As one who grew up during the civil rights movement, I am happy that a man with darker skin than my own has become president of the United States. For black people, Barack Obama is – and ought to be – a source of pride.   

But this race was not about race. If it were, the liberal media and liberal politicians would have celebrated conservative blacks who have risen to high office and accomplishment before. Instead, they ridiculed and denigrated black people like Clarence Thomas and Michael Steele and Ken Blackwell, because they are Republicans and conservatives. So if it were about the accomplishments and breakthroughs of black people, wouldn’t you think the accomplishments and breakthroughs of these men would have been praiseworthy?

A liberal is a liberal whether he or she is black, white, Hispanic, Asian, female or male. It isn’t the race or gender that matter. It’s ideology. Liberals used race in this election to help them win. But you can be sure if Obama had been a conservative and the Republican nominee he would have been trashed by the same people who now praise him.

Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C.