AU students and faculty have voiced criticism or attempted to explain the current debate over race and gender caused by the presidential campaigns of Sens. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y.
Clinton's recent remarks on the contributions that the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and former President Lyndon Johnson made to the civil rights movement most recently fueled the debate.
"That dream became a reality; the power of that dream became real in people's lives because we had a president who said we are going to do it and actually got it accomplished," Clinton said during an interview on the FOX News Channel Jan. 7.
Obama supporters and fellow Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards said her remarks came across as "diminishing" the role of King during the civil rights movement.
Daniel Dreisbach, a professor in the School of Public Affairs, said race and gender issues play a significant role in campaigns and that debates on race and gender depend on the perspective of the constituents.
"The issue can cut both ways," he said. "There are some who want to see a woman in the White House, and some who want to see an African-American succeed."
Obama and Clinton are playing the "first card" to generate enthusiasm among their supporters, Dreisbach said.
The media has played a significant role in bringing gender and race issues to the forefront of the race, said Dotty Lynch, an executive in residence in the School of Communication and political consultant for CBS News.
"We would all be better served if reporters covered more of the substantive issues rather than the atmospheric ones," she said. "Obama being African-American and Hillary being female had been net positives for their campaigns because they both receive increased attention because of it."
Wanda Jenifer, a graduate student in SOC, said she understands why race and gender roles come up but believes that the media perpetuate the issue because they want to see a fight between the two candidates. She referred to the truce Obama and Clinton agreed to during the Jan. 15 Democratic presidential debate in Las Vegas.
"The race and gender issue is a reality of the race - but be gracious about it, and I think what they [Obama and Clinton] did earlier this week was rather gracious," Jenifer said. "Barack stayed above the fray. He is a real contender for the White House"
