Democrat Party Opponents (Edexcel A-Level History): Revision Notes
Democrat Party Opponents
The 2008 election opportunity
The 2008 presidential election presented a strong opportunity for the Democratic Party to win back the White House. George W. Bush had been elected in 2000 and was required to stand down in January 2009 due to the Twenty-Second Amendment of the US Constitution, passed in 1951, which limited any president to two terms in office.
President Bush was also deeply unpopular by this point. His approval rating had slipped to just 33 percent, whilst only 31 percent of Americans believed their country was heading in the right direction. This created favourable conditions for a Democratic victory.
The combination of constitutional term limits and historic low approval ratings created an unusually favorable electoral environment for Democratic candidates in 2008. Bush's unpopularity meant that even moderate Republican candidates would struggle to distance themselves from his administration's record.
Obama as the outsider
As a result of this opportunity, several senior Democratic politicians sought their party's nomination. In the initial list of possible contenders, Barack Obama was seen as the outsider. He was the only black American in the US Senate and had been a senator for only three years, making him far less experienced than his rivals.
However, early polling suggested possibilities for Obama's campaign:
- A 2006 Newsweek poll showed that 93 percent of respondents would vote for a black American if their party nominated one
- In February 2007, an Associated Press poll showed Hillary Clinton leading with 41 percent, Obama at 17 percent, and John Edwards at 16 percent
- By the end of that month, Clinton's lead had narrowed from 36 percent to 24 percent, whilst Edwards dropped to 12 percent
This demonstrated that whilst Obama started behind, his support was growing rapidly.
Despite being considered an outsider with limited experience, Obama's rapid rise in polling numbers within just one month showed strong momentum. His support nearly doubled from 17% to a much more competitive position, suggesting significant grassroots appeal that traditional political experience metrics couldn't capture.
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Rodham Clinton was the front-runner to win the Democratic nomination. She brought several significant advantages to her campaign:
Political experience and profile:
- Wife of former Democratic president Bill Clinton (1993-2001)
- Had a very high profile as First Lady during her husband's presidency
- Played a leading role in Bill Clinton's 1993 attempt to reform medical provision
- In January 2001, became the first ever female senator for the state of New York
- Re-elected as senator in 2006
Campaign advantages:
- Her national reputation was higher than any other Democrat candidate
- She benefited from the considerable campaigning skills of her husband
- A 2006 Newsweek poll found that 55 percent of Americans said they were ready to elect a female president
Despite these advantages, Clinton faced significant challenges, particularly regarding media portrayal and perceptions of her personality.
Clinton's combination of executive branch experience as First Lady and legislative experience as a senator gave her a unique political resume. Her role in healthcare reform during the 1990s, while ultimately unsuccessful, demonstrated her willingness to tackle complex policy issues and gave her valuable experience in navigating contentious political debates.
John Edwards
John Edwards had even more experience than Hillary Clinton in running for president:
Political background:
- Had sought the Democratic Party nomination in 2004, defeated by John Kerry of Massachusetts
- Accepted the role as vice-presidential running mate to Kerry in the 2004 election
- Worked as a lawyer and served as senator for North Carolina from 1999 to 2005
Campaign strengths:
- A very effective speaker
- As a white southerner, would appeal to voters in the southern states
- In October 2006, Edwards trailed Hillary Clinton by only 11 points in a poll among Democrats about their preferred presidential candidate
Edwards withdrew from the race at the end of January 2008 after poor performances in early contests.
Joe Biden
Joe Biden brought extensive political experience to the race:
Background:
- Senator for the small state of Delaware since 1973, giving him decades of Senate experience
- Had previously run for the Democratic Party nomination in 1988
- Withdrew from that earlier race when accused of plagiarising speeches from British Labour Party leader Neil Kinnock
Biden's long career meant he was a well-known figure in Democratic politics, though his earlier plagiarism scandal remained part of his political history.
Other candidates
Several other Democrats also entered the race, though they were considered less likely to win:
- Christopher Dodd - senator for Connecticut from 1981
- Mike Gravel - former senator for Alaska from 1969 to 1981
- Dennis Kucinich - congressman for the 10th district of Ohio
- Bill Richardson - Governor of New Mexico from 2003
These candidates brought varied backgrounds and perspectives to the Democratic field but lacked the national profile of the front-runners.
While these candidates had limited chances of winning the nomination, their participation in debates and campaigning helped shape the Democratic Party's platform and pushed front-runners to address issues they might otherwise have avoided, such as healthcare reform, foreign policy alternatives, and economic inequality.
The impact of the Iowa state caucus
The Iowa state caucus in January 2008 proved crucial in narrowing the Democratic field. Unlike the British general election system, the US presidential campaign is long and complex, beginning with gaining a party's nomination.
