The 2008 Presidential Election is shaping up to be like no other election in the history of the United States. Regardless of who wins this year’s Presidential Election, the country will have either the oldest President, or the first African-American President.
Democratic candidate, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois, has managed to defeat the odds stacked against him. When he threw his hat into the ring in February, 2007, he was by far the underdog in the race, trailing behind Hillary Clinton, who led the race for the Democratic nomination, until Super Tuesday. Eighteen months later, Barack Obama has overcome the many obstacles that he faced, to lead in the Presidential polls.
On the Republican side, Senator John McCain has not been without his own struggles. After losing the Republican nomination in 2000, he returned to the Senate, where he spent another term, before re-entering the presidential race. Even after he entered the 2008 election bid, he was not considered a front-runner for the Republican nomination, until mid-way through the primaries, when he soared ahead of his primary opponents.
For the 231 years that have preceded this historic election, the majority of the candidates running for presidential and vice presidential positions have been primarily Caucasian, middle class men. But now, America’s true diversity has indeed begun to show.
The wide age difference between presidential hopefuls Obama and McCain has drastically increased the voter turnout. Obama has successfully inspired the young, future working class Americans. According to Youth Statistics, approximately 49% of the potential voters are young adults between 18 and 28. Of those people, 47% identify as Democrats, up from 40% in 2006, and about 28% were said to be Republican. Furthermore, 86% of these young adults are very likely to vote.
Meanwhile, McCain has played a role in the increase of elderly voters, though the numbers are not as significant as Obama’s. Their age difference of 24 years and 340 days, being the largest difference between candidates in the history of the Presidential elections, has been a factor in the enormous turnout and the increased number of voters.
The election, also, has not been without controversy. False rumors have arisen regarding Obama’s Kenyan background, his status as an American citizen, and his religious views. In fact, 95% of all African Americans, according to AOL News, are voting for Obama. Although Obama and McCain have strongly urged voters not to include race in their choice for president, it is inevitable that his background, race, and questionable religion will sway some voters towards the GOP candidate.
Controversy has also plagued Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin. The Republicans have convinced many female Clinton supporters to vote for the McCain-Palin ticket, simply because Palin is a woman. Despite the fact that Clinton’s stance on the issues is far more similar to Obama, than to McCain, some women are still moved by the ‘feminine factor.’ This ‘feminine factor’ can be seen in the media and the extreme precautions that are taken, when reporting about Palin.
The President of the United States will finally be determined on November 4th, when the months of this hard fought battle will culminate in what is shaping up to be the most monumental day in Presidential election history!