By Timothy C. Davis
Staff Writer
We the people, it has been established, will vote for a black man, at least in the primaries. The stunning rise (or, perhaps, resurrection) of Sen. Barack Obama's campaign has made that clear.
We'll also vote for a woman, at least in Horry County. In fact, we're the only county in South Carolina that Sen. Hillary Clinton carried during the Democratic presidential primary on January 26.
And as the Shermanesque march of Sen. John McCain toward the Republican nomination for president has shown, old white dudes are still getting their due, too.
And yet, it's the so-called "black vote" that has everyone's undergarments in a bunch. Obama overwhelmingly took South Carolina thanks to the black vote. Clinton did well among white voters, but lost out due to the overwhelming, mysterious, suddenly-mobilized black vote.
As if, you know, black votes don't count the same as white ones.
What's the reason for this surge in the vote? These aren't easy questions, to be sure - but one thing is sure: in South Carolina and elsewhere, black voters - especially young, black voters - are making their voices heard, and their votes felt. Perhaps it is because voters are finally seeing candidates who look more like them. Moreover, however, perhaps it's because they're hearing candidates, both Democrat and Republican and third party, who actually seem interested in what these young people have to say.
"Hillary has excited women, young and old - and gotten them more involved in the political process this year," says April D. Garner, 37, an African-American media planner and buyer at Brandon Advertising and Public Relations in Myrtle Beach. "A woman and an African-American running for president has happened before, but we have never seen either taken as seriously (as they are now), and neither has been this close to becoming our commander in chief," says Garner. "They have both done a phenomenal job. I do, however, think that Obama has become the catalyst for positive persuasion. He is the model, at this point, for young people of color, and has proven that the political climate in America can be changed in a way that doesn't depend on the color of skin - which has been more of a struggle than women's rights, in my opinion - but indeed content of character, just as Martin Luther King Jr. dreamed of. I think that he is an awesome candidate and the fiercest political frontrunner of our time. He has shown that any natural born citizen of the United States can be our nation's top leader - that any person who truly believes in himself and his or her own God-given ability can facilitate change in the minds and spirits of American people to move past the haunts of racial prejudices and injustices to make a better, stronger world for future generations - no matter their color, sex or age."
So yes: it would appear that the upcoming November elections will be about race. But then again, elections always have been about race: up to now, 43 presidents in a row have been white males.
Let's not throw our arms out of socket in the rush to pat our own backs, however: Our country's been diverse since it was founded - the only thing that's changed is that, some 232 years later, we're finally okay with allowing someone different the chance to lead it.
Put another way, it is about race - but it's also about gender, and identity, and a slew of other things.
But it's probably still mostly about the stupid economy.
THE COLOR OF MONEY
Back in 1992, James Carville, a campaign strategist for President Bill Clinton, coined a catchphrase - "it's the economy, stupid" - to remind his candidate, then stumping his way around the United States, to hammer home the fact that, while incumbent George H.W. Bush was enjoying stellar approval ratings, that a recession was imminent, and that the economy effects everyone, if in varying ways and degrees.
With another recession seemingly imminent, the economy weighed heavily on voters' minds during the South Carolina Republican presidential primary on January 9 and the South Carolina Democratic presidential primary on January 26, just as it had in other states. More than half of those queried in exit polls called the economy, or the lagging thereof, the single most important issue in their vote, ranking it number one by a wide margin.
In a Jan. 26 article, ABC News polling czar Gary Langer analyzed poll data coming out of that evening's S.C. Democratic primary. (Langer suggested that night that Obama might face "an uphill battle" in primaries where black voters didn't turn out en masse, but despite that now-obvious faux pas, his number-crunching is still of interest.)
According to Langer, blacks accounted for 55 percent of S.C. voters that night, the highest turnout among African-Americans in any Democratic presidential primary so far this year. The vast majority of voters, some 78 percent, supported Obama, compared to 19 percent for Hillary Clinton and two percent for former senator John Edwards. (Of Horry County's 127,392 registered voters, there are 14,006 registered as "black/African-American.")
White voters were divided between Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John Edwards, although Obama failed to attract more than a quarter of the white vote. Edwards polled slightly ahead of Clinton among whites, with Clinton winning white women and Edwards white men. (As Langer notes, it was actually a portion of the black vote who gave Clinton her second-place finish.)
Obama also won young, non-black voters in South Carolina, with 52 percent support from those younger than age 30, although they accounted for a negligible (about five percent) voting bloc (in fact, Obama won all men and all women alike in South Carolina.) As for Horry County results, Chris Whitmire, Public Information Officer at the South Carolina State Election Commission, says county breakdowns by race and sex won't be available until early March.