Significance of Iowa:
- Even though only one percent of delegates to the Democratic National Convention are chosen by the Iowa caucus, it gives an early indication of candidate popularity
- It serves as an important sounding board of party opinion before the first primary election in New Hampshire
- Poor performance in Iowa often signals the end of a campaign
The Iowa caucus wields disproportionate influence in American presidential politics. Despite representing only 1% of delegates, it functions as a critical momentum-builder or campaign-ender. Strong performance in Iowa generates media coverage, fundraising opportunities, and volunteer enthusiasm, while poor results often lead to rapid campaign collapse as donors and supporters abandon unsuccessful candidates.
Impact on the 2008 race:
Following their poor showing in the Iowa state caucus election, several candidates withdrew:
- Governor Bill Richardson
- Senator Christopher Dodd
- Dennis Kucinich
At the end of January 2008, John Edwards also withdrew due to his poor performance in early contests.
This left the race primarily between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
The Iowa Effect in 2008:
The 2008 Iowa caucus demonstrated the state's filtering function in the nomination process:
- Before Iowa: Seven major Democratic candidates were actively campaigning
- Obama's victory: Barack Obama won with strong support, particularly among young voters and independents
- Immediate impact: Within days, Richardson, Dodd, and Kucinich withdrew from the race
- By end of January: Edwards also withdrew, reducing the field to just two candidates
- Result: A field of seven became a two-person race between Obama and Clinton in less than one month
Media portrayal of Hillary Clinton
Hillary Clinton faced significant sexist media coverage during her campaign, which impacted public perceptions of her candidacy. Research analysed this treatment and identified key patterns.
Common negative descriptions:
Media critics identified frequent use of the following terms to describe Clinton:
- Overly ambitious
- Calculating
- Cold
- Scary
- Intimidating
These portrayals suggested Clinton was not feminine enough, rather than questioning her competence.
The language used to describe Clinton revealed underlying gender bias in political coverage. Terms like "overly ambitious" and "calculating" are rarely applied to male politicians pursuing the presidency, where ambition and strategic thinking are considered essential qualities. This double standard created additional obstacles for Clinton's campaign that male candidates did not face.
Vulgar and sexist commentary:
The campaign saw numerous examples of crude sexism:
- Hillary Clinton nutcrackers were popular Christmas items, depicting her as a pantsuit-clad doll with stainless steel thighs
- MSNBC's Tucker Carlson commented: "When she comes on television, I involuntarily cross my legs"
- Chris Matthews called her male supporters "castratos in the eunuch chorus"
The double bind:
Female politicians faced a particular challenge known as the double bind. This occurs when women need to go negative against opponents:
- Male politicians routinely attack opponents to highlight their flaws
- When female politicians do the same, they risk doing more harm to themselves than to their opponent
- Peggy Simpson of the Women's Media Center noted: "It's not clear that works for a female politician without doing more harm to her than to her opponent"
The double bind creates an impossible situation for female candidates. If they remain positive and avoid attacks, they're seen as weak and not tough enough for high office. If they attack opponents as male candidates routinely do, they're criticized as too aggressive or unlikeable. This catch-22 situation demonstrates how gender stereotypes constrained Clinton's campaign strategy in ways that didn't affect her male opponents.
Emotional displays:
When Clinton nearly cried in New Hampshire when asked how she managed her demanding schedule, the incident grabbed headlines and was reported as breaking news. This was largely because it went against the tough image Clinton projected, showing how female candidates were judged differently for showing emotion.
The sexist media coverage created obstacles for Clinton's campaign that her male opponents, including Obama, did not face. This demonstrates how gender bias remained a significant factor in American politics in 2008, even as the country considered electing its first female president.
Key Points to Remember:
- The 2008 election was a strong opportunity for Democrats due to Bush's unpopularity (33% approval) and constitutional term limits under the Twenty-Second Amendment
- Hillary Clinton was the front-runner with the highest national profile, experience as First Lady and New York senator, and support from her husband's campaigning skills
- Barack Obama was considered an outsider due to limited experience, but showed rapid growth in polling numbers that demonstrated strong grassroots appeal
- John Edwards brought experience from the 2004 campaign as Kerry's running mate and appeal to southern voters
- Joe Biden had decades of Senate experience since 1973, despite a previous plagiarism scandal
- The Iowa caucus in January 2008 was crucial - poor performances led Richardson, Dodd, Kucinich and Edwards to withdraw, narrowing the field from seven candidates to just two
- Clinton faced significant sexist media coverage, being described as overly ambitious, cold and intimidating, creating a double bind when she tried to go negative against opponents
- The 2008 Democratic primary demonstrated that while America was ready to break barriers, female candidates still faced gender-based obstacles that male candidates did not encounter