I think Bennet Kelley has done an excellent job here (you may know him best as a regular Huffington Post columnist). There have been several articles recently in mainstream media arguing that Obama is a Joneser (and not a Boomer or Xer), like in Newsweek and The Washington Post, but I think Kelley has written the most compelling piece so far on this topic.

The name Generation Jones has several connotations; among them:
1) large anonymous generation
2) this generation of the largest unfulfilled expectastions in US history was left jonesin'
3) 'keepin' up with joneses' fits for this competitive generation

Posted at March 26, 2008 4:48 PM in response to Obama is part of Generation Jones, not of GenX nor Boomer

You've written an interesting analysis of the Millenials here, but in really understanding Obama's candidacy and its effect on the electorate, it is relevant to note that there is a growing consensus in the media and among experts that Obama is part of Generation Jones (the heretofore lost generation between the Boomers and Xers, born 1954-1965).

I recently heard a panel of generation experts on a radio program who concluded that Obama is of Generation Jones. They did a good job of methodically going through his bio and political positions and style, and it was pretty obvious when juxtaposing these variables against the archetypes of each of these generations, that Barack is GenJones.

Major media recently has discovered this as well. The New York Times, Wall Strret Journal, and Newsweek Magazine have all recently run pieces which have argued that Obama is specifically a member of Generation Jones, not the Baby Boom Generation nor Generation X.

Posted at March 3, 2008 1:27 PM in response to Millennials Rising

This photo smear tactic by Hillary is typical old school Boomer-fueled style of politics. As the New York Times and Newsweek have argued in the last couple weeks, Obama isn't a Boomer or an Xer, but is instead a part of the long-lost generation in-between: Generation Jones. GenJones politics is different than the Boomer version, and the country is fast getting burnt out on the Boomer version.

Posted at February 25, 2008 4:07 PM in response to Hillary Spokesperson Wolfson Strongly Denies Campaign Officially Pushed Obama Turban Pic

What on earth gives you the impression that I was joking? These issues of generational identity are absolutely an important subtext to this election. Obama used the word generation 13 times in his relatively brief announcemt speech last year, and since then he has talked a great deal about generations in his campaign (as well as in his book "The Audicity of Hope"). This likely race between the first Silent Generation candidate (McCain) and the first Generation Jones candidate (Obama) will have lots of discussion about these generational issues.

Posted at February 20, 2008 5:29 PM in response to The Clinton Attack Plan

Getting away from vicious comments (at least for the moment), I'm heartened to see that big media players are finally taking a serious look at the question oif which generation Obama is a part of. The New York Times ran a piece a couple days ago (on Sunday) in which they pose the question of whether Obama is part of the Boomer Generation, Generation X, or the generation in-between Boomer and Xers--Generation Jones. Last week (in the Feb. 11 issue), Newsweek ran a piece in which the author (Jonathan Alter) made a strong case that Obama is not a Boomer, nor an Xer, but is rather a part of Generation Jones. I feel like this is a relevant and important question, and that the media will increasingly be exploring it, particularly given the huge age/generation difference between McCain and Obama.

Posted at February 20, 2008 4:47 PM in response to The Clinton Attack Plan

These demographics on Dem side are fascinating. I do think that with all the focus on race and gender, that age (particulalry generation) still isn't getting the attention it should. Note that this Gallup poll shows Obama gaining among middle-aged voters--that's the group wgich will ultimately decide this nomination.

So much focus on the older generations going Clinton, the younger generations going Obama, but the middle generations are largely ignored, even though these are the voters likley to decide it, since these are the generations most closely divided between the two candidates.

Baby Boomers (born 1942-1953) and Generation Jones (born 1954-1965) are the two generations that will decide it. If you look at the exit polls, you find that these groups, particularly Jonesers, are the ones which keep vacillating between the candidates from poll to poll. And GenJones is about a thrid of the electorate, so keep an eye on which way they are leaning.

Posted at February 19, 2008 1:13 PM in response to Poll: Hillary's Support Dropping Among Hispanics