Here are more of your unedited responses:

It is a shame that comments like these warrant the public's attention. Ferraro's ridiculous comments scream of a mindset that says Obama will never be considered worthy or worth paying attention to because she and others like her CHOOSE not to see past his skin color.

Despite Obama's minority status he has managed to achieve accomplishments that are quite impressive and would still be very impressive whether he was Black, White, Indian or Asian. Affirmative Action had very little to do with the grades he achieved once at Columbia and Harvard. It had nothing to do with his selection as the head of the Harvard Law Review. Affirmative action did not force him to work toward the creation of housing initiatives for low income people in Chicago, nor did it require him to run for the state and the U.S. Senate. His skin color had nothing to do with these achievements either. Ferraro is typical. She represents a portion of the population who vigorously denies the need to consider race but are the first people to discredit a minority who dares to think and to dream beyond his skin color.

--Candace Bazile

I strongly disagree! Just because a black man is running for President that does not give Ms. Ferraro or anyone the right to think all blacks are narrow minded and will vote for  Sen. Obama because of the color of his skin. All Blacks do not think alike. We are individuals just like to rest of Americans.

--Stephanie Eberhardt

When big politics, social psychology, and the political machines interact, the outcomes and posturing are predictable. Racial motivation? That is questionable. Nevertheless, those in high position should choose their words carefully.

--Hiram Workman

Her comments are very indicative of the subconscious racism inherent in our society, and yes in the Democratic party. What is insulting is the assumption that all the young people and other white people who voted for Obama are somehow trying to "make-up" for past injustices to minorities and therefore are voting him in.

It once again trivializes hard work, vision, intellect, ability and other qualifications of African Americans.  We are damned if we do and damned if we don't. All of the above is minimized and marginalized because it is assumed 1. Only black are voting for him and 2. Those others who are voting for him are just cultist. Mrs. Ferraro knew exactly what she was doing and the damage may have already been done. I wonder if Mrs. Ferraro or Mrs. Clinton have been arbitrarily pulled over "driving while white"  regardless how well dressed, or how educated? I have hope that America is bigger than all of this and that we will move forward.

--Diana Cline

My father once told me to not worry about focusing on being a Black man, but concentrate on being a good man. Many are focusing on the wrong subjects. I am watching how these candidate and their staff handle the pressure. I continue to say who can do more for the people? The answer is a GOOD Man.

--Shannon Buchanan

Outrageous~! Talk about denial. Ms. Ferraro absolutely doesn't get it. Why should she, she's enjoyed the privilege of biological fallacy/social construct mainstream knows as race all her life.

--Kris Gonzales

A racist always gets caught!

--Gilda Zane

I was stunned and astounded by Ferraro's comments. I immediately sent her an email assuring her I would never have anything to do with any organization that was related to her if at all possible ever again. I am white, and half Italian. I told her I was embarrassed as a liberal, democratically oriented Italian American to have her in the same crowd. What really scares and offends me is the fact that someone like her, supposedly a liberal, intelligent, non-racist, could harbor such views. It shows how racist Americans are, even if they say and think they are not. It is a very thin, a dangerously thin, veneer that protects our society from the worst instincts of even its more respectable citizens.

--Jeffrey Christian

Ferraro's comments indicate that she is definitely a member of the "old Guard" and hasn't adjusted her thinking to 21st century politics. Her attitude is indicative of the ingrained racism still alive in the USA. I'm relieved that the Clinton campaign FINALLY made her resign. Ferraro is a pitiful OLD woman. Is her husband still in jail?

--Rose Johnson

Ferraro's life and experiences undoubtedly allow her to understand bias and prejudice. Her comment is no more racist than Michelle Obama's comment is unpatriotic.

Let's face it, if George W's name were not Bush, and Hilary's name were not Clinton they too would not be in the positions they are today. This presidential campaign is in part about race and sex...and it's about time!

--Donna O'Crowly

If Obama was white he would already be in the White House, there would be no contest...

--Lawrence Pollard

As usual, one of those dumb things one keeps hearing from dumb heads, who are incapable of acknowledging that there are Blacks who have arrived at the pinnacles of whatever they have achieved on their own, because of their capacity to be smart, bright, and above all, high achievers, compared to those around them (Black or White). Take Obama for example, his excellent educational background, then as a Senator, is something Ms. Ferraro would have admired without hesitation if Obama had been all White.

Has Ms. Ferraro forgotten so soon that when she was nominated to run as Vice-President by the Democrats, the popular logic then was that because she was a Woman? For her to be saying something similarly silly, and indeed tasteless about Obama, only shows how selective some people's memory or views can be. The way I see it, if Obama had been White, Ms. Clinton's camp, to which Ms. Ferraro has been advisor, would have thrown in the towel long time ago and given its support to the Senator from Illinois -- in the name of so-called party unity. But what are they doing now?  They are tearing the party apart.  The way I see it, the only reason they are fighting Obama tooth and nail may be attributed to their determination not to give in to anyone Black.

Another thing, one does not qualify to be President because one's husband was. For feminists, it should be their year of shame. It should also indeed be the most insulting and stupid thing to imply about women. If being a former President's wife should qualify one to be President, are these people admitting that Ms. Clinton cannot achieve anything on her own without climbing on the solid back of her husband?  My goodness, are we in 2008 or 1920s?  This is 2008, and to hear these kinds of rubbish proves that some people simply have not learned anything about the massive personal sacrifices made by Blacks, Women, and true White Liberals to defeat popular folklore in the 1960s. Is that all it can come down to?  Have all those struggles been in vain? Where is Bella Abzug when we need you?

