Their Opportunism, Our Opportunity

beneath the Radar

By Gary Younge

This article appeared in the December 11, 2006 edition of The Nation.

November 26, 2006

The Republicans had yet to concede Virginia and there were around a dozen House races still too close to call when New York magazine hit the stands the week of the midterm elections. It featured a picture of Hillary Clinton and the words: "And now the real race begins."

Elsewhere CNN had already designed a banner for the bottom of the screen that read "America Votes 2008." The Economist ran a cartoon of Clinton and John McCain on horseback with the headline: "And they're off! The real election campaign gets under way."

November's elections, which saw both houses of Congress switch sides, were, it appears, at best symbolic and at worst meaningless. For a substantial vote with real results we must wait two years--2008, it seems, is the new 2006.

Subscriber Login

4 ISSUES FREE

Subscribe Now!

The only way to read this article and the full contents of each week's issue of The Nation online is by subscribing to the magazine. Subscribe now and read this article -- and every article published since for the past five years -- right now.

There's no obligation -- try The Nation for four weeks free.

.

About Gary Younge

Gary Younge, the Alfred Knobler Journalism Fellow at The Nation Institute, is the New York correspondent for the Guardian and the author of No Place Like Home: A Black Briton's Journey Through the Deep South (Mississippi) and Stranger in a Strange Land: Travels in the Disunited States (New Press). He is also a contributor to The Notion. more...
Most Read

Issues »

Most Emailed

Issues »

Popular Topics

Blogs

» Campaign 08

John Lewis: McCain, Palin Are "Sowing Seeds of Hatred" | "As public figures with the power to influence and persuade, Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin are playing with fire..."
John Nichols

» The Beat

Troopergate Conclusion: Palin Abused Her Office | "I find that Governor Palin abused her power," writes investigator in a report released Friday night by GOP dominated Alaska Legislative Council.
John Nichols

» The Dreyfuss Report

Thirty Years' War in Afghanistan | It might be unwinnable -- or it just might take several decades. A sober look at that other war.
Robert Dreyfuss

» Editor's Cut

The Woman Greenspan, Rubin & Summers Silenced | How Brooksley Born might have helped us avert this financial meltdown
Katrina vanden Heuvel

» The Notion

Is the Second Superpower of the Cold War Going Down? | The Soviets were bankrupted by an Afghan War that wouldn’t end. Now, is it our turn?
Tom Engelhardt

» Capitolism

Expert Failure | How the elites failed us.
Christopher Hayes

» Act Now!

S. Dakota Goes After Choice (Again) | Meet the Rev. Steve Hickey. He believes that S. Dakota has been chosen by God to upend Roe v. Wade.
Peter Rothberg

» And Another Thing

Are You the Very Model of a Modern Vice-President? | Sarah's not the only one with a special skill.
Katha Pollitt