Three-quarters of South Carolina voters said that ultimately they'd be satisfied with Clinton as the party's nominee; 83 percent said they'd be satisfied with Obama. Whites were 10 points were more likely than blacks to say they'd be "very satisfied," 45-35 percent, with Clinton as the nominee. Nearly all blacks - 95 percent - said they'd be satisfied if Obama wins the nomination but the sentiment dropped to seven in 10 among white voters, according to the ABC News survey. That's still a remarkably high number when one considers how strongly folks build allegiances to a candidate, but the gap is interesting, as is this one: there was a 43-point racial gap among those who would be "very satisfied" to have Obama run in November - 81 percent of blacks versus 38 percent of whites.
African-American voter Janice F. Keith, 44, is a financial aid specialist at Horry-Georgetown Technical College. She suggests that perhaps the color most people are concerned with this election cycle is dollar-bill green, rather than skin color.
"People in America of all races, color or ethnic backgrounds are struggling. They can not afford to pay rent, buy food or go see a doctor. They have to choose to either pay the rent or go to the doctor. They have to make the choice to buy groceries or buy the medicine that their child needs. Americans have had to make these choices for way too long, and they're sick and tired of not having enough. They are sick and tired of living paycheck to paycheck. They are sick and tired of every year the cost of living keeps rising when their salaries stay the same,'' says Keith.
And whereas the economy may dominate the office water cooler talk, you can't underestimate how Obama has energized a younger generation of black Americans.
"I think that Obama has definitely persuaded young people of color - of either sex - to run for office more in the future," Keith says. "He has done just what his campaign slogan says. He has given us hope, and he has shown us that Americans are ready for a change, even though there is a small percentage who still have small minds and think that America is not ready for a black man to be president of the United States."
A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll conducted Jan. 14-17 seems to support Keith's notion. Seventy-two percent of whites and 61 percent of blacks say the country is ready for a black president, as opposed to 65 percent of whites and 54 percent of blacks polled in 2006.
On the gender side of the coin, 64 percent of men and 65 percent of women say the country is ready for a female president, as opposed to 35 percent of men and 34 percent of women in 2006.
FIGHTING AN UPHILL BATTLE
You hear all the time about the disenfranchisement felt by black voters.
Why, exactly, have some black voters felt disenfranchised? Let's review.
Beginning in 1789, African-Americans were defined in the Constitution as 3/5 of a person for representational purposes, and as such could not vote at all. That's right, not even counted as a whole person.
In 1865, following the Civil War, African-Americans were given the right to vote and the "3/5ths clause" was rescinded thanks to the 14th and 15th Amendments. (15th Amendment, article 1: "The right... to vote shall not be denied or abridged... on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.") Indeed, blacks were suddenly able to vote in such large numbers that they elected what to this day is still a record number of black representatives at the federal, state and local levels. (Mind you, at this point women, much less black women, couldn't vote at all, and wouldn't be able to until the passing of the 19th Amendment in 1920.)
A lot of folks didn't like this so much, and as such the polls weren't open for very long. Some folks used violence to keep blacks from polling stations. There were also so-called literacy tests folks had to take to be able to vote - however, there was a catch. If your grandfather had voted in the past, you were allowed an exemption; naturally, few black people's grandfathers had voted. As a result, they had to submit to what was an unusually difficult, arcane quiz so convoluted as to be almost unsolvable. There were also poll taxes, where folks had to pay money before they could vote. To top it off, simple registration was difficult, as registry offices were only open during business hours, and many folks didn't take kindly to what was in many cases their help begging off for such a reason.
As a result, few blacks in the South voted for almost 100 years. This was changed thanks to Federal legislation in 1963 and 1964 insuring the right of blacks to vote, and efforts by the Lyndon B. Johnson administration to enforce voting rights in the South. As a result, southern blacks overwhelmingly vote a Democratic ticket to this day.
And then there's the whole issue of Florida, circa 2000. In the 2000 elections, more than a million Americans cast ballots for president which weren't counted. Almost a million of those ballots were from African-Americans, even as black voters typically only make up about 12-14 percent of the nation's voting public.
In a study by the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, it was determined that, of the 179,855 ballots invalidated by Florida officials, 53 percent were cast by black voters. Some held "stray marks," others the infamous "hanging chads." What it comes down to is that, in Florida, a black citizen was almost 10 times more likely to have his or her vote rejected. Technicians had warned Florida officials (notably George W. Bush's brother Jeb Bush, the governor of Florida) about the discrepancies. Then again, seeing as more than 90 percent of black Floridians at that time tended to vote Democratic, where was the incentive to change what had become politics as usual?
