RSS Feeds Feeds: Articles | Issues
Articles About TAP Subscribe Donate
TAPPED  |  Beat the Press

Current Issue
SUBSCRIBE | LOGIN

SUBSCRIBER LOG IN:
Remember Me
Forgot your password?
Current Issue
Download the PDF

The symbol identifies content for paid subscribers only.


 


Momma said wonk you out

« WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. | Main | QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS. »

GUEST POST: LARRY BARTELS.

Related to this morning's discussion of Larry Bartels, Thomas Frank, and various theories of the white working class vote, Bartels sent along this guest post on the 2008 election results and how they played into this debate. Enjoy. -- Ezra.

How Obama Survived the Culture War

Much of this year’s Republican presidential campaign consisted of a series of blistering attacks portraying the Democratic candidate, Barack Obama, as an elitist, a celebrity, a socialist, a pal of domestic terrorists, and a stranger to “real America.” It would be hard to imagine a campaign better suited to appeal to the culturally conservative working-class white voters depicted in Thomas Frank’s 2004 best seller, “What’s the Matter with Kansas?”

Obama himself seemed to exacerbate the culture clash when he suggested back in April that “bitter” small-town folks on the losing end of economic change “cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them.” He added that they “don’t vote on economic issues, because they don’t expect anybody’s going to help them.” If that was true—either before Obama’s comments or because of them—then the Democratic ticket seemed poised for big losses among the sorts of people Frank described.

So how did voters respond? According to the exit polls, Obama outpolled the previous Democratic nominee, John Kerry, among people from small towns and rural areas and among gun owners. He also did better than Kerry among white males, white Protestants, and white evangelicals. In short, the culture clash seems to have fizzled among many of the people supposedly most alienated by the cosmopolitan bent of the contemporary Democratic Party.

Of course, Obama was greatly advantaged by voters’ economic distress and by the remarkable unpopularity of the incumbent president. Perhaps white men, gun owners, and other stereotypical “backlash” voters were simply swept along reluctantly in this year’s Democratic tide.

The exit poll results strongly suggest that there was more to it than that. Obama actually recorded some of his biggest gains among white voters in some of the most culturally conservative parts of the country. He outpolled Kerry by 6 to 10 percentage points among white voters in Indiana, North Dakota, Utah, Montana, Nebraska, and—yes—Thomas Frank’s Kansas. In contrast, exit polls recorded smaller gains for Obama among white voters in bastions of elitism like New York, Connecticut, and California.

Obama did better among lower-income white voters than among those with higher incomes—a familiar pattern for recent Democratic presidential candidates. After months of hand-wringing punditry about his problems with the white working class in the distressed industrial Midwest, he won majorities among white voters with below-average incomes in West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan, and a near-majority in Pennsylvania. (John McCain won a majority of more affluent white voters in all those states and 27 others.)

The election of our first black president constitutes “a strikingly symbolic moment in the evolution of the nation’s fraught racial history,” as Adam Nagourney put it in the New York Times. It has prompted hearty self-congratulation all around regarding the broad-mindedness of American voters. The perception that white Americans succeeded in transcending racial antipathy is reinforced by the fact that only 9% of voters in the exit poll said that race was a major factor in their decision, and they mostly voted for Obama.

However, there is a good deal of circumstantial evidence suggesting that racial resentment eroded Obama’s support among white voters. His gains relative to Kerry were significantly smaller in states with large numbers of African-Americans—a pattern disguised in the overall vote totals by his strong support among African-Americans themselves. In the former Confederacy he gained only slightly over Kerry among white voters, despite making big gains in two key swing states, North Carolina and Virginia. The only states in the country in which he lost more than a point or two of white support were Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi.

The notable resistance of southern whites to Obama’s candidacy continues a half-century trend sparked by the demise of the unnatural southern Democratic monopoly of the Jim Crow era. From 1952 through 2004, the average level of support for Democratic presidential candidates fell by more than 15 points among white southerners while increasing slightly among whites in the rest of the country. This year’s pattern reinforces that long-term shift, underlining the extent to which the Democratic Party’s much-discussed “culture” problem is really a regional problem rooted in white racial resentment.

