The Next President: Election Night Narrative

THE HYPE:

Election Night 2008 ended with a resounding victory for Barack Obama. After previous elections with agonizing decisions stretching into Wednesday or beyond, Obama achieved a somewhat anti-climatic yet overwhelming victory at eleven PM Eastern. But the media circus ran all night. The main focus of electoral narrative seemed to be the following: the historic nature of Obama’s win, and questions about his future as the next President.

OBAMA’S HISTORIC VICTORY:

"...I don't care how you feel about him politically, on some level you have to say this is America at its grandest...."
-Juan Williams, speaking on Fox News Nov. 4, 11:02 PM Eastern Time

This narrative focused on both the historic nature of the first black President, as well as the campaign season that led Obama to victory. Mainstream anchors across the board highlighted Obama’s victory as an advancement for African Americans. This narrative was furthered by John McCain’s concession speech. McCain emphasized Obama’s journey in the context of the progression of race relations in America. With regards to campaign narrative, anchors highlighted the organization of Obama’s campaign that ushered a large number of first-time voters to the polls. Journalists also cut to a number of victory parties across the world, to emphasize the global impact of the US election. However, the dynamic news cycle could not keep a solid focus on the present.

WHAT WILL HE DO NOW?:



Speculation began immediately as to what Obama would do with the largest electoral win in recent history. As Democrats experienced gains in both chambers of Congress, this narrative rings particularly salient. Obama stands to experience a great deal of influence in policy-making, so long as Senate Republicans avoid the filibuster. This narrative is demonstrated in discussion of the Presidential transition, whispers about potential cabinet appointments, and other general speculation. Fox News deviates sharply from other networks, a topic to be examined next time.

THE BEAT:



Political Scientist Marjorie Hershey stated that journalists create stories about candidates for suspense, and use archetypes to further these stories. Throughout the campaign, Obama was cast as “Mr. Cool,” or “the passive professor.” The majority of the media was eager to emphasize Obama's positives in light of the narrative that had been created prior to the campaign. These questions about the future are generated in light of the current world situation. With the uncertainty of the present, voters were willing to consume Obama’s promises of a steady hand and hopeful focus. Obama's biggest challenge now is to live up to all the expectations.

UP NEXT: FOX NEWS AND OBJECTIVITY.