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Message to Charlie Cook - It's mostly about race
Charlie Cook has his latest article up noting that Obama's support starts to slack off beginning with those age 50 and over, i.e., the baby boomers. And he, like many pundits, ponder over this and what it means. Well talk and listen closely to any signficant group of baby boomers, especially those in their mid-50s and older, and it starts becoming clear. They simply are having a hard time wrapping their heads around the concept of a black president. It may come out in terms of being uncomfortable with the now entirely discredited Muslim rumors, or the basic thought that the Dems are throwing this away by putting an African American on the ticket, but if you'll listen closely you'll often hear it. Many of these folks are, after all, still stuck in the mindset where they can't talk about a minority person without mentioning their race. (you know what I mean, when talking about someone who is a minority to a third person who doesn't know the individual they find it utterly impossible not to mention their race).
The good news is many are getting there. I just think their brain synapsis have been programmed for so long with the utter impossibility of such a feat that its taking longer for their brains to wrap around the concept. And for some it never will.
This isn't to say that race is the reason behind most of those who are supporting McCain. It's not. But it is to say that race sure as hell covers an awful lot of the ground in explaining the "surprising" decline in support when looked at as a matter of age.
Comments (7)
I'd say it has more to do with morons who mock not just McCain's age but everybody over the age of 50.
How often have we seen people call him senile? Make jokes about depends? You think your grandparents appreciate being told not so subtly that they don't count? That they're stuck in the past and a bunch of incontinent racists?
Blowback from ageism is every bit as dangerous as blowback from sexism or outright racism. There are a whole lot of people over the age of 50 who vote. They are a proven demographic that turns out election after election.
While turn out in the primaries among younger people for Obama has been heartening they've never been reliable voters in the past. As we're seeing lately around here over FISA a lot of them can apparently be pretty fickle.
So if you want to see Obama lose keep getting it wrong. Keep blaming racism and trying to divide us by age. That works very well for McCain.
June 24, 2008 11:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
You're right because the World War II and Boomer generations are so known for their universally tolerant natures.
If any sort of lingering prejudice (or even less prevalent racism) still exists for individuals vice institutions, it is more likely to be found in those voters over age 50 or so.
I know plenty of Boomers who would agree, starting with my own parents.
June 24, 2008 11:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
Jason way to stereotype! Who do you think voted for John Kennedy in 1960? LBJ in 1964? Who do you think was pushing RFK to the nomination in 1968? Who do you think nominated McGovern in 1972?
Larry show me links to those "polls". Why do you think most pollsters say McCain can't win without FL? It's a bellweather state for him because there are so many old people there.
Once again guys keep peddling ageism and you'll kill Obama's chances. Here's another little clue for you. Sagging TV news ratings and newspaper subscriptions are propped up by old folks. That's where the media makes their money and that's the audience they cater to. Wanna see them tell us how "inexperienced" Barack is and how "savvy" McSame is all summer long then just keep it up. Hell they're already doing it.
The babyboom generation is still the biggest this country has ever seen. We vote and those older than us vote in much greater proportion than younger generations. But you guys keep trying to piss them off. We need those votes so knock it off.
McCain isn't senile, he's stupid. Finished 4th from the bottom of his class at Annapolis. He's the pampered grandson and son of admirals who crashed so many planes before he shipped out for Vietnam any other pilot would have washed out of the Navy. He's so honorable he cheated on his wife
who was horribly injured in a car accident while he was a prisoner of the North Vietnamese and then dumped her for his beer heiress. The man is breaking FEC laws right now. His campaign is larded with lobbyists. There isn't an issue he hasn't blatantly flip flopped on to get the Republican nomination. That's what's wrong with McCain.
June 24, 2008 3:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hi markg8. I obviously generalized too much if you are reading my post for the proposition that all baby boomers are stuck in the past or inclined to be racist. It wasn't my intent. But you certainly know folks age, who are, don't you. I just fall outside the baby boomer demographic and I know a lot as compared to people I know who are younger. And I should have noted, as I think is true, that the reason younger folks are less racist is because of the strides made by so many baby boomers to reject the racism of their parents. Basically creating a country where being a racist was no longer the in thing.
My next door neighbor though is an example of the people of whom I speak. Liberal. Progressive. And like's Obama's policies, but just can't wrap his head around how the democrats gave their nomination to an African American, which he thinks makes it impossible for him to win, when we could have gone with a safe white candidate. His wife, who like me has long been in Obama's court, told him in my presence once that he was thinking like an old man again and to get with the times. But he seems incapable of it. Those synapsis in his brain just won't click. He'll vote for Obama over McCain, but will go into the voting booth, regardless of what the polls show, thinking the dems have blown it because "a black can't win in this country."
June 24, 2008 6:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
The polls show that the number of people who think that McCains age is a reason to not vote for him goes up with age. Try again.
June 24, 2008 12:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's because most of us over 45 can almost point to the time when we came to the realization that we were getting a little slower on absorbing newer info. Really. After Hillary wins in 2012 I'ld be in favor of a constitutional amendment limiting the presidency to those under the age of 65. Because it's definitely slowing down for everyone by then, regardless of health.
June 24, 2008 6:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
I meant after Hillary wins in 2016. See, I prove my point.
June 24, 2008 6:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
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