Obama himself resisted the notion that antipathy to his candidacy was “simply racial.” Asked during the campaign about his trouble winning support from white men with lower incomes or less education, he answered, “It’s more just that I’m different in all kinds of ways. I’m different even for black people.”

Perhaps so. Nevertheless, black people responded enthusiastically to his candidacy, easily surpassing their already-high levels of support for previous Democratic candidates. What is more surprising is that so many culturally conservative white voters in the Midwest and West also found their way to Obama, rejecting a Republican campaign that was largely devoted to stoking fears of difference. However, in the most racially conservative parts of the white South fears of difference often prevailed.

Judging from last week’s election results, then, not much seems to be the matter with Kansas; but Louisiana may be another story.

***

Larry M. Bartels directs the Center for the Study of Democratic Politics in Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. He is the author of “Unequal Democracy: The Political Economy of the New Gilded Age.”

Posted by Ezra Klein on November 11, 2008 3:35 PM |



COMMENTS (55)

From the article, it appears that whites did not consider race much and blacks considered race almost exclusively.

This evidence demonstrates the wrongness of those who complain that the US is horribly racist.

The facts just don't stack up...

Posted by: El Viajero | November 11, 2008 3:49 PM

"blacks considered race almost exclusively"

Yeah, because blacks really rallied behind Michael Steele and Ken Blackwell.

A white Democrat would have gotten 90% of the black vote. Obama brought it to 95%. An improvement, but not exactly a "game changer."

Race has a lot to do with political preferences, but the race of the particular candidate doesn't seem to matter much at all.

Obama got only 10% of Deep South whites, but that's about what Kerry got, and probably the most that any northern Democrat can get in the post-Civil Rights Act era.

Posted by: Racist | November 11, 2008 5:22 PM

"A white Democrat would have gotten 90% of the black vote. Obama brought it to 95%. An improvement, but not exactly a 'game changer.'"

Yeah, it sounds like about 5% of blacks considered race almost exclusively. The other 90% are just Democrats.

Posted by: Anonymous | November 11, 2008 7:10 PM

According to the NYT exit polls (http://elections.nytimes.com/2008/results/president/national-exit-polls.html), the only group where McCain improved, from 50 to 53%, were small towns (population 10 to 50k). Sarah Palin did have an effect after all. I thought I had read an exit poll about rural whites but I can't find it any more.

Posted by: piglet | November 11, 2008 7:27 PM

it was a cold day for i have no warm clothes to wear here , the other reason was that it gradually become colder and colder .if i was in my hometown ,i think i already put on my thickest clothwow goldes at this time .but i am in gz where is a warm place .

Posted by: lee | November 12, 2008 2:31 AM

El Viajero,

I think you've made a logical error.

You assume that if members of a group divide their votes between candidates of different races, that this somehow demonstrates that race isn't a basis for any of their votes. This ignores the obvious possibility that some may vote based on race and others may vote based on different things.

And you ignore the obvious possibility that members of a group may have such similar positions on public policy that most of them end up supporting the same candidate.
Based on policy.

What's missing?

Posted by: jeff t. | November 12, 2008 10:34 AM

Isn't it really the case that these people voted for Obama because of their pocketbooks and the idea that the pocketbook trumps just about everything else. Kerry did not have that going for him.

Posted by: Peter Waksman | November 12, 2008 11:58 AM

Can anyone make a plausible case that it was the candidate's actual qualities that helped him improve? That Barack Obama appears to the average voter to have, in greater degree, the qualities of leadership, decision-making, and communication that we're looking for in a president? Shouldn't claims like "it's the economy" be secondary to consideration of hte candidates themselves?

If Daffy Duck were running as a moderate who sided with the majority on every issue, we'd still reject him, and do so because he's a bad candidate, not because of his policies or his race.

Posted by: Bill | November 12, 2008 3:23 PM

What's missing?

A petulant sense of racial victimization and white entitlement?

