Some Obama Campaigners Experience Racism, Washington Post Says

May 13 (Bloomberg) -- Some of Barack Obama's field workers, phone-bank volunteers and campaign surrogates have encountered racism and hostility to the Democratic presidential candidate because he's black, the Washington Post reported.

People have called Obama's campaign staff, including white volunteers, racially derogatory names, the Post said. Some staff members have endured rants and stereotyping from people who can't imagine having a black president, the Post said.

One Pittsburgh union organizer told documentary filmmaker Rory Kennedy, the daughter of the late Robert Kennedy, that he wouldn't vote for Illinois Senator Obama because, ``white people look out for white people, and black people look out for black people,'' according to the newspaper.

Obama campaign officials told the Post that such incidents are isolated and most volunteers and staff members have had positive experiences campaigning.

To contact the reporter on this story: Nadine Elsibai in Washington at nelsibai@bloomberg.net