The 2008 presidential election — especially in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin & battleground states — will be decided by non-white and under-30 voter turnout. A historically high turnout of non-white and young folks in urban areas and universities will have to overcome the number of white, religious, “working class” voters who have found — in Sarah Palin, one of “their own” — their excuse not to vote for Obama, the smart young black guy. Call it anti-intellectualism (for which America has a long history), call it fear of the unknown, call it concealed racism (the big mystery), but it’s gonna come down to that. Urban non-whites & young people vs. surburban, rural, small-town white folks. Two Americas, indeed.
For all the talk — and NEED — from Obama and McCain of unifying an extremely divisive country, we’re more polarized than ever and McCain’s pick of Palin has made the divisions worse. Governing will be difficult for whoever wins and the winner should OPENLY & humbly speak of these divisions from the moment he wins. Obama is far better equipped to address the divisions with intelligence and grace.
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