Posted by: ibc | November 12, 2008 4:13 PM

nice post to read

Posted by: wow gold | December 2, 2008 10:53 PM

Since I partedwow gold

Posted by: ASD | March 29, 2009 9:55 PM

a touching ghd hair straighteners

Posted by: qwe | March 29, 2009 9:57 PM

GOOD ~!

Posted by: WOW GOLD | April 9, 2009 10:15 PM

For this matter, once I discussed with one of my friends, not only about the content you
talked about, but also to how to improve and develop, but no results. So I am deeply moved by
what you said today.

Posted by: cheap wow gold | May 9, 2009 2:16 AM

thank you

Posted by: wow gold | May 31, 2009 9:08 PM

oh,i like it

Posted by: ed hardy clothing | June 23, 2009 10:33 PM

i'd like intrudce a website you will have the opportunity to wholesale jewelry The site is very clear when it comes to providing you with all the jewelry wholesale information you need fashion jewelry,handmade jewelry

Posted by: fashion jewelry | July 24, 2009 3:23 AM

thanks for ur share

Posted by: hot videos | July 28, 2009 4:33 AM

card supplier
Perhaps it goes without saying that card supplier accessed using a smart card should be as easy to use as possible for all groups of users, but card supplier is important that every effort is made to achieve this goal. [URL=http://www.7daysprinting.com]card supplier[/URL].When designing for card supplier, it is useful to consider how a user interacts with all card supplier to ensure that all aspects have been considered. card supplier.The card supplier provides a description for IT procurement. User interaction covers the card supplier 's life cycle, from applying for and acti

Posted by: MOLLY | August 24, 2009 6:49 AM

custom plastic card
A custom plastic card is used in or at a terminal. Before a user can use a custom plastic card, the terminals in which the custom plastic card can be used must be located.[URL=http://www.7days-plasticcards.co.uk]custom plastic card[/URL]A user’s first interaction with a custom plastic card service is the process to receive a custom plastic card. custom plastic card.This is called custom plastic card issuance and covers activities such as how a user applies to access the service, how a suitable custom plastic card is distributed and how it is activited for use. Naturally, a central consideration for a custom plastic card service is the custom plastic card itself. It is important, therefore, that the design of available custom plastic card types cater for the whole user population.

Posted by: MOLLY | August 24, 2009 6:53 AM

cards for plastic
If cards for plastic service for whatever reason, cards for plastic may be the most important aspect to a particular user group.
[URL=http://www.7days-printing.com]cards for plastic[/URL]. Users need to be aware of what cards for plastic are available. cards for plastic readers are sophisticated devices with built-in intelligence.
cards for plastic. cards for plastic readers are found in notebooks. Combining cards for plastic with biometrics can make cards for plastic even more convenient and secure. Have a look at some state-of-the-art cards for plastic readers. And we also sales engineering services to cards for plast

Posted by: MOLLY | August 24, 2009 6:56 AM

smart card chip
We are part of a vast network of smart card chip solution partners with expertise in areas of smart card chip manufacturing, and smart card chip personalization. [URL=http://www.smartcard-supplier.co.uk]smart card chip[/URL].Almost two-thirds of adults who pruchase smart card chip spent more than the original limit on the card at the store.
smart card chip.Smart card chip is ideal for loyalty cards. Unlike magnetic stripe cards, smart card chip works offline. Imagine a computer so small it fits inside a smart card chip the same size as any credit card you carry in your wallet. Im agine the smart card chip.You can start your own affordable loyalty program with smart card chip. Smart card chip developers have many choices of smart card chip systiem design.

Posted by: MOLLY | August 24, 2009 6:57 AM

PETG card printing
We can supply from stock a complete range of PETG card printing for use with card printer. [URL=http://www.7daysprinting.co.uk]PETG[/URL].The recently updated PETG card printing fooers all the features required to create card layouts with ease of simplified operation.
PETG.Four editions of PETG card printing are available from the entry level PETG card printing which allows for connection to external databases and the encoding of contactless PETG card printing. Whatever your requirement, PETG card printing has the solution. A PETG card printing personalisation bureau service is offered, where pre-printed or PETG card printing can be thermally printed, embossed encoded to your specific requirements. PETG card printing can also be procuced by digital or litho print methods. Other brands of PETG card printing can also be supplied.

