Elderblunder: Another DNC Clanger
By Pat Racimora on September 18, 2008 at 8:30 AM in DNC, Democratic Party, Donna Brazile, Presidential Candidates
Between Donna Brazile’s bizarre declaration earlier this year that Democrats no longer need to rely on older people (among others) who make up the party’s traditional base, and the Obama campaign’s near-exclusive focus on the youth vote, the DNC and the Obama camp may well have made another gargantuan misstep.
Maybe some seniors were unable to get out in the near-freezing night weather to participate in the Iowa caucus. Maybe other seniors were unable stand until midnight in the Texas caucus. But seniors vote in higher numbers in general elections than do younger voters. In 2004, the voting rate for those over 65 was 66% compared to 52% in the 18-25 age group. In 2006, the voting rate for seniors (over 65) was 61% compared to a pathetic 20% for the 18-25 voters. As for registered voters, seniors over 65 have the highest rate of any age group. (Voting rates here.)
Today’s seniors are more active and involved in their communities than at any time in history, and recent research disputes any stereotype that advanced age has to manifest signs of cognitive impairment. And yet if the DNC thinks it is attracting seniors to vote Democratic by denigrating the age of the Republican opponent, well that’s about as sharp as a marble.
Many now-senior women were active in the second wave of feminism in the late 1960s and early 70s. Back then, “You can be whatever you want to be” was not an option for girls to even fantasize about. Thick doors were either slammed shut or cleverly blocked with glass (e.g., irrelevant employment criteria that most women could not meet due to their physical size or strength). Those now-senior feminists toiled hard to open doors for women, and they made progress on a number of fronts.
Soccer Mom to Mayor to Governor to Vice Presidential Candidate. We may not agree with her on all of the issues, but Sarah Palin was able to achieve what yesterday’s active feminists had hoped any little girl who worked hard enough and believed enough in herself could become. Hillary was a great hope—and sexism again raised its ugly head to dog her throughout her campaign. Yet Sarah Palin is being hit with uber-ugly slurs that have nothing to do with disagreements on issues, often enough perpetrated by other women (including, ironically, some from the second wave). This is not going down well with more senior women than the DNC and today’s younger feminists may realize.
In short, we are witnessing elderblunder. Dumb!
by Ronald Scott
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