President Barack Obama and Racial Politics

Abstract

Ushered into office by a record high turnout rates among groups who usually had lower voting participation in national elections, Barack Hussein Obama entered the White House in January 2009 in an environment of high expectations, but with a massive and seemingly insurmountable economic problems. Since his January 2009 inauguration, President Obama has found that the mounting challenges to deracialized governance far outweigh those of deracialized campaigning. Deracialized governance occurs when candidates, who were elected through the usage of a deracial-ized campaign, attempt to deliver policies that serve to reduce inequality.¹ When running deracialized campaigns, candidates downplay racial issues and address those that voters of all races can identify with.² Candidates like Obama, who deemphasize race during their campaigns in order to win elections, are confronted with numerous racial conflicts after taking office. On one hand, African Americans have higher expectations for black elected officials than whites and usually are worse off than other groups during times of crisis. On another hand, voters of all races want these candidates to fulfill the promises made during their campaigns.