New York University’s Charlton McIlwain, who co-directs the Project on Race in Political Communication (RaceProject.org), is available for comment on Senator Joseph Biden’s recent comments on Senator Barack Obama’s presidential candidacy.
New York University’s Charlton McIlwain, who co-directs the Project on Race in Political Communication (RaceProject.org), is available for comment on Senator Joseph Biden’s recent comments on Senator Barack Obama’s presidential candidacy.
McIlwain observers that Biden’s remarks are indicative of many who continue to see African-American candidates in stereotypical ways - inarticulate, trouble-makers, out to represent their own individual interests, or those of other blacks only. What Biden said, McIlwain adds, is that Obama is not your typical black or typical black candidate.
“The interesting thing will be to see whether Obama ends up using some of the same rhetoric as his campaign develops-to show white voters that he rises above the stereotypes,” McIlwain observes. “Obama may have been so conciliatory in his response to Biden’s remarks because, in a sense, they help him. Many black candidates running in majority white districts make an effort to show white voters that they are not the kind of black person whites may typically think of. In fact, Obama used this approach in his 2004 Senate race in one television advertisement.”
In Obama’s 2004 ad, “Yes We Can,” he states, “They said that an African American had never led the Harvard Law Review ” The next frame is a picture of the young Obama standing with books in hand by the columns of Harvard’s law school building. Obama’s voice continues, “ until I changed that,” while a New York Times headline is shown across the screen reading, “First Black Elected to Head Harvard’s Law Review.”
“Obama used these words and images deliberately, to say in effect, I’m not like what you might think of that typical black politician you are used to,’ “McIlwain says.
In his research, with North Central College’s Stephen Maynard, of more than 300 ads in past campaigns where black candidates were involved, McIlwain has found that black candidates employ racial messages as frequently as whites but for different reasons.
“The strategy is almost always to inoculate against the stereotype of traditional black leaders,” explains McIlwain, an assistant professor in the Steinhardt School’s Department of Culture and Communication.
Reporters interested in speaking with McIlwain should contact James Devitt, NYU’s Office of Public Affairs, at 212.998.6808 or james.devitt@nyu.edu.