Christian J.

Watkins Sociology 422: Contemporary Sociological Theory October 1, 2011

The All-American Contender: A Systematic investigation of John McCains 2008 Presidential Campaign

The 2008 presidential election was a monumental election for many reasons. It undoubtedly demonstrated Americas readiness for change and signified the end of the all-white occupied Oval Office. It also illustrated the impact that media could have on presidential elections. The coverage of the presidential race was no longer contained by the traditional sources of media such as CNN, FOX News, and The New York Times. Coverage now extended to more modern outlets of social media networks like YouTube, Facebook, and other blogging sites. These circuits of discourse fueled the election coverage and presented candidates with a new challengethe challenge of utilizing these outlets in order to grasp the attention of younger audiences. This was important because younger Americans are more likely to use these outlets as their primary source of information and communication. Dr. Paul Haridakis (2008), an associate professor of communication at Kent University, sums up this idea, Many people will watch videos and use traditional media like TV to acquire political information about the candidates, but they also are going to the Internet and using social networking sites to see who people they

know support. The information gleaned from their social networks may be the information they find most credible and persuasive. In order to tackle this new challenge, candidates began creating YouTube campaigns, Twitter accounts, and Facebook pages to reach out to voters. Social networks provided a way of interacting with voters more personally. Senator Obama realized the need to effectively use social media early on in his presidential campaign . This had a significant impact on his popularity, which ultimately contributed to his victory. What is the main goal of a presidential candidate? John McCain states in his Republican nomination speech, it is to make a respectful, determined, and convincing case to the American people that our campaign and my election as president, given the alternatives by our friends in the other party, are in the best interests of the country we love (Presidential Rhetoric, 2008). The goal is to distinguish themselves by portraying ones personal qualities, educational abilities, and experience as superior to the opposing candidate and demonstrating why one is worthy of the title of President. The influence a candidate has on a voters depends on his ability to relate to the voter and his political concerns. In the final stretch of the 2008 Presidential election, John McCain and Barack Obama created smear ads to inform voters of the real character of the opposing candidate. I wonder if John McCain used his background and charisma to distinguish himself as an All-American celebrity and create discourse of anti-intellectualism amongst the great American public towards Barack Obama, to sway the vote in his direction? RQ1) What is an All-American? The goal of this research question is to find text that clearly and exemplary delineates what an All-American is. This definition will be used to determine if and how John McCain and the media constructed him as being one. RQ2) Does John McCain distinguish himself as an All-American throughout the 2008 presidential election? If so, how does he go about doing so? RQ3) What and/or who validates someone as being an All-American?

In Ta-Nehisi Coates article, American Girl, he validates First Lady Michelle Obama as an AllAmerican through her experiences and aspirations. Many Americans saw her largely through the prism of her belated, and wanting, expression of American pride (Coates, 2009). This question is especially important in determining what qualities John McCain exhibits that may make him an All-American. RQ4) In many of John McCains speeches and ads, he refers to himself as a Maverick. What does McCain mean by describing himself as a Maverick? RQ5) Since we dont actually know John McCain personally, we must rely on the information given to us by the media, to illustrate his character. What kinds of narratives does the media construct of John McCain? Looking at the various sources of media and social media, I will understand how the character of John McCain was exemplified. RQ6) According to Richard Hofstadters ideology, does John McCain fall under the umbrella of an anti-intellectualist? Later in this study, I will discuss Richard Hofstadters concept of Anti-Intellectualism and Intellect, but by looking through John McCains background, speeches, and campaign ads, I consider if he could qualify as one. RQ7) If John McCain is an Anti-intellectualist, I wonder if he effectively illustrated his opponent as being an intellectualist, according to Hofstadters philosophy? To systematically investigate whether John McCain is an All-American and whether he used his celebrity status to provoke ideology of Anti-intellectualism in order to influence the vote of the common man, I will quantitatively analyze the speeches of John McCain, visually examining what words he uses like maverick, the common man, the peoples leader, AllAmerican, servant of America, American pride, etc. I will also analyze how his use of discourse may have created a network of rules in which he is trying to establish meaning. For example, after the final democratic primary, he says: The American people didnt get to know me yesterday, as they are just getting to know Senator Obama. They know I have a long record of bipartisan problem

solving. Theyve seen me put our country before any Presidentbefore any partybefore any special interestbefore my own interest. They might think me an imperfect servant of our country, which I surely am. But I am her servant first, last and always (Presidential Rhetoric, 2008). The prior quote is a great example of his use of the word servant and its intended meaning. This is a clear example of what I will be looking for. I will use the dictionary to define and determine what it means to be an All American, a Maverick, a servant, and other words he uses to characterize himself as one fighting for the common man. For example, the dictionary defines a Maverick as, a lone dissenter, and a politician who takes an independent stance apart from his or her associates (Webster, 2005).

