In a perfect world, social concerns would trump political manipulations every time. But in the imperfect world of politics in America, issues such as race and gender are routinely dwarfed by issues such as crime, taxes, war, erosions of freedoms at home, unemployment, education, and the economy. These are the issues that motivate most voters; politicians ignore them at their peril.

For many, race and gender are mere distractions and not taken too seriously. For millions of others, however, such concerns are fundamental. It should not go unnoticed, for example, that more than half of this country's 300 million citizens are women, most of whom believe women are entitled to the authority their numbers seem to merit. Still, many lack the confidence to cast their votes for one of their own.

The first credible African American presidential candidate in our history - the first, that is, with a serious chance of winning, Sen. Barack Obama (D., Ill.) - is widely perceived as transcending color the same way Gen. Colin Powell had a decade earlier.

But Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, who are seeking the Democratic nomination for president, face issues of race and gender they will not easily overcome. True, a lot has changed in America since 1984, when Geraldine Ferraro and the Rev. Jesse Jackson sought their party's support, but the question remains - just how much have our attitudes really changed?


Philly.com