Obama's Race: The 2008 Election and the Dream of a Post-Racial America (Chicago Studies in American Politics) [Paperback]

Michael Tesler (Author), David O. Sears (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 15, 2010 | Series: Chicago Studies in American Politics

Barack Obama’s presidential victory naturally led people to believe that the United States might finally be moving into a post-racial era. Obama’s Race—and its eye-opening account of the role played by race in the election—paints a dramatically different picture.

The authors argue that the 2008 election was more polarized by racial attitudes than any other presidential election on record—and perhaps more significantly, that there were two sides to this racialization: resentful opposition to and racially liberal support for Obama. As Obama’s campaign was given a boost in the primaries from racial liberals that extended well beyond that usually offered to ideologically similar white candidates, Hillary Clinton lost much of her longstanding support and instead became the preferred candidate of Democratic racial conservatives. Time and again, voters’ racial predispositions trumped their ideological preferences as John McCain—seldom described as conservative in matters of race—became the darling of racial conservatives from both parties. Hard-hitting and sure to be controversial, Obama’s Race will be both praised and criticized—but certainly not ignored.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Obama's Race is a timely, provocative, and important book that anyone with even a passing interest in politics simply must read. In their careful and detailed analysis, Tesler and Sears make a persuasive case for why Obama's election does not represent a fundamental sea change in how people think about politics. The results are striking, sobering, and deeply revealing." - Cindy D. Kam, Vanderbilt University"

About the Author

Michael Tesler is a graduate student in political science at UCLA. David O. Sears is distinguished professor of psychology and political science at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the author of numerous books.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: University Of Chicago Press (November 15, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0226793834
• ISBN-13: 978-0226793832
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.5 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #617,410 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars An important book but a difficult read March 8, 2013

By Masonville

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I'm not a statistician, but it does appear that the statistical methodology is meticulous. And the authors do make at least a token effort to make this book accessible to the general reader. The difficulty stems not so much from the technical details of statistical analysis, but rather from academic jargon and wooden prose in which the book is written. At first I assumed the language was a necessary evil; but after a careful reading of many of the difficult passages, I can't avoid the conclusion the authors' findings could have been presented in much clearer, not to mention more lively language. I really hated to give this book only 3 stars, because I feel it's a much needed and important work.