You can tell a lot about a presidential campaign and its supporters by the songs played at
their campaign rallies (Cohen, 2008). I will examine what kind of music he used in his campaign commercials, to introduce himself to the audience at his speeches, in YouTube videos and presidential rallies and debates. The objective is to determine how he encouraged the crowds to believe in him and his message. Cohen (2008) goes on to say,

For John McCain, the selections at his first rally after the final presidential
debate spoke volumes about both the state of the campaign and the predisposition of the candidate: Journeys Dont Stop Believing and, as Mr. McCain entered the gymnasium in Downingtown, Pa., the theme from Rocky. Mr. McCain may be down in the polls, but if his soundtrack yesterday was any indication, he is not going down without a fight. Though John McCain was down in the polls, he used music to revitalize his campaign and instill hope and perseverance in his followers.

I will take a look at how the media to see how they constructed the character of John McCain. I will search through newspaper articles, online databases, and news station channels, looking for titles relating to John McCain and All-American. The Daily Mails (2008) article entitled, All Americanbuying, John McCain under fire over fleet of THIRTEEN cars- and three of them are foreign makes and The American Spectators (2008) article, All American Maverick, are premier examples of what I will be looking for. I will also examine social media networks like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and blogs to see how they construct the character of John McCain, and how he portrays himself on these social media sites. I will visit hashtags.com and other Twitter powered websites that allow you to see what people are saying about certain topics. For example, I will go to hashtags.com and type in tags like: #JohnMcCain, #McCain, #Maverick, and #AllAmerican, to see what twitter users are saying about these topics. Currently, on Facebook John McCain has 872, 574 likes and 1, 431 people are talking about him. On YouTube, I can observe what news, radio stations and what the common people are saying about John McCain. The last method of analysis that I will employ is the use of images. I will examine the simulation of images that John McCain used in his ads and commercials on his official election website and on his Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube accounts, to convey his American Pride and show that he is fighting for the common man. I will also analyze the images that the media used to describe and construct the character of John McCain. Through these methods, I will thoroughly examine and answer my big question and my research questions.

It is not enough for theory to describe and analyze, it must itself be an event in the universe
it describes. In order to do this theory must partake of and become the acceleration of this logic . It must tear itself from all referents and take pride only in the future. Theory must operate on

time at the cost of a deliberate distortion of present reality (Kellner, 1994). Jean Baudrillards remarks illustrate how important theory will be in guiding my study. One of the theories I will use to help guide my research is Richard Hofstadters concept of Anti-Intellectualism and Intellectualism. In his concept, he does not explicitly define antiintellectualism but he uses examples to clearly illustrate who anti-intellectualist are and what they believe. In his work, Hofstadter describes Anti-intellectualism as hostility towards and mistrust of intellect, intellectuals, and intellectual pursuits. In public discourse, anti-intellectuals usually perceive and publicly present themselves as champions of the common folk (Hoftstadter, 1963). After the final democratic primary, John McCain stated,

I have a few years on my opponent, so I am surprised that a young man has

bought in to so many failed ideas. Like others before him, he seems to think government is the answer to every problem; that government should take our resources and make our decisions for us. That type of change doesnt trust Americans to know what is right or what is in their own best interests. Its the attitude of politicians who are sure of themselves but have little faith in the wisdom, decency and common sense of free people. That attitude created the unresponsive bureaucracies of big government in the first place. And thats not change we can believe in (Presidential Rhetoric, 2008). After discovering this quote, I immediately considered this the money quote because of the concepts and questions it inspired. This quote basically answered my big question. It reminded me of C. Wright Mills book, The Power Elite and Mass Society (1956), in which he talks about the shift of government from the hands of the masses into the hands of the modern elite, also known as the manipulator. John McCain portrayed Barack Obama as a part of the modern elite class and as Hofstadter illustrated--an intellectual. From this quote I gleam that

