The 2008 Presidential Election: It Not Just About the Race
By LMReviews on Sep 4, 2008 in Multicultural Events, Multicultural History
Courtesy of JMKnapp
The 2008 political season has been like few others in history. Never has a political race encompassed all the cultural conflicts of race, gender and age all at the same time. The Democratic Party, with the first black man to be nominated to run for president and the first female presidential candidate to be a real contender for the presidential nomination has set the tone of change for this election. Even the Green Party took notice by being the first party to nominate an African American woman, a former Democratic congress official, and her young, intelligent hip hop scholar running mate. The GOP is not willing to be labeled resistant to change by letting the other parties claim all the historic political firsts of this year’s U.S Presidential Election. As a result, Republican Presidential nominee John McCain has selected the Republican Party’s first female presidential running mate, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.
No stranger to being first, Palin made political history in Alaska as the first woman to claim the governor’s chair when she reported to work as the 11th governor of Alaska in December of 2006. Prior to being elected governor, Palin served two terms on the Wasilla City Council and two terms as the mayor of Wasilla.
Governor Palin, the youngest member of the two teams vying for the White House, has shot up the ladder to be positioned as a potential second-in-command at the Oval Office. Despite her short political resume, McCain and his GOP constituents hope that she will represent the tide of change Americans are looking for without a changing of the guard.
The vice presidential selection is very strategic in the fact that if something happens to the president the next in line must be prepared to take over. Choosing Palin, regardless of being twenty-eight years younger than her running mate and lacking long-term national political experience, John McCain is making a clear statement that despite his age, he plans to last the entire presidential run if elected.
This selection has several ramifications. First it negates the GOP argument that Obama is too green to be president. While Palin isn’t running for the top job that could be the result if the Republican ticket is selected and McCain fails to outlast his term. Regardless of age or health, it is foolish not to prepare for that scenario when selecting the presidential running mate. Second, if that scenario were to play out, it would be an interesting turn of events considering Hillary Clinton’s feminine campaign platform. Next, Palin represents the GOP’s attempt to capture the female voters who are still unhappy about Hillary’s loss and not willing to throw support behind Obama. Lastly, McCain’s selection shows his true maverick style and desire to prove that he too can be a change agent instead of a symbol of the same old political message.
The purpose of this article, while not the usual multicultural analysis shared here, does reveal the intricacies of multiculturalism. Many would view the differences between men and women to be as culturally dissimilar as the differences between races and religions. As a result, it is necessary to explore all the political events that impact every aspect of multicultural society, not just those that impact race.
*Many would view the differences between men and women to be as culturally dissimilar as the differences between races and religions. As a result, it is necessary to explore all the political events that impact every aspect of multicultural society, not just those that impact race.*
I think that’s true, and always has been for women in a male dominated society. The gender of a vice-president or president, has as great an impact on our society and the world at large as the race of the candidate. And for anyone who thinks otherwise needs to revisit the purpose behind the suffrage movement. There are still many countries where women have no voice. Think about the cultural impact to have a woman be a leader of one of the most powerful countries in the world.