And yet, as mentioned before, there is hope on the horizon. There are more young black voters - and young Hispanic voters, and young Asian voters - than ever before, and they're becoming more assimilated in our society by the day. Meaning, of course, that they're going to be harder to dismiss in the future. According to Kat Barr, Rock the Vote's Director of Education, that time is now.
"Young African-Americans have led the increases in young voter turnout over the past two elections," says Barr. "In 2004, 18-24 year old black voters surged in turnout by 10 points over 2000, and 18-29 year old black voters cast ballots at rates about level with young white voters...which was a change from previous years."
What's more, this is probably only the beginning of a trend. The organization Young Voter Strategies, in a document called "Polling Young Voters: An Analysis of Young Adults' Responses to Post-Election Opinion Polling," makes another important point. The so-called Millennial Generation (those 18 to 38 years of age) is the most diverse in U.S. history, and it's growing at a rapid pace. Some 61 percent of these adults identify as white, 18 percent Hispanic, 14 percent as African-American, and five percent as Asian. By comparison, 81 percent of those older than 65 identify as white. The November 7, 2006 General Election youth electorate reflected this, and was the most racially and ethnically diverse of all age ranges. Thirteen percent of young voters identified as black, compared to 10 percent of voters as whole.
If politics is changing, it's because the people it purports to represent are, too.
TUNING IN TO POLITICS
As people are drawn to politics for different reasons, people are drawn to the political process for different reasons, too.
"I've been naturally interested in the political process since grade school," Garner says. "I've been voting since my late teens/early 20s. When we entered Operation Desert Storm while I was in college at the University of South Carolina, my high school classmates were affected because they were enlisted and had to fight in that war. The role of government in world affairs and the expectations of how our country should be involved or becomes involved became more real to me...politics became real to me."
Another local young African-American voter, Tiffany Andrews, 34, a sales and marketing coordinator at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center says the concept of voting was made clear to her at an early age.
"My family always took me to the polls to watch them vote," she says. "I would go in the booth with each of them to view the process. From there it was a done deal. I was always respectful of the voting process and helped out on local and national elections. I was always respectful of my family and our values of executing our right to vote. It was never seen as something to do, but as an honor bestowed on my race. Especially since this was a right African-Americans had to fight for."
Keith says she's been voting since she was 18, thanks to the importance placed on voting by her parents.
"I think I first became interested in politics when I was a young girl," she says. "My parents instilled in us the importance of education and voting. They told us that voting was the way to get things changed. We as African-Americans had to get all the education we could, and we must also learn the laws and how they govern our daily lives. Whenever we thought something was not right or that we as a people were not being treated fairly or properly represented, change was the key. (We had to) vote."
Myrtle Beach's Nabil West, 30, an African-American hip-hop producer and promoter, says that seeing his parents' interest in the world of politics inspired him to take part when he became of age.
"I remember my family talking around the table when I was about 11," he says. "The passion, interest and opinions about candidates and issues made it almost as if someone was talking about their favorite sports team - except that the results had a much greater impact."
Garner says the issues that she cared about back in her college days are much the same as they are now: the war, the economy and health care.
"Wars are still senseless," Garner, an Obama supporter, says. "The economy was better during the Clinton era than it is now, but the healthcare crisis is still scandalous. Everyone should be entitled to health care, and it should be affordable and available regardless of job status or income level. I think that all of the candidates are mindful of these problems, but their agendas have not allowed them to do anything about them while on the campaign trail - nothing but talk and politic."
West says he doesn't recall specifically what initially moved him politically.
"I think it had to do with what was happening in Central and South America. (But) I don't know if these issues have changed much since then. Our current government still overextends itself and its citizens in areas that aren't a necessity for our well-being. As for listening, no one has listened. That is why people are at the polls in record numbers right now, I think."
Keith concurs.
"It is 2008," she says, "and though some things have changed, not nearly enough has changed. Locally, I don't feel that candidates have done anything to help the issues of concern to me. Nationally, they do only what is mandated by the federal government, which is not much. The voting momentum created by the current presidential election could and should influence local politicians to want to make a change to try and do more than just sit around waiting for the next guy. Get up and start something new. Try something different, because what has been done for the past 30 years is not benefiting everyone, only a select few. We need equal representation...we all pay the taxes, and there is (surely) no discrimination when it comes to that."
