The University of Idaho Argonaut

Jessica Rengel, a junior business major, said she hasn’t paid much attention to the presidential race, but she was called to attention when she first heard the voice of Sarah Palin.
“I liked the way she talked,” Rengel said. “She reminded me of other women I know. But then I heard more about her and all the stuff she said she did in Alaska … I just don’t trust her.”

Rengel — a young, Hispanic, female — in 6many ways typifies the transition in how candidates are approaching their constituents. For the first time in history those who are running for office are making a concerted effort to reach out to her.
“I really am concerned with women’s issues,” she said. “A lot of the work I do focuses on that.”

Rengel said she has no real attachment to Barack Obama, but she is uncertain about Palin. She offered no opinion about John McCain.
“I almost want to support her because she ‘s a woman, and that’s tough enough,” she said. “But I don’t like her.”
Sandra Reineke is an assistant professor of Political Science and Women’s Studies. During a panel discussion on Monday, she expressed her own fear about what it would mean to put Sarah Palin in the White House.

“She would be the first woman to be put in that type of position of power and history will judge her,” Reineke said. “It’s not just going to be a reflection of her, it’s going to be a reflection on women.”
The School of Journalism and Mass Media, in association with other departments in the College of Letter, Arts and Social Sciences, organized the Town Hall meeting to discuss the influence of race and gender on the presidential campaign.

Panelists included Don Crowley, the head of the Political Science Department; Lillian Dunlap, a faculty member at the Poynter Institute and Mark Trahant, the editorial page editor for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Dunlap said she feels the world of journalism was unprepared for the diverse nature of the election. This was evident in the cosmetic nature of the coverage, which she said needed “more
substance.”

“Clinton was covered as commentary, woman, wife, hottie, a bump of the rib,” Dunlap said. “It diminishes journalism.”
Since this election offers the option of the first African American president or the first female vice president, she said reporters had to try new ways to cover it. However, she said it was unfortunate the American people had to wait this long into the election to hear those types of stories.
“Media coverage suggests you cannot escape your gender,” Dunlap said. “It is up to you to examine whether we should have a campaign where gender does not apply, or yes, gender matters will act upon the identity presented to you.”

Trahant, the group’s only active reporter, agreed with Dunlap, but said the nature of the field is so fast-paced it’s easy for the nature of stories to fall into a predictable pattern.
“In journalism, we tend not to be able to focus on the complicated.”