Obama Win Ends an Era

Obama won the election while carrying 43% of the white vote. Still, that’s 2% better than white man Kerry did in 2004. Democrats were wise to nominate one of their own—they are the party of minorities and women. Both Gore and Kerry turned out to be hard sells to their base, unexciting oddities who, in the end, failed to appeal to white men anyway. Why should Democrats nominate a white man? In the year that was supposed to be Hillary's, Democrats rejected white males, instead enjoying an exciting battle between the first woman and first black nominee.

I wrote earlier about the importance of holding the tribe by being loyal to it. Democrats have paid a heavy price for supporting the Negro struggle for civil rights since the 1960s—white tribe appeals helped carry Republicans Nixon, Reagan, and George H.W. Bush to five presidential wins, and built support for Republicans in congress as well. Over time, civil rights dulled as an issue, and Democrats gained from gathering women (who continue to perceive themselves as some kind of minority) under its wing.

The party of women and minorities now represents an American majority. 2008 is the first time a Democratic presidential candidate won more than 51% of the popular vote since that party passed the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Obama, a minority liberal, is the Democratic tribal collection’s triumphant leader. Finally, the “majority of minorities” strategy worked.

Obama’s historical turning point should bookend the civil rights era, marked most importantly by women’s advance to leadership over our nation. We are in a time where men are hurting—they don’t do well in school, and they don’t do well in life (male unemployment--at the same level as female unemployment in December 2007--is up to 7.2% now, while female unemployment is at only 5.9%).

But the answer’s not Democratic-type affirmative action for men. The answer’s going to be better education, better job creation through small business success, and greater recognition that men have to be present in families for boys to do better. These can and should be Republican issues, as Barack Obama’s inauguration closes a door on race-dominated American politics.