John McCain was trying to separate himself from the modern elite class by claiming otherness. Being a fighter for the common man, he wanted to return government to the good old days. Which according to Hofstadters example would make him an anti-intellectualist. Max Webers notion of charisma is another concept that I will use in my study. Charisma is determined by the individual and that individual sets his or her own limitations. The bearer seizes the task for which he is destined and demands that others obey and follow him by virtue of his mission (Marshall, 2006). McCains background as a decorated naval aviator and a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War--allegorized heroism, contributing to his persona as a charismatic leader. For example, after the 2008 presidential election, the CBS News (2009) featured an article about him entitled McCain: The Original Political Celebrity and they went on to say,

If Barack Obama gave new meaning to the term political celebrity, then John McCain helped
define it. He emerged as the most popular Republican in Hollywood following his 2000 presidential primary defeat, winning more screen time than the rest of Congress combined. McCain made cameos in Wedding Crashers and 24, saw his memoir turned into a popular biopic on A&E, and appeared more than 30 times on late night comedy shows.

Part Two:

The Simulation of Fashion within the Spelman College Community

This thesis will examine if images of the Spelman Look influence incoming students personal style causing them to conform. I explored students style of dressing on campus, at campus events such as the White Dress Ceremony and freshmen orientation week, in images displayed in Spelman ads, brochures, and the Spelman College website, and within the various media sources, to identify the ideal look of a Spelman College woman. I am interested in understanding how the ideology of womanhood, the social construction of reality, and popularity may intersect to influence incoming freshmen and transfer students decision-making processes. Peter L. Berger and Thomas Luckmanns (1966) book, The Social Construction of Reality, theorizes that the way people present themselves to others is partly shaped by our interactions with others, as well as by life experiences. Susan Kaisers (1997) book, The Social Psychology of Clothing: Symbolic Appearance in Context, discusses fashion as a system of non-verbal communication and illustrates how fashion communicates the wearers identity through the daily use of style. These sources were fundamental in forming my thesis. Other significant works included Jean Baudrillards (1983) Simulacra and Simulation theory of how signs and images have replaced reality (Lemert, 2010), and Michel Focaults (1976) theory of discourse and narrative, which analyzes the discursive power of knowledge (Lemert, 2010). The following research questions were needed to help answer my big question: RQ1: Do incoming freshmen and transfer students alter their personal style to fit in with the popular fashion trends of the

Spelman College community? RQ2: What factors contributed to incoming freshmen and transfer students decision to alter their appearance? I wanted to know what factors or social pressures, within the Spelman community, might have influenced the students to change their personal style and determine if there are any demographic similarities between the students that did conform. RQ3: Do students feel pressure from the community to conform? This research question attempts to establish if there were social controls involved in the conformity process or lack there of. RQ4: Was this conformity fueled by the stereotypical Spelman Look associated with the college? This questions aim was to determine if the simulation of signs and images played a role in the students decision to conform, or served as an illustration of what to conform to. RQ5: Has this change constructed a new realization of self-identity? Be it self-gain or some higher benefit like the idea of a better chance at succeeding in college, this question aims to tackle that notion to determine the underlying reason behind changing ones personal style. RQ6: What factors contributed to incoming freshmen and transfer students deviance from the popular fashion trends of the Spelman College community? Not every incoming student will change their personal style as they enter college and this research question attempts to determine why they chose not to conform. In order to answer my big question and research questions, I first had to determine the simulations of the Spelman Look. I searched through the Spelman College archives for images of Spelman women. I found a multitude of them, on brochures, in catalogs, in old newspaper articles, and on the Spelman College web site. I also found many images around campus on signs, light poles, banners, in dorm room lobbies and in Upper and Lower Manley. These images included close-up and full-body images. I took pictures and identified patterns and themes. After concluding this section of my methodology, I completed ethnographic observation of Spelman College students. I observed how students wore their hair, their clothing, makeup and jewelry,

and if they carried book bags, shoulder bags, or roller book bags. I noted if they were wearing heels, tennis shoes, or flats/sandals, and if they where casual, business casual, sporty, or professionally dressed. I compiled my information from the image observations and the ethnographic observations to identify the dominant themes that would express the Spelman Look. I created a brief survey of multiple-choice answers, fill in the blank questions, and likert scale analysis questions to give to the incoming students. I distributed seventy surveys to freshmen and new transfer Spelman students. Upon completion of the surveys, I randomly chose twenty-five students to interview further. I conducted twenty brief one-on-one interview sessions. Each interviewee was asked the survey questions but was allowed to elaborate on their answers. This provided a greater understanding of their personal narratives. Entering a new environment can be stressful yet intriguing. A new city, new surroundings, and new people can be somewhat overwhelming and can possibly lead to feelings of isolation and depression in incoming freshmen and transfer students to Spelman College. They may worry about things like their appearance, their roommates, making new friends, and academic issues. Karl Marx suggested that people are social because they cannot live without interaction with other people; they cannot be cut off from society (Fromm 1991). Sociologist A.P. Hare (1962) suggests that the more the individual is attracted to the group, the more he will conform to its norms (Kiesler 1963). Fashion is constantly evolving in our society. What a person wears says something about who they are. One of the first things you notice about someone is what they are wearing. What we wear influences our first impression on others. Entering college can be a stressful time with moving-in, registering for classes and adjusting to a new environment. The added pressure of appearance can be stressful and overwhelming. Though we all come into college with our own personal appearances and style of dress, I have noticed that as Spelman women assimilate

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through the community, students various styles and trends have become blurred and it seems as if many students tend to portray similar characteristics in their personal style. In trying to interpret the similar fashion trends represented within the Spelman Community, an explicit means to explaining this observation is to assume that there has been some degree of conformity. According to the Structural Functional Theory, society is a complex unit made up of interrelated parts. This theory recognizes that most people are conformists and that they accept the goals their society sets for them, as well as the institutionalized means of achieving them . I believe that incoming students are influenced by the various fashion trends within the community and tend to alter their personal style to fit in with the appearance of Spelman women. Is fashion a form of social control within the Spelman community? Do such traditional aspects of Spelman College, like the White Dress Ceremony, create hyperreal images of Spelman women, leading to avenues of conformity and influencing students to change their personal appearance? The objective of this research was to determine whether incoming freshmen and transfer students have conformed to the fashion trends of Spelman College and to understand what factors may have contributed to this conformity.

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Works Cited:

Berger, Peter L. and Thomas Luckmann.1966. The Social Construction of Reality: A Treatise in the Sociology of Knowledge. New York: Penguin Books Cohen, Michael. 2008. McCains Fight Song The New York Times. October 19. Retrieved October 7, 2011 (http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/19/mccains-fight-song/). Fromm, E.1961. Marx's Concept of Man. New York: Ungar Publishing. <http://www.marxists.org/archive/fromm/works/1961/man/index.htm>. Hare, A.P.1962. Handbook of Small group research. Glenclose, Ill: Free Press. Haridakis Ph. D, Paul. 2008. Social media and presidential election: Scientists examine impact of YouTube, Myspace. Kent State University. Physorg. October 13. Retrieved October 2, 2011 (http://www.physorg.com/news144674921.html) Hofstadter, Richard. 1963. Anti-Intellectualism in American Life. Madison, WI: Knopf Publisher Kaiser, Susan B. 1997. The Social Psychology of Clothing: Symbolic Appearance in Context. Rev. 2nd Ed. New York: Fairchilds Publication Kellner, Douglas. 1994. Baudrillard: a critical reader. Cambridge, MA: Blackwell Publishers

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Kiesler, C.1963. Attraction to the group and conformity to group norms. Journal of Personality, 31(4), 559. Lemert, Charles. 2010. Social Theory: The Multicultural and Classical Readings. Boulder, CO: Westview Press Marshall, P. David. 2006. The Celebrity Culture Reader. New York, NY: Routledge Group Merriam-Websters Collegiate Dictionary. 2005. 11th ed. Springfield, MA: MerriamWebster. Presidential Rhetoric. 2008. Speeches from the 2008 Presidential Campaign. Washington, D.C. Presidential Rhetoric. Retrieved October 4, 2011 (http://www.presidentialrhetoric.com/campaign2008/index.html).

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