Posted by: MOLLY | August 24, 2009 6:59 AM

Class and AssProfessor Laurie of Glasgow put his notice on his door: "Professor Laurie will not meet his classes today."A student, after reading the notice, rubbed out the "c".
Later Professor Laurie came along, and entering into the spirit of the joke, rubbed out the "l".

Posted by: chi hair straightener | September 1, 2009 5:36 AM

The 10 foot heavy duty electrical cord and the 360 degree swivel cord allow you enough mobility and prevent. A swivel cord is one of the most important feature as it is beneficial for cheap chi flat iron hard-to-reach areas such as in the back.

Posted by: ugg boots uk sale | September 18, 2009 9:33 PM

Topink nfl jerseys achievenfl premier jerseys the gu nfl jerseysidealwholesale nfl jerseys, fromnfl football jerseys nowthrowback jerseys nfl on.nfl authentic jerseysWaiGaoJiaSuochi conflict chi straighteneravoidchi hair mechanism chi flat ironin chi hair straightenerstaiyuan chi ironwufang chi hair productsrepresentPink chi 8 near Peach Red chi Hair Straightenerthe Black chi Hair Straightenerborder Bluechi Hair Straightenerof mainlandChristian Louboutin GeorgiaChristian Louboutin UK abkhazinaChristian Louboutin Shoes CaliforniaChristian Louboutin Pumps city Christian Louboutin SandalsheldChristian Louboutin the fifthLouboutin Shoes round talksGHD, stillGHD Dark notGHD Straighteners acquire GHD Hair Straightenersany resultsGHD Hair Styler.According Cheap GHDtoGHD Pure GeorgiaGHD Kiss, GeFangGHD MK4 Black Caucasian GHD MK4 PinkagencyGHD MK4 Gold reportedGHD Purple informationGHD analysisHair Straighteners andGHD UK delegationGHD Straighteners of GHD Hair StylerinteriorGHD Hair Straighteners secretariesCheap GHD in theGHD Pure season GHD KissASHLEYGHD MK4 Black, saidGHD MK4 Pink afterGHD MK4 Gold the talksGHD Purple with Christian Louboutinhis GeFangChristian Louboutin Shoes in talksLouboutin Shoes aboutChristian Shoes lattice in Christian Louboutin Pumpsborder Football JerseyareasSoccer Jerseys, both Liverpool Jerseyssides settlers Arsenal Jerseysand frictionAC Milan Jerseys constantlyJuventus Jerseys freelyManchester United Jerseys, bothChelsea JerseyslimitedChelsea Jerseys inBarcelona Jerseys theseNfl Jerseys problemsNfl Jersey Sale, so thatNFC Jerseys their AFC Jerseystalks withoutNFL MVP Jerseys any results.

Posted by: qqq | September 24, 2009 7:17 AM

Topink nfl jerseys achievenfl premier jerseys the gu nfl jerseysidealwholesale nfl jerseys, fromnfl football jerseys nowthrowback jerseys nfl on.nfl authentic jerseysWaiGaoJiaSuochi conflict chi straighteneravoidchi hair mechanism chi flat ironin chi hair straightenerstaiyuan chi ironwufang chi hair productsrepresentPink chi 8 near Peach Red chi Hair Straightenerthe Black chi Hair Straightenerborder Bluechi Hair Straightenerof mainlandChristian Louboutin GeorgiaChristian Louboutin UK abkhazinaChristian Louboutin Shoes CaliforniaChristian Louboutin Pumps city Christian Louboutin SandalsheldChristian Louboutin the fifthLouboutin Shoes round talksGHD, stillGHD Dark notGHD Straighteners acquire GHD Hair Straightenersany resultsGHD Hair Styler.According Cheap GHDtoGHD Pure GeorgiaGHD Kiss, GeFangGHD MK4 Black Caucasian GHD MK4 PinkagencyGHD MK4 Gold reportedGHD Purple informationGHD analysisHair Straighteners andGHD UK delegationGHD Straighteners of GHD Hair StylerinteriorGHD Hair Straighteners secretariesCheap GHD in theGHD Pure season GHD KissASHLEYGHD MK4 Black, saidGHD MK4 Pink afterGHD MK4 Gold the talksGHD Purple with Christian Louboutinhis GeFangChristian Louboutin Shoes in talksLouboutin Shoes aboutChristian Shoes lattice in Christian Louboutin Pumpsborder Football JerseyareasSoccer Jerseys, both Liverpool Jerseyssides settlers Arsenal Jerseysand frictionAC Milan Jerseys constantlyJuventus Jerseys freelyManchester United Jerseys, bothChelsea JerseyslimitedChelsea Jerseys inBarcelona Jerseys theseNfl Jerseys problemsNfl Jersey Sale, so thatNFC Jerseys their AFC Jerseystalks withoutNFL MVP Jerseys any results.

