| The furious backlash to America's election of the | | | | represented by non-white faces. To ignore the |
| western industrialized world's first non-white leader | | | | impact of that change in perception was an |
| was predictable enough. After all, | | | | enormous contributor to confusion among both |
| European-descended whites had governed the use | | | | conservative and progressive issues. |
| of global resources for two millennia and history | | | | As an example, the new First Lady has been |
| has shown that privilege fights hard to stay in | | | | touted as a fashion innovator and a fitness buff. |
| hands that hold it. | | | | Up until the election, however, America's |
| Far more difficult for America to grasp in 2010 | | | | self-image was based on the assumption that real |
| was the profound impact of the election in a | | | | power rested in white male Anglo-Saxon |
| global world. That challenge was at the heart of | | | | Protestant hands, complete with behind-the-throne |
| the social, economic and political chaos engulfing | | | | conservatively dressed wives. "Flash" was a |
| the country. It called urgently for a direct address | | | | characteristic reserved for the underdogs of solid |
| of links between racial issues and social progress. | | | | social power, the celebrities, artistes and social |
| A Washington Post report of May 5 noted that | | | | innovators at a safe remove from the stolid |
| the motley group of conservatives dubbed the | | | | holders of power in Washington and Wall Street. |
| Tea Party movement that arose shortly after | | | | Liberal talk-show host Bill Maher said in April that |
| the inauguration was battling perceptions of | | | | the new President confused him. One minute he |
| racism. The paper reported the next day that | | | | acted as the miraculous leader the Huffington |
| "race card" had become a salvo for all sides. | | | | Post claimed him to be and the next he acted like |
| Meanwhile, the economic revolution that had | | | | a clone of the previous President Bush whose |
| brought about the historic election was still in full | | | | failed administration had provided the opening for |
| swing. Conservative Wall Street continued to | | | | America's historic election of a non-white |
| defend the awarding of outlandish bonuses for | | | | President. |
| failed ventures to executives devising exotic new | | | | A global pioneer at the Obama level would have |
| schemes Main Street had no hope of | | | | no choice but to skillfully walk the fine line |
| understanding but had every instinct to reject as | | | | between conservatism and progress. But the |
| it remained at a near 10 percent unemployment | | | | upshot was that the 2008 US election had |
| rate. Thus, despite the fact that conservatives | | | | overturned deeply-seated social stereotypes and |
| became the party of "no" to social reforms in | | | | had altered perceptions forever. |
| areas such as health care and finance, the | | | | Examining the implications of the change was |
| benevolent direction the country had chosen with | | | | without a doubt both difficult and awkward. But it |
| the 2008 election continued to splutter forward. | | | | was an essential step for American mainstream |
| The momentum of social progress could be | | | | media to undertake, both in view of its influential |
| greatly strengthened. For that to occur, the | | | | role as a lens for public perception and as the |
| mainstream media would need to devote more | | | | provider of the opportunity for America to |
| attention to the aspect of sheer novelty as a | | | | advance its aims in a multi-racial global world of |
| result of the election. | | | | interdependent economies. |
| For the first time ever, America was now | | | | |