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A BLACK MAN IN THE WHITE HOUSE?

The Role of Racism and Patriotism in the 2008 Presidential Election

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 2009

Christopher S. Parker ,
Mark Q. Sawyer  and
Christopher Towler
Christopher S. Parker*
Affiliation:
Department of Political Science, University of Washington, Seattle
Mark Q. Sawyer
Affiliation:
Department of Political Science, University of California, Los Angeles
Christopher Towler
Affiliation:
Department of Political Science, University of Washington, Seattle
*
Professor Christopher S. Parker, Department of Political Science, University of Washington, 117 Gowen Hall, Seattle, WA 98195. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Race and patriotism were recurring themes during the 2008 presidential campaign that were used to highlight differences between Barack Obama and his opponents. Yet we know little about how racism and patriotism ultimately affected support for Obama among Whites. Appeals to working-class Whites, a lot of which were thinly veiled allusions to Obama's race and perceived lack of patriotism, also figured prominently in the campaign. Accordingly, this paper explores how racism and patriotism shaped support for Obama, as well as the extent to which the effect of each is moderated by class. We find that rising symbolic racism dampened his support among Whites, as did patriotism. Moreover, we find the effects of patriotism on support for Obama were contingent upon class.

Keywords

RacismPatriotism2008 Presidential ElectionWhite Working Class
Type
STATE OF THE ART
Information
Du Bois Review: Social Science Research on Race , Volume 6 , Issue 1 , Spring 2009 , pp. 193 - 217
Copyright
Copyright © W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research 2009

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