Posted by: qqq | September 24, 2009 7:19 AM

According to the British Daily Mailreport, FIFA vice-president Jack Warner has said that in order to put an end to diving on the pitch, as well as other acts of cheating referees, wow goldFIFA intends to introduce rugby rules, the players sent off 10 minutes .
FIFA Soccer League President noted that the regulations must be approved by FIFA and thewow gold English Football Federation in order to implement the application of the case.
He said: This regulation applies to diving, but also to pull shirt10.10C

Posted by: wow | October 10, 2009 3:35 AM

Normal boots do cover your feet but do not provide them desired warmth consequently your feet go numb, letting you down and uneasy all the time. Ugg boots will keep you cozy and let you enjoy with your loved ones in the snow. Apart from that, they look so stylish they you can carry them on to parties as well.

Posted by: ugg boots | October 14, 2009 1:12 AM

flower girl dresses

Posted by: flower girl dresses | October 15, 2009 9:47 PM

[url=http://www.linksolondon.co.uk/links-of-london-charms/]links of london Charms[/url] links of london Charms [url=http://www.londonoflinks.co.uk/links-of-london-charms/]links of london Charms[/url] links of london Charms [url=http://www.uk-linksoflondon.com/links-of-london-charms/]links of london Charms[/url] links of london Charms [url=http://www.linksolondon.co.uk/links-of-london-sweetie-bracelet/]links of london sweetie bracelet[/url] links of london sweetie bracelet [url=http://www.linksolondon.co.uk/links-of-london-friendship-bracelets/]links of london Friendship Bracelets[/url] links of london Friendship Bracelets [url=http://www.londonoflinks.co.uk/links-of-london-friendship-bracelets/]links of london Friendship Bracelets[/url] links of london Friendship Bracelets [url=http://www.londonoflinks.co.uk/links-of-london-bracelets/]links of london Bracelets[/url] links of london Bracelets [url=http://www.uk-linksoflondon.com/links-of-london-bracelets/]links of london Bracelets[/url] links of london sweetie bracelet [url=http://www.londonoflinks.co.uk/links-of-london-sweetie-bracelet/]links of london sweetie bracelet[/url] links of london sweetie bracelet [url=http://www.uk-linksoflondon.com/links-of-london-sweetie-bracelet/]links of london sweetie bracelet[/url] links of london sweetie bracelet [url=http://www.linksolondon.co.uk/links-of-london-sweetie-bracelet/]links of london sweetie bracelets[/url] links of london sweetie bracelets [url=http://www.londonoflinks.co.uk/links-of-london-sweetie-bracelet/]links of london sweetie bracelets[/url] links of london sweetie bracelets [url=http://www.uk-linksoflondon.com/links-of-london-sweetie-bracelet/]links of london sweetie bracelets[/url]

Posted by: links of london Sweetie Bracelets | October 19, 2009 4:20 AM

Great post! Hope to be better. Better means more features.