The same people, who might have voted for R. Reagan, George Bush Sr., and Jr., are now telling us Obama is not qualified to be President. Get real, people!  In my books, no one ever qualified to be President before entering the job. Some were actors; others were job hoppers not knowing exactly what they wanted out of life in their adult years. None of the former Presidents were President before becoming President of the U.S. So, why are some people so ticked off that Obama "does not have the experience to be President"? The only answer I can provide is because he is Black. The same old problem, which is the bar always gets raised if you are Black than if you are White. As Black, you have to be double-qualified over a White candidate -- this has been our experience. Are you listening Ms. Ferraro? To think that she even belongs in the Democratic Party -- America's liberal party -- really makes me sick as a free thinker.

Above all, to attribute Black achievement to affirmative action shows how deep in denial some people are and will continue to be. These people are beyond salvation. It means White males and sometimes females have never gained unequal advantage because of support from their boys clubs, their family backgrounds, and above all their economic and social power?  If that was not affirmative action what do they call that?

This very unhealthy obsession with Black "non-achievement" can only be attributed to the elephant in the house that nobody wants to talk about -- racism. It is that simple. The Obama candidacy has once again brought to the front all that is ugly in Black/White relations. It has confirmed what some of us have always known, nothing good that is Black will be good enough for most Whites. Most White America still does not get it that there are some really excellent Blacks out there in all domains. As long as that perception exists, that unholy baggage of slavery will continue to haunt civil discourse. If you are Black you will be accepted as long as you take the number two seat -- should anyone be surprised that even the Clinton campaign is suggesting Obama as VP if he quits -- my goodness these people have not learned anything.

Finally, at least, let's congratulate Ms. Clinton for having the good sense and good taste to get rid of Ms. Ferraro from her team. She has done the right thing for her campaign. We all should be tired of dumb statements, and the faster we showed them up to be dumb, the better for civility in the state.

--John Coffey

I really think Obama is over using the race card, and he need to stop it. Geraldine did not seem racist to me, but it is showing me that people are really voting for a movie star, because he is very good at play acting. I am sorry but that is all I see coming from Obama and his campaign, anytime Hillary score points, here come some more ticks up his sleeve, can't the American people, the media, and everyone that is praising him, I don't want a weakling to run this country, and I am perceiving that is what he is. He don't want nobody to bring him down, so why is he trying to bring someone else down. We know everything about Hillary, why would you put someone being a president that you know nothing about, and once they become president surprise'. I think it was disgusting for what he did to Ferraro, and in case you are wondering my skin color, I am a Black American. I apologize to you Geraldine for the true Black Americans.

--Monique Doyle

Open your mouth, remove all doubt. Mrs. Ferraro claims she is not racist, however, her comments would suggest otherwise; in any case, she is definitely off-base, uninformed, inappropriate and insensitive to say the least. This is the age old struggle for African Americans and other persons of color....we're not allowed to just have what it takes for the job at the right time without hearing that it's because of our race or color. Obama is where he is because of his background, education, commitment, experience, and hard work. He just happens to be African American. What we have is preparation meeting opportunity, which equals success. He seems to have surrounded himself with knowledgeable people who have mastered "the system" for getting his message out to the people and winning!  What people don't understand, they attack. Obama is the right person at the right time. He has shown true leadership in every aspect of the campaign. He will be a fine President of which we can ALL be proud! (By the way, one of the messages mentioned former president Bill Clinton stated that African Americans are 50 percent of the US population?  Where did he get those stats?  African Americans are just shy of 13 percent of the US population. So SOMEBODY other than African Americans is voting for Obama in these primaries and caucuses.)

--Nan Roberts

It is unfortunate that we continue to be distracted by these senseless statements in an otherwise historic presidential race. This political banter need to be reined in. It is unfortunate that Ferraro's statement is creating such a firestorm. I hope that it was taken out of context. A person of color who perceives a comment to be racist is often referred to as being "sensitive".

--Patricia Zamor

Racism is alive! No mattter how you cloak it. If you're sucessful it is not because of who you are if you're black. There must be another reason.

--Bill Rainey

Your reader who writes about how blacks still suffer indignities such as not being able to hail a cab totally misunderstands Ferraro's point. It's not that racism against blacks is over, it's just that voters, especially young (who don't have a grasp of the Women's Rights movement and the Clinton years) and educated whites (who want to prove they're not racist and that they're part of a brave new world) are responding to Barack Obama because he's of mixed race and perceived as not part of the establishment.

Ferraro had the guts to voice something that many of us have been thinking. How did this man with limited legislative experience get as far as he did against someone who has fought for and passed bipartisan legislation, gotten healthcare for millions of children and reserve and national guard, and many more accomplishments?

People admittedly respond to him for his charisma, speeches, voice, looks (I know many women who voted for him because he's "hot" and one said, "I can't help it, I'm in LOVE"). All of this has to do with him being black, articulate, and youthful. That's not making a rational decision. But that's how Americans vote. Just lets not pretend it's about the issues.

--Jasmine Chin

It is very simple. regardless of whether Ferraro is a racist or not, her comments were stupid and racist.

--Will Heyward

The worst implication of Geraldine Ferraro's comments is that Sen. Barack Obama's standing with the nation in this campaign has to do with his race and not with his talents.  The fact that an African-American is a front-runner in the nomination process testifies to his extraordinary abilities.  The "elections" of G W Bush to the presidency have shown that for the people of this country to have our voice truly heard we have to achieve an overwhelming super-majority in the vote.   Ms Ferraro's comment is a reminder of how uncommonly good a candidate a black man has to be to drive his opposition to such desperate expression.  She has knee-jerked her way into this controversy because her candidate's campaign is looking for excuses, consciously or subconsciously, to explain why someone supposedly better qualified to lead the country has not secured her nomination. 

--Sasha Malinsky