more on the racial angle of Obama's victory

More good news (beyond the hopefully/probably modest policy implications)...

-For a variety of reasons and perceptions, many African-Americans feel a lack of connection with American society which will be reduced by Obama's election. (Or a blessing of omission: if Obama had lost, that disconnect would have increased.)

-The polls were relatively accurate. In contrast, we heard predictions that people had been a.) afraid to say they supported Obama in polls; and b.) afraid to say they opposed Obama in polls. Of course, it's still possible that those effects were out there-- and canceled each other out. But the more likely scenario is that the concerns were inflated. (I haven't heard anything on this since the election was over: have I missed it or perhaps the press sees this as an uninteresting non-story in a "dog-bites-man" sense?) Aside from a few (well-publicized) yahoos, maybe whites are (far) more mature on racial matters than we previously thought?

-I can't remember where I saw this, but I read yesterday that left-leaning comics are looking forward to (poking fun at and having fun with) an Obama administration. In any case, what will 4-8 years of joking about race do for the country? I imagine that it will allow a series of incremental and significant steps forward.