Posted by: street lights | October 26, 2009 3:32 AM

really interesting sir, thanks

Posted by: wow power leveling | October 26, 2009 4:13 AM


I find them just now,[url=http://www.newstylerolex.com/]Rolex[/url] -
[url=http://www.newstylerolex.com/]Replica Watches[/url] -
[url=http://www.newstylerolex.com/]Replica Rolex[/url] -
[url=http://www.newstylerolex.com/]Rolex Watches[/url] -
[url=http://www.sunglassvip.net]Replica Breitling[/url] -
[url=http://www.sunglassvip.net]Replica Rolex[/url] -
[url=http://www.2g-3g.com]Rolex[/url]
[url=http://www.watches-life.com]Rolex[/url]
[url=http://www.watches-life.com]Replica Rolex[/url]
[url=http://www.rolex-hot.com]Rolex[/url]
[url=http://www.rolex-hot.com]Replica Rolex[/url]
[url=http://www.vertuexclusiveshop.com/]Vertu[/url]
[url=http://www.vertuexclusiveshop.com/]Vertu Replica[/url],[url=http://www.e-lv.net/]Replica handbags[/url],
[url=http://www.enjoy-watches.com/]Rolex[/url] -
[url=http://www.enjoy-watches.com/]Replica Watches[/url] -
[url=http://www.iphonebatteries.org/]Phone Batteries[/url] -
[url=http://www.lrolex.com]Rolex[/url]I belive that you will like them !

Posted by: Replica Watches | October 29, 2009 4:19 PM

good place.i like it very much.
hope can be better.

Posted by: aion gold | October 31, 2009 5:10 AM

adfa
[url=http://www.adasd.com]adf[/url]
sadf

Posted by: sunny | November 14, 2009 1:44 AM

Some rolex watchesof the features rolex watches you find breitling watches easily find are breitling watches replica tag heuer watches equipped with tag heuer watches a sensor cartier watchesthat cartier watches you should omega watches read signals from a omega watches device strapped to the movado watches chest. These movado watches come rolex watcheswith high rolex watches price tag but breitling watches the sensitivity breitling watches allows health conscious people tag heuer watcheswho want to tag heuer watches have all he blessings of cartier watches good health cartier watches to maintain good omega watches health. Most omega watches of them movado watches are digital, movado watches making them replica rolex watcheseasier rolex watches to read and replica breitling watches comprehend at first breitling watches glance. There replica tag heuer watches are more than replica tag heuer watches one reason for replica cartier watches therate monitoring cartier watches. Not only great for replica omega watches monitoring for omega watches good health, they are also replica movado watches ideal for movado watches intensive fitness training. In a word, heart rate monitor watch is an excellent investment for your health and fitness

Posted by: replica watches | November 15, 2009 8:46 PM

Obama got only 10% of Deep South whites, but that's about what Kerry got, and probably the most that any northern Democrat can get in the post-Civil Rights Act era

Posted by: screen printing machine | November 19, 2009 2:13 AM

I wish one day I can own such a popular blog as yours.NHL Jerseys

Posted by: nfl football jerseys | November 20, 2009 12:08 AM

Your articles develop my mind. That is great!!ed hardy clothing

Posted by: cheap edhardy | November 20, 2009 12:10 AM

You articles affect me so much, would you like to be my friend?? We can learn from each other and multiply our value together.tiffany jewelry

Posted by: silver bracelets | November 20, 2009 12:11 AM

Post a comment



Type the characters you see in the picture above.

Search for:

About Ezra Klein

Ezra Klein is an associate editor at The American Prospect. An archive of his articles for The American Prospect can be found here.

Email | RSS | Twitter

Link Blog:
Blog Roll: TAPPED Contributors' Blogs

Support independent media with a tax-deductible donation.
Renew your print subscription or e-subscription.
Get an e-subscription for $14.95.
Give the gift of political insight. Send The American Prospect to a friend.
Change your email address or street address.
YES! I want to receive The American Prospect
— the essential source for progressive ideas. Explore The American Prospect's award-winning investigative journalism and provocative essays in a free trial issue. Continue receiving The American Prospect at only $19.95 for a one-year subscription - a savings of 60% off the newsstand price!
First Name
Last Name
Address 1
Address 2
City
State
ZIP     
Email

Should you decide not to continue receiving the magazine after the initial free issue, simply write "cancel" on the invoice and you will not be billed.

© 2009 by The American Prospect, Inc.  |  Privacy Policy  |  Permissions and Reprints