For Dems, 2 historic candidates lead the field

With one of the two leading contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination a woman and the other an African American, this year's primaries represent a number of firsts for American politics.

After Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and the other contests thus far, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama are major contenders for the presidency. The real question, however, is whether the race and gender issues that have failed to hinder their campaigns so far will have an effect in the future.

Thus far, both political analysts and students are divided on how race and gender will ultimately impact the election.

"Both candidates are walking a tightrope," said Penn political science professor Adolph Reed. "They want the benefit of celebrating racial and gender diversity, without having to pay the price of running on identity politics. It's a tough act to pull off."

Obama won last Saturday's South Carolina primary by a wide margin, receiving about 80 percent of the black vote, according to Associated Press exit polls.

"Part of the change phenomenon is that people can deal with the content and character of someone rather than their color," said political analyst and St. Joseph's University history professor Randall Miller. "But in saying that, you're also pointing out that race [and gender] still matter."

Miller added that it's not clear how race will influence election results. But he said it is a "good thing" Clinton's gender and Obama's race are not considered disadvantages for the candidates.

Analysts are divided on the issue of what will happen in November, when one of these Democratic candidates will likely run against the Republican nominee in the general election.

Miller said he believes that it will be "less possible" to take race and gender out of election campaigns in the general election, but the effect of race or gender on the outcome of the election depends on who the nominees for each party are.

Reed said anti-Clinton sentiment and the potential race factor if Obama were the nominee make a Republican victory in November a distinct possibility.

"Even though the Republican field looks and seems weak and uninspiring, I'd bet that any of the Republicans would end up beating Hillary or Obama in November," he said.

But for students of both parties, race and gender are hardly the most important factors in the election.

"There are so many other issues out there - people are losing their jobs and their homes, they can't send their children to school, and they're going to vote based on whether it's a man or a woman? I don't buy it," Penn Democrats Vice President Joe Gross said.

Penn College Republicans President Zac Byer agreed. "I would hope it's not [the major issue]," he said. "It really shouldn't matter whether someone is black or white, woman or man, Mormon or Protestant."

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