Who Should Be First? Feminists Speak Out on the 2008 Presidential Campaign.

While the media colored the 2008 campaign between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination as one of race vs. gender, feminists like Guy-Sheftall and Cole saw the nuances of this pivotal moment. Articles, op-ed pieces, essays, and personal reflections written during and after the campaign fill a volume that on first glance seems like a late arrival, but which upon reading reminds readers that politics are never simply black or white, particularly if one has stock in both sides. The theme of identification as a basis for presidential representation runs through the work, exposing the biases of voters and politicians alike. Balanced by contributions from supporters of both Obama and Clinton who are black and white, male and female, the collection brings to light the errors in binary thinking so prevalent in politics, and unavoidable in the American two-party system. Repetition nearly detracts from the central message that it's never to late, or too early, to learn from the past. (Aug.)