When voters go to the polls next year to elect the 44th president of the United States, it’s unrealistic to think a candidate’s race, gender or religion won’t matter to some people. For the first time in history, a woman, an African-American and a Mormon all have a legitimate shot at the White House.
Why then, did some readers take issue with the premise of AJC reporter Sonji Jacobs’ front-page story last Thursday about the dilemma facing black women, who have the opportunity to cast a vote for an African-American candidate or a woman if they so choose?
Perhaps it was the story’s placement on Page One; or the headline, which mirrored the topic of a panel discussion held recently by the Young Democrats Club at Atlanta’s Spelman College, “Should I vote for Obama because of my race? Or vote for Clinton because of my gender?”
Wrote one reader: “That article was one of the saddest things I have ever read. I understand that it was written about a group of ‘Young Democrats of Spelman College,’ but to read that, with all the problems facing our country in the next election, race and gender are defining issues as to how one would cast their vote is really depressing to me. I can’t believe that the AJC would deem such an article worthy of the front page. I can now understand why your newspaper is losing readers.”
Jacobs heard from a number of people who objected to the story, which used the debate at Spelman to describe one of the most talked about aspects of the 2008 presidential race thus far — will African-Americans voting in the Democratic primary feel more of an allegiance to Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton or neither. This question takes on special significance in Georgia, where Obama leads all presidential hopefuls in fund-raising. He and Clinton view Georgia and other Southern states as a battleground for African-American and female voters. That fact is evident in each candidate’s intense lobbying for the endorsement of leading politicians and religious leaders.
The AJC is certainly not the first news organization to report on the impact of race and gender in the campaign. The New York Times, and more recently CBS News, have covered the topic. As Jacobs noted in her story, the discussion of Obama vs. Clinton isn’t solely a discussion about race and gender. The women interviewed mentioned the importance of the candidates’ intelligence and their ability to work across party lines, as well as their positions on the issues. They also talked about the Bill Clinton factor, given the former president’s popularity with black Americans.
Jacobs pitched the story because of the growing debate about which candidate might best address the concerns of black Americans. Her story highlighted the work that black women in Georgia are doing on behalf of Clinton and Obama. How Georgians are mobilizing to get involved in presidential campaigns is an important aspect of the AJC’s election coverage. A story on how race and gender is playing out among voters in Georgia is important, given the historic nature of next year’s election and the fact that so many people are debating whether to vote for front-runners Clinton or Obama.
Equally important is this week’s front-page coverage of Mitt Romney, who addressed a group Thursday in Texas about the importance of religious freedom while making it clear to voters that, if elected, he will be president first and a Mormon second.
Christian conservatives have openly expressed worries about how Romney’s religious beliefs might play with voters. Republican opponent Mike Huckabee, a former Baptist minister, isn’t facing the same questions about his faith.
While the media shouldn’t obsess about the role of faith, race and gender in the election, there’s no dodging the possible impact that such a diverse group of candidates could have on the political landscape.
With the Iowa caucus in early January and Georgia’s primary a month later, look for an increase in the steady stream of coverage that has been appearing in the main news section daily for months now. In addition to profiles detailing the backgrounds of candidates, you’ll see more on where candidates stand on the issues and a continued emphasis on the role Georgians are playing in the national election.
A complete guide to the elections can be found at: ajc.com/electionguide.
