Race vs. Gender

However hard the two campaign divisions try to relegate the race gender issue out of the minds of the American electorate, it still remains a major decisive factor. Issues like the economy, the war in Iraq, and immigration are the pivotal debate topics, but whatever side the two parties take on these issues could still be overrun by the race and gender issue.

The two major campaign groups on the democratic umbrella have really done a good job in making this look like a non-issue. This is because overemphasizing could have a 'backfiring effect'. The candidate will want to be seen just as any other candidate of the past who wants to run for the exalted post of president of the United States. Relegating their obvious uniqueness will help them to grade who and what they are seen as by the American people.

But whatever the case may be the United States is on the verge of making her own history, the history of having a female or black president. In the case of Hillary Clinton, it has taken the US a longer time compared to some other developed and developing countries to have a female in such an highly exalted position. Angela Merkel, Benazir Bhutto, Helen Johnson-Sirleaf are recent examples. It was just of recent that the US had her first female speaker, Nancy Poloski.

The American experience has been that of race and space. The present state of the nation has been strongly shaped by the history of race. The founders had 'innocently' exploited the land, driven out the indigenous inhabitants, 'employed' millions of slaves for labour. The effects are there to see till this day.

This begs the question: Are Americans ready for any of these two 'extremes'?
Are they beyond judging matters such as this based on race or gender?
And how will anyone of these two 'extremes' fair with the increasingly popular republicancandidate John McCain?


Only time will tell, as we on the other side of the Atlantic watch as events unfolds.

www.saij.wordpress.com/2008/02/01/election-2008-the-race-card-vs-the-gender-card-whats-a-white-male-to-do/