December 2, 2008 7:56:30 PM CST
(Newser) – The culture wars are heating up again, thanks to Sarah Palin’s staunch opposition to abortion and demonstrated fondness for firearms, Politico reports. Social issues have been largely absent from the campaign so far, with both candidates preferring to focus on the war and the economy. But Palin’s own pregnancy (and her daughter’s) are forcing McCain and Obama to address the issues head on.
Palin’s hardcore conservative credentials, particularly with regard to abortion, gun rights, and creationism, will certainly spark debate among culture warriors. But don’t give her all the credit. The Obama camp sent out a radio ad criticizing McCain’s anti-abortion stance before he announced his pick, ABC reports. Last year, the National Review declared the wars dead; it seems they were just simmering under the surface.
Sources Politico, ABC News
Nov 17, 08 4:45 PM CST Sarah Palin made such a splash in American politics this year that she deserves consideration for Time magazine Person of the Year, Kathryn Jean Lopez writes for the National Review. “They’ve probably long picked The One,” Lopez writes, referring to Barack Obama. But “like Obama, all you had to do was look at her to see that she offered something different on a national ticket.” More »
Nov 6, 08 1:22 PM CST With the election over, what's more fun than calling out all those whose predictions were off—way off. Der Spiegel lists some highlights:
Nov 4, 08 4:05 PM CST It's an inevitability of any election season: Some phrases will get bandied around so much that the hapless American, simply trying to do his civic duty by paying attention, will be crushed under the sheer weight of political verbiage. The Red Eye lists the worst offenders:
Nov 3, 08 5:18 PM CST Viral election videos offer campy calls for change, seamless special effects, and more than a few celebrity cameos. Laughs aside, “over the past decade they’ve also impacted politics—sometimes changing the course of elections and frequently providing a few laughs in an otherwise wonky world,” Jeffrey Ressner writes in picking Politico's top 10 of '08.
Nov 2, 08 2:57 PM CST After a long campaign season, John McCain and Barack Obama have had ample chance to define themselves in America’s eyes—yet 4% of the country, a recent poll says, remains undecided. The New York Times spoke to a few of these “gray-state” voters to see what was holding them back; they noted good and bad qualities in each candidate, but remained tough to pin down. More »
Something happens in the political realm that tends to trigger the culture wars re-emergence. So it's always below the surface. - James Davidson Hunter,who coined the term "culture war"
Barack Obama • Election 2008 • John McCain • Sarah Palin • abortion rights • culture wars • creationism • gun rights
