The first Black President in America.
The election of President Barack Obama in 2008 signifies a turning point in American history with the election of the first black President. Both major nominees for the Democratic ticket in 2008 were non-traditional candidates, them being Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Many argue that Obama was so controversial and divisive because he was black, others aruge it is because of the policies he instituted, like Obamacare. This election marks the beginning of a period of staunch political polarization between Democrats and Republicans. Many people reference the 2000s as the last time “America was America”, and this is because at the end of the decade, Barack Obama was elected. His election marks the beginning of a progressive era of politics, not just in America, but across Western society. If Barack Obama was never elected President, and the candidates were just regular white guys, would America still be in a state of paralyzing political polarization?