All of the folks we talked to for this article say that one of the most exciting things about the current political environment is the prospect of change, and of choice. With the need for change, whether felt in a vague, general collective fashion or more specifically, comes the prospect of new choices, of new people qualified to understand what that change is, what it needs to be, and confident that they know how to bring it about.
MAINTAINING MOMENTUM
After the current presidential election cycle culminates in November with the general election, can the prevailing mood of "election excitement," this resurgence of political interest the likes of which hasn't been seen in years - stoked in no small part by the two political debates held here in Myrtle Beach in January - be utilized in a positive way on a local and regional level?
"I think it can be," says Garner. "I have seen more voter and non-voter interests. (Teenagers) are definitely more aware of what is happening politically and what it means to their lives. How can we educate younger voters on the importance of local political races? Non-partisan studies, lessons, and presentations done in the schools as a part of social Studies curriculums. On a national level, I believe that some of the musical and celebrity influences that are out there could take a non-partisan stand to encourage young would-be voters to get out and vote and understand who and what they are voting for. You have to go where (young people) are and speak through the people that matter most to them in order to make an impact."
Andrews says the first order of business is making sure that young people first understand the importance of voting.
"We must teach them that by voting you make a difference," Andrews says. "We must teach them that by voting you have a voice in your local and national government. The goal is to elect the right people to fulfill the assigned tasks. Just like in sports, you don't ask the quarterback to do the job of the wide receiver. You wouldn't send in a treasurer to do the job of a vice president either. Obama and Clinton have moved many mountains for minority groups as many other leaders have done. I would hope that the youth of today will see the success of both candidates and applaud them and try and mimic their commitment to success."
Britton Pruett, 28, is Chairman of the Grand Strand Young Republicans and Regional Vice Chair of the South Carolina Young Republicans. She says that she thinks young people's political educations need to begin earlier, by bringing more elected officials into schools to address future voters on the importance of the process.
"Everyone has a right to their opinion, but during school hours you have the right to educate," says Pruett. "(We need to have) some mock elections in the schools, and start really explaining how the voting process works. We need to start student government earlier, and show these young people how they can impact their classrooms and peers at an early age...show these folks how they make a difference. Teach them that each of them are capable human beings, who have a right/duty to get out in their communities and better them everyday. Get them excited about it."
Pruett says the best way to ensure that whatever holdover momentum from the presidential election cycle trickles down to the local level is to try and capitalize on its successes.
"(You can) hold local debates," she says. "Let's see what these candidates are really about. Who has the most interest in our schools? The children in this area are ultimately how we define our own success. Who is giving them the best options? Who has their best interest in mind? Where do they stand on immigration? More importantly, the public needs to get out and meet these people. These people are your voice. The most disturbing thing I hear is people who say they just aren't interested in politics. Well, you may not be interested in politics, but how can you not be interested in the community you live in? I would tell young people - everybody - to lobby city and county council for their causes, and to attend council meetings to see what's being discussed locally. I think people forget that we elect the local leaders. The local leaders elect leaders too, so voting matters especially on the local level. If you can't change things in your own backyard, how do you expect to do it on a national level? This good old boy network myth exists because not enough people have gotten out there and disproved it."
Or, perhaps, changed it. The minority vote is no longer something that can be discounted in a popular election, unless a candidate wants to discount his or her own chances of actually winning.
In fact, attracting - and receiving - the minority vote is now a necessity for a serious political campaign. Obama collected an average of 80 percent of the African-American vote in the Super Tuesday states, according to exit polls, winning Georgia with 88 percent of the African-American vote and Alabama with 82 percent of the African-American vote on his way to winning 13 states. Clinton did well among Latinos, boosting her in the West, helping her win over 6 of 10 Latino voters nationwide, according to exit polls in the 22 Democratic primary and caucus states. In fact, they were key in helping her win New Jersey, Nevada and California, three of the eight Super Tuesday states she captured.
All the presidential frontrunners say they're the candidate of - and for - that most '08 of buzzwords: change. And maybe they truly are.
However, as the past few months have shown us, we the electorate are the real candidates for change. Through us, we as Americans are experiencing a change in not only the way we view, but operate, our government. We're seeing a rewrite of the very definition of what being an American means, at least to our lawmakers, who, for the most part, have typically been among the slowest to recognize this change.
We're finally putting the "old" in "good old boy network," too. Not only are African-Americans changing the very race for president, they might, with the election of Barack Obama, even change the race of the presidency itself.
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