DATE: July 01, 2008

CONTACT: Contact information listed below

WRITER: Teresa C. Hopkins, (864) 656-1222
hopkin1@clemson.edu

Clemson University experts for the 2008 presidential election

Updated Oct. 27, 2008

CLEMSON — U.S. citizens will head to the polls in a matter of days to cast their vote in a history-making presidential election. The country will either see its first African-American president elected or first female vice president elected. Clemson University academic experts are available to help dissect this year’s campaigns. See video interviews with our political experts here.

With only days left until the country goes to the polls to elect a new president, pundits say Sen. Barack is unbeatable.  Two words to remember are Bradley Effect, which describes discrepancies between voter opinion polls and election outcomes. For an explanation contact Joseph Stewart at (864) 656-3234.

Clemson University political scientist and pollster Dave Woodard has strong opinions about how the presidential race is shaping up. The GOP consultant foresees a landslide for the Democratic presidential ticket. For further insight and to discuss the future of the Republican Party, contact Woodard at (864) 656-3551.

Candidates who make college campuses part of the campaign trail may as well stay away from the math and physical science departments. The voters are elsewhere, according to a study by Lamont A. Flowers, executive director of Clemson University’s Charles H. Houston Center for the Study of the Black Experience in Education. Flowers, Distinguished Professor of Educational Leadership, focused his study on which African-American students, by major, were likely to register and vote. While math and physical science majors were the least likely to vote among African-American students, business and management majors were the most likely to take part in the election process. Contact Lamont Flowers (864) 656-0313 for details or contact Ross Norton (864) 656-4810 in News Services for assistance.

Bob Barr, the Libertarian candidate for president, may pull some votes from Barack Obama and John McCain, but not since George Wallace in 1968 has a third-party candidate received electoral votes. Contact Clemson political science department chairman Joseph Stewart at (864) 656-3234 for details.

Clemson political scientist Bruce Ransom researches African-American politics and voting trends and can provide insight into the amount of energy Sen. Obama has brought to the Democratic ticket, as well as the impact of the new voters turning out this year. Contact Ransom at (864) 656-0214.

Adam Warber, author of “Executive Orders and the Modern Presidency: Legislating from the Oval Office,” researches the history-making terms of presidents in the United States. For insight into how the Bush presidency will be remembered and for perspective on what we can expect from the Bush White House between now and January 2009, contact Warber at (864) 656-1828.

Religious and moral issues can often categorize individuals into one of two categories – Republican or Democrat. For information on how various religious groups vote and why, contact Clemson political science professor Laura Olson (864) 656-1457 or laurao@clemson.edu.

For assistance contact Teresa Hopkins in News Services (864) 656-1222.