ABSTRACT
Despite the popular doomsday re-election predictions, the first African American president in the history of the United States was elected to a second term on November 6, 2012. Political pundits pointed to a lackluster economy, high employment rates, and a multitrillion dollar national deficit as major impediments to a successful re-election bid. Moreover, political observers questioned the Obama campaign team’s ability to recapture the voter enthusiasm that defined his 2008 coalition. For example, in the case of the African American electorate, President Obama’s failure to target specific policies towards the Black community, despite employment rates double that of the nation, as well as significant disparities in foreclosure rates, has led some African American public intellectuals to critique Obama’s administration.
