Well, it does, of course (she should have said "If Obama were a white  
man") but the subjunctive has been disappearing from English for  
centuries now.  I think it has become   pretty rare in speech. (I  
take it that this was an interview quotation?)

Kathleen Ward
UC Davis


On Mar 12, 2008, at 9:30 AM, DD Farms wrote:

> DD: Am I a bit confused? Consider the quote from Geraldine Ferraro,  
> [NYT 12 Mar 08, Maureen Dowd.] "If Obama was a white man, he would  
> not be in this position. And if he was a woman (of any color), he  
> would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be  
> who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept."  I thought  
> High Standard English required the use of the subjunctive in  
> stating a condition contrary to fact.
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