2008 Woodie Awards
World and Nation
Greg LaBanca
Issue date: 11/5/04 Section: News
President George W. Bush Wins Second Term.
One of the most divisive and memorable election seasons in recent history closed Wednesday afternoon with the reelection of President and Republican candidate, George W. Bush.
The state electoral map provided stark evidence of a geographical split, indicating much deeper divisions in this nation. Perhaps as a surprise to many, this division proved not to be over the war in Iraq, terrorism or even the economy, but rather was framed by cultural and moral issues, as indicated by exit polls of those who voted for Bush.
The "blue" states proved to be without exception from the West Coast, the Northeast and the Great Lakes. The "red" states were one solid mass stretching from the Rockies to the Atlantic, encompassing the Heartland and the Deep South.
There is an evident divide in this country, one apparently splitting between rural citizens and what they perceive as out of touch cosmopolitan urban elites clustered on the coasts.
Indeed, the election came down - in the small hours of Wednesday morning - in a state exemplifying this demand. Despite crippling economic losses in Ohio and a northern cosmopolitan elite, this state was carried - albeit barely - by rural citizens in the south voting on moral and religious grounds.
This election has had the effect of essentially eviscerating the Democratic Party. Not only did Bush win the White House, but Republicans also made significant gains in both the House and the Senate, putting the Grand Old Party in clear control of Congress. Republicans took the majority of governorship, and it is likely that at least one Supreme Court Justice will be selected by Bush in the next four years.
Perhaps most damaging to the Democratic Party was the loss of Democratic Senatorial leader from South Dakota, Tom Daschle, leaving the party not only weak, but leaderless.
Claims of illegitimacy following the 2000 election - where Bush lost the popular vote and won the electoral vote only in the courtroom - were put to rest on Wednesday. Not only did Bush win the popular vote by three million votes, but he also captured over 51 percent of it. The last president to capture a majority of the popular vote was President George H.W. Bush in 1988.
One of the most divisive and memorable election seasons in recent history closed Wednesday afternoon with the reelection of President and Republican candidate, George W. Bush.
The state electoral map provided stark evidence of a geographical split, indicating much deeper divisions in this nation. Perhaps as a surprise to many, this division proved not to be over the war in Iraq, terrorism or even the economy, but rather was framed by cultural and moral issues, as indicated by exit polls of those who voted for Bush.
The "blue" states proved to be without exception from the West Coast, the Northeast and the Great Lakes. The "red" states were one solid mass stretching from the Rockies to the Atlantic, encompassing the Heartland and the Deep South.
There is an evident divide in this country, one apparently splitting between rural citizens and what they perceive as out of touch cosmopolitan urban elites clustered on the coasts.
Indeed, the election came down - in the small hours of Wednesday morning - in a state exemplifying this demand. Despite crippling economic losses in Ohio and a northern cosmopolitan elite, this state was carried - albeit barely - by rural citizens in the south voting on moral and religious grounds.
This election has had the effect of essentially eviscerating the Democratic Party. Not only did Bush win the White House, but Republicans also made significant gains in both the House and the Senate, putting the Grand Old Party in clear control of Congress. Republicans took the majority of governorship, and it is likely that at least one Supreme Court Justice will be selected by Bush in the next four years.
Perhaps most damaging to the Democratic Party was the loss of Democratic Senatorial leader from South Dakota, Tom Daschle, leaving the party not only weak, but leaderless.
Claims of illegitimacy following the 2000 election - where Bush lost the popular vote and won the electoral vote only in the courtroom - were put to rest on Wednesday. Not only did Bush win the popular vote by three million votes, but he also captured over 51 percent of it. The last president to capture a majority of the popular vote was President George H.W. Bush in 1988.