Identity or Ideology?

It’s interesting how we’re supposed to ignore private life, and focus on the policies of the candidates. But a lot of critics of Republicans' strategy point out that their strategy is putting a lot of emphasis on biography, rather than policy. McCain is playing up his experience in foreign policy and heroism in the Vietnam War, an area in which Obama/Biden is severely lacking. Palin is playing up her womanhood, another area in which Obama/Biden is lacking.

We've even begun to look at clothes. Are there seriously articles written about how much Cindy McCain's outfit cost? (Yes--Vanity Fair). Yes, I want my President to be well dressed, but why am I watching a video on what the candidates are wearing? Here’s a CNN video on Palin’s style:

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/showbiz/2008/09/05/Sarah.palins.style.cnn

This video explores how many are talking about Palin’s fashion style instead of her policy. And just in case you're interested, Palin's designer glasses were name-dropped. There's also a  sound clip from Palin’s speech: “The difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom? Lipstick.”

Play up your womanhood, Palin. It's working.

As for biography, do I care that Palin’s daughter is unwed and pregnant? Maybe no, that’s her body and her right to choose what enters and exits. Maybe yes, if Palin can’t lead her own family’s morals, how is she going to lead a country to morality? If her abstinence-only policy didn’t work at home, how does she expect it to work in our schools?

Playing up social roles and biography seem to be a distraction from policy. Some women may choose to change history by putting a woman in the White House and may forget that Palin is anti-abortion.

But these images aren’t DISTRACTING us from policy. They’re set up so that we become empathetic with the candidates. It’s a matter of identity politics. Not everyone votes along the lines of identification, but a lot of people do. When every other presidential election offers rich, white males verses two other rich, white males, identity politics doesn’t come into play nearly as much as when it’s black male and white male verses white male and white woman.

The question is, when do individuals decide to vote with their political ideology and when do they vote with their political identity? In exploring the dilemma facing black republicans, Manav Tanneeru and John Blake show that it’s not a clear-cut line, but rather a personal decision that takes into account history, background, etc. to make their decisions.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/04/obama.black.republicans/index.html

For example, some black Republicans are starting to call themselves “Hip-Hop Republicans,” explored in this video: http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-64205.

Democrats are criticizing Republicans for putting too much of an emphasis on biography and images rather than policy and a plan for change. But maybe Republicans are getting it right. Democrats no longer have the history-changing ticket; history will be made with either party. Polls have shown that white women have been shifting support to McCain, ever since he announced Palin as his VP. So it’s up to the voters: policy or personality?