get ahead should support those whom do not work (for what ever the reason) to take away the incentive to financially progress is called SOCIALISM. it has never worked in the history of this planet, why does Obama think he can do it?? If their is no finical incentive to succeed, the system will fail!! the Government has never taken over a program and made it better than the Private sector PERIOD. Obama thinks the Government should run and therefore control every thing. Can we all say CARL MARX together like good little Nazi Youth???? Where Are Your PAPERS???

Look at him - does he look more Negro or Caucasian to you? Anyway - he himself said that since he looks black and people on first glance treet him as black then he'd be an idiot if he didn't think of himself as being black. I dated a "black" girl once who looked more Spanish then black - she even dressed with a certain spanish flair - yet she called herself black because her father was black - go figure huh?

First of all, most African Americans (in the traditional sense) are multiracial. If you don't understand that statement, do the following: 1. pick up a book about American slavery and read the history of American slavery and 20th Jim Crowism 2. notice how Blacks, or African Americans, are different shades of brown and (at times) white and how our hair textures and eye colors vary...then THINK why that is so... Sorry, I just get tired of people making a distinction between a Black person and a multiracial person because it's the same thing... As for Obama, yes, he identifies himself as AA. That's only part of it. When we look at Obama we see what we consider to be African American. When you see an African American person, you don't know all the details of their parentage so you identify them as you see them. Some AA people "look" "white". They may identify themselves as AA but perhaps the average person on the street doesn't realize that this "white" person is AA. It's really all about perception and how a person identifies him or herself. I personally believe that AA is a cultural identity and not a race. I think that that's how it will be viewed in the future.

He should just call himself American.