2008 Woodie Awards
UMKC examines dynamics of of presidential politics
Alexia Lang
Issue date: 9/29/08 Section: News
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Hosted by the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs, the event's keynote speaker was Dr. Mary Frances Berry, former Chairperson of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission.
Berry lectured about the effects of gender and race on presidential elections in the past, present and future and gave her opinion about the 2008 presidential race.
"Race and gender issues have long played a role in campaigns and elections," she said.
Berry gave an extensive background on the past success of campaigns run by minorities all leading up to this election.
"We have been trying to get included in the power and this is it," she said about the candidacy of Barack Obama.
Recognized as the first woman to head a major research university, the University of Colorado at Boulder, Berry spoke from experience, warning that being the first of anything can be a challenge.
She cited Geraldine Ferraro, vice presidential candidate running with Democrat Walter Mondale against Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush in the 1984 election, as an example.
A negative light was shed on the Democratic ticket in '84 after questions were raised about Ferraro's campaign financing and that she and her husband filed income tax separately.
"If you are the first first, you have to do a good job or you will make it bad for everyone," Berry said.
Berry noted that a large number of people are voting for Obama because of his race. Although, she said when he first started campaigning many African American voters did not think he could win.
"As I told my friend Bill (Clinton), when he won Iowa it was all over because it meant he could get white people to vote for him."
During the primary elections, the Clinton's were targeted as saying a number of racist comments which were unfounded according to Berry.
"Why don't we pick on people on something this is real rather than sounding like we didn't take civics."
She said Obama has avoided talking about race for the most part.
"He put it in the context that he didn't need to talk about race, we needed to have a national conversation about race."
Despite John McCain's move adding a woman to his ticket in an attempt to get the votes of Hillary Clinton supporters, Berry said she thinks Obama will win the office this November.
"At this point, I don't see why he wouldn't win."
At the close of the lecture, the audience was able to interact in a question and answer discussion.
This event was sponsored by the Women's Center, Residential Life, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and the Office of Multicultural Affairs.
alang@unews.com
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