Obama′s Race – The 2008 Election and the Dream of a Post–Racial America (Chicago Studies in American Politics (CHUP)) - Hardcover

Tesler, Michael; Sears, David O

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0226793826 ISBN 13: 9780226793825

Publisher: University of Chicago Press, 2010

Synopsis

Barack Obama's presidential victory naturally led people to believe that the United States might finally be moving into a post-racial era. Obama's Race-and its eye-opening account of the role played by race in the election-paints a dramatically different picture.

The authors argue that the 2008 election was more polarized by racial attitudes than any other presidential election on record-and perhaps more significantly, that there were two sides to this racialization: resentful opposition to and racially liberal support for Obama. As Obama's campaign was given a boost in the primaries from racial liberals that extended well beyond that usually offered to ideologically similar white candidates, Hillary Clinton lost much of her longstanding support and instead became the preferred candidate of Democratic racial conservatives. Time and again, voters' racial predispositions trumped their ideological preferences as John McCain-seldom described as conservative in matters of race-became the darling of racial conservatives from both parties. Hard-hitting and sure to be controversial, Obama's Race will be both praised and criticized-but certainly not ignored.

About this title

About the Author

Michael Tesler is a graduate student in political science at the University of California, Los Angeles. David O. Sears is distinguished professor of psychology and political science at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the author of numerous books.

Edition details

• Publisher: University of Chicago Press
• Publication date: 2010
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0226793826
• ISBN 13: 9780226793825
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 224