The world of U.S. racism and U.S. politics has its very weird aspects. Esquire magazine reports on their recent interviews with several leaders of white supremacist groups.
Here is the infamous Tom Metzger, director of the White Aryan Resistance:

The corporations are running things now, so it’s not going to make much difference who’s in there, but McCain would be much worse. He’s a warmonger. He’s a scary, scary person–more dangerous than Bush. Obama, according to his book, Dreams Of My Father, is a racist and I have no problem with black racists. I’ve got the quote right here: ‘I found a solace in nursing a pervasive sense of grievance and animosity against my mother’s white race.’ The problem with Obama is he’s being dishonest about his racial views. I’d respect him if he’d just come out and say, ‘Yeah, I’m a black racist.’ I don’t hate black people. I just think it’s in the best interest of the races to be separated as much as possible. See, I’m a leftist. I’m not a rightist. I hate the transnational corporations far more than any black person.

So, a leading white-racist thinker hates transnational firms more than an African American Senator or President, but must portray him as a “black racist” in order to come to his view. This seems pretty schizophrenic thinking if typical of much white supremacist thinking. Then the Esquire story quotes the head of the Imperial Klans and a few other white supremacist leaders who offer mixed reviews of the campaign. A couple seem glad that Obama is about to be elected, as in their view that will fuel the white supremacist movement and move whites into their organizations.

I was interviewed by a Canadian reporter this morning, who had talked with David Duke, former Klan leader and Louisiana state representative, and Duke told him he thought half of all whites would be upset that Obama is elected and thus move toward the white supremacist camp.

Then there is Jared Taylor of American Renaissance, evaluated by SPLC.ORG and its recent SPLC report as a white supremacist thinker, who argues thus about “Why Obama Will Win,” in which he assesses many white voters:

First, some support his policies. They want to end the war in Iraq, and they want the standard liberal program of socialized medicine, higher taxes, more handouts, and more government. . . . Second, as many people have pointed out, an enormous number of whites think it is deeply virtuous to vote for a black—not for an out-and-out race man such as Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton, but for an unthreatening, well-scrubbed black who speaks standard English and promises to “bring us together.” Even if they live sharply segregated lives, whites thrill to the language of “coming together,” and they adore blacks who don’t act or sound black. … Obama will be an act of high patriotism. Electing him will prove America is not “racist,” and many whites believe that rising above “racism” is America’s sacred calling.

SPLC describes Taylor as seeing Senator Obama as a “post-racial president.” This does sound like what one hears from more centrist commentators in the media as well.

A very unusual confluence of opinion across white America? And the media are doing stories about the “end of racism” and on “no racial effects” in this campaign